Toronto Raptors: 2016-17 Season Outlook
Best-Case Scenario
The Raptors stay hungry and against all odds, Lowry and DeRozan again turn in career seasons. A healthy DeMarre Carroll makes a world of difference on a night-to-night basis, providing Toronto with the 3-and-D consistency on the wing they could’ve used last year.
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Valanciunas helps pick up the slack on the nights when the shots aren’t falling for Lowry and DeRozan, and although he doesn’t have a breakout 20-10 kind of season, he puts up a respectable 15 points and 10 boards a night while shoring up a bit on the defensive end.
With the Cavaliers resting their Big Three more during the regular season and Toronto dead-set on that No. 1 seed, We The North secures home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
They officially bury all the playoff narratives by advancing to the NBA Finals, albeit over a banged-up Cavs side, before losing to a superior Warriors or Spurs squad in the championship series. This success makes them appealing to free agents, which helps them finally lure the star upgrade at power forward they’ve needed all along.
Worst-Case Scenario
Carroll once again struggles to stay healthy, making it challenging for the Raptors to develop a lasting rhythm by the time the playoffs arrive. Valanciunas once again shows only marginal improvement, and the Cavs don’t rest their Big Three as often as expected.
Lowry and DeRozan both struggle to replicate their career years in 2015-16, and with the playoff field in the East more competitive than last season, Toronto slides to fourth in the standings with around 47 wins.
With the star backcourt once again struggling as soon as the playoff lights turn on, the Raptors are ousted in the first round of the postseason, leaving Lowry’s long-term future in Toronto in doubt and prompting Ujiri to think long and hard about whether it’s time to give up on this current core and start anew.
Next: Predictions