The stage is set. Only one more sleep before the Raptors kick off their season against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bob Schmidt of Fox Sports Radio and the ‘Fear the Fro’ podcast was kind enough to answer some questions of mine in the leadup.
Folk: Bob, we need a prediction to wet the appetites of our readers: Who wins the opener between Toronto & Cleveland, and what will be the biggest motivator/reason for the win?
Schmidt: Well, Samson… forgive my American arrogance, but all the universal healthcare in the world can’t stop the dreaded acromioclavicular sprain. Despite Cleveland’s 0-4 preseason, I’m brimming with optimism. With all four members of the “core four” locked up and healthy, this season is poised to begin better than last year. Based on preseason returns, “Evan Mobley: The Reckoning Season” seems like it’s a real thing. Kenny Atkinson has abandoned staggering the bigs experiment, and put full faith into Mobley rewriting the narrative on the viability of the duo. In fact, Atkinson might even go bigger, with Dean Wade looking like the probable replacement for Max Strus in the starting lineup. A combination of suboptimal health for the Raptors, and a Cavs team motivated to notch the first win for their new coach, has me willing to predict the Cavaliers come out victorious
Folk: Even Masai Ujiri & Darko Rajakovic have used the term “rebuilding” to describe the Raptors state of being. I believe Vegas has them at an over/under of 29.5 wins. Where are you on this team? Do you think they’re rebuilding, and if you do, are they rebuilding with the right pieces?
Schmidt: I think the team is in a solid position. They own all their draft capital. There is only one max deal on the books, and while there are other pricy players, those deals will occupy a smaller percentage of the cap each passing season (especially Quickley). This will feel like a cop out, but I think the next moves are the ones that define the rebuild. The easiest thing to do is pay to retain your own talent (and that applies to the Cavs too). The degree of difficulty increases when Masai has to confront limitations the current core can’t overcome.
Folk: Thoughts on the Raptors purple branding? Return of the Vince era jerseys?
Schmidt: Is it just me, or do some of the worst jerseys come in the most successful eras for teams? The 2019 Raptors jerseys were boring. Lebron’s “sleeved jerseys” were a crime against fashion. I love the Raptors purple. It takes me back to the days of Stoudamire and Vince, and I fully support going away from the boring white/black/red, even if it’s only temporary.
Folk: For Raptors fans who might be unfamiliar with this Cavs team, what is the elevator pitch for this season?
Schmidt: Here’s the pitch…
FORGET EVERYTHING YOU SAW BEFORE. THAT WAS JB’S FAULT, WE THINK.
Has this offense stalled in the postseason? Yes. Did they bring back mostly the same unit? Also, yes. Would the prudent move be to wait until we make it through the new year intact? Probably. But the Cavs have three (current or past) all-stars, and Evan Mobley. They’ve got a new coach with a track record of pushing the pace and helping bigs develop away from the rim. They’re gonna run, they’re gonna gun… and most importantly, NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO TOUCH DARIUS ABOVE HIS NECK. I’ve included this handy diagram in case there is an ambiguity about the rules.
This is fine work, Bob. Fine work.
Have a blessed day.
