The Toronto Raptors are passed the halfway point of their season. The team has played 44 games and are currently 16-28.
They have lost 7 of their last 8 contests and sit 12th in the Eastern Conference.
The team has already gone through a wild season trading both O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam within the past month.
Toronto decided to finally pick a direction and are in a rebuilding phase.
More moves could be coming for the franchise as the NBA Trade Deadline is on Feb. 8 and many of their veteran players are in the rumor mill.
After a chaotic last couple of weeks, the Raptors got a much needed three days off before their next matchup against Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.
An opportunity for the new-look Raptors to reset for the second part of the season.
During this mini break Raptors sideline reporter Savanna Hamilton asked Darko Rajakovic what his priorities are for the second half of the season:
“I think the big picture of where team is going and how we need this team to develop toward the end of this season and into the summer and into next season, that trumps everything. So, if that means we’re going to play less zone, so we can get better in our individual defense and really focus on that, then it’s going to be that. We’re not gonna sacrifice anything on our team development or player development; that’s the most important thing for us, establishing the chemistry between the players and developing those guys on the court and off the court is the absolute priority.”
Rajakovic made it clear that the Raptors are going to prioritize player development over everything.
There has been speculation on if the Raptors will compete or tank the rest of the way. Rajakovic’s answer confirms that the Raptors want to see their young players grow and are not concerned about wins and loses right now.
This is the right call from Rajakovic. The Raptors need to build themselves back up before they can once again become a factor in the East.
Jakob Poeltl doesn’t want to be part of tanking team
One player on the Raptors who has already made it clear that he doesn’t want to be part of a tanking situation is Jakob Poeltl.
Poeltl re-signed with the Raptors this past summer thinking the team would be competitive. However, the change of plans for Toronto could result in Poeltl potentially being traded as the Raptors embrace this youth movement.
Have you subscribed to the Raptors Nation YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
