Five burning Raptors questions that will define Toronto’s season, from Scottie Barnes growth to rookie development | Sporting News Canada

It is time for Raptors basketball once again.

After posting a 25-57 mark in 2023-24, the Raptors enter Year 2 of the Darko Rajakovic era and their 30th year in the NBA.

Despite what the record may show, things weren’t all bad last season. While former franchise stalwarts moved on, Scottie Barnes blossomed into an All-Star, RJ Barrett came home and Immanuel Quickley is now making Toronto his home.

With that trio leading the charge, the Raptors have an identity to build around, and they’re doing so with a blend of veteran and young talent. As the franchise rebuilds, 2023 lottery pick Gradey Dick headlines a crop of young talent that will be looked upon to show its potential in a transitional season.

Just how transitional of a season will this be? As the 2024-25 season gets underway, a few burning questions could provide insight into the direction the year will go.

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Five questions that will define the Raptors’ season

What is the vision?

Jakob Poeltl made headlines at media day by saying, “It doesn’t make sense to try to win every game we can and sacrifice development” in the context of the team’s goals for the upcoming season.

As odd as his words may have sounded at the moment, Poeltl wasn’t completely off-base with his assessment of Toronto’s outlook. The Raptors are not title contenders nor are they expected to be a solidified playoff team, but a weaker bottom half of the Eastern Conference means the door isn’t shut on a Play-In Tournament run.

Poeltl, 29, is on the veteran side of a two-timeline approach that history has proven to be tricky to navigate in the NBA. And while veterans like Kelly Olynyk and Garrett Temple are there to bridge the gap and help mentor a young roster, Poeltl and Bruce Brown Jr. are win-now players capable of contributing to a playoff team.

Over half of Toronto’s roster is aged 25 or younger, meaning the focus lies on the development and evaluation of young players, but that does not mean struggling is mandatory. The Raptors could follow the example of recent accelerated rebuilds in Oklahoma City and Orlando, or take a longer time like current rebuilds in Charlotte and Washington.

Everything revolves around the specific direction of the vision.

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How will Scottie Barnes build on his All-Star season?

At 23, Barnes is coming off his first All-Star selection and enters the season as the undisputed franchise player for the first time in his four-year career.

Not every team can say they have a 23-year-old All-Star to build around, but the Raptors are ahead of the curve in most rebuilds because of Barnes’ presence. There were growing pains after the franchise officially handed Barnes the keys in January but he’s handled them well and continued his growth.

After posting averages of 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists over 60 games last season, what is the next leap? Barnes has emphasized his focus on communicating better and can realistically improve upon what he’s already shown. With similar (or better) numbers and some team success, another All-Star selection should be the goal with All-NBA standing as another mark that may not be as hard to reach as it initially seems.

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What type of impact will the rookies make?

Toronto will enter the season with five rookies on its roster — a trio of draft picks on standard contracts, a fourth draft pick on a two-way contract and an undrafted rookie taking up another two-way slot.

While Ja’Kobe Walter, the team’s first-round pick, will understandably enter the year with the most expectations, he’s beginning at a disadvantage after an injury limited his time in camp. Jonathan Mogbo has a unique set of tools, but No. 45 overall pick Jamal Shead could have an immediate impact as an accomplished college player who arrives to the NBA as a finished product.

When thinking of the two-way rookies, Branden Carlson’s size is hard to ignore, but No. 57 overall pick Ulrich Chomche is the most intriguing player on the roster. Chomche, who is still learning the game, won’t turn 19 until December. Even at 6-10, the 18-year-old may not be done growing height-wise and has all of the tools to be an impactful player if molded the right way.

Our two-way in action 🤝 pic.twitter.com/zGVJUJ1Jk3

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 7, 2024

POSITIONAL RANKINGS: PG | SG | SF | PF | C

Toronto will be sellers at the deadline … right?

Feb. 6, 2025, is a date that should be circled on the calendars of Raptors and NBA fans alike. That is, of course, the trade deadline for the upcoming season.

Bruce Brown Jr. has seemingly been in trade talks since the moment Toronto acquired him in January, and yet the saga has not yet reached a resolution. And while Brown seems to have enjoyed his time as a Raptor so far, it’s hard to envision him on the roster past the deadline.

Last season showed the Raptors weren’t afraid to do their work early, pulling off major trades at the end of December and in mid-January, but no two years are alike. If the vision is as future-focused as it seems, Toronto might have a transformational deadline with only a handful of “untouchable” players on the roster.

Fans will have a greater understanding of what to expect once the first few months of the season pass.

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Is there a chance that this team is ahead of schedule?

You won’t mistake this Raptors team for one that can compete with the teams in the top half of the East but the situation may not be as dire as it seems.

With Barnes, Barrett and Quickley at the forefront, Toronto has much more talent than several teams at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Coming into the new season, the Raptors have a brighter outlook than the Nets and Wizards at the very least.

Toronto is likely in a pack of teams that includes Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago and, potentially, Detroit. Based on numbers, three of those five teams will at least compete in the Play-In Tournament as the bottom three seeds to qualify.

Coming into the season, the Raptors aren’t expected to do much, but a leap from Barnes, increased chemistry with Barrett and Quickley, and production from the young core would make this a fun transitional year. While the playoffs are almost out of the question, it’s not that hard to envision Toronto finishing ahead of five of the aforementioned teams.

As recent examples have shown, the best way to teach a young team how to win is for them to get a taste of winning.