The Toronto Raptors have taken a bold step towards rebuilding their team, focusing on developing young talent like Scottie Barnes and trading away established players like OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. They’ve made significant moves, acquiring players like RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and Bruce Brown, and at the trade deadline, they added Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji to their roster.
Currently, they’re 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 22-36 record, likely heading towards a lottery finish. However, they still have a third of the season left to play and are using this time to build chemistry among their young core.
Despite their current standing, the Raptors have shown promise with three consecutive wins post-All-Star break, including a victory over Pascal Siakam’s Indiana Pacers. They’re aiming to make the play-in tournament, especially with the bottom half of the Eastern Conference playoff picture looking uncertain.
The Raptors are currently 3.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks, who are facing challenges with Trae Young’s injury. This could be an opportunity for the Raptors to secure a spot in the play-in tournament.
While they may not make the playoffs, the experience of high-stakes games could be invaluable for their young players like Barnes and Barrett, who has been performing exceptionally well since joining the Raptors, averaging 20.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
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