Toronto Raptors: 2017-18 NBA season preview

Storyline No. 3: Is the window closing, or opening?

Last year was seen as “the year” for the Raptors, who supposedly went all-in at the trade deadline.

Maybe for some teams, moving Terrence Ross, a late first and two second-rounders would constitute pushing their chips to the middle. For Toronto, it was really just a small raise.

With Ibaka locked in for three more seasons (almost certainly the remainder of his quality starter years), the Raptors are still better on paper than they were entering last season. With so much turnover in Cleveland and Boston, their continuity may even give them the inside track for the No. 1 seed.

About that chip stack: they still have it. Nailing Anunoby at No. 23 adds to one of the league’s deeper pools of complementary young talent, one that also consists of Powell, Poeltl, Siakam, Nogueira and Wright. If these players develop either as contributors or trade assets, the Raptors will become more relevant over the coming seasons, an era that was expected to be mired by decline and a deep rebuild.

The question is whether or not that development will improve the team this year.