Raptors Locker Clean Out: Kyle Lowry – May 8, 2018 – YouTube
ZICARELLI: Time for dramatic change in Raptors land | Toronto Sun
Either way you look at it, the Raptors are in a very difficult spot because they need a legitimate superstar and there aren’t many, if any, on the market. The Raptors need to borrow a page from the Indiana Pacers, who traded Paul George to Oklahoma City in a package that netted Victor Oladipo.
No one will remember 50-win seasons, a No. 1 seed. And nor should they when you get swept for the second straight spring by James.
Raptors Locker Clean Out: DeMar DeRozan – May 8, 2018 – YouTube
Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has new plan to forge and less wiggle room | National Post
If that sounds like a tough spot, welcome to Masai Ujiri’s world.
The president of the Raptors is a thorough man. Knee-jerk reactions are not his style, so don’t expect an immediate answer on his next step.
Chances are Ujiri will do something similar to what he did a year ago and thoroughly investigate the Raptors failure to be even a game better than they were a year ago in the playoffs and only then forge his next plan.
Raptors Locker Clean Out: Fred VanVleet – May 8, 2018 – YouTube
Are Raptors facing major changes after being swept by Cavs again?
The postseason, however, was the same, frustrating result: a third consecutive playoffs series loss to the Cavaliers and another sweep following last season’s sweep.
It doesn’t matter what style the Raptors play, they can’t beat Cleveland. More to the point, they can’t beat a team that has LeBron James.
They were no closer to winning the series than they were last season. Yes, two games were decided by three points, but two games were blowouts, and in those close games, the team that executed and made plays won. That wasn’t Toronto.
Raptors Locker Clean Out: C.J. Miles – May 8, 2018 – YouTube
The Raptors are reportedly ‘leaning toward’ firing Dwane Casey, but should they?
Casey has helped guide the development of all those bright young things who became the backbone of the best season in franchise history. When it looked like the Raptors’ best chance at winning came by putting the ball in the hands of his All-Star backcourt as much as possible for as long as possible, he did that. When it became evident after last year’s sweep that change was in order, he did that, too.
At Ujiri’s prompting, Casey went all-in on altering his approach and the team’s fundamental identity to emphasize increased ball and player movement, a quicker pace, more 3-point shooting. He democratized Toronto’s offensive environment, creating a world in which reserves stood shoulder-to-shoulder with stars, with everybody expected to read, react, make the right play and let many hands make light work. Lowry played fewer minutes. DeRozan passed more. Nearly everybody else did more, and did it better.
Toronto Raptors on Instagram: “Nothing but love for Coach.”
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Raptors could put the blame on Dwane | The Star
In 2015, after a humiliating sweep against Washington, Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey could have been fired. He wasn’t, and the Raptors rose higher the next season. In 2017, Casey could have been fired after a Cleveland sweep, but he was allowed to oversee the Raptors’ culture reset instead. He did a hell of a job, trusting the bench, overhauling the style. He might be the NBA’s coach of the year.
But that doesn’t mean everything is easy. Team president Masai Ujiri always prefers to be thorough, and to take all the time he needs. But league sources indicated that Ujiri was leaning toward firing Casey after Toronto’s franchise-shocking four-game sweep at the hands of the Cavaliers. At press time, there appeared to be no final decision; a decision like this would need to clear the board, and certain members have been fond of Casey.
Toronto Raptors on Instagram: “Toronto loves you too, @fredvanvleet! #BetOnYourself”
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As Raptors look forward, question remains: What if they had ‘It’? | Toronto Sun
raditionally, Raptors players on the cusp of fleeing south of the border for the summer, have struggled to put a finger on the perennially asked end-of-season queries: Why didn’t things work out this time? What was missing?
To their credit, for once, the Raptors provided some answers.
“Toughness. Physical toughness,” said Kyle Lowry, the team’s highest-paid and best all-around player.
Toronto Raptors on Instagram: “The future’s bright.”
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Reeling from a clean sweep, Raptors reach for answers on clean-out day – The Globe and Mail
The Raptors had completely changed their offence, won a franchise-record 59 games, seized the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and envisioned playing into June. Yet, the result was the same as last year: a second-round sweeping at the hands of the Cavaliers.
“Yep, it’s a wasted year for me,” Lowry said. “For me, it was championship or bust.”
This one was much tougher to swallow , the Raptors’ all-star point guard said. “It does feel a lot different because we felt we could possibly make the NBA finals,” he said. “That’s always been a real goal for us. That’s the only thing that matters.”
Toronto Raptors on Instagram: “Brothers for life.”
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