Raptors’ Youthful Progress Fuels Optimism as Season Winds Down

As the Toronto Raptors head into their final weekend of the NBA season, the prevailing sentiment isn’t disappointment over missing the playoff picture, but rather genuine excitement surrounding the remarkable growth of their youngest players. This season hasn’t delivered on championship aspirations, but it’s, arguably, been a resounding developmental success story – a cornerstone of the team’s outlook moving forward.

The Foundation of Team Chemistry

Head Coach Darko Rajakovic has highlighted the critical role of team chemistry in this progress. “It’s a testament to our guys,” he stated, “They’re really invested into each other. They’re spending a lot of time off the court together, same generation, all of the guys, like more or less the same age, the same interests, playing video games together and all of this stuff.” This shared connection, coupled with a focus on coachability, accountability, and a supportive environment, has been a powerful driving force.

“We got some dogs on our team,” said Scottie Barnes, “These young guys, they come on the floor every single day and you see something new. You see Jamal [Shead] picking up full court getting eight-second violations each and every game now at this point. You see him assist numbers, him being able to attack downhill, creating offence for us, has been unbelievable. Ja’Kobe [Walter], when he’s out on the floor you see him scoring at a high rate right now, playing defence. His defence has improved tremendously. I don’t think I seen this coming. I don’t think our team seen this coming. But when he steps on the floor, he’s ready to guard. He’s ready to go out there and put pressure on whoever’s bringing the ball up the floor. He’s taking that challenge each and every single day. Jon (rookie forward Jonathan Mogbo), you see him growing into himself, being more comfortable on the floor. It’s going to take some time. He’s getting more comfortable every single day when he’s out on the floor, rebounding, pushing it, playmaking doing the things that I’ve been seeing him do for a little while. These guys just continue to grow every single day. Jamison shooting lights out. We know what Jamison [Battle] does.”

A Season of Unexpected Progression

Last season’s 2-19 finish, compounded by injuries to Barnes and Jakob Poeltl, and the unfortunate bereavement leave affecting Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, created a challenging foundation. To have an entire roster essentially sidelined for significant periods was a brutal setback. This year, however, the situation is vastly different. The Raptors’ sixth-worst record resulted in a drop to eighth in the draft order, ultimately conveying their pick to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Poeltl – a trade that signaled a shift in the team’s direction.

Initially, the prospect of upside looked bleak. Gradey Dick, the sole rookie in the season-opening roster, had an uneven start, and Ochai Agbaji’s arrival via trade was initially met with some uncertainty. Jontay Porter’s ban for betting against himself further complicated the situation, illustrating a significant risk.

Shining Stars: Agbaji and the Rookie Core

Yet, Agbaji has undeniably emerged as a significant bright spot. His consistent 40%+ three-point shooting performance, culminating in a 24-point outing against the Dallas Mavericks, – with six made threes – demonstrates his rapid development. Scottie Barnes, too, has reached new heights, averaging 26 points and 9 rebounds.

“It’s hard not give the bulk of the credit to the five rookies the Raptors left training camp with and have individually and collectively exceeded expectations,”

Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter have also thrived, particularly in the face of increased responsibility and the opportunity to play. Ja’Kobe had a standout game himself, averaging 20 points and 6 rebounds, while Shead has displayed exceptional energy and playmaking abilities.

Looking Ahead: A Foundation for the Future

The final weekend may be meaningless in terms of playoff contention, but it provides a valuable platform for these young Raptors to build upon their remarkable progress. The team’s focus will undoubtedly be on continuing to develop this core group and establishing a strong foundation for future success.

1. Size Matters: For all the enthusiasm around the Raptor finish – albeit against the NBA’s softest schedule – there have been glimpses when the gap between them as they stand now and a quality NBA team are considerable. Even if Poeltl had been playing, the Raptors’ lack of size beyond him is glaring. Not every team can roll out three bigs the quality of Anthony Davis, Derrick Lively and Daniel Gafford, but there are plenty of good teams with at least two mobile, athletic paint protectors and after Poeltl, the Raptors have none. If they’re lucky it will be something that can be addressed in the draft.

2. Congratulations to AJ Lawson: The 24-year-old from Brampton got his two-way deal converted to standard NBA contract for the rest of this season with what is — I’m told — a non-guaranteed deal for 2025-26. It’s a nice opportunity for the well-liked Raptors 905 alum who was undrafted out of the University of South Carolina in 2021 and has shuffled through three other organizations — Atlanta, Minnesota and Dallas — before joining the Raptors. The deal for this year is just for Saturday and Sunday but gives him a little extra cash than he would make on his existing two-way and having him under contract for 2025-26 likely gives the Raptors the opportunity to have some guaranteed money kick in during the summer and at training camp. He’s still got a ways to go to have his deal guaranteed for next season, but it’s a start. Lawson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds against the Mavericks.

3. Tough break for Olivier-Maxence Prosper: The Montreal-born forward has had a hard time gaining traction in the Mavericks rotation, understandably give the Mavericks veteran depth at forward. But he was beginning to get some minutes earlier this season – from early December through early March, Prosper appeared in 40 straight games for Dallas, playing 13 minutes per game including four starts. But he injured his wrist and had to have season-ending surgery. The Mavericks remain high on him, liking his combination of size, mobility and willingness to embrace his role, but next season will be a big one for him.

FAQ

• What is the Raptors’ current playoff status? They are currently out of playoff contention.
• Who are the key young players contributing to the team? Ochai Agbaji, Scottie Barnes, Jamal Shead, and Ja’Kobe Walter are among the most impactful rookies.
• What is the long-term outlook for the Raptors? The team’s focus is on continued development of its young core, setting the stage for future success.

Did you know?

Ten Rookie of the Year voters already have Jamal Shead listed among their top-five picks for the award.

Call to Action: Share your thoughts on the Raptors’ developmental progress in the comments below!

(Image Placeholder: Image of Scottie Barnes or Ochai Agbaji)