ESPN Forecast pegs Raptors for 51 wins
Among the things that stand out is the Raptors having such longer odds at an East title than their win total would suggest. This could indicate a belief the Celtics are a better matchup for the Cavaliers, that they’d beat Toronto in a playoff series, that they may take a while to reach their peak, that there’s a lot more public money on a “sexy” team that made some noise this offseason, even if DeMarre Carroll would warn they’re not playoff-tested yet, or any number of other things.
What’s clear from both the bookmakers and ESPN predictors is that there is the Cavaliers, there’s the Celtics and Raptors, and then there’s a jumble of teams jockeying for standing beyond the top three. That feels right as a broad stroke to paint the East with right now.
Sullinger on the Lowry Diet | Raptors Republic
Zazagooh nails it with assessment that the lack of QO in a sellers market must have shaken him into action; truth is, we should take it happily. I’m not expecting Sullinger to pull a Lowry 180, but any sort of discipline this off-season that stretches as far into next year as possible can only help.
Either way, it is encouraging to see that he’s serious about this coming season, whether altruistically or selfishly.
NBA Japan on Twitter: @Jared_Sully0″
ジャレッド・サレンジャー、東京でワークアウト中！@Jared_Sully0 pic.twitter.com/cqgRt5Eo4F
— NBA Japan (@NBAJPN) July 24, 2016
Jared Sullinger is apparently already on the Lowry Workout Plan | Raptors HQ
Sullinger is listed at 6’9” and a robust 260 pounds. Unfortunately for Sully, this is not a holy-shit-is-that-even-possible 260 like LeBron James’ listed weight; it is more of an obvious straight-to-the-midsection 260, an all-too-believable 260. Now, if it feels uncomfortable to read about this, believe me it is just as uncomfortable to write about. For who am I, doofus blogger, to comment on the fitness level of a professional athlete? I ate a leftover hamburger for lunch today and spent most of the afternoon sitting in a desk chair. Maybe we should all just let Jared be Jared.
And yet, Sullinger, buoyed by either a sense of professional responsibility or, as is more likely the case, the huge pay day coming after this 1-year contract with the Raptors elapses, is apparently already making like Lowry.
Toronto Raptors on Instagram: “Solid first day at the Raptors Basketball Academy. #WeTheNorth”
Raptors Republic on Instagram: “If you a real #raptors fan, who dis? #wethenorth #raptorstrivia”
Bruno Caboclo Scouting Report | Basketball Scouting
WEAK-SIDE OFFENSE
Caboclo parked in the corners throughout the week, with three-point shots accounting for 31 of his 47 attempts from the field in Vegas.
He has not shown to improve much since the end of the season. Caboclo remains a capable open-shot shooter, nailing 35.5% of his shots from beyond the arc, but a gunner who struggles when an opponent rushes his release, as he pulls the trigger rather methodically still.
Caboclo flashed some ability to make shots on the move – once out of screening for the pick-and-pop and one other jogging around a screen, setting his feet quickly and letting it fly in balance. But Toronto didn’t give him many opportunities to check if that’s a skill that can be truly counted on.
Attacking closeouts, Caboclo showed once again he’s not particularly explosive off the bounce but has strength in his 218-pound frame to maintain his balance through contact and get into the lane. He did not finish as well in traffic as he had in the D-League, unable to attack length at the rim with any burst (even out of one foot) or score well enough on non-dunk finishes, as he shot seven-for-16 on two-pointers.
From a team offense-standpoint, Caboclo rarely caught-and-held the ball and proved himself very willing to make the extra pass around the perimeter. But he once again showed he’s not particularly instinctive as a cutter, very rarely diving baseline to the basket, which is disappointing considering he’s flashed the ability to play above the rim as a target for lobs running the break in transition a couple of times.
Raptors latest signing: Jarrod Uthoff | Raptors Rapture
Lucky for the Raptors, Jarrod’s game is not one dimensional. In his senior year at Iowa, he posted fantastic defensive stats, averaging 2.5 blocks per game and 1.8 steals per game. Uthoff’s main asset on this end is his length, which he uses effectively to knock away post entry passes and contest shots at the rim as the weakside help defender. In the post, Jarrod shows remarkable tenacity and strength, often forcing his opponents far from the low block and into contested long twos. A player with this defensive skillset is always a welcome sight for NBA teams, Uthoff projects to be a net positive on the defensive end and could bring some rim protection to the Raptors in lieu of Biyombo’s departure.
However skilled a player Jarrod is, it appears that he is near his ceiling. At 23, Jarrod has already hit many of the developmental milestones that launch NBA rookies from bench minutes into the starting lineup. Throughout his time at Iowa he made major strides, beginning his career as a bench player and ending it as Iowa’s offensive star. So, it may not be reasonable to expect any further major improvements. If Uthoff fails to impress the Raptors coaching staff throughout training camp enough to get the final roster spot, expect him to end up in Mississauga with the 905, where he may still develop into an NBA calibre player.
Patrick Patterson on Instagram: “Rest & Relaxation..”
DeRozan Motivated To Continue His Journey With Raptors | Toronto Raptors
DeRozan isn’t one to spend a lot of time reflecting, choosing to focus on what needs to be done instead. Still, it was impossible to avoid looking back on all that has happened over his seven years in Toronto on the morning he headed over to the arena to sign his new contract and meet with the media.
“It’s just [about] how much I’ve grown here, how much I’ve seen the city grow, how much recognition I’ve seen the city gain,” DeRozan said. “The whole nines. It’s amazing for me to be a part of that and I feel like I had something to do with it and feel like I’m a staple in the country now.”
DeRozan is coming off his best individual season as well as the franchise’s most successful in history. He could have elected to take things slow this offseason. He could have rested his body and mind for a bit before easing into workouts to prepare for training camp. Of course this isn’t the route he chose. When USA Basketball offered an opportunity to represent his country and get to do it along with Lowry, as well as getting to learn from some of the brightest minds in basketball, DeRozan jumped at the chance.
In addition to getting to suit up for USA, DeRozan also embraced getting to train beside some of the league’s best players. When speaking about remaining in Toronto, DeRozan continued to stress that he’s looking forward to continuing to build on the success of the previous season.
“It’s [about] finding that extra motivation year in and year out,” DeRozan said. “Some way, somehow, you always find that motivation at the highest level it needs to be to preform and come back and be better. Thats what it’s all about.”
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