2009-10 NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors

Toronto Raptors

2008-09 Record: 33-49

Anticipated Starting Five

PG- Jose Calderon
SG- DeMar DeRozan
SF- Hedo Turkoglu
PF- Chris Bosh
C-  Andrea Bargnani

Key Reserves: Jarrett Jack, Marco Belinelli, Reggie Evans, Amir Johnson, Antoine Wright, Rasho Nesterovic

Biggest Strength: Shooting

Toronto has guys that can shoot all over the place.  Calderon is a high % shooter, Turkoglu can shoot from the SF position, Bosh has a nice face up game, Bargnani is a very good three point shooter, Belinelli is a three point threat and Jack isn’t too bad either.  Offensively this team won’t have a problem putting points on the board.

Biggest Weakness: Defense

Calderon is a good defender.  DeMar DeRozan has potential but is unproven. Turkoglu’s defense is highly overrated.  Worse yet is the interior defense.  While Bosh and Bargnani use their length to block shots off the ball, when they are attacked directly at their chest or by strong offense bigs they tend to be pretty soft (a reason they traded a great three point shooter for a known tough guy in Reggie Evans).

Key Player: DeMar DeRozan

Toronto will be relying on the rookie immediately to man their SG position.  This is the most uncertain position on this team.  What they need more anything is some real solid defense from this spot.  Of the guys they have Derozan has the most potential to fulfill that.  Also, they have plenty of shooters they need a guy from the wing that can penetrate, get to the basket, finish and draw fouls.  Again DeRozan fits the bill.  The question is how quickly can he start producing.

Biggest Question: Will Chris Bosh stay?

Everyone is caught up in the 2010 LeBron sweepstakes, but the Raptors’ fans are terrified that their franchise player will bolt. Of all the big name free agents in 2010, Bosh seems like one of the most likely to go, given that he isn’t all that happy in Toronto and a couple big markets with a better core of players are in need of a PF (Miami, Chicago). I personally expect him to team up with Dwyane Wade in Miami for the next couple years.

Best Individual Season of All-Time: Vince Carter, 2000-01

27.6ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.1 bpg

Philly fans remember this Vince Carter as the one who nearly derailed Iverson and the Sixers on the way to their Eastern Conference championship. In that series, Carter averaged 30.4 ppg in that series, but unfortunately for him, Iverson averaged 33.7 and the Sixers won in 7.

Pete’s 2010 Outlook: 2nd place, Atlantic division / 6th place, Eastern conference / 13th place, NBA

I keep waiting for the Raptors to turn into the east coast version of the Suns like Bryan Colangelo envisioned. I’m not sure that they will be like that this season, but I like the collection of talent they have. Bosh is motivated and in a contract year, Turkoglu, Bargnani and Belinelli can jack it from 3 and Antoine Wright, Jarrett Jack and Reggie Evans make for an improved bench. I think the key is Calderon, who needs to be the “Nash” of this group. If he can, they might surprise.

Dannie’s 2010 Outlook: 3rd place, Atlantic division / 9th place, Eastern conference / 17th place, NBA

It’s pretty simply in my opinion for Toronto.  They have a lot of talent offensively but if they don’t defend they won’t make the playoffs.  If one of their shooting guards doesn’t step up they will struggle.  They really lack quality depth on the wing.  They need Amir Johnson to do a good job when he spells Bosh.  Right now most people have Toronto being pretty damn good and making the playoffs.  I wouldn’t be surprised at all if that happened.  But right now I am in a need to see it to believe mode with them.

See all 2010 NBA team previews

October 26, 2009