The Toronto Raptors brought in rookie head coach Darko Rajakovic with the hopes of maintaining a competitive team.
However, things did not pan out that way as the front office decided to pivot. It was clear that a reset was needed after being stuck in mediocrity.
That led to O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam being dealt at the trade deadline. Ushering in some young talent and essentially a whole new roster for Rajakovic to manage.
Unfortunately, he could not see the new iteration of the Raptors at full strength due to injuries. However, he got to see glimpses of these new pieces surrounding Scottie Barnes, which seems promising.
Now with his first season as head coach under his belt, Rajakovic says he is proud of the togetherness the team showed throughout everything that transpired, via Raptors:
“I would say togetherness of not necessarily just players, roster, coaches, but a whole organization. You know we were dealt some really tough cards this year and it was easy to point fingers and say it’s his fault, my fault, her fault, and I think we as an organization, every single department of this organization stayed together and we understood what we were going through. And we understand that the only way we’re gonna build is doing that, being together and being on the same page. So that’s something I’m really proud of everybody in our organization.”
Despite the record not being pretty, there is a lot to be optimistic about moving forward. He will have to develop this newfound talent, but it is something he is familiar with during his time with the Memphis Grizzlies.
When the 2024-25 season comes around, it will certainly be intriguing to see how Rajakovic performs with a full offseason under his belt.
Darko Rajakovic says organization is working hard to turn things around
Rebuilds are known to take some time.
However, Rajakovic and the front office are working hard to turn things around.
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