With the Toronto Raptors hanging on to a half-game lead in the Eastern Conference (and running away with the Atlantic Division) just past the quarter mark of the 2014-15 season, now seemed like a pretty good time answer a handful of your Twitter questions.
To get involved in future Twitter mailbags, fire your queries to me @Eric__Smith.
@TheKarltopia – Do you see Masai pulling a trade this season & for what position?
@michaelcusden – Where could the Raps try to upgrade without messing up the chemistry of the team?
@everythingkevin – Who is on the Raptors watch list for a potential upgrade closer to the trade deadline?
@shoedawgzevents – If the raps were to make a trade who would bring back the best piece? Also, what player would be useful piece to add?
I think Masai Ujiri will swing a deal at some point. But when that trade will go down is anyone’s guess. I have no doubt that he’s making or taking phone calls every day, always looking to improve his team. He wouldn’t be doing his job if he wasn’t.
The Raptors have played 22 games, and more than a quarter of those have come without DeMar DeRozan. Do we—and, more importantly, does Ujiri—know what Toronto is or isn’t as a team without their all-star shooting guard? Ujiri may want to wait for DeRozan’s return to properly assess the team’s strengths and weaknesses before agreeing to any transaction.
That said, if a deal does go down, I’d say the greatest need for Toronto falls in the frontcourt. Whether the player acquired is a starter or key reserve with a unique set of skills may not matter. But he has to rebound, defend and rebound some more. The Raptors have plenty of scoring. They need help on the glass.
@therunawaymusic – What would you do with Amir Johnson this year? Oft injured but heart & soul guy. BUT Raps need interior presence
As stated above, Toronto needs to improve its frontcourt rotation. Whether that improvement comes via a starting power forward or a centre off the bench is anyone’s guess. But singling out Johnson may not be fair.
Johnson’s production hasn’t really dipped, statistically speaking. His scoring, field-goal percentage, assists and blocks are all right on par with the numbers he’s posted over the past two seasons—his best as a pro. And his durability may be misunderstood as well. Over his first five seasons in Toronto, Johnson appeared in 376 of a possible 394 games. This year he’s suited up in 19 of 22.
However, his rebounding totals are down and the Raptors need more from Johnson (from all of the bigs, really) in that specific category.
Adding to the complexity is Johnson’s contract status. Amir is a free agent at the end of 2014-15, and I can’t imagine Ujiri would let him walk—or trade him—without first locking down a more-than-suitable replacement. Outside of maybe Patrick Patterson, that replacement does not exist on Toronto’s roster. Thus, the upgrade would have to come from the outside.
@AdilBandali – When is DeMar coming back?
There is still no official word on when DeRozan will return to the Raptors’ lineup. My guess is that you won’t see him on the floor until the new year. I have to stress that no source has given me any kind of hint regarding DeRozan’s return. But my gut says he’s not back before Christmas, and the post-holiday schedule begins with three games in four nights—including a back-to-back on December 27 and 28.
Following Toronto’s five-game, 10-day road trip between December 26 and January 4, the team will have three days off—more importantly, potentially three days of practice—before hosting Charlotte on January 8. That would seem like an ideal time for DeRozan to suit up if he’s healthy.
Unfortunately, there is no true timeline with a groin injury.
@_Lenito – We’ve seen the team become a little comfortable – what’s Coach Casey have to do to keep the team on their toes?
Dwane Casey has always said that playing time is the great equalizer. And with one of the deeper benches in the league—stocked with many players that previously started on other teams—I don’t doubt that he would make a change to his lineup or his rotation if he felt that someone wasn’t pulling their weight.
@Agridome – Greg Monroe will be traded by the #Pistons, the price will be cheap, do you see Masai making a play for him?
As a rule, I don’t like to speculate on hypothetical trade scenarios. What I will say is Monroe could definitely help the Raptors, and might even be exactly what they need: a tenacious rebounder (though he is slightly undersized). But what would Detroit want in return? That franchise is in flux, to say the least. Would the Raptors truly be willing to part with enough assets to get a deal done?
@Doug_Bethune – Any thoughts on why Andrew Nicholson isn’t getting much playing time in Orlando?
The acquisition of Channing Frye hurt Nicholson—that cut into the Canadian’s playing time.
But I also spoke to a source in Orlando earlier in the season who told me that though the Magic love Nicholson as a person, he can be quiet or passive at times. They want him to be more assertive and aggressive in the post (like he has been for Canada in international play) and not just settle for jumpers or play on the perimeter.
@Toronto_Sports – At what point can the Raptors management begin to seriously explore the trade market for an upgrade? ie: acquire another all-star
I’m not sure Ujiri would shake up the core of his team at this point, which is what he’d likely have to do to land a player of that calibre. I believe he’d prefer to trade expiring contracts or little-used players, and then make his splash—if possible—in free agency over the next couple of years.
@Dhananow – Will the refs stop being corrupt?
I’m assuming this question is specifically directed at NBA officials’ treatment of the Raptors. All I can say is while zero free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s loss in Cleveland was hard to comprehend, the Raptors are fourth in the league in free-throw attempts per game (27.5). So they’re getting the whistle.
@mama_na_banana – Is Lowry the best point guard in Raptors history??
If he’s not, he will be very soon.
Mark Jackson and Chauncey Billups were not here long enough to garner true consideration in this conversation. Damon Stoudamire can make his case, but, again, was he in Toronto long enough and was his impact with the Raptors in the initial year as important as what Lowry has done of the last season-plus?
TJ Ford had a good run in Toronto. Alvin Williams is my personal favorite Raptor, all-time, at any position, on and off the court. And Jose Calderon’s playmaking, three-point shooting and leadership cannot be ignored.
But Lowry is right there; the title is his for the taking.