This time of year, where a thousand contradictory rumours are floating through the ether, you typically look to what a team is doing on the court to get a sense of their broader intentions.
It’s no secret that the Raptors are firmly in the mix to do some stuff before 3pm on Thursday. Insiders both local and national have made as much pretty clear with their reporting in recent weeks, with rumoured moves running the gamut from classic seller trades sending out expiring contracts in exchange for picks, to third-team big trade greasing, to in-season talent upgrades. Something feels like it’s gonna happen, but all the subterfuge doesn’t exactly nail down what it’ll be.
And so we turn to the on-court product — injury reports, DNC-CD choices, in-game rotation patterns — for hints and clues at what the team really plans to do before the deadline. This past weekend, the Raptors were of no help at all.
On Friday, it seemed pretty much ordained. Chris Boucher was benched, along with Kelly Olynyk. Both bench bigs have been pivotal to Toronto’s 9-7 record in the new year, and parking them on the bench six days ahead of the deadline in a game against a Bulls team that just so happens to be within shouting distance of the Raptors in the draft lotto standings didn’t feel accidental.
“I just wanted tonight to give more room for Ja’Kobe and have him there to play more minutes as a young player that we’re trying to develop,” said head coach Darko Rajaković about the decision not to play Boucher. “I think Chris is doing an amazing job and he’s the ultimate professional.”
“Kelly as well was available tonight but since we have Orlando (Robinson) on a 10-day contract I wanted to continue to see what he can bring to us,” the coach added.
“Ah, okay! They’ve picked their lane! They’re doing player development and keeping their trade assets injury-free, and accepting the losses that’ll come with it,” I thought after the game.
And then Sunday happened.
Against a very good Clippers team, the Raptors flipped the script, played Boucher and Olynyk, had their best players play regular minutes sums, kept at least one of their core guys out there at all times, and turned in a complete, 48-minute win. Okay then!
Of course, the smart money is still on the Raptors leaning into development mode down the stretch, rolling out four or five rookies in the rotation, and at least scaling back the minutes loads of the team’s core players (though it’s still gonna be important to see them get more run together thanks to all the lost time Immanuel Quickley’s year from hell has incurred). We’re likely to see most of all of Olynyk, Boucher, Davion and Mitchell and Bruce Brown in new uniforms by the weekend.
But with rumours abound re: Brandon Ingram, Andrew Wiggins and who knows who else over the next couple days, this front office’s track record of rarely doing what’s expected of them, and the league going all 6’s and 7’s over the weekend, the mixed messaging of this weekend has me ready for anything over the next 72 hours. Buckle up, pals.
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Today on the show I recapped the Raptors’ 1-1 weekend against the Bulls and Clippers, discussed the starters best two games of run to date, and more! Enjoy.