When Masai Ujiri shipped off Rudy Gay and his $19 000 000 contract this past December, Toronto was prepared to tank. While the Raptors received several role players in return from Sacramento, fans and management alike expected a losing season due to the obvious spike in talent. What occurred next nobody could have predicted. After starting 6-12 with Gay, the Raptors finished the season with a franchise high 48 wins. The Raptors have a strong young core that will continue to grow and mature with added experience. Yet, Masai Ujiri has a difficult task ahead.
Similarly to Mr. Ujiri's surprise Denver Nuggets of 2012-13, the Toronto Raptors are a good team. But, to take the next step, and become contenders, Ujiri must evaluate whether or not the current core is sufficient to contend, or whether another major piece must be added. Chemistry has proven to be equally important as talent, so Ujiri must tread lightly in making any major changes.
The fact remains that only the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons have won a championship without a superstar player. The Pistons relentless defensive pressure and clutch shooting allowed them to do what no other team has done before. But, it is likely that the Raptors talent will surpass a team of this nature when "Young Gunz" Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas tap into their full potential.
Only time will tell if this core is capable of contending, and, if not, if Masai is capable of making the necessary changes to contend. Either way, here are some suggestions of what can be done moving forward:
Sign Vince Carter: Proposterous, I know. But as he has shown in these playoffs, Vince is a clutch shot maker and great 3 point shooter. He has playoff and big game experience and would be valuable off the bench as a replacement for John Salmons. Salmons, now in his 12th season in the NBA, is clearly on his last legs, and should not remain part of the team beyond this year.
Start Patrick Patterson: Patterson has a quick bounce and is a great shooting big man. His inside-outside capabilities make him a difficult matchup for teams that play big or small at the Power Forward position. Patterson's presence on the perimeter will also clear room to help Jonas Valanciunas isolate in the post. The Raptors will have an added advantage of bringing Amir Johnson off the bench, against backup players. With the starters off the court, the Raptors will need to produce easy buckets, Johnson's specialty. This slight change will make the Toronto Raptors even more of a nightmare for defences around the league.
Sign Greivis Vasquez long-term: Vasquez has been vital to Toronto's success this season. He is capable of playing both Point Guard (PG) and Shooting Guard. This gives Dwane Casey the flexibility to play both his PGs together, or give Lowry rest and have faith in his backup PG. He is, self-admittedly, not the fastest player on the court. But, his combination of Basketball IQ and lethal shooting make him a valuable asset off the bench.
Draft P.J. Hairston: After being arrested for possession of marijuana, P.J. Hairston was kicked off the North Carolina basketball team. He then joined the Texas Legends of the NBA's D-League. In his first 5 games, Hairston scored 40 points twice, and he finished 6th in the league in scoring against professional competition. Hairston is athletic, a great shooter, and a solid defender. Adding him off the bench would ensure our high percentage shooting is maintained when the bench players enter the game. While Hairston may have personal issues to deal with, the Raptors, led by Kyle Lowry, have enough character and chemistry to make Hairston adapt. With a strong leader and strong core, Hairston will want to be a part of this great team.
Sign Kyle Lowry: DUH! Lowry has proven to be one of the best PGs in the league. He is the heart and soul of this Raptors team. Lowry is an excellent shooter, great rebounder, and capable defender. His mental toughness has given the Raptors youth the confidence to succeed in this new Playoff environment. While practically limping, Lowry had a magnificent Game 4, finishing off the Nets with a driving floater over Kevin Garnett.
If we can learn anything from Indiana's monumental collapse, it is that teams, especially those without a superstar, must have exceptional levels of chemistry and skill to contend for a title. It is up to Masai Ujiri to tip the scales in Toronto's favour.
-Wes
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