The departure of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, expiring contracts for Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, and Marc Gasol, plus the (perceived) perception that the East is a two-team race, had lots of pundits brushing aside the Raptors’ chances for success this season.
One Kyle Lowry extension and a Raptor-free Go Daddy spokesperson announcement later, Toronto’s back on the map, baybeeeee!!
If we learned anything from last season’s playoff run, it’s that matchups matter. Against Orlando and Philadelphia, Gasol was the matchup advantage over Nikola Vucevic and just enough of an advantage to slow down Joel Embiid.