Toronto Raptors: Why This Team Can Easily Become NBA Champions
We all know the summer story about LeBron James going to Miami, how Amar'e Stoudemire went to the Knicks and last but not least, how Chris Bosh decided to go to the Heat as well.
Entering the season, the Raptors had low expectations and we can all see in the standings that this team is not doing well, but what the standings do not show you is what us, the fans, DO see.
The Raptors play with heart and hustle.
Despite having a horrible record, it always seems that the players never give up in a game, whether the game is played against a team such as the Boston Celtics or the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As mentioned previously, this season has been horrendous, but there have been some plus sides to it. We saw an increase in production by many players, especially the likes of Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan.
Jose Calderon got back to his old form after struggling last season and the future seems bright with Ed Davis and Amir Johnson.
As any sports fan should know, rebuilding a team does not take a year and patience is key. Look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trailblazers and the Chicago Bulls as good examples.
The Raptors have three-fifths of the puzzle complete, and the only holes they need to fill are in the SF and C department.
Andrea Bargnani is a forward who, unfortunately, lives in a seven-foot-tall body. He lacks the strength and the rebounding skills that most players at his position have.
If the Raptors can bring in a defensive-minded center and move Bargnani to play power forward, this will give Toronto a very nice frontcourt.
The other position is the SF position. The team has had trouble at this position ever since Vince Carter left. As of right now, the team has Sonny Weems, Julian Wright and James Johnson (Kleiza is currently injured).
None of these players are stars, but James Johnson is playing some of the best defence the Raptors have seen in a long time.
If the Raptors can fill both of these positions, they will easily become a top team competing for a championship.
They can either build through the draft or bring in players via trade and free agency. The draft is the best way to go, as many elite teams have reached their elite status through the draft.
Finally, the Raptors might have one of the worst records in the league, but not many people have taken into consideration (other than Raptor fans of course) that the team has defeated league powerhouses such as the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls, among others. They most recently completed the season sweep of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With a couple of years of rebuilding and a new change in scenery, whether it be staff or players, the Raptors will become future winners with one of the strongest young cores in the league.
Thanks for reading!
