Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors surprised a lot of people with how well they played during the 2021-22 season. Many presumed they would be entering a bit of a rebuilding stage after the most accomplished player in franchise history, Kyle Lowry, left for the Miami Heat in free agency.
It was the third consecutive year they lost a prominent player from their title team, as Kawhi Leonard, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka left in free agency before that.
But, the Raptors didn’t let that adversity get to them as they kept chugging right along. Nick Nurse deserves a lot of credit for getting the most out of the players that he had to work with. Lacking a true option to deploy at the center spot, he came up with a game plan to highlight the team’s strengths.
The Toronto Raptors had a hyperactive defense, switching everything and trying to create havoc with their athleticism and length. It led to them earning the No. 5 overall seed, but the lack of size on the interior came back to hurt them as the Philadelphia 76ers dominated in the paint.
Toronto could use some size, but the Raptors seem committed to the same game plan they used last season, as their biggest addition this offseason is Otto Porter Jr. So, why not check in on a player such as Julius Randle?
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Randle is naturally a power forward but his bully ball is something that could play at the center position as well. He could make up for the lack of size and strength they are sometimes lacking, as he could be better off defending big men on the interior than players on the perimeter anyway.
The Toronto Raptors’ offense was predicated on having players on the court that would keep defenses honest. While Randle struggled with his jump shot at times last season, he is someone that opponents have to respect otherwise he will pick you apart.
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Luke Walton deployed him at the center spot his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers and he played some minutes there with the New Orleans Pelicans as well. He could take the Toronto Raptors’ approach to another level with his skill set being used as the team’s center.
