30 Teams In 30 Days: Toronto Raptors

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 41-41
Eastern Conference Seed: 6
Playoff Results: Lost to ORL in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (4-1)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Jermaine O’Neal (via trade), Nathan Jawai (via trade), Roko Ukic (via 2005 draft, signed), Will Solomon (via free agency), Hassan Adams (via free agency).

Key Losses: T.J. Ford (via trade), Carlos Delfino (via free agency – left for Europe), Rasho Nesterovic (via trade), Darrick Martin (via free agency).

The one-two point guard punch is no longer; it is now [finally] Jose Calderon’s show to run, as evident from the five-year, $45 million extension he inked on July 9.

Roughly a week and a half after June’s draft, the Raptors acquired six-time All-Star big man Jermaine O’Neal from Indiana in exchange for a large package consisting of oft-injured T.J. Ford, the expiring contract of Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston, and the draft rights to 17th overall pick Roy Hibbert.

When healthy, O’Neal surely lives up to that six-time All-Star resume, as he is a proven 20-10 guy as well as perhaps one of the better post defenders and shot blockers. Here’s where the uncertainty comes in - he hasn’t put together a 70+ game season since 2004-2004. Last season, Jermaine batted a nagging left knee injury, which led to a relatively putrid campaign and his lowest number of games played (43) throughout the course of a single season since signing with the Pacers in 2000.

At 30 years of age, it’ll be interesting to see just how well he recovers. Should be pull it off and give Chris Bosh that frontcourt sidekick that Bryan Colangelo is hoping for, Toronto could undoubtedly have one of the most talented forward-center duos in the league.

There are a lot of ifs, but with O’Neal’s contract coming off the books as soon as 2010, it may very well be worth the risk.

The Raptors also got the rights to 41st overall pick Nathan Jawai in the deal. The 6’10’’ center’s scouting report preaches something along the lines of: very wide, strong, excellent footwork, soft touch, good passing big man, could lose some weight, raw. It should be extremely difficult for the rookie to find any kind of consistent minutes behind the likes of Bosh, O’Neal, Andrea Bargnani, and Kris Humphries, but the Raps may have themselves a quality role player down the line.

To fill out their point guard void after trading Ford and losing Darrick Martin, Toronto brought in two guards from across the waters. One is Roko Ukic, who Toronto drafted in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft, and finally decided to come over. The other is Will Solomon, who averaged over 17 points and four assists per game in Turkey last season.

Depth Chart

C: Jermaine O'Neal / Nathan Jawai / Jamal Sampson
PF: Chris Bosh / Andrea Bargnani / Kris Humphries
SF: Jamario Moon / Jason Kapono / Joey Graham
SG: Anthony Parker / Hassan Adams
PG: Jose Calderon / Will Solomon / Roko Ukic

Biggest Strength

Spacing: The Raptors may not do a whole lot of damage on the inside, but you better believe that they’ve got one of the best shooting casts in the league. You could even argue that they are the very best shooting team the NBA has to offer. Last season’s club finished seventh in field goal percentage (46.8%) as well as second in both three-point shooting (39.2%) and free throw shooting (81.2%).

This year should be no different as three-point snipers Jose Calderon, Jason Kapono, Anthony Parker, and even slowly-progressing seven footer Andrea Bargnani join mid-range threats Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal to form perhaps the league’s very best display of court spacing.

Biggest Weakness

Reliable Slasher: Spacing is great, but having a wing slasher to exploit those widened lanes would make the attribute that much more valuable. Toronto is blatantly absent of that type of player. Until that hole is filled, it’s going to be a real shame watching all of that court spacing go to waste due to the fact that this team has neither a post option or an off-the-dribble scoring threat to take full advantage of the tool.

X-Factor

Jermaine O’Neal: If Jermaine O’Neal can stay relatively healthy, or at least healthy enough to provide Toronto with an interior defensive force when the games count, the Raptors can be a threat in the East. Should O’Neal put together yet another injury-riddled campaign, however, the second round wall may remain in place in 2009.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

What to expect from the Raptors this season? Beats me; this is a real wild card.

Once again, Toronto’s success almost fully rests on Jermaine O’Neal’s health. I could see this team scrapping for a low playoff seed just as easily as I can picture this team as high as the fourth or fifth seed. Taking the coward’s way out, I decided to find a happy medium and place this team sixth in the Eastern Conference.

Forty-five wins may even be a tad generous if preseason play is any indication of what is to come, but as long as the Raptors can dodge the injury bug, there’s no reason to believe that this isn’t a playoff team with an opportunity to advance.

Predicted Standings
45-37
3rd in Atlantic Division
6th in Eastern Conference 

Coming Soon: Utah Jazz