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Raptors Examining Options to Get Fred VanVleet Healthy – Sports Illustrated
VanVleet isn’t one to complain about things. He’s open and honest about the injury but doesn’t use it as an excuse. To him, if he’s on the court and playing, he should be judged accordingly. But the injury has put Toronto in a difficult position.
On one hand, the Raptors need VanVleet. Even when his shots aren’t falling, he’s a leader on the court. He’s an organizer, as Raptors coach Nick Nurse says. Before the break, for example, Toronto was 9.2 points per 100 possessions better with VanVleet on the court, the highest on the team. In the midst of a heated playoff chase, Toronto can’t afford to give VanVleet time off.
On the other hand, however, the Raptors need VanVleet back to his old self and ready to go when the playoffs tipoff. They can’t let his knee get any worse and while earning the sixth seed may be critical for Toronto, so is having a healthy VanVleet on the court.
That’s why the Raptors are weighing their options right now as they try to figure out how to manage VanVleet’s health and avoid the play-in tournament.
“There’s a few different things we could do to get to that point considering where we are in the season,” VanVleet said. “I think, for the most part, I’ve always elected to play and play until somebody stops me. So, here we are and some days feel better than others but for the most part, I can do my job pretty good out there, definitely not where I’d love to be.”
Thursday’s game may clear things up a little bit for the Raptors. A loss would put Toronto two games back of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. At that point, it may be worth taking it a little bit easier on VanVleet and making sure he’s ready to go when the play-in tournament tips off in Toronto.
WOLSTAT: VanVleet’s health will be crucial down the stretch for Raptors | Toronto Sun
Siakam’s had a great season, even better than 2019-20, when he was named to the All-NBA second team and was an all-star game starter.
It’s remarkable because he was coming off shoulder surgery and about 1.5 seasons playing below his usual standards.
“I think it would be great,” Siakam said before the back-to-back. “Obviously, a lot of work has been put in. Starting the season the way I started with an injury, coming back from that, something I was really, really scared about. I’m just blessed to be in this position, be healthy and being out there playing with joy and passion and just helping my team,” he said.
Siakam knows how high Toronto finishes in the standings could impact how things turn out on the individual front.
“I think as long as we continue to climb, all the accolades will come, so I’m just focussed on that. Continue to lead the team, try to get as many wins as we can and get into the playoffs. That’s our goal and I think the rest will just follow.”
But getting another All-NBA selection will not be easy regardless of how things play out.
There are only six frontcourt spots up for grabs (Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns will likely nab the three “centre” spots, though voters will have the leeway to count true centres as forwards) and you can be sure Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum and DeMar DeRozan will claim five of them (unless DeRozan erroneously continues to be listed as a guard). That could leave Siakam battling it out with the likes of Jimmy Butler (games played could hurt his chances), Domantas Sabonis (who could be out of the running now that he’ll miss at least half of the remaining games) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (the most underrated player in the NBA, it says here) for one spot. Siakam’s certainly worthy, and now’s the time, since Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Zion Williamson are amongst the perennial contenders out of the mix this year due to injuries.
Now they’ve just got to get all the necessary bodies healthy enough to play.
Against the Bulls on Monday, Nurse once again didn’t have O.G. Anunoby or Malachi Flynn, and Trent Jr wasn’t available because of a sore toe. Even with Fred VanVleet and his sore right knee back after missing a win in Philadelphia the night before, the fatigued Raps went scoreless for more than six minutes in the third quarter, turning a tight contest into a one-sided triumph for DeMar DeRozan and company.
Disappointing, but not surprising. It was a big ask to get wins in both Philly and the Windy City. But the Cavaliers will now come to town sitting just one game ahead of the Raps. Yes, folks got excited to host the Lakers and LeBron last Friday, but this is truly a crucial home game, a game that carries meaning and opportunity.
For VanVleet, Siakam and even Chris Boucher, this is a return to relevancy after being exiled to the hinterland last season, and proof hope didn’t leave town when Kyle Lowry did. For Barnes and Achiuwa, it’s the next step in their maturing process. For Khem Birch and Thaddeus Young, it’s a chance to be part of the ”We The North” culture they’d heard about before they donned a Toronto uniform.
At the same time, this is not only a battered team, but also a team with warts. They don’t shoot the three well enough, and some of the youngsters really don’t shoot free throws as they should. VanVleet’s aching knee is a major problem, as is Anunoby’s status. But it’s a team that has overachieved largely on the basis of turnovers and offensive rebounding, both the product of effort and hustle, and should only get better over the next two or three seasons.
So this may well be the beginning of something, a chance to begin contending in the east again just months after many experts wondered if a rebuild was going to be necessary. Remember, the trio of Barnes, Achiuwa and Trent Jr are all 23 years of age or younger. VanVleet is 28. Siakam is 27 and is now playing at a level that indicates that max contract was worth the investment.
The Sixers certainly consider themselves true contenders, and the Raptors, despite being at less than their best, took them down Sunday night. Siakam was dazzling again with yet another double-double, while Boucher absorbed a James Harden elbow to the jaw in the dying moments to help preserve the 93-88 triumph. Toronto’s not one of the top four teams in the east yet, but they appear to be on their way to regaining that status.
