Sean Woodley here, the host of the daily Locked On Raptors podcast, with your daily Locked On Raptors newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Raptors and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
It’s Opening Night! Here’s to a Raptors season that won’t be a total drag
Feb 10, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) controls the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) tries to defend during the first quarter at Scotiabank Arena . Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports|Nick Turchiaro/Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
After an offseason so uneventful no sane person would dream of hosting daily podcasts throughout, we’re here. Opening night. Raptors. Cavs. Vince Carter on the call. Purple threads. Nostalgia oozing out the ears.
And, most refreshingly, zero existential crises about the direction of the franchise.
Yep, there’s a sense of renewal around here. The Raptors are once again a Normal Basketball Team, primed to give space for their young guys to blossom, with a couple more TBD prospects slated to join the team at next summer’s draft.
These greener, Scottie Barnes-centric Raptors won’t be good. But they do project to have a lot more purpose than last year’s squad, mired in a too-long goodbye embrace with the past that left team and fans alike suspended in grim stasis.
You can certainly quibble with how they got here, but tonight marks a clean slate; a return to playing basketball worth giving a damn about. A year removed from awkwardly icing their best player out of a confoundingly built team, the Raptors hand their freshly anointed leading man a supporting cast that, while thin (and currently extremely injured), befits his many talents.
Even if this thing is ultimately headed for the tank, the Raptors are primed to get back to entertainment after a year-long sabbatical. And with that should come all the beats and rhythms that bring us from here to there, of which we were entirely robbed last season. The 2023-24 Raptors were quite frankly not worth the time sink, bereft of the hope and dejection and joy and anger that make this whole thing worth devoting half the calendar year to. They were impersonal. What is there to be gleaned from a team that begs the nightly question: who are these guys?
There’s no such concern with this group. Most of the important figures on the 15-man are here for more than a cup o’ joe. Plenty of space for irrational connections, flags planted, and a compelling chapter in the years-long arc this group is merely wrapping the prologue on.
I don’t know exactly what this season holds for the Raptors. The possible outcomes range from cutesy sixth-seed flirtation to 12th, maybe 13th in the tanktastic East, with the lower-middle of that continuum likely being the final landing spot. But I don’t think it’s audacious to predict that regardless of the endpoint, the road this team takes will be a more fun to travel than the potholed disaster we all trode a year ago.
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Speaking of, today on the podcast I was joined by The Score’s Joseph Casciaro to lay down some bold predictions about the Raptors season, our second annual such show. Last year we ran the gamut from “pretty much bang on” to “Jalen McDaniels will be a plus-minus darling,” so by tuning in you’re guaranteed either prophetic analysis, or a bonehead take or two you can hold over me for eternity. That’s a win-win, baby.
Oct 22, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Bronny James (9) warm up before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. |Jason Parkhurst/Imagn Images
The 2023-2024 season ended with a whimper rather than a bang for California’s big three. Kings fans, before you get upset, please know that I consider the Lakers, Warriors and Clippers the big three of existential crises.
Given the perennially heightened expectations for these franchises, and the slowly eroding cores of each team, it feels anywhere from markedly strange to a blatant misread that none of them made meaningful moves in the offseason.
After their tumultuous season, mostly at and by the literal hands of Draymond Green, the Warriors lost Klay Thompson. I say lost because even in a deal that took six teams to complete, with the Warriors getting Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson in the shuffle, Thompson seemed unhappy and a little lost for much of the season. Certainly, his shooting wasn’t where he or the team wanted it, but the disconnect felt deeper.
By their own admission, Golden State wants to win and continue to put Steph Curry, in his prime career years, in a position to lead them. Where, then, is the support for those necessarily connected and yet ambiguous plans? Hield is a fun addition, he’s fast and makes a scoring dent, and Anderson was instrumental in the Wolves playoff run, but neither steps into the third piece of the trifecta between Curry and Draymond that Thompson held up. There are big hopes for Jonathan Kuminga, but consider the fact that Steve Kerr barely played him last season. For all the urgency the Warriors have signaled, they’re kicking the can – and Curry’s best years – down the road.
Beyond a new head coach and their draft picks of Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, the Lakers team starting the 2024-2025 season looks a lot like the one that made a first round exit in April. The question isn’t whether a team with the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis is entertaining, but how the flashy lobs, chasedowns, and occasional dunks translate to consistent wins.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Injury
The Raptors will be without some of their top performers tonight. Kelly Olynyk - Back, RJ Barrett, Bruce Brown, and Ja’Kobe Walter are all out for various injuries tonight. (Toronto Raptors on SI)
Watch
Canadians — watch tonight’s game by streaming SportsNet with SportsNet+. Watching from the US? SportsNet can be streamed on US television through NBA League Pass.
Personnel
How much does NBA coaching experience matter? Depends on who you ask. Howard Beck of The Ringer talks to Steve Kerr, Stan Van Gundy, Chris Finch, and more about the challenges of becoming a first-time NBA head coach, particularly for those without any previous coaching experience.
Preview
Staff at ESPN discuss the Giannis/Lillard two-man game, Lonzo Ball’s return, Mike Budenholzer’s impact on the Suns, and much more in preparation for a massive slate of games tonight.
Contracts
John Hollinger of The Athletic discusses the extensions that did and didn’t happen at yesterday’s deadline, including some important contract details for players like Aaron Gordon and Jalen Suggs.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
NBA Fantasy Basketball Opening Night Reaction - Boston Celtics Smash, Bronny James Makes History
NBA on TNT sideline reporter Taylor Rooks interviews Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Bronny James (9) after they defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena.
|Photo By Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
Lakers vs. Timberwolves: Fantasy Implications
The Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves provided several key insights for fantasy basketball managers. Anthony Davis was the star of the night, delivering a dominant performance with 36 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks. His strong free-throw shooting was a pleasant surprise, making him a top-tier fantasy asset.
LeBron James, while not at his peak, still managed to contribute across multiple categories. Despite a quieter game, his consistent minutes and role ensure he remains a reliable fantasy option. Rui Hachimura’s 18-point game was noteworthy, but fantasy managers should be cautious about expecting this level of output regularly. His value is higher in points leagues, and he could be a useful streaming option.
For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards led the scoring but struggled with efficiency. His lack of defensive stats is a concern for those who drafted him high. Rudy Gobert’s double-double reaffirms his value in leagues that reward rebounds and blocks. The rotation saw Donte DiVincenzo getting more minutes than expected, while Mike Conley and Jaden McDaniels played less. This could be an early-season adjustment, so keep an eye on how these minutes evolve.
Celtics vs. Knicks: Fantasy Standouts
The Boston Celtics’ shooting clinic against the New York Knicks highlighted several fantasy standouts. Jayson Tatum’s 37 points and ten assists make him a fantasy powerhouse, especially with his efficient shooting. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown also delivered strong performances, reinforcing their roles as valuable fantasy contributors.
Al Horford’s 30 minutes on the court and his balanced stat line suggest he should be rostered in most leagues. His ability to contribute across multiple categories makes him a solid fantasy option.
For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns’ modest performance was a letdown for those expecting more from his move to New York. Deuce McBride’s 22-point game caught attention, but his shooting efficiency is unlikely to be sustainable. Fantasy managers should be cautious about overreacting to this performance.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Raptors podcasts.
Tuesday — The 8th Annual Locked On Raptors Over/Unders & Props Spectacular! Sean is joined by long-time combatants Vivek Jacob (Raptors in 7, Sportsnet) and Sahal Abdi (formerly Raptors Republic) to make their picks on 18 over/under and prop bets about the upcoming Raptors season crafted by yours truly. One of my favourite episodes of the whole year. And don’t forget to make your picks in the listener contest. The most accurate entry wins a pair of tickets to a game next season.
Monday — Final Preseason Takeaways; Scottie looks ready, final roster spots & Ochai’s outlook Sean goes solo to run through his biggest takeaways from the preseason, why he’s buying — to an extent — what the Raptors were selling in their five tune-up games, the final roster decisions, Ochai Agbaji’s strong preseason, Davion Mitchell’s offensive struggles and much more.
Friday — What if the Toronto Raptors underachieve this year? And is that even possible? Sean goes solo to talk about the flip side of Thursday’s topic, and dig into what an underachievement would look like in 2024-25, why it’s way more tied to individual player performance than raw win-loss total, and the consequences of a disappointing year, even by rebuilding team standards.
