Bobby Webster deserves more credit for Toronto Raptors’ success

When the Toronto Raptors promoted Bobby Webster they were taking quite the risk. It’s difficult being in control of anything at 32 years old. Being in control of a roster in one of its most critical stages is a whole different animal.

Being the youngest general manager in the NBA, Bobby Webster would’ve had his hands full with any organization, let alone the Toronto Raptors, who had their own unique challenges coming into the season. After the North was swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs, some questioned if their current core was worth keeping together.

Webster decided that it was, and signed Kyle Lowry to a whopping three-year, $100 million deal. The Raptors were already strapped for cash, so signing Lowry ended any chance of improving their roster without him. If they had chosen to look for a replacement at point guard, the market was slim overall when trying to match Lowry’s talents.

Being in a conference controlled by LeBron James and an improved Boston Celtics team, the odds were once again stacked against Toronto. Webster never gave one indication that was the case. Four days after being promoted, the Raptors re-signed Lowry, then later added veteran C.J Miles. They also drafted OG Anunoby about a week before free agency began.

Then there’s reserve guard Fred VanVleet, the unknown former G League affiliated guard who’s been one of the best finds in the NBA this season. From an outside view, however, those additions didn’t measure up to losing veterans such as DeMarre Carroll, P.J. Tucker, Patrick Patterson and Cory Joseph.

CBS Sports’ Brad Botkin spoke to that opinion when giving the Raptors a “C” offseason grade:

"“Basically, they paid a combined $165 million to retain Lowry and [Serge] Ibaka. Miles was a good find, but Toronto lost more than it gained. Ultimately, it paid a lot of money to more or less stay the same, if not fall back a little in the East with the improvement of Boston.”"

That doesn’t sound like a team that would eventually take the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with less than a month remaining. Instead, the Raps found a gem in Anunoby, helping bring a tough, athletic defending forward that could stretch the floor. VanVleet is having a career year and assisting the Raptors in keeping Kyle Lowry fresh for the playoffs.

Miles is continuing to bring his experience and shooting that every team has been gracious to him for. These improvements have also allowed the likes of Jonas Valanciunas and Serge Ibaka to comfortably play their roles, without the expectation of added production. And did we mention the improvements DeMar DeRozan has made?

Head coach Dwane Casey deserves his fair share of credit after being doubted throughout his tenure, but lost in the shuffle has been their young, emerging GM. If the Raptors keep winning, he won’t be much longer.

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Toronto will ultimately be judged based off of their playoff results, but after most clamored for them to “blow it up,” their resistance may be what leads them in the end. That credit deserves to be in the hands of GM Bobby Webster. Maybe age is truly just a number.