The Toronto Raptors didn’t fall apart after losing Kawhi Leonard. That’s important to remember.
That first season after the title, interrupted by the start of the COVID pandemic, ended with a Raptors team that could absolutely have won a weirder championship, locked in a hotel complex in Florida. But Pascal Siakam got lost in the reshaping of the world, didn’t touch a ball for three months, and that was the difference.
The Raptors also didn’t fall apart when they had to pack everything up and live in a Tampa hotel ballroom for a year. That was handled as well as it could be, and the tank itself was a reasonable reaction, though they didn’t trade Kyle Lowry: The then-34-year-old free agent-in-waiting hadn’t been traded at the deadline because his contract demands started floating around the league, depressing his value, and few teams were ready to pay $30 million (U.S.) for him. Miami was, though. The result was Scottie Barnes, the franchise’s best draft pick since … Siakam in 2016? DeMar DeRozan in 2009? Chris Bosh in 2003? Either way, a team two seasons removed from a championship added a future rookie of the year and all-star. That was just organizational competence.
No, the descent from that moment to the current low ebb began there. That 48-win season in 2021-22 was built on a core four of Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Barnes. All four were good players. All four were valuable. Their connection on defence created a top-10 unit without a rim protector; their offence lacked a superstar but was egalitarian enough to work. VanVleet was an All-Star. Siakam was third-team All-NBA. Barnes was the rookie of the year.
Bu hikaye Toronto Star dergisinin July 09, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Toronto Star dergisinin July 09, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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