Tuesday, 16 April 2024

A 2023/24 Toronto Raptors Report Card

 


 

 

The statistics and records of history will look back objectively upon this particular basketball squad and declare without reasonable debate: "they were bad!". And yet, this was such a strange season that such a brief assessment dodges much of the story... as mostly terrible a tale as it was. Not fun! But... certainly strange enough, and memorable in its awfulness to compel me to write about it, at least. 

I was about eight years old when the Raptors emerged in the mid 1990s, so I'm (thankfully) spared a lot of recollection of those tough early expansion years. However, I'm going to make a bold statement here: I firmly believe this past year was the second worst season in Toronto Raptors history. This isn't entirely about wins and losses (as plentiful as the latter was), no. It's about the whole picture. Only one other year truly stands out as being the absolute worst for the franchise, and it was an era when nobody was yet convinced this Canadian NBA experiment could last.

Allow me to argue this silver medal among the other obvious contenders. The very worst season in Raptors history has to be 1997/98, the disastrous third year of the franchise. A 16-66 record after the previous year falsely proposed a young squad on the rise... your first ever star/face of the team forcing his way out of town mid-season... again the very concept of Canada being able to support an NBA team (we were 1 for 2 in the end)... this is surely the absolute low point of the Toronto Raptors. As a child I remember fearing if they even had a future in town once Damon was shipped out... little did we know, or could've dreamed, that Vinsanity was immediately around the corner. Kyle Lowry is the greatest Raptor of all time, but Carter still remains the most important one. 

I'm not counting the inaugural season in this debate either: what did anyone expect? Alex Wong does a superb job in his book 'Prehistoric' and I strongly recommend reading that if you're curious about all the wackiness of the Raptors first season. So! By winning percentage (.305... yikes) this was the fifth worst outfit in franchise history. We've already mentioned the worst (97/98) and kindly dismissed the birth season of the team. 

That leaves 2002/03 (they went 24-58... Vince played half the games and the rumblings of discontent were rising fast) and 2010/11 where Jay Triano's squad went 22-60, the first season after Chris Bosh left and the Bargnani project was immediately proving what we hoped was sadly not in the cards. (ironically, the 02/03 team's awfulness led to the Raptors getting the 4th pick for Bosh). 

You can also argue the Tampa Tank season was worse (and in several ways it was) but for me, considering the scope of it all... this 23/24 year is second worst rather comfortably. 

Consider: you see two long time beloved starters traded away....your young budding superstar breaks his hand, rendering the final quarter of the season pointless and entirely uncompetitive. Family tragedies... a Pete Rose-like gambling scandal (seriously???)... the second longest losing streak the team has ever endured... and oh yeah if lottery balls aren't kind they still won't keep a juicy top draft pick after suffering through all that. In a draft that consensus agrees...is trash.

There is currently much, much more reason to reasonably dream for a brighter future than there was after 97/98, or the inept 10/11 squad, or the ugly final era of Vince's disdain in Toronto purple... but hoooooo boy this 23/24 team just had no chance many, many nights. Perhaps some of the most hapless lineups or collection of players the franchise has ever put to an NBA floor. Nobody in particular's fault either (okay maybe a couple we'll get to) beyond unfortunate circumstances... but it happened. We saw it, and it cannot be unseen. Certain games near the end.... I can't recall the Toronto Raptors ever being so overmatched in every way. Those certain rosters would've struggled to win eight contests in an 82 game season.          

So yeah. Second worst season ever. Lets point some fingers.


 

Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster -- D+

 

You can give credit that they finally pivoted off something that clearly wasn't working (far, far too late, but at least they did). Problem is, it was at the almost last possible second, and one of those trades is looking rather extremely lacking in its return. 

In trading two longtime stars, it sure seems like they truly nailed one transaction and completely botched the other... which seems the kind of thing that can happen when you hold your cards too close for so long. Masai and Bobby clearly have a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card or two considering we're still just five years removed from a championship they built... but a lack of internal player development the past while, once a hallmark and crucial backbone of the eventual title winning squad, is becoming concerning.

Which brings us to the Jak trade. High quality player, the 2024 draft is still regarded as very weak... but potentially giving up a #7 overall pick for a good-not-great NBA starter is an easy thing to point an angry finger at. It was a confounding trade at the time in 22/23 (the Raptors were multiple games under .500 and not going anywhere) and continues to look worse. Or if they keep the pick... the 2025 draft is regarded as much more star heavy and they would still owe their pick to the Spurs, same protections. Unless the team is suddenly meh to good-ish again next year... it's bad! And I love Jak. 

When the change in direction was clear, Masai Ujiri gave a press conference and admitted he probably stuck with that core longer than he should've, describing the Jak trade as giving those guys one last kick at the can. They did play better after, but blew the play-in game thanks to an elementary school girl distracting them at the free throw line, and then Fred VanVleet left. The writing was on the wall, this wonderful era had run its course.

I think they salvaged things as best they could but with very uneven returns. It took them way too long to realize the necessary direction... but at least they did even if it was at 11:58 on the Doomsday Clock. In mid-December, with the opening day team floundering, it was looking like these guys were content to watch their ship sink.

 

Darko Rajakovic -- C+

 

As a distant watcher who knows little of these things, I still have nagging doubts that Darko has the in-game chops as an winning NBA coach. The bizarre early foibles lessened as the season went on, but even so this Raptors team played such sloppy basketball throughout the year... constantly made the same errors and it never felt like those mistakes ever were cleaned up just a little. Somebody box out, for the love of freaking God.  

I'm willing to cut Darko plenty of slack in his rookie year though. Mostly because he basically coached four very different teams over the span of one season: the season opening team with a longtime (though mismatched) core he inherited, the temporary Quickley-Siakam-Barnes core for a month (more on them later), the Barnes led squad post Siakam trade, and then the Barnes-less zombie team for the final 20 games and well, they definitely played those games.

Darko seems an incredibly likable, positive personality (certainly an asset in such a tumultuous, chaotic year) and the players appear to agree... meanwhile his passing-focused-heavy changes to the Raptors offense made the team far more watchable than the latter-era Nick Nurse grit and slog approach. 

Can Darko build a remotely NBA caliber defense? This remains to be seen, but it will have to be seen at some point soon. Mike Malone found it... but many don't.

 

The players

 

Kira Lewis Jr, DJ Carton, Ron Harper Jr, Markquis Nowell, Christian Koloko. Kobe Simmons, Spencer Dinwiddie- N/A

 

Thirty players appeared in Raptor red this year. Thirty! And that doesn't count Dinwiddie or Koloko (or Justise Winslow!) who were all technically on the roster at some point.  

Lewis played one game and was flipped to Utah immediately. Harper Jr. was lost for the season to a knee issue early on, Carton was a little lefty guard they tried off the bench for a bit until he also got hurt long term, Nowell did some impressive things in the G League but got hurt at the worst possible time (when Quickley started missing some games). Still, rather surprised they jettisoned Nowell so abruptly (though he is back with Raptors 905 so the organization has some of his rights). Koloko might never play again due to medical reasons... extremely sad and disappointing as he showed some useful defensive ability last season. Hopefully at the very least he can live a healthy life going forward. And then Simmons played some backup guard during the terrible losing streak. 

We're cutting this off at 100 minutes played! Although my ability to say anything substantial about Malik Williams (who just snuck in at 107... damnit) is very questionable. Just go read Blake Murphy. He's always on top of stuff like that.         


 

Scottie Barnes -- A

 

The best, most important story of the season and for the franchise. 

Barnes taking a serious leap after his stagnant sophomore season, still at only age 22, can give Raptor fans some hope for a brighter future. Another big step and suddenly you're looking at an MVP candidate. 

He's also just a fun player to watch. There are so many spectacular things on either end he can do, and the improved 3 point shooting (though it tailed off) is a game changer. My minor nitpick is I wish he'd stop throwing fastball passes to teammates: Barnes loves sharing the ball and it's almost like he gets a little too excited and just whips a Verlander at their poor hands. Once the game slows down even more for him, and he already sees it so well, this is one special player. A deserving all-star and I have little doubt he'll join Carter, Bosh, DeRozan, Lowry and Siakam on the multiple appearances list. 

If you're a cop I guess you can dock him for missing the final quarter of the season... but I'm not and breaking your hand randomly on a play seems pretty... you know, random.

 

Pascal Siakam -- A-

 

All the talk about not being offered a reasonable extension, about whether he was worth it... the obvious trade chatter surrounding that situation... dude just put his head down and balled out at the level he always has. Darko miscast him early on as a secondary choice (Siakam is so deadly at the rim... rather a bad move keeping him the corners early on by the rookie coach) but to his credit Pascal looked as good as he ever has around the time he was dealt. Not sure the front office realized that (*cough* *cough*).

We can debate whether Barnes and Siakam would've worked together long term (I think so) or if Pascal would be worth the max extension he'll now surely get from the Indiana Pacers (not here, but on the Pacers yes, he's much more valuable to them). His defense has slipped but he's still handsy, disruptive, still explosive in the open court and still puts post defenders in the spin cycle. One of the Top 6 Raptors of all time. 

Who knows what they eventually turn Bruce Brown into, or whatever Jordan Nwora is, or what those 2024 and 2026 picks become... but that trade still forever sucks. Thumbs down there, a million thumbs up for Pascal Siakam. He scored one of the most important buckets in franchise history, never forget:

 



Immanuel Quickley -- B+

 

There's a ways to go... being a supersub behind Jalen Brunson limited the opportunity for Quickley to stretch his game and so I think he's still figuring out a lot of stuff about being the main point guard.

What he can already do is unbelievably useful. He's a top seven rotation player on any other team in the league (name me a team that wouldn't want him/play him)... but the real question is whether he can be both Scottie's number two and a lead guard for the next great Raptors team. Neither of them had much chemistry together, or much opportunity to develop it. We will have to wait and see, but there are positive signs from IQ objectively. Quickley's passing especially came better than advertised.

When the team swapped out OG for Quickley (among notable others) I was excited, and that's no slight on OG who is a true Raptor legend. Getting a dynamic guard who can shoot the lights out, paired up with Scottie and Jak and Siakam... I had a backseat hope this was the turning point of the season. The roster finally had more balance, and for a brief stretch on a brutal road trip (winning in Memphis against a Grizzlies team still with Ja Morant, fighting back against a very good Kings team, destroying the Warriors on their own floor) this reconfiguration was a master-stroke. The defense wasn't great, but with Jak protecting the rim and Barnes alongside Siakam being long and rangy... you could imagine things coming around with a bit more time/experience together. Quickley looked like the ideal piece alongside this, and still looks pretty darn important to any success the Raptors soon hope to enjoy.

 

R.J Barrett -- B+

 

Rowan Junior has had quite a year. First off condolences to the Barrett family, absolutely heartbreaking.

 

In some ways you can kind of get why New York was done with him. The tunnel vision driving into traffic, his bizarrely mediocre and careless defense despite having the clear althletcism to be elite on that side... but you can also believe Toronto (aside from the obvious hometown narrative) has unlocked a better version of his game. Don't forget, despite being a five year vet now... he's still really, really young. Younger than Quickley, even. Not crazy to imagine there is still quite some growth in his game to be unraveled. And there is already much to like.

With the Knicks he was a third option at best and their third option among lefty shooters at that (an odd way of cramming the floor) but more importantly the free-flowing nature of the Raptors offense (compared with the more deliberate, isolation-heavy Knicks) seems to have released a playmaking aspect of Barrett that few had considered before. 

He was a point guard coming up before going pro after all, and while his stubbornness bulldozing into crowds will probably frustrate us eventually... I don't detect any trace of pure selfishness in his game. He has a ways to go in terms of reading the game as a playmaker, but you sense he wants to make the right team play everytime. 

The shooting might come and go (weird form) yet regardless when he seems hellbent on getting a bucket inside... aside from Barnes he's the guy I feel most confident in. I see a really good #3 guy here... but who knows he might have more in him. Right situation... it's not crazy to dream. And he is so strong... I don't think this is a fluke.     

 

Jakob Poeltl -- B

 

At the start of the year, when the Raptors starting lineup had nothing resembling spacing beyond OG and Scottie knocking down the open looks defenses gladly allowed... Jak was looking awful superfluous. All these 6'9 forwards with mobility and defensive chops, alongside a starting point guard with meh shooting who has made a career of being speedy and attacking the rim... why is this 7'1 dude, who literally shoots free throws one-handed, clogging all the paint space? It was rough for a while.

Giving Poeltl a point guard who could actually be a long range threat (Quickley) unclogged that crowded area of the floor and also unleashed Jak as a high playmaker or a pick and roll threat. While he still can't shoot even a slight lick in an ice cream factory tour, he really is a smart, skilled NBA big man who does the little things excellently. Terrific defender, smart as a dribble handoff hub, makes good reads on either end... if he were in the OKC Thunder starting lineup instead of Josh Giddey that team makes the west finals easily. 

It's no coincidence that the fun six game stretch I mentioned above, the Barnes-Siakam-Quickley-RJ team... the dream and promise of it ended in Golden State when Jak stepped on Pascal Siakam's foot trying to recover a ball, twisting his own ankle. The Raps were 15-21 at the time, but without Poeltl went on to lose 9 of the next 11, ending all serious hopes of anything serious. 

When he got hurt again later... it is no coincidence one of the worst losing streaks the team has ever seen immediately followed. All season... for real... they went 4-28 without him! Which is just completely nuts.

 

Kelly Olynyk -- B-

 

Kelly is a mighty fine backup big on a good team. He isn't nimble, not a good defender but he's smart, he tries, and is experienced enough to get to the right spots so to battle second units to a draw. During the awful month-long losing streak, you could see how things look when Olynyk is your primary/only NBA big man. 

On the other side... now we're cooking. He's a super fun, inventive passer. He can run a play for you, can hit threes enough to be a verified threat and has some crafty old man moves when getting to the rim. An excellent supporting player, and clearly overstretched when not only is he starting but he's your second best dude on the court. It'll be useful to have him here the next little while with hopefully a team that requires him to do less. A funky player with plenty of utility... plus I'm biased towards long hair.                   

 

OG Anunoby -- B-

 

A character among characters and he will be missed... but I think he was done with the situation. Not as a "I hate being here" type thing... OG is far too stoic to ever imply such an attitude... but this had clearly grown into a stagnation for both him and the team. 

While defensively this year he was still reliably decent in Toronto, in New York he clearly picked it back up to his insane upper tier elite levels. Like, setting records for plus/minus territory. He needed a new challenge, a new opportunity to be recognized, and I'm sure the Knicks will pay him handsomely. We'll always have scarves, but most importantly, we'll always have this:

 



 

He doesn't shoot trying to miss.

 

Gradey Dick -- C+

 

It was quite a roller coaster ride for the young man, even by 20 year old rookie standards. That draft night suit! Some impressive early performances! Then oh no... oh god no... this kid looks totally lost... he can't even shoot in the G-League? Uh-oh. Conditioning stint? Will he even play again this year? Wait, now he's back with the NBA club? And then the shots began to fall.

There is a lot to like with Gradey's game, raw though it still is. He can clearly shoot, but there's such great activity and smarts as a cutter as well... the off ball movement, the general instincts are arguably the most exciting thing to see from a player so young. Also, he can really shoot.

He will have to get much stronger, as we saw once rough circumstances forced him into the starting lineup... the more grown men of the NBA had little trouble pushing and bumping him around. Maybe he can fight the league enough to be an average-ish defender, but that's not going to be his calling card regardless. Still, Gradey shouldn't be the solution #1 for the Raptors at starting shooting guard next year, not yet... but he's shown enough already to be at least a key bench piece for next year even if the Raptors bounce back into decency. Very intriguing young player, and clearly a likeable goofball.

 


   

 

Chris Boucher - C


Boucher did all the chaotic Boucher things you normally expect: crazy hustle and energy, gobbling up offensive rebounds, selling out for three point shot blocks and of course taking some ill-advised threes himself with that funky release of his. 

Yet for whatever reason (or perhaps all these reasons) Coach Darko never gave Boucher much of a run unless the roster was so decimated there was no other choice, and then Chris ended up getting hurt right when that extended runway finally appeared. 

It's a shame... this team consistently got crushed on the boards and Boucher would've helped with that, but Darko clearly prefers bigs who have some playmaking acumen (Jak, Olynyk, Porter). Chris has one more year on his deal and we'll see what they do with him in the summer. He's clearly worthy of a bench energy-guy role somewhere and deserves that kind of opportunity, wherever it might be.     

 

Thaddeus Young - C

 

When Poeltl got hurt the first time in the season (Siakam stepping on his ankle in Golden State), the team really had no backup center option at the time. Coach Darko decided to dust off Thaddeus, who was always undersized to play the 5 to begin with... but most importantly: had played 33 total NBA minutes to that point all season and oh yeah is also 35 freaking years old.

But something funny happened: Young actually played pretty well. Defensively maybe not... he's still too old, short and lacking verticality to protect the rim whatsoever... but offensively his sound positioning, crisp passing and general veteran savvy was a considerable positive. And he kept it going more or less for a fourteen game stretch before being traded with Schroder to the Nets (Thad was quickly flipped onto the Suns bench and back into not playing much). 

This fourteen game run, where he played no less than fifteen minutes in any game, was even more impressive when you consider it began with the LA back to back where he played fifty-two minutes between those games in the span of less than 24 hours... tripling the total number of minutes he'd played all season to that point. Good veterans just know how to stay ready, don't they.

 

Precious Achiuwa - C

 

Has been much better in New York than under Darko's system, which might not be surprising. With the Knicks he can simplify things: be a switchy strong defensive power forward rather than the high playmaking hub Darko prefers from his bigs. Achiuwa also hitting in New York? Yeah but the OG trade remains a positive for the Raptors (a win for both! How novel): they needed to change the roster desperately, and while you can argue Toronto might've gone too far in the other direction that now athletic 6'9 defensive forwards are precisely what they lack... well... 

 

Dennis Schroder -- C

 

A softball friend of mine (who legitimately coaches basketball and so knows lightyears more about the game than I) successfully convinced me Schroder was a genuinely astute replacement for Fred VanVleet, and immediately after this Dennis balled out for Germany in the FIBA World Cup. 

It's easy to say now how it obviously wasn't ever going to work (can anybody in this starting lineup shoot?) but I'm willing to give the front office some slack on this one. FVV leaving might've blindsided them (and allowing him to leave for nothing is... not great) and so signing Schroder, a proven vet, made some sense. As we quickly learned, FIBA is different and so NBA Schroder is an excellent luxury when he's your first guard off the bench. As a starter? The warts do not dawdle. 

It's a little strange they got absolutely nothing back for him at the deadline (unless you count the privilege of paying Spencer Dinwiddie a few million bucks to play for the Lakers) but it seems fairly obvious he just wasn't a fit for either the roster or the organization. He was a good interview on The Raptors Show though... friendly and very professional. Not a great player as a Rap, but I do wish him well wherever his next stop may be (he's only 30ish and at this rate, he might play for every NBA team...)     

 

Garrett Temple - C

 

Speaking of good veterans knowing how to stay ready. Temple's days as an quality NBA rotation player are long behind him, but he still played perfectly fine, intelligent ball when thrust into action among the chaos that all the injuries created. This Raptors team was so stupidly shorthanded technically Temple was playing centre for significant stretches near the end... and while Garrett is significantly taller than me I'm confident I could comfortably high-five the man.

Clearly a smart dude (president of the player's union and all), very sharp dresser, honest interview (his replacing Schroder as the Raptors Show weekly player interview was quite delightful... Dennis was fine and honest but Garrett? He's got some stories man... Absolute charmer.

Then most of all... after Kyle Lowry left I never thought there would ever be a Raptors player older than me again. Thank you Garrett Temple! I'm sure this is not an accolade he'd like very much but nevertheless! I can't realistically contemplate these kind of things for much longer... 

Actually, there is a funny segment on the Raptors Show podcast where Will Lou asks Temple if he can name the top ten oldest NBA players (Garrett is 4th), which Temple handles with humour, class and legit curiousity trying to think of the list. An extremely worthwhile vet to have in the room, especially during a crazy season like this was. I'm hopeful the organization keeps him around in someway... I mean the dude is clearly thoughtful but most of all: knows a stylish suit. He has to be a broadcaster at some point, lets make it here.             

 

 

Gary Trent Jr. - C

 

Trent Jr. has confounded me for a few seasons now and I think I've seen enough. His three point shooting and ability to create his own shot? Undeniably above average. But it seems like his focus comes and goes, especially on the defensive end where he only appears capable of being a good defender for a twelve game stretch every season. Combine that with how his performance completely goes into the gutter when he comes off the bench, and you're really stuck with a one dimensional guy. By all accounts he's a cool dude (those outfits, man) and his dad is an absolutely hilarious interview (just listen to him explain how/why he named all his sons some form of "Gary", like Grayson, Garyson... for real). However, I think we're at the point this is what the oldest Trent Jr. is.   

And then, naturally during the horrible losing streak? Trent Jr. by all accounts just handles his business and plays like a professional. Terrific efforts in a doomed situation. There's so much up and down... and I like the man a helluva lot more than the player... I've gone from cutting bait eagerly to... this is the kind of guy we need to keep. Not at any price... and we'll see how it shakes out on that front. Somehow, I've turned. Won't break my heart if they move on, but I would be pleased if they brought him back. This was inconceivable two months ago.

 

Ochai Agbaji - C-

 

In theory, the package makes sense, and on a team where nobody plays defense (except Barnes and Poeltl) Agbaji fits. The real questions are whether he can guard up to bigger wings (he's 'only' 6'5) and if he can hit threes enough to make teams respect him on the other end. He's gonna have to figure that out sooner than later... as a complete non scoring threat there's only so much time on the court reasonably available. I haven't seen enough juice to convince me he's simply a shorter Andre Roberson. 

Still pretty young and has the lottery pick pedigree. If he turns into a poor man's Alex Caruso type of guard, strong and capable enough of guarding small forwards... I think you'd have to be overjoyed. Insanely overjoyed. But there are several jumps he'll have to take. This current version just won't cut it on the rotation of a good team.      


Jordan Nwora - C-


Another one dimensional offensive player. Has bizarre shooting form but can hit his shots now and again, which when that happens can give an NBA bench a quality boost. Unfortunately, Nwora is a shooting guard in a forward's body, and he doesn't bring any of those skills (rebounding, defense, wing playmaking) whatsoever. An offense starved meh team would love him as a 7th/8th guy. That ain't here (some defense would be nice).

Nwora will be 26 next season and his fit for regular minutes on a good NBA team is extremely dubious. He's got enough to continue carving out a career and best of luck to him... just don't see that fit making much sense here.   

 

Bruce Brown - D+

 

Picked things up a bit once Barnes was gone... as Brown playing more of a ball handling guard role (like he did off Denver's bench) seemed to agree with him more than the "Swiss Army whatever knife" they were doing with him before. Certainly was one of the team's best players during the 15 game losing streak, which is saying absolutely nothing of substance. 

Brown is still a useful NBA player but put me in the camp of "get something for this guy, like why hasn't this yet happened". That 22 million dollar salary makes no sense on this particular Raptors team if they keep him and pick up that option. Decline it and then sign-and-trade? Nothing wrong with having him around, he's younger than you think... but he really just isn't what they need.  

 

Jahmi'us Ramsey - D+

 

Showed some defensive ability, but really couldn't shoot at all to save his life. If you're a 6'3 guard you've got to show a little more on that end than that. The era of Michael Currys being able to carve an NBA living is long over. There might be a player in there somewhere, and it's hardly his fault the Raptors didn't win a single game he played... alas.  


Malik Williams -- D+


I only remember the Minnesota game. He was a big body, did the best he could considering 12 hours earlier he wasn't even in the freaking organization.

 

Javon Freeman-Liberty -- D


Really want to like this guy, and the possibility of a bench scoring combo guard isn't that nuts. But admit it... he wasn't very good. I'd like to keep him around... but recall the fact he was starting for a team that at the end had lost 18 of their previous 20 games. He's fringey and there's quite a ways to go.


Malachi Flynn - D


You can't say he didn't get his chances. For whatever reason, it just never clicked. The shooting, the ability to run a team, the defense. None of it ever translated for a significant enough period of time. It is rather telling he finished the year on that putrid Pistons squad and couldn't get regular minutes there either. I imagine he's off to Europe or G-League limbo at this point. 

And then he dropped a 50 piece! The most statistically unlikely 50 point game that may have ever been (and he scored 0 points the next game)... but good on him. 


Mouhamadou Gueye -- D-


Don't recall much of what he did beyond an awesome dunk... but geez the numbers say he was real bad. He played 11 games for the Raptors and they won none of them.

 

Jalen McDaniels -- F

 

You can take the player out of Charlotte but you can't take the Charlotte out of the player. McDaniels seems to exist in his own bubble on an NBA court. He sees the other players, both teammate and foe, but doesn't acknowledge their existence. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but as a player he's impressively clueless. Surely one of the worst Raptors... an absolute driver of losing... that I've ever seen get semi-regular minutes. Has any team in franchise history given such predictable opportunity to a player so actively disruptive to winning ball? Astonishing how simply dreadful McDaniels was.

 

Jontay Porter -- F

 

For a while it was an absolutely great story, and his stretch shooting/passing big man skillset seemed good enough to possibly give him a fruitful NBA career. 

But dude... come on.   

 

       

                   

               

        

1 comment:

  1. The smirk on Gradey's face when he was posing with Anthony Black was the highlight of the season.

    ReplyDelete