The Toronto Raptors don’t have high expectations for this year.
Veteran center Jakob Poeltl made it clear that the Raptors aren’t going to compete for a championship for the 2024-25 season.
He kept things real at Raptors Media Day when talking about the team’s outlook.
“I think we all know we’re not going to go and attack the championship this year. It makes no sense for us to try to win every single game as much as we can and sacrifice development,” Poeltl said.
While many will be up in arms because Poeltl said the quiet part out loud, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
The Raptors have made it clear that they are rebuilding and will be prioritizing player development.
Quite frankly, that is the right approach to take especially with a loaded 2025 NBA Draft class on the horizon.
The Raptors shouldn’t be worried about wins and losses at this point. It’s about giving the young players on this team plenty of opportunities.
Poeltl did mention that the team still has a solid plan for the future and the environment is a positive one.
“We have a good plan for the future, our mindset and energy in the locker room is positive…this situation that we have overall is a positive one, that’s why it makes sense for me to be here…we don’t need to win every game to have a positive outlook on the end of the season.”
Even though the Raptors are building for the future, veteran players like Kelly Olynyk and Poeltl will still be important pieces on the team.
Scottie Barnes on embracing a leadership role with Raptors
Since Scottie Barnes will be the player to help lead the Raptors during their rebuild, leadership will be something he needs to display.
Barnes talked about working on his communications skills over the summer and embracing a leadership role with the Raptors for this upcoming season.
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!
