Two years ago the Toronto Raptors reached the summit of the NBA by winning the NBA Finals by overcoming the Golden State Warriors to lift the crown for the first time. Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam were the key men in delivering the title, but now only Siakam remains in Toronto as the franchise aim to rebuild their roster.
Kawhi left immediately after the Finals to join the Los Angeles Clippers, while Lowry ended his nine-year tenure in a trade move to the Miami Heat. Moving the opposite direction were veteran Goran Dragic and Nigerian-born forward Precious Achiuwa, who will now attempt to play essential roles in guiding the Raptors back to prominence after an underwhelming 2020/21 term.
Nick Nurse’s team are backed in the NBA betting odds at a huge price of +12500 to win the NBA Championship in the 2021/22 season. Considering the changes that have occurred on the roster over the last two years, it is not surprising, especially after missing the playoffs last season. However, Nurse and his team have proven in the past that they are capable of punching above their weight and they could be an outside hope in the NBA betting tips to push at least for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Last term was a difficult one for the Raptors as injuries consumed the roster that had been so influential in their title run and a surge to the Eastern Conference semi-finals in 2020. Lowry, Siakam and OG Anunoby all struggled for fitness, exposing the depth of the term. It resulted in their 27-45 record and a failure to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2012/13 campaign.
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Nurse and the front office moved to address their depth issues in the off-season. The signing of Achiuwa is one of the most intriguing considering that he was a solid player for the Heat off the bench in his rookie season. Achiuwa was selected in the first round of the 2020 Draft, and proved to be a useful foil for Erik Spoelstra. The Heat’s desire to sign Lowry forced their hand in trading Dragic and Achiuwa to the Raptors, who will be hopeful that he can follow the path of Siakam and Anunoby in developing into an All-Star caliber player in Toronto. His initial statistics were not too dissimilar from those of the Raptors’ men in his first campaign in Miami.
It usually takes at least two years before players begin to find their feet in the NBA. Nurse and his coaching staff will no doubt be patient with the 21-year-old, allowing him to progress at his own pace, while providing a more-than-useful option off the bench to ease the burden at times on Anunoby. It could make all the difference for the Raptors in their pursuit of a playoff spot. Siakam is their key man, but he looked overwhelmed at times last term. With greater support from a well-rounded roster, including Achiuwa, Siakam could lead Toronto back to relevance in the NBA.
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