Toronto Raptors: 2013-14 NBA Season Preview
By Nathan Giese
The Toronto Raptors are looking to Kyle Lowry to lead a return to the postseason in 2013-14. Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, basketballschedule.net
2012-13 Vitals:
34-48 overall, 5-11 vs. Atlantic Division, 10th in Eastern Conference
2013-14 Roster:
Quincy Acy – F
D.J. Augustin – PG
Dwight Buycks – PG
Austin Daye – F
DeMar DeRozan – SG
Landry Fields – SF
Rudy Gay – SF
Aaron Gray – C
Tyler Hansbrough – PF
Amir Johnson – PF
Kyle Lowry – PG
Steve Novak – SF
Terrence Ross – SG
Sebastian Telfair – PG
Jonas Valanciunas – C
Off-Season Additions:
Tyler Hansbrough (free agent from Indiana), Steve Novak (trade with New York), Austin Daye (free agent from Memphis), Dwight Buycks (free agent)
Off-Season Subtractions:
Andrea Bargnani (trade with New York), Linas Kleiza (amnesty clause), Mickael Pietrus (still unsigned free agent)
Projected Starters:
PG – Kyle Lowry
SG – DeMar DeRozan
SF – Rudy Gay
PF – Amir Johnson
C – Jonas Valanciunas
Season Outlook:
Every year Toronto Raptors look at their team and think, “This is the year. We could finally get over the hump.” After a disappointing 2012-13 campaign, Raptors fans have something to be excited about in 2013-14. They were finally able to unload Andrea Bargnani on another team (trading him to the New York Knicks this summer), something Raptors fans have been calling for over the past year. As a whole, the Eastern Conference is down. Besides teams such as Miami, New York, Indiana, Chicago and Brooklyn, the rest of the conference, and the final three playoffs spots, are wide open. What this means is that even if the Raptors have an identical record from last season (34-48) that may be enough to nab a playoff spot. It’s going to be about small victories for the Raptors this season.
The future for the Raptors starts with Jonas Valanciunas. He has shown great improvement throughout the summer and has even shown some muscle growth, making him a bigger, more physical presence in the paint. In the Bargnani days, the Raptors never had a dominant paint presence. Toronto is hoping to turn that around with Jonas and contributions from the physical Quincy Acy and scrappy Tyler Hansbrough.
Toronto also has a talented backcourt that will be relied upon to score a majority of the points for the Raptors. Kyle Lowry has shown that he is the go-to point guard for the Raptors, leading the offense every which way he can think of. DeMar DeRozan has improved his overall gameplay since joining the NBA, shedding the moniker of being strictly a flashy dunker. Rudy Gay was brought in last season to have a solid go-to scorer, one that can lead the offense. All three will be expected to carry the scoring burden, for the most part. Together they are one of the most athletic backcourts in the NBA. It could be a lot of fun to see what these three can do in a full season together.
Best-Case Scenario:
Not only do the Raptors improve from last season, they make huge strides and earn a record better than .500. They fight their way through the tough Atlantic Division and finish third, ahead of Boston and Philadelphia. Toronto doesn’t just sneak into the playoffs, they earn the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and give the New York Knicks a tough matchup in the first round before succumbing to their lack of overall talent. Rudy Gay inserts himself into the Most Valuable Player conversation due to the team’s success and Dwight Buycks proves he deserved that contract the Raptors gave him this summer, earning himself Sixth Man of the Year honors in the process.
Worst-Case Scenario:
Toronto falls back into the curse of the Raptors, failing to bring their talent together. The playoffs become out of reach and are forced to make changes to the roster. Rudy Gay becomes increasingly unhappy and demands a trade. Toronto tries to find a suitor, but his $17 million he’s owed this season scares any and all potential suitors away. The Raptors join the Great Tank Race for a top pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and let a golden opportunity to turn the franchise around slip away.
Projected Finish:
39-43, 3rd in Atlantic Division, 7th seed in Eastern Conference Playoffs
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