Goran Dragic could be on his way out of Toronto soon. Which team should trade for him? 🤔 https://t.co/mnwSSp95sp pic.twitter.com/FuwL3RIlHq
— theScore (@theScore) January 30, 2022
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZXfh3jFx8Y/
Raptors’ Fred VanVleet is making strong All-Star case – Sports Illustrated
Oh, and then there’s this: VanVleet’s current averages (at least 21 points, six assists and four rebounds) place him in a club with just 10 others, including the current MVP (Nikola Jokic), three former MVPs (Harden, Stephen Curry, LeBron James), a likely future MVP (Luka Doncic), the league’s newest darling (Ja Morant) and four established stars (Jimmy Butler, Trae Young, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal).
VanVleet’s place in this conversation somehow feels both stunning and unsurprising, which explains the grin that spreads across his face as he settles into an oversized hotel lobby chair to discuss it all. He knows he belongs here. He knows he’s earned it. He knows he doesn’t fit the part, and he’s proud of that too—his swagger offset by his humility.
“It’s a good list,” VanVleet says, still smiling. “Sounds about right to me. Sounds about right where I feel like I belong at. … I just try to work hard, be humble, go out there, lay it on the line every night for the team and, you know, whatever comes my way after that, I’ll take it. But I definitely think very highly of myself, in my own head. I don’t speak on it too much. But, um, that sounds about right.”
This season, Toronto’s first without Kyle Lowry running the offense, VanVleet has firmly established his value, leading the young Raptors back into playoff contention after a dismal 27–45 campaign last season. They’re 1–4 in the games he’s missed this season, and 5–19 without him over the last two seasons.
In the abstract, VanVleet’s rise is indeed stunning. Players with his modest physical profile rarely become stars in this league. And undrafted players? Almost never. Of the 438 players to be named “All-Star,” only five were undrafted: Connie Hawkins and Moses Malone (who began their careers in rival leagues), Brad Miller, John Starks and Ben Wallace. It’s been 16 years since Wallace’s last All-Star appearance.
And yet the hints of VanVleet’s emergence—his diligence, his focus, his steady, methodical evolution—have been there all along. He has improved in every major statistical category, every season, for six years. He’s long fit the “first to the gym, last to leave” profile that endears him to coaches and teammates. No, no one saw this coming. But they did see something, from the very start.
“He’s never satisfied with nothing,” says DeMar DeRozan, a teammate for VanVleet’s first two seasons. “He carries himself like he’s got the biggest chip on his shoulder. He carries himself like he’s 6′ 8″. And however tall Freddy is—5′ 8″, whatever he is,” DeRozan says, chuckling. (VanVleet is listed at 6-1). “That’s the type of heart he has, so it’s not surprising me at all. Besides being a friend of his, I’m one of his biggest fans. Love watching him compete, and in my opinion, I think he should be an All-Star.”
Goran Dragic likely dealt before NBA trade deadline: sources | The Star
They are finding several suitors in different scenarios.
Moving Dragić on his own could yield a player with the same kind of expiring contract (about $19 million) to help the Raptors through the end of the season while keeping alive the possibility of signing the acquired player in the summer.
Attaching a first-round pick to a Dragić deal could bring back a player the Raptors want on a longer term deal and with Toronto expected to be about $30 million under the tax level in 2022-23, taking on salary isn’t at all arduous.
If the Raptors are wooed by the chance to obtain a very high priced player on the market, they could expand the deal by adding a Toronto player under contract in some major multi-player transaction.No names were clear in conversations with sources here on the weekend but it is clear that, 10 days out from the deadline, general manager Bobby Webster and president/vice-chairman Masai Ujiri are being proactive in seeking deals.
One thing has become more clear: The Raptors really like their core group — Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jr. — and there is little chance any of them are going anywhere.
“I think there’s always talk about what things we could add and what do we really need to most help the team and there’s usually a discussion of some names here and there that are thrown around,” coach Nick Nurse said in Miami.
“But as you know, for 1,000 discussions, one trade happens.”
The Raptors — and other teams — have enough information to know what they have in a backup group and what holes they need to be filled. That seems to be the most likely scenario, that they find depth pieces and let Nurse figure it out.
VanVleet’s ability to step up in big moments highlights his all-star candidacy | Toronto Sun
Even as the Raptors blew two double-digit leads and were able to summon only 15 fourth-quarter points after leading Miami in each of the game’s first three quarters, it was just a matter of time before VanVleet would take over the night.
It arrived in overtime when he buried three successive three-pointers, including two in the fateful third overtime as the Raptors survived the Heat in a marathon 124-120 win.
Jimmy Butler recorded a triple-double, his second against the Raptors in two meetings between teams that will go toe to toe again Tuesday night in Toronto.
Scottie Barnes forced overtime when he buried two clutch free in regulation after hauling down an offensive rebound.
Gary Trent Jr. produced his third successive game of scoring 30 or more points to lead Toronto’s offence with his 33-point effort.
There was Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby producing double-doubles, each on the cusp of manufacturing triple-doubles
All five of Toronto starters played in excess of 50 minutes highlighted by Siakam’s game-high 57 minutes, marking the first time in NBA history since the advent of the shot clock that five players on the same team were pushed to such limits.
There was resilience, perseverance and excellence when shots needed to be made, traits that easily describe VanVleet and his ability to step up in a big moment.
Following Toronto’s win, which improved its record above .500 at 24-23, VanVleet spoke of the Raptors’ ability to stick together and fight through adversity.
In a few days, the reserves for this year’s all-star game in Cleveland will be announced.
Big-stage Fred deserves to be among the game’s best.
‘His swag is through the roof,’ but Raptor Banton stays grounded | The Star
Because Banton has been able to concentrate solely on basketball — not always a given with a rookie, and certainly not one who has the profile in his city that Banton does — his game has come back around.
He started out gangbusters — a long, quick guard who had an impact on games simply with his speed and athleticism — but then hit an expected wall. Some of it was the natural progression of NBA rookies; some of it was because the Raptors might have asked too much of Banton too soon.
“To be honest with you, we may have overloaded him there for a stretch,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “He went and played like five straight nights (between the NBA and the G League). Who knows, but our aim was just to give him as (many) reps as he could get, and it seemed like after that little stretch was when he took a little downturn.”
Banton’s game did go off the rails a bit, and he seldom got on the court for about three weeks. But some confidence-building games with the Raptors 905 and the absence of VanVleet because of injury, which forced Nurse to use Banton, seem to have rejuvenated his game.
“Going up and down to the G League and playing up here with the Raptors, I feel like I’m putting myself in a position to have a good, long career,” Banton said. “Everybody here looks out for me. They never let nothing slide with me. Everybody holds me accountable.”’
Banton’s teammates understand what he can do on the court, and what he has to do off it. They appreciate his professional approach, which centres on focusing solely on basketball. They’ll support that to the hilt.
“One thing about him: He works hard. I love his energy, I love his personality, his confidence. His swag is through the roof,” VanVleet said. “He has all the intangibles. He’s just got to figure out what kind of player he wants to be in the league and just stick to the details, the professionalism of what it takes to be prepared, execute the game plan and do what the coach is asking of you.”
