Locked On Raptors

In Episode 1490, Sean Woodley is joined by Jamar Hinds (@jamarbh) to make their picks for who they think will lead the Toronto Raptors in points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, dunks and made three-pointers in the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season. Off the top, Sean and Jamar discuss whether Pascal Siakam's grip as the team's leading scorer will be challenged this season, or whether a reshaped offense will still result on Siakam leading the way for the Raptors in the points department. Will Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby or Scottie Barnes compete for top spot? Plus, who will lead the team in made three pointers? Next, they discuss whether Scottie Barnes is ready to take up the mantle as the Raptors' leading assist man, and whether Jakob Poeltl stands a chance of being among the team's three-most prolific playmakers. Lastly, who will lead the way for the Raptors in steals, blocks and the most important of all stats, dunks?Be sure to join the Locked On Raptors Discord community ahead of the new season! https://discor

In Episode 1489, Sean Woodley is joined by Katie Heindl (DIME, Basketball Feelings) to discuss some of the biggest and most interesting questions facing the Toronto Raptors going into the 2023-24 NBA season. Off the top, they examine the chicken-or-egg conundrum of whether a team needs good vibes in order to win, or whether winning is what brings good vibes, and how the coaching staff led by Darko Rajaković plays a role in all of it. Plus, how much can a coaching staff overcome a roster's limitations in order to fully revamp the team's style of play? Next, Sean and Katie discuss whether or not ball movement increasing can alone help turn around the moribund half court offense the Raptors have had over the last couple seasons. And to close, Sean and Katie examine just how much the Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby free agency situations might bleed into the overall health and wellness of the team, and what the impact of another stressful deadline might be on the overall vibes and culture around the squad.Come and

In Episode 1488, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob (Raptors.com, Sportsnet) to talk about the Toronto Raptors' 112-99 win over the Sacramento Kings in Vancouver to open up the preseason on Sunday. Off the top, Sean and Vivek run through their biggest takeaways from the game. Vivek liked the early returns on the Raptors' starting unit and the clear uptick in ball movement. While Sean, while enjoying the increase in ball-movement and intentionality, feels like the core challenge for the Raptors offense this season -- beating switching defenses -- was very much in display. Things could look similar to how they looked last year in terms of offensive process, but that doesn't mean it can't be better and more aesthetically pleasing. Next, Sean and Vivek each share one major overreaction to the preseason opener, both having to do with the Toronto Raptors' starting lineup. Lastly, they run through the Good, the Bad and the Hmmmmmm from the first preseason game. Raptors basketball is back, weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!Come h

In Episode 1487, Sean Woodley is joined by Chelsea Leite (Raptors HQ) to react to the news that Toronto will not be getting a WNBA expansion team any time soon as the Toronto Raptors ownership conglomerate MLSE reportedly has balked at the $50 million expansion fee to bring the league north of the border, per Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Sean and Chelsea chat about how disappointing this news is for a city that is absolutely ready to support a WNBA franchise, and has an ownership group with more than enough resources to invest in the league, even if it might take some time to see the return on that investment. Is something rotten at MLSE? How could it bleed into their stewardship of the Raptors? And what does MLSE's dismissiveness of women's sports mean in the big picture? Plus, a round of What's More Likely with a WNBA lean, as well as some talk about the most likely outcomes for the Pascal Siakam contract situation.Come join our Discord server to be part of ourd growing community of Locked On Raptors lis

In Episode 1486, Sean Woodley is joined by Samson Folk (Raptors Republic) to discuss what to expect from the Toronto Raptors on the defensive side of the ball this upcoming NBA season with new head coach Darko Rajakovic taking the reins. Off the top, Sean and Samson discuss the changes they'd like to see, and the changes they'd expect to see as the team transitions out of the Nick Nurse era, and whether or not some of the changes we're likely to see this season already began to creep into the Raptors' defensive stylings after the Jakob Poeltl trade last season. Next, Sean and Samson chat about Scottie Barnes' role in the defense, where his overzealousness has let him down as a defender in the past, and what kind of role might be in store for him on the defensive end this season. Plus, is Gary Trent Jr. going to be a liability? Lastly, Sean and Samson chat about the relationship between the Raptors defense and offense. They likely won't be the steals merchants they've been in recent seasons under Nurse, but co

In Episode 1485, Sean Woodley goes solo to discuss what might need to happen for the Toronto Raptors to overachieve compared to their preseason expectations going into the new NBA season. Building off the argument made by John Hollinger Tuesday at The Athletic about the Raptors being one of the teams he most expects to overachieve compared to their Vegas win projection in 2023-24, Sean details why the pure talent is certainly on hand for the Raptors to do just that, even if the fit between their top players is a major question. How can that poor fit be overcome? Sean gets into how the team's extra depth and added shooting (though it'd still be nice to have more), along with some pet combinations of players could help the Raptors be more versatile in the ways in which they try to win games, and help make the team in something greater than the sum of its parts. Lastly, Sean discusses how a more conservative style of defense that accentuates the individual defensive talent that the roster is loaded with, along w

In Episode 1484, Sean Woodley goes solo to answer questions about the Toronto Raptors and Masai Ujiri on the heels of Media Day on Monday. Off the top, Sean fields a question about whether or not the Toronto Raptors are capable of functioning like a normal franchise anymore, if their commitment to being ahead of the curve or outside the box has gotten them to a point where traditionally easy decisions and choices are not longer so rote. Next, a listener asks about whether it's time for there to be some heat on the seat of Masai Ujiri, and whether a fresh set of eyes would be preferred to help guide the Raptors through the big decisions that loom over the Raptors heading into the next year or so. Plus, do we get too quick to judge front offices? And is the answer to both those questions a simple: maybe?! Lastly, Sean runs through some questions about selfishness, areas of the team that most need fixing, and whacky lineups the Raptors can test out with no Christian Koloko available to soak up reserve big man mi

In Episode 1483, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob to break down everything that came out of Toronto Raptors Media Day, with extra attention paid Masai Ujiri, Pascal Siakam and Darko Rajakovic's press conferences. Off the top, Sean and Vivek dissect the bizarre and uncomortable pressers of Ujiri and Siakam, and the state of limbo the team still seems to be stuck in as it pertains to their best player. Next, they chat about some of the more exciting notes of Darko Rajakovic's presser, digging into the promise of a 10-man rotation being in use this season, as well as the way in which is seems like multiple players are going to get shots to run the offense, with Scottie Barnes seemingly not being pigeon-holed into the traditional point guard role. Lastly, Sean and Vivek run through rapid fire thoughts on Christian Koloko, who is out indefinitely with ongoing respiratory issues, and Scottie Barnes, who spoke about his improved conditioning and added muscle mass, if that's the type of thing that excites you on

In Episode 1482, Sean Woodley is joined by Jamar Hinds (Raptors Republic) to react to Damian Lillard getting traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-teamer with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns, and where that leaves the Toronto Raptors after they were reportedly very much in the running for the 7-time All-NBA point guard. Off the top, Sean and Jamar share their initial reactions to the reporting on how the trade went down. Ultimately, this doesn't quite feel like a case where the Raptors balked at a readily available deal, and more like a loss of an honest bidding war to a Bucks team whose package the Blazers simply valued more. Still, that doesn't excuse Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster for the corner they've painted themselves into as a franchise going forward. Next, they chat about where this leaves the team with Lillard not coming in to revitalize the offense and define the team's direction. In particular, they dive into the troubling reporting from Michael Grange about the team still not be

In Episode 1481, Sean Woodley is joined by Erik García Gundersen of Blazer Banter to chat about the onging Damian Lillard trade saga from the perspective of the Portland Trail Blazers, and whether the Toronto Raptors have the type of trade package on offer that might satisfy what Portland is looking for in exhange for the 7-time All NBA guard. Off the top, Sean and Erik dig into the Portland end of the summer's most dragged out NBA storyline, how Portland got to this point, and what the franchise's motivations are as they seek to grant Lillard his request for a trade. Next, Sean and Erik dig into some of the misconceptions or just downright wrong things being said about Dame as a player, including the idea that he's an injury risk, that he's a non-winning player, and that he won't report to Toronto if dealt to the Raptors, all of which are pretty easy to dispel. Lastly, Sean and Erik attempt to predict how this all ends up going down. Will the Raptors put O.G. Anunoby on the table and complete a deal? Will th

In Episode 1480, Sean Woodley goes solo to lay out some of the arguments in favour of the Toronto Raptors pushing in to acquire Damian Lillard in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers after yet another day full of rumors and reports tying the Raps to the disgruntled star point guard. Off the top, Sean digs into the statistical argument for Lillard being exactly what the Raptors need, from his decade-long history of driving Top-10 offenses, to his incredible play tracking data in pick and rolls and isolation, to the shooting and playmaking ejection he'd bring to a spacing and creation starved roster and more. Next, Sean examines how putting Lillard alongisde Scottie Barnes could actually be an accelerant to Barnes' development as an all-encompassing star, diverting the playmaking responsibility Scottie is currently slated to have to one of the best point guards of his generation, and freeing Scottie up to gradually develop into the all around star he certainly has the potential to be. Lastly, Sean digs into

In Episode 1479, Sean Woodley goes solo to break down the latest reports surrounding the Toronto Raptors and their believed interest in trading for Damian Lillard of the Portlan Trail Blazers. Off the top, Sean and Vivek dig into the details of the latest reports from Jake Fischer, Marc Stein and others, and whether they think the Raptors are right to be pursuing Lillard, or if it's a bit of a wrong guy / wrong time situation for a Raptors team stuck at a strange crossroads. Next, Sean and Vivek dig into what the ideal cost would be for the Raptors to pay Portland in exchange for Lillard, while being enough to outbid the Miami Heat. A Pascal Siakam-centered deal feels like a non-starter, but what about moves that feature either Scottie Barnes or O.G. Anunoby as the major outgoing pieces? Which leaves the Raptors with a better roster to surround Lillard with? And how does the inclusion of Barnes or Anunoby affect the future pick outlay that might be going to Portland in the deal as well? Lastly, they chat abou

In Episode 1478, Sean Woodley goes solo to continue a look into the most important swing skill for each member of the Toronto Raptors going into 2023-24 with a look at Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby and Jakob Poeltl. Off the top, Sean digs into Siakam's catch-and-shoot three-point shooting and why it might be the single most important swing skill on the roster, as it directly relates to the growth of Toronto's most important player, Scottie Barnes. Next, Sean takes a look at Anunoby's handle, why it's a clear swing skill for him, and why it's one Sean would prefer he not really even try to improve considering how effective Anunoby is as an off-ball play finisher, and how poor lyhis on-ball creation attempts have gone throughout his career. Lastly, Sean digs into the very established Jakob Poeltl, who kind of is who he is, but could make the Raptors' lives a lot easier late in games if he can continue to improve his free-throw shooting.Be sure to join the show's growing listener community over on Discord! https:/

In Episode 1477, Sean Woodley goes solo to kick off a series of shows looking at the most important swing skills for each member of the Toronto Raptors going into the 2023-24 NBA season, beginning with Scottie Barnes, Precious Achiuwa and Gary Trent Jr. Off the top, Sean digs into why Scottie Barnes' mid-range game simply has to bounce back after a notable dip in his second season. His perimeter defense and three-point shooting are things to work on, for sure, but without a pull-up from the mid-range, superstar status figures to be nearly impossible to reach for the Raptors' most important player going forward. Next, Sean takes a look at Precious Achiuwa's spot-up game, and why his three-and-D wing future hinge on his ability to bridge the gap between catching on the perimeter, and scoring either with a long-range bomb or a decisive, mistake-free drive to the rim -- a place where he scored with great efficiency last season. Lastly, Sean looks at Gary Trent Jr.'s individual on-ball defense, and why that part o

In Episode 1476, Sean Woodley is joined by Chelsea Leite (Raptors HQ) to chat about the latest rumours tying the Toronto Raptors to the ongoing Damian Lillard trade request saga before running through the Toronto Raptors players they're most excited to watch in 2023-24. Off the top, they address Matt Moore's reporting from Locked On NBA on the Raptors being one of the teams in the Damian Lillard mix. How much do we buy it? Is there a deal that could make some sense? Or are the Blazers using mystery teams like the Raptors to leverage the most they can from the Miami Heat? Next, Sean and Chelsea dig into the Toronto Raptors players they're most excited to watch this season, beginning of course with Scottie Barnes as their shared top choice. They examine what's at stake for Scottie in Year 3, how far he can take this roster if in fact he does take a leap, and much more. Next, Chelsea outlines why Gradey Dick and Gary Trent Jr. are two of the players she's most intrigued by this season, while Sean rounds out his

In Episode 1475, Sean Woodley goes solo to field some questions from, the listeners, about the upcoming Toronto Raptors season. Off the top, Sean digs into quite a conundrum: would it be better for the Raptors to finish near the bottom of the league and keep their top-6 protected pick from the Jakob Poeltl trade, or have their pick fall at 7th and sent to San Antonio? Sean thinks the answer is pretty clear. Next, Sean runs through the roster and discusses some of the players he thinks might have trouble adapting to Darko Rajakovic's offensive style of play, as well as players on the team who might thrive playing a move ball and player movement-heavy style of basketball. Lastly, Sean digs into what a successful season might look like for Raptors rookies Gradey Dick and Markquis Nowell, as well as whether the Raptors' should consider an all-in push to capitalize on a wobbly Eastern Conference.To get your questions answered on a future mailbag, join the Locked On Raptors Discord server and become part of our gro

In Episode 1474, Sean Woodley and Vivek Jacob (Raptors.com) kick off the show's return to daily episodes with a temperature check on the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Pascal Siakam's future with the Toronto Raptors, and discuss what Bogdan Bogdanovic becoming trade eligible over the weekend might mean for any potential trade talks between the Raptors and the Atlanta Hawks. Off the top, Sean and Vivek dig into the current situation around Siakam, whether they think the Raptors need to accept a trade of Siakam -- even if they lose it on a talent basis -- in the interest of declaring a direction for the franchise and kickstarting the Scottie Barnes era. Next, Sean pitches Vivek on a deal that would send Siakam and Otto Porter Jr. to Atlanta in exchange for Bogdanovic, De'Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin and a 2024 Kings first round pick (Top-14 protected). Is that deal enough for the Raptors to move on from their best player? How would Bogdanovic fit alongside Scottie Barnes? And are the Raptors right to push for Kobe

In Episode 1473, Sean Woodley is joined by Jamar Hinds (Raptors Republic) to assess three different What's More Likely scenarios regarding the Toronto Raptors this upcoming season. Off the top, they chat about Pascal Siakam's future following the latest reporting from Michael Scotto on the talks between the Atlanta Hawks and Raptors about a Siakam swap, and whether it's more like that Siakam has played his last game for Toronto, or that he will play 300+ more games in a Raptors uniform. Next, Sean and Jamar discuss whether it;s more likely that the Raptors will finish with a Top-6 record in the Eastern Conference, or a Bottom-6 record in the NBA in 2023-24. Lastly, they examine whether Darko Rajakovic is more likely to win Coach of the Year in his first season with Toronto than Nick Nurse is to win the award with the disaster show that is the Philadelphia 76ers.Come hang out with Locked On Raptors listeners just like you in our growing Discord community! https://discord.gg/bG9ERhrkSupport Us By Supporting Our

In Episode 1472, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob (Raptors.com) to discuss the Toronto Raptors' starting lineup options going into the 2023-24 season. Off the top, they discuss both of their preferred starting lineup choice: Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent Jr., O.G. Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl, and why prioritizing Scottie Barnes' development, to them, needs to be the leading factor in which ever decision head coach Darko Rajakovic makes. Next, they examine the possibility of swapping Trent Jr. out for new signing and FIBA World Cup MVP Dennis Schröder, and discuss some of the pros (extra ball-handling, defense) and cons (a dire lack of shooting and spacing) of what a Barnes-Schröder-Anunoby-Siakam-Poeltl lineup might be. Lastly, Sean and Vivek discuss some deeper bench candidates to potentially carve out a starting role on the team this season. Could Jalen McDaniels get on a three-point heater and work himself into the starting lineup plans? What about Otto Porter Jr.? All that and more on today'

In Episode 1471, Sean Woodley is joined by Alex Adams (Raptors Republic) to put a bow on Team Canada's impressive run to the bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup and look ahead to the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Off the top, they chat about the thrilling victory over Team USA to secure the first medal in Canada's World Cup history, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's arrival as one of the world's very best players, and why this medal is a win for all of Canada basketball from the top down. Next, they chat about Raptors guard Dennis Schroder winning tournament MVP, and some of Alex's stories from his time covering Canada during the group stage in Jakarta, Indonesia. Lastly, Sean and Alex run through the Canadian World Cup roster and determine who will be on the Olympic roster when the Paris games roll around in 11 months time.Check out Alex's interviews with Bruno Caboclo and Sergio Scariolo mentioned on today's episode, and read all of Alex's work from the World Cup over at Raptors Republic! https://x.com/AlexAdamsBTP/status