Locked On Raptors

The Toronto Raptors seemingly expect to be bad this season; is it possible for them to still be considered underachievers by season's end? In Episode 1729, Sean Woodley goes solo to take a look at the case for the Raptors falling short of their very meager expectations this season, what that might look like, and what it would be mean for the long-term outlook if things fall flat this year. Off the top, Sean outlines why the Raptors have many more avenues to finishing under their 30.5 Vegas win projection than they do finishing substantially above it, and why not all of those avenues would be considered a disappointment or an underachievement. But some certainly would! Plus, a diatribe about why trading Jakob Poeltl would be an unbelievably poor choice. Next, Sean digs into what an underachievement would look like, and why it's way more about player performance than the win-loss record. What if Scottie Barnes stagnates, RJ Barrett regresses and Immanuel Quickley isn't cut out for a lead guard role? It's maybe

The Toronto Raptors are not projected to be very good in 2024-25, but what if they are? In Episode 1728, Sean Woodley goes solo to lay out the case for the Toronto Raptors being one of the teams -- of which there are always a couple -- that overachieves against their preseason expectations this coming season. Off the top, Sean lays out the case for the Raptors, and digs into why the capacity for internal growth on a team built mostly around 25-and-under dudes is the single biggest reason to feel optimistic that this team can be better than anticipated. We're great at talking about things that have happened, and less good at predicting impending leaps. Next, Sean digs into what the shape of an overachievement might look like for this team, why it'll have to involve a big jump on offense, why Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley could improve to the point that they raise the team's floor, and why health luck will have to be involved. Lastly, some fun to close as lover of Canada Josh Lloyd of Locked On Fantasy B

The Toronto Raptors hung on for a thrilling 119-118 preseason victory over the defending champion Boston Celtics on Tuesday night as the trio of Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and Gradey Dick absolutely kicked butt. In Episosde 1727, Sean Woodley goes solo to react to the most entertaining Raptors preseason game to date, dig into why he's growing increasingly optimistic about the Raptors' starters being extremely good once Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett rejoin the team, the encouraging efforts of Davion Mitchell and Ochai Agbaji, and the Good, Bad & Hmmmm from Tuesday's action. Off the top, Sean gets into the gorgeous fit between Barnes, Poeltl and Dick, why Barnes' forceful aggression en route to 26-9-10 is the recipe for this Raptors to team to overachieve if he can sustain it, Poeltl being a master of space, and Dick's impressive 27-point effort that showed off his versatile scoring package. Next, Sean talks about the efforts of Mitchell (9 points, 3 threes, 10 assists), and Agbaji (16-5-3 on 7/11 shoo

Do the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets all deserve to be in the race for Cooper Flagg this season? Are the Toronto Raptors the odd man out in the conversation for the bottom of the Eastern Conference? Which team from this group has the brightest future and where would Cooper Flagg fit in best?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!HIMSHims is changing men's healthcare by providing access to affordable sexual health treatments, all from the comfort of your home. Start your free online visit today at Hims.com/LOCKEDON for your personalized ED treatment options. GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelYou can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - guaranteed ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in

The Toronto Raptors dropped a pair of preseason games over the Thanksgiving long weekend to the Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics, and they very much looked like preseason basketball games, though we did get to see our first glimpse of Scottie Barnes since March, which was nice! In Episode 1726, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob (Raptors in 7, Sportsnet) to react to the two preseason losses, discuss Scottie Barnes' play in his first couple games back on the floor, break down the ongoing position battles in camp and run through The Good, The Bad & The Hmmm from the games against Washington and Boston. Off the top, they talk about how the preseason is way too long, Scottie Barnes working the mid-range, and whether the early preseason results have changed how they view this team going into the season. Next, they check in on the position battles still going on throughout the roster. Is Gradey Dick still going to start? Who is the backup five? Is Davion Mitchell still going to get the keys to the secon

Scottie Barnes has the keys to the Toronto Raptors now, shot creation is the single most important area of development to watch with him this season as he attempts to ascend the ranks and be considered one of the league's true foundational players. In Episode 1725, Sean Woodley digs into what's at stake for Scottie as a shot creator entering year four and why he is set up to have success as a pick-and-roll creator on this edition of the team before fielding some listener questions. Off the top, Sean discusses the latest from Raptors practice on Thursday before diving into why Barnes' shot creation is set to come into focus this year. Does he have the goods as the leading man in a productive NBA offense? How will Darko Rajakovic's system, and the existence of Immanuel Quickley help foster his development and ease his burden as a leading man? And what kinds of playtypes can Barnes most lean into as the engine of the Raptors' attack? Then, Sean opens up to mailbag and discusses the way the Raptors have built the

Are the Toronto Raptors or Charlotte Hornets better set up to snag the final Eastern Conference play-in spot? In Episode 1724, Sean Woodley and Walker Mehl of Locked On Hornets link up for a crossover episode digging into the Raptors and Hornets' outlook for this season, compare both team's stars in Scottie Barnes and LaMelo Ball, size up both team's supporting casts and project which team is most likely to win the most important race in the NBA this year: the race for the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. Off the top, Sean and Walker talk about Scottie and LaMelo, who has the better chance to lead their team to winning minutes this season, and why both guys have something to prove -- albeit in very different ways -- this season. Next, they compare and contrast the two supporting casts, talk about why the Raptors' starting five has a chance to be very good if healthy, and why the depth probably favours the Hornets in the event injuries befall either team. Lastly, they talk about each team's ambitions for t

The Toronto Raptors announced on Tuesday that RJ Barrett is out for the rest of the preseason with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder; how much time is he likely to miss, and who should see an uptick in minutes with Barrett out the lineup? In Episode 1723, Sean Woodley goes solo to break down what Barrett's injury means for the Raptors, when we can expect to see Barrett return to the lineup, who will fill in his place in the Raptors' starting five if he can't return for the start of the season, and which guys on the Raptors roster stand to gain (or lose) the most from the opportunity provided by Barrett's absence. Off the top, Sean details the wide range of potential outcomes for Barrett's AC sprain, which is the same injury that rookie Ja'Kobe Walter is also dealing with. The most optmisitic timeline could see him return in time for the season opener on October 23rd, but there's a worst case scenario where he misses up to six weeks, according to some of the more trusted injury experts out there on bas

How much will the Toronto Raptors difficult start to the schedule affect the course of the year to come? In Episode 1722, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob (Raptors in 7, Sportsnet) to talk about a grab bag of Toronto Raptors-related topics as training camp presses on, including how much the difficult schedule will or will not affect the course of this season, realistic expectations for rookie guard Jamal Shead, and their first impressions of the Raptors' aggressive defense. Off the top, Sean and Vivek talk about the schedule, whether the difficulty of it matters much to the big picture of the Raptors' season, and why Sean actually thinks it's a good team for this team to get tested early as they're trying to lay down a standard. Next, Sean and Vivek discuss Jamal Shead, what he can realistically do for the Raptors this season, and whether he'll play the majority of the season with the Raptors or Raptors 905 in the G-League. Lastly, they chat through their initial takeaways from the Raptors' defense in th

Toronto Raptors Jamal Shead looked ready for the big show, while Mississauga's own RJ Barrett picked up where he left off last season and with Team Canada in the summer as the Raptors handled the Washington Wizards 125-98 to open up the preseason in Montreal on Sunday night. In Episode 1721, Sean Woodley goes solo to recap the Raptors' return to the floor. Off the top, Sean digs into Jamal Shead being the scene-stealer of the preseason opener, with his tenacious on-ball defense, pick-and-roll playmaking and interior scoring all making him look the part of a guy who should be considered for real NBA run to begin the season. Next, Sean rattles off nine takeaways on nine players who chipped into the win over Washington, including a RJ Barrett's brilliant 14 minutes of action before a shoulder contusion knocked him out for the second half, though hopefully for not much longer. Plus, thoughts on Jonathan Mogbo, Gradey Dick, Kelly Olynyk, Ochai Agbaji, Davion Mitchell, Bruno Fernando, DJ Carton and Ulrich Chomche's

The Toronto Raptors aren't going to be any great shakes this year, but they'll surely be better than the depressing Chicago Bulls, right? In Episode 1720, Sean Woodley is joined by basketball internet writing legend Kelly Dwyer to talk about the Raptors' place among the East's bottom feeders, why this season has a chance to be pretty joyful, being better the Bulls, Vince Carter getting his number retired by the Raptors and Nets and Scottie Barnes before playing a round of the revamped 'I Remember That Game!' Off the top, they get into why the Raptors are gonna be both better and less sad than a Bulls team that has no shot, before getting into the Raptors building towards something interesting as Scottie Barnes matures. Next, we get the outside opinion on the Raptors retiring Vince Carter's jersey, and the Nets doing it as well, before some more Scottie talk as he looks to become the next Raptors superstar. Lastly, Sean tests Kelly's knowledge of the mid-2000s Raptors and Bulls with a round of the newly revamp

The Toronto Raptors are making defensive improvement a focus of this season, but do they have the ingredients on hand to put together a good NBA defense? In Episode 1719, Sean Woodley goes solo to take a look at the defensive building blocks the Raptors have on hand, the schemes they can run to optimize their strength and mitigate their weaknesses, and the role internal developement and ratcheted up effort will play in the Raptors' attempt to build a passable defense this season. Off the top, Sean dives into why Jakob Poeltl gives the Raptors a strong baseline for a competent defense, and how guys like Scottie Barnes and Davion Mitchell bring some much neede defensive talent to the table. Next, Sean digs into the statisical profiles of last year's Top-10 defensive teams to try and identify what makes a great defense. Apart from talent and size, having "A Thing" to hang your hat on seems to be a solid way to make your defensive metrics pop. Lastly, Sean takes a look at the role internal development for guys li

The Toronto Raptors probably aren't going to be a very good team in 2024-25, but they absolutely have the capacity to be a Fun Bad team. In Episode 1718, Sean Woodley and Katie Heindl (Basketball Feelings) link up to talk about the almost unprecedented circumstances Toronto Raptors fans finding themselves facing this season, as they team for the first time since arguably the late-90s comes into the year expected to be bad, but with plenty of hope for what lies ahead in the years to come. Sean and Katie chat about the freedom of lowered expectations, and the joy of feeling like you're in on the ground floor with a group of guys who should mostly be around the team for the long haul. Next, they discuss what they thing makes a team either Fun Bad or Sad Bad, and try to figure out where this year's Raptors slot in on that continuum. The threat of a nasty late season tank is there, but for the most part, this has the makings of the fun kind of losing team. Lastly, Sean and Katie talk about some of the things they'

Is Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick or Scottie Barnes the most interest Toronto Raptors player to watch in the NBA preseason? Or is it someone less established? In Episode 1717, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob (Raptors in 7, Sportsnet) to draft the most interesting Raptors guys to keep tabs on once the exhibition schedule gets rolling on Sunday in Montreal against the Wednesday. Will Immanuel Quickley or Scottie Barnes be the first guy off the board in the exercise, with so much riding on their growth? Will any of the rookies find themselves on one of Sean or Vivek's Interestingness Big Board? How do players like Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett, Davion Mitchell or Jakob Poeltl factor into the mix, if at all? And why did Vivek come out of media day with soccer tactics on the mind? Join us over on the Locked On Raptors Discord server! https://discord.gg/e6xSvW8mCheck out Vivek's Raptors in 7 Newsletter: https://raptorsinseven.substack.com/For your next listen, check out the Locked On NBA podcast, where the season n

The Toronto Raptors seem to have no illusions of grandure about their outlook for the  2024-25 season, but everyone seems to be on the same page regarding building towards a better outlook down the line. In Episode 1716, Sean Woodley goes solo to react to Toronto Raptors Media Day and share his biggest takeaways from the day full of press conferences at Scotiabank Arena. Off the top, Sean digs into why it seems like everyone from the top down seems to be on the same page about this season being less about wins and losses, and more about laying the foundation for the next era of Toronto Raptors basketball. What's most encouraging, is that everyone seems to be excited about it. Next, Sean digs into defense, which was the talk of the day from basketball perspective, and why it seems like Darko Rajakovic is going to treat defense similarly to how he did offense last year. But will the talent level be there to help sound process translate into good results? Lastly, Sean digs into some rapid fire takeaways on the R

The Toronto Raptors will open up training camp next week, with media day being hosted on Monday; what are the key burning questions for the team going into the year? In Episode 1715, Sean Woodley goes solo to lay out the three questions he's most interested in finding some answers for as the Raptors front office, coaches and players face the media to kick off the 2024-25 NBA season. Will we get a look at what the team's intentions are for this season, and whether they're trying to be competitive or setting up for a year of angling for lottery position? Are we any closer to know what Darko Rajakovic wants his team to do on defense? Sean has some ideas. And lastly, what are the Raptors cooking up with Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley? We should hopefully get closer to finding out on Monday!Join the Locked On Raptors Discord. It's fun: https://discord.gg/e6xSvW8mFor your next listen, check out the Locked On NBA podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click

Are the Toronto Raptors more likely to be worse than the Detroit Pistons this season, or better than the Miami Heat? In Episode 1714, Sean Woodley and Jamar Hinds (Raptors Republic) play a round of What's More Likely? Off the top, they dig into whether there's a better chance of the Detroit Pistons overachieving and finishing in front of the Raptors in the Eastern Conference standings than there is of the Miami Heat having a backslide and finishing behind Toronto. Next, they talk about the two guys who will likely see the most opportunity with Bruce Brown out of the lineup, and discuss whether Ja'Kobe Walter or Ochai Agbaji is more likely to earn a season-long rotation gig while the Raptors' top trade candidate is on the sidelines. Lastly, Sean and Jamar discuss whether it's more likely we see the Raptors execute a full firesale and trade away three or more veterans before the trade deadline, or to see them trade future assets to add to the roster now. Moses Moody Hive stand up! Join us over on the Locked On

If only one of Scottie Barnes or Immanuel Quickley can take a gigantic leap for the Toronto Raptors this season, who would you prefer be the one to take it? In Episode 1713, Sean Woodley is joined by Katie Heindl (Basketball Feelings) to play a round of Raptors-themed Would You Rather! Off the top, they get into whether the Raptors would be better served by having Scottie Barnes make the leap to All-NBA caliber with Immanuel Quickley staying at the same level he was at last year, or by Quickley making a jump to being an All-Star while Barnes merely maintains last season's All-Star form. Next, after some tough news regarding Kawhi Leonard, Sean and Katie discuss whether it's better to have been a Raptors fan over the last five seasons, or a Clippers fan? Lastly, would it be better for the Raptors to have a Top-10 offense and a Bottom-5 defense or a Top-15 defense and Bottom-10 offense this coming year? Join us on the Locked On Raptors Discord server! https://discord.gg/N3RwbTAsFor your next listen, check out t

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday that they'll be retiring Vince Carter's no. 15 on November 2nd, and you simply can't be Raptors fan and not have a take on it! In Episode 1712, Sean Woodley goes solo to react to the decision to immortalize Carter in the rafters of Scotiabank Arena, why it's fine to feel weird about it even if it absolutely makes sense and is definitely deserved considering all the good Carter did for the franchise. Plus, Sean digs into his own personal journey with Carter fandom, from a 47-point outburst against the Milwaukee Bucks back in 2000 to him quitting on the team and breaking the hearts of an entire generation of fans. Lastly, Sean sorts through some listener questions about Vince, his dunks, the potential of an in-tact Carter/Tracy McGrady team & more! Join us over on the Locked On Raptors Discord server! https://discord.gg/A5vDDCjJ For your next listen, check out the Locked On NBA podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Cl

Bruce Brown Jr. is having arthropscopic knee surgery and will be reevaluated in three weeks -- what does it mean for the Toronto Raptors? In Episode 1711, Sean Woodley and Vivek Jacob discuss Brown's knee surgery and the players on the Toronto Raptors roster who will most be impacted by his early season absence before taking a swing at assembling the Toronto Raptors' early season rotation, minute-by-minute. Off the top, they dig into Brown missing time, the strange reaction to the news from some corners of the fan base, and how his absence will affect players like Ochai Agbaji, Ja'Kobe Walter and Davion Mitchell's roles and minutes in the early going. Next, Sean and Vivek try to piece together their ideal Raptors rotation by beginning with the starters. Is Jakob Poeltl in line for a career high in minutes? And will Gradey Dick get handed a heavy workload as a second-year player? Lastly, they attempt to piece together the bench rotation. After Kelly Olynyk, Mitchell and evenutally Brown, who else will get a sh