Regardless of how the Raptors' rebuild goes, putting together a winning team won't happen overnight.
The key word is time.
Alright, I'll play along for a minute with you. It seems some in the Toronto Raptors fan base are totally fine with the team going in the tank this season so the team can get its hands on a whole bunch of ping-pong balls for a high draft pick.
That might sound good to some of you, but remember it’s going to take some time to overcome the filtrate associated with constantly losing. Not to mention the accompanying damage that it does to the players’ confidence and attitude and the losing culture that is created in the wake of all the defeats. Then there's the reputation garnered from the constant drubbings and whether they are legitimate or pure fallacy, losing also has its impact on perceptions of the franchise.
For the record, if I'm playing basketball, touch football, cards or any other type of competition where we're keeping score, I'm trying to win and I'm doing everything I can to win. Period. End of story. But like I said, I'll play along.
So let’s say you get a high draft pick. We’ll assume the lottery gods don't decide to play a nasty joke on you by giving your pick to another team. Or that you draft a player and it just doesn't work out (the whole Greg Oden episode comes to mind) as Boston was supposed to get that pick and didn't but ended up with a title the next season thanks to some smart trades. A top pick is selected and then what? Then he has to take the time to develop and as he's maturing you have to build around him with the right pieces and, even then, there are no guarantees.
I know some of you are asking: what about Oklahoma City? Yep, general manager Sam Presti's model looks good so far as they have now reached the status of contender. Are they a championship team? Not yet, because in these eyes, they are missing a key piece and that's experience. It takes time to gain experience. To become a title team you have to take your lumps so you learn what to do. The NBA is a league where it's almost as if you have to lose before you win. Oh right, that takes time too.
Kevin Durant is the leader in Oklahoma City and his timetable has been expedited by his superb talent but like many first-round picks that become stars, they get beat up and lose before they finally start to move forward. Usually a high draft pick goes to a bad team and is allowed to "develop" while sloshing his way through frequent and sometimes heavy losses. Remember before last season’s unexpected 50-32 record, the Thunder (dating back to their days in Seattle) were 20-62 and 23-59. So it’s been a quick turnaround but then again, they also drafted well and things fell into place. No parades just yet. Let's see how they handle this season now that they are on the radar.
It's a good problem to have but there will have to be some decisions made by Presti at some point regarding who the Thunder decide they are going to keep and who they are willing to part with as the team hopefully keeps working its way closer to a title.
The point is, regardless of what happens, it takes time for players to develop and for teams to build chemistry. There are no quick fixes unless you are willing to deal the very thing that you may think allows you to become a good team: young players or draft picks for players that are farther down the road than you are looking to travel.
For the fans that want it, maybe that's what will happen in Toronto this season. This is not meant to take a shot at anyone or defend anyone but the reality is Andrea Bargnani, who seems next in line to wear the cape that says "centre piece" on it, is in a totally new situation. Why? Because it's the first time in five seasons that he is going to get the ball as the focal point of the offence. We'll see if he can truly be the guy. Remember, after watching Chris Bosh attempt to do it for five years, this is his first legitimate shot at it. Not an excuse, just a fact.
For a thirsty fan base who think Bargnani should be better, and yes there is still improvement needed, he will get his chance to drink. But caution: it could be messy like trying to guzzle from a fire hose. You can only take in so much with everything coming very quickly. It will also be up to young players who will now be thrust into the spotlight and no longer be looked at as simply role players to step forward as well.
So go to town, Raptor fans, if this is really what you want. Yep, there's more than one way to cook chicken but regardless of how you cook it, it’s still going to take some time to make sure it’s cooked properly.
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