The Toronto Raptors won’t be a materially different team at 3:01 pm on Thursday.
But they might be a better one.
That’s the outline general manager Bobby Webster laid out as he met with the media with the NBA trade deadline approaching.
The Raptors are the hottest team in the Eastern Conference, having won six straight games and gone 15-6 since most of their rotation players returned to full health and collectively recovered from a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak.
It appears that their experiment of playing big across their lineup without a traditional centre — trusting secondary ball-handling duties to a pair of six-foot-eight power-forward/point guard hybrids in Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes, with Fred VanVleet oscillating between point guard and spot-up shooting duties and everyone else playing nearly interchangeably — will continue.
They’ve been approached to break up their core — the Indiana Pacers were nosing around Pascal Siakam, according to league sources, before trading their star big man Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings — but for now Toronto is inclined to keep it intact. The Raptors reported interest in San Antonio Spurs centre Jakob Poeltl — who played the first three years of his career in Toronto — was real, but the Spurs weren’t budging from one of the better defensive centres in the league — not for expiring contracts and a mid-round first.
So, the Raptors will keep looking for a rotation-quality player that can add to what they have.
“Obviously with the players [that] are growing and playing together I think [that] suggests less of a major move,” said Webster. “[It] doesn’t mean we don’t get those calls and we’re not talking about them, but I think the good vibes of the current group hopefully bodes well for the future.”
But the Raptors are in a unique position to add to that group which probably includes as many as seven players — the five regular starters along with Chris Boucher and Precious Achiuwa, versatile, athletic bigs who compliment the style the Raptors want to play and who Toronto remains enthusiastic about.
With Goran Dragic’s expiring $19.4 million contract and all their own first-round picks, Toronto is hopeful they can add a player that makes them better for this season and into the near future.
Dragic’s contract is an asset that expires in value on Thursday, lending an urgency to the Raptors pursuit of an upgrade.
“I don’t know about [having] to [make a trade] but I think it’s a unique piece,” said Webster. “There’s not many of them around the league. So, you get to be in conversations that you typically aren’t.”
And unlike last season when the trade discussion centred around Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell – franchise mainstays at that point – deals structured around Dragic’s contract and picks are simpler; no one’s feelings are going to be hurt and any kind of positive return should provide more than Dragic – who has been away from the team on a personal leave since November – or a mid-first round pick can give Toronto.
“This year it’s a bit more streamlined in a sense,” said Webster. “You kind of know what the major deal is, you know when you can add to it, sure, here’s some bigger deals or smaller deals, but it does make it a little bit simpler to kind of examine the team and realize that you’re not moving a major rotational piece that’s currently on the team.”
The Raptors are also open to taking on future contract obligations for the right player, said Webster.
The Raptors owners – Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment – have had their revenues impacted for three straight seasons now due to the pandemic, but there have been no discussions about having to cut back spending or to make short-term moves to chase near-term playoff gates, said Webster.
But if there are players available with a year or two left on their contracts after the current season that suit what the Raptors are trying to do?
“Those are exactly the type of deals we’re looking at,” said Webster. “Obviously having most of the core under contract here, it helps us there. We definitely have the flexibility [next season] and even beyond. You don’t want to play the game of game planning too many years ahead, because a lot of things can change in the interim. Definitely we do have some flexibility over the next year or two.”
Finding the right fit will be the challenge. The Raptors are largely agnostic, positionally. Depth has been an issue at times this season; their lack of interior size means they have to game-plan heavily when they do end up matching up with some of the league’s bigger and better centres and secondary playmaking is at a premium after VanVleet and Siakam.
They’re not targeting a single type of player. They’re open to improving in any area.
“By no means do we think that this is this is the final look [for this team],” said Webster. “And I think that’s why this week’s important for us if we can find a player that would complement that group, whether it’s positionally or even continues to look like one of those players… do we need another one of those multi-positional wings? Do we need a more traditional big? Or do we need another ball handler?
“And if you could solve all of those with one you would, but you can’t. So… can you combine two of those into one player? Do you need to go get two players, or are you content to just let this thing grow and maybe one of the guys off the bench, one of the young development players turns into that?”
The market has moved earlier than expected, with the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans all making deals well in advance of the deadline.
Have any deals so far affected the marketplace?
“I think the deals that have happened it’s kind of what the league expected to happen out of those deals,” said Webster. “I don’t feel like the value proposition has changed for many teams. They’re still interested in the deals or they’re still not interested.”
The Raptors remain interested in moving Dragic’s expiring contract and are willing to add future draft assets to do it in a way they can bring back a player that can help them now and in the future.
Dragic should keep his phone handy.
“I think [he] kinda knows the game we’re in and the writing on the wall…,” said Webster. “… a fairly large expiring contract… it greases deals in the NBA which is the name of the game this week.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
