[Source](https://sports.yahoo.com/raptors-learning-you-cannot-win-and-develop-simultaneously-in-the-nba-164320158.html)
Some excerpts
> But a third of the way through the 2022-23 season, the Raptors are 13-15, including 3-11 on the road. Problems abound, and while the poor three-point shooting will come around and the injuries will subside, the Raptors are learning that you cannot win at a high level while developing several young, inexperienced players; that sooner or later in the NBA, you need to pick a direction.
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> “I think we obviously want to win and all that but with the roster that we have, some of us are really developing, trying to play better and figure out the schemes and find ways to be on the court,” Chris Boucher told Yahoo Sports Canada. “And others are the starters where they have a core, they’ve been together for a long time and they are trying to bring us to win.
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> The buy-in and sacrifice that is needed for the team to reach its potential and to be better than the sum of its parts simply isn’t there right now, which is why it’s not surprising to hear Masai Ujiri met with Barnes a couple of weeks ago to deliver hard truths to the second-year player, or to see that Nurse doesn’t trust his bench, playing his veterans heavy minutes for the second-straight season.
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> If the Raptors are truly committed to a long-term rebuild, they should increase Barnes’ usage and give their young players coming off the bench more opportunities to grow. But if they want to prioritize keeping Siakam happy and build a championship team around him, they need to start adding veteran talent this season, whether it’s in the form of a starting centre, a backup guard, or a shooter — someone who is willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team and help set a tone
by TacoooJay
37 Comments
I was told that Anunoby was gonna be the next Kawhi by now. What happened?
Combination of a poorly constructed team and an undesirable free agent destination.
Welcome to mediocrity hell
You definitely can do it, Raptors just have a mediocre roster and they are they should be
Barnes is good but he is not that top top prospect franchise cornerstone, Siakam is in the same boat as a player in his prime, good but not good enough for a 1st option, same with OG
Their problem is mediocre overall, the ring they won has overshadowed Masai’s issues, he is a great GM but he has some whiffs in terms of roster building
In the NBA the most important thing is that one franchise superstar player, Raptors don’t got that, see what happened when they got Kawhi and then the rest of the roster got to play smaller roles they all got to shine better
Celtics did it tho?
Another similarity between us and the Warriors (the other one being bad road record)
Barnes can develop with this squad. He’s good enough to get some run.
But when your bench is Malachi Flynn and Dalano Banton you can’t expect them to get better. They’re not even good enough to get on the floor. Koloko also hardly gets enough run before he essentially fouls out.
Otto Porter is literally a glass cannon and can’t be healthy. Thad, Boucher, Birch, and Precious can’t shoot
This team needs a bench. Why try compete this year, let the Siakam, OG, and Barnes core incubate and actually try build something here. Make some risks Masai, get some shooters, give up short term picks if you can to get some actual NBA caliber players. If he can’t do that then he clearly doesn’t trust this team.
Edit: what did I even say that is downvote worthy?
It was impressive the bubble run with no kawhi and even 5th seed last year but raps got lots of inj prone players now plus you need a star. Hard to be consistently good.
Were they not developing siakam, fvv, and OG when they were making deep playoff runs and winning the championship?
Did the Raptors “win at a high level” last year? I guess that’s up to your interpretation. But I would say losing in the first round of the playoffs is a clear no for me.
Is it safe to say the long boi experiment is not the move for the regular season? Prolly something you throw in the playoffs or in the middle of the game to spice it up.
Feels like they desperately need a starting caliber center before they focus on the bench.
Unless you have an up and coming generational super star like we do. I haven’t got the chance to watch wiseman play this season but I assume he is putting on for his city!
We’re doing both rn though and thriving. Dyson Daniels is a great example of that. We have been totally unafraid to send him on the floor in big moments even after we blew that game with him at the line, and it’s been awesome for his development so far.
The warriors might be learning this too. Kuminga, Moody, and Wiseman were expected to be bigger contributors than they currently are considering how limited their depth is. Not saying they’re lost causes by any means but each of them would benefit from a season like Poole got to have in ’20-21
I don’t get this. People are out here acting like the Raptors are the Bulls or Heat in terms of aging guys on big contracts and have to decide if they want to win or blow it up when they’re not.
This team & roster’ timeline was always dependent on Barnes taking a leap. Whether or not that’s this season or next, who knows but that’s always been the timeline. Unless people think you can build a title contender around Siakam ?
and if Barnes doesn’t take that leap, then the Raptors have bigger issues to worry about but until then they just have to stick to it given they have all their picks.
Raptors got that iguodala led sixers thing going on rn
What have the Grizzlies done the last 4 seasons?
IMO The (core) reason they won the championship in 2019 was defensive prowess. Look at this core:
Gasol: DPOY (12-13), ALL-D 2nd
Kawhi: 2X DPOY, 3X ALL-D, 4X ALL-D 2nd
Siakam: Considered one of the best defenders in the NBA
Ibaka: 3X ALL-D
Danny Green: ALL-D 2nd
OG Anunoby: Considered one of the best defenders in the NBA
They need to upgrade their defense, period. (currently 7th-10th in defensive rating depending on your rating of choice) Their offense isn’t high powered enough to propel them to relevancy this year, especially with FVV/GTJ shooting as they has been.
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Well the Grizzlies have been doing that since Ja was drafted. So it’s not impossible!
Ask the grizzlies about this logic
Bullshit, we did it for 20 years
While the Knicks haven’t won a chip, it seems like the Knicks are winning and developing with the new FO.
Gotta be honest but I think it’s working
Yeah this ain’t true
I’m for building around the Siakam/OG/Barnes core. Sure Barnes is still raw, but Siakam and OG are playing too well to not give this thing a shot. See if we can win a round. Tbh the Celtics and the Bucks are juggernauts, so it’s not our year anyway.
A fire sale at the deadline would be a shame.
No, fucking, shit!
People’s expectations of the Raps are all over the fucking place. That is an insanely young roster and last year’s success was overperformance and shouldn’t be the bar.
TL;DR: hol up, let em cook
Hi, Celtics here!
I mean, while the team has been going through a lot of growing pains and whatnot, especially in the last few weeks, its not as if we’re in a win or bust state. Siakam and Fred vanvleet are the oldest of our core players (Boucher is older but he’s more replaceable) and the two are 28 years old.
Who are they developing? One player?
Turner and Held on this team, my lord look out East.
The Raptors have had a ton of injuries over the past 6-8 weeks, many games are not mpg choices about who to develop, it’s just been who’s available.
Its a lot of overreaction for a team hovering around 500 given the circumstances.
The bench is booty that’s the issue I guess you can blame that on youth but it needs more shooting either way.
What the hell does this even mean? Nobody thought the Raps were gonna win it all and they are almost certainly going to be one of the top 10 teams in the east…
DeMar for Barnes. Who says no?
I don’t understand this.
Plays young’s like Barnes more to develop him?
Ok let’s see who is playing….
FVV, OG , Siakim all over 35mpg.
Scottie Barnes 33mpg
Trent 31mpg
??? Barnes is playing or are people suggesting they’d be better (if trying to win) to sit Barnes and play….. Boucher more ? Thad young more?
I don’t get it.
Raptors main problem to me (other than maybe not having a top tier star) is depth.
I think the roster construction is more responsible to the sub .500 ball the Raps have played this year than the commitment to developing.
No shooting and no starting caliber center for three seasons. Thats .50 right there.
Unless your the Boston Celtics