Domantas Sabonis is fully healthy averaging 36 minutes a game! And his hit every 3 pointer this season but he doesn't "fit" the Raptors roster and his contract is bad and you'd rather have Poeltl because he can set a screen. Good choice naysayers! /s (before tonight's game where he finished 20/14/8)

1. Allen Graves is 3rd in OREB per 75 poss, but 1st by a lot amongst non-centers (2nd in oreb%!)

2. RJ is 4th in rim attempts per 75 poss, but 1st by a lot amongst non-centers (68% too!)

3. We have two Raptors in the top 5 of deflections per game, CMB and Kawhi at 5 each.

4. CMB is far and away the current leader in deflections per 75, at 9!!!!!!

Andy’s coming

Bobby Webster is probably gonna keep a closer look on Ja'Kobe as a starter and if he looks good it'll probably influence his decision making for the eventual mid-season trade(s).

On x: https://x.com/michaelgrange/status/2115120554915266948?s=46&t=JuqDen8MsMIzwBwJoHcyXA

I'm not overreacting, I still think he'll bounce back next game and will probably have his best averages in a season he's had. But if I'm nitpicking I don't like him saying he couldn't try to get to the rim cause they were packing it. Ofc easier said than done but he's 6'9 and stronger than most of the NBA. Hes the kind of player that can at minimum get a couple free throw attempts after trying to drive, and more playmaking opportunities for our bigs. Tbh even the short mid range is a much more viable than the long middies he's taking, in Cleveland the short mid range is what he ate off as well as drives. Cleveland also packed the paint with good rim protectors but that didn't stop him. Rj has to do some mentoring for gaining a mindset of always getting to the paint no matter what lol

On the bright side today Darko did touch on him being able to get the paint to score and also playmake (but still shoot just as much so he is a 3 level scorer). Next time we play a big team is prob the grizzlies on the 9th. We'll see how that one goes

We cashed in our win now option with Kawhi, and hoping that Jakob will function is the definition of insanity. We just need a passable center, not even a Jokic just someone who isn’t an active net negative to put out on the floor. Hopefully without losing RJ bc we’ve seen how beneficial he is for the team. Opinions?

Is he better than IQ? (In terms of fit)

Bam adebayo makes 50 million. As bad as jakob is, if we wanted bam, We need to match jakobs 19 million salary so it would require rj which we say no to. I think bam is a worse contract. Heat will need more picks than us to dump him. Im thinking 3 firsts. although bam is better than jakob ,because Bam takes up so much cap, no team will have any flexibility around him to build out their team and itll be an impossible contract. hes paid like a superstar

I really really love Allen Graves, he’s such a goddamn demon and I need to see more PR on him asap. Just stupid numbers already, he goes top 10 in my redraft and he aint number 10, 9, or 8

At first it seems like a steal if you trade for Quickley and whatever, and Kyrie is a good player and all, until you realize he is 34, and Kawhi and 35. Quickley also has been having a nice start to the season, so if we do trade him, it better be for a good point guard and not 34 years old. I don't think we want a 34 year old and 35 year old in our starting lineup.

- The Raptors are succeeding at their possession maxing identity; through 3 games, the raptors are averaging roughly 13 more shooting possessions per game than their opponents (this is a very big number)

- The Raptors are 1st in opponent turnovers forced; having forced 24.7 turnovers per game so far, the raptors are proving their aggressive, ball hawk, hands everywhere defensive identity that they have spoken about so much.

- Allen Graves is an OREB monster; averaging 3 offensive rebounds per game in just 15 minutes per game, good for 7 oreb per 36 minutes as a 6'9 tweener 4/5. An immediate nba skill for the rook. Also adds a wrinkle to our lineups that we didn't have last season.

- Ja'Kobe Walter is taking a leap on both ends; he is noticeably guarding at an improved level, he is seriously sticky on the perimeter. small sample size of course, but he is averaging 2.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, and shooting 40% from 3 on 7 attempts per game.

- CMB is posting incredible impact numbers; +41 on/off per 100 poss, 3.3 stl%, 3.8 blk%, 16 trb%. There is a real chance CMB becomes our best defender this season. He has had some foul trouble so far, but in his limited minutes, he has been enormous on that end. If his defence allows Scottie to focus more on his offence, that could be huge.

Generally, despite having obvious and major flaws (guard and center play + 3pt shooting), the raptors so far are clearly succeeding in achieving their most key values, which is what will lead to sustained success through the season.

Just some positives because this sub is feeling down after the shitty wolves game. This team is and will be very good.

As jakobs biggest supporter, and all the stats ive provided for 2023 jakob, I feel bad for the guy whos tried very hard to get healthy but its not enough. The most jakob can do is screen assists but we need way more than that. Instead of trading quickly or RJ, I think we need more shooting than a big, we need kyrie. We can trade jakob + 1st + a 2nd for kyrie ?

Larry Bird 0 points

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/when-larry-bird-overcame-worst-shooting-slump-lead-celtics-1981-championship

Joel Embiid 0 points

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401160888

Wilt Chamberlain 0 points

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/night-when-wilt-chamberlain-scored-0-points

Nikola Jokic 0 points

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/400974786

Our own Kyle Lowry 0 points

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/toronto-raptors-orlando-magic-kyle-lowry-pointless-game-1-1.5097869

Paul George had a 2 point game in 2025

Draymond Green had 0 points in 2024 vs the clippers

Tyrese Haliburton had 0 points in 2024 vs new orleans in 31mins

Reggie Miller in a finals game 0 points against the lakers

Steph Curry 5 points in a Christmas game

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201112250GSW.html

And the list goes on. Yall need to chill.

Ts was killing me when i saw it😭

Only the Orlando Magic have been worse than the Raptors over the past 5 years. Why do you think the front office does not prioritize 3 point shooting?

I had to post this one. It ties too much into the thread of the team the past few seasons, and, most importantly, I present a solution.

In my opinion, the main issue plauging the team is the lack of penetration and high level passing from people who use usage, who are expected to the set up the offense (Immanuel Quickley). If Immanuel Quickley did not command high usage and only shot off ball, maybe it would be different. But that is not the world we live in.

I understand Immanuel Quickley was a runner up for 6th man in New York. Admittedly, I have no idea what his trade value is currently.

Although I know, the fact that we have Scottie Barnes, Kawhi Leonard, and RJ Barrett demands a need for a low usage player to do passing and penetration related activities extremely well in a limited role, along with POA defense. Come Scottie Pippen Jr:

An effecincy stud, with the game tape to back it up.
Lets start with the statistics, something evrybody can agree on.

He was an elite midrange shooter in his breakout season. 58% on pull up two’s, 98th percentile in the league.
He is a career 44% 3PT shooter on catch and shoot threes.
He shot 68.5% at the rim in his breakout season.
He had an elite steal percentage in his breakout season.

Now the opinion, the thing we can’t necessarily agree on:
He slides his feet with the best in the league. Elite POA defense.
He is an above average passer, who is not afraid of hard passes, and most importantly gets it off quick.
He is an extremely slick and controlled finisher at the rim, stop and start, deking people out of their shoes.
He has the pick and roll into a midrange pull up down (think Jose Calderon on repeat).

Even better news. The Memphis Grizzlies have Jerami Grant under contract for this year and next starting at $34.2 million.

This leaves the potential of a perfect trade folks. It will completly fix the Raptors starting 5 because it allows Scottie Barnes, Kawhi Leonard, and RJ Barrett to do what they do best. Attack the rim and absorb all of the possessions while having an outlet who can shoot the 3 efficiently, drive, get off the ball quick, pass extremely well, and is an elite POA defender.

The bones of the trade: Raptors trade Immanuel Quickley, a 1st round pick, for Jerami Grant and Scotty Pippen Jr.
I guarantee there would be a 3rd team. Trade makes too much sense!