The Raptors are betting everything on next season. They traded for Brandon Ingram, paid him, and sat him. They are strategically resting players to maximize their chances at a high lottery pick. Among the Raptors stars, the attention to detail has flown somewhat out the window as the season crawls to a finish. Punching the clock, as it were.
They have flipped the defense around completely — as they’ve been one of the best defenses in the league in 2025, and were the best defense in March — so, they have something to point to. Darko Rajakovic’s contract has been guaranteed — which doesn’t guarantee he’ll finish it out in Toronto, just that they haven’t considered looking elsewhere. They’re betting on next year. Big time.
So, how does a team that is bottom 6 in catch-and-shoot jumper efficiency, dead last in pull-up jumper efficiency, third worst at the rim (all per synergy), even begin to think about being good? Does Brandon Ingram, talented a shot maker as he is, even remotely paper over the chasm of on-ball talent that the Raptors have been surrendering to other teams? Well, probably not. However, the hope is that he is the figure that sorts the Raptors rather out of whack hierarchy, into order.
