2015-16 NBA Season Preview: Toronto Raptors

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Toronto Raptors

2014-15

Offseason Roundup

• Extended Jonas Valanciunas (4/$64M)

Projected Starting 5

• PG Kyle Lowry
• SG DeMar DeRozan
• SF DeMarre Carroll
• PF Patrick Patterson
• C Jonas Valanciunas

MVP: Kyle Lowry

Last season featured two distinct versions of Lowry.

There was the superstar that shined for the calendar year of 2014. Lowry buoyed the Raptors with stellar play to start the season, and kept the team afloat after DeRozan's groin injury. His efforts earned him a starting spot in the All-Star Game.

There was also the 2015 iteration of Lowry. Hampered by back issues and poor conditioning, his play nosedived.

(Courtesy: NBA Stats)

The Raptors' record mirrored his decline. Without Lowry's stellar two-way play, the team crashed to earth following a blistering 24-7 start to the year. They dominated the league (58-27) in 2014 and were decidedly average (25-25) in 2015.

This team will go where Lowry leads them.

Breakout Player: Jonas Valanciunas

The Raptors are counting on Valanciunas to be a core piece for the future. That much was made clear by their four-year, $64-million extension with the young Lithuanian.

They're betting on him to blossom into a two-way star. But in order for that to happen, the Raptors have to lend more than money his way.

They need to give him more opportunities to contribute.

The 23-year-old center has already developed into a strong contributor across his first three seasons. His averages (12 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks) were relatively modest, but the underlying statistics paint a much brighter picture of Valanciunas's game. He led the league in points per post-up last season, and held opponents to 46.5 percent shooting at the rim - a mark on par with Tim Duncan and Timofey Mozgov.

Granted, Valanciunas still has his fair share of shortcomings. He's slow-footed and inflexible on offense. To that end, Valanciunas has spent the summer trying to expand his game.

Having put the work in, Valanciunas showed enough development to warrant a big raise. Now, his playing time needs to follow suit. Get him somewhere close to 36 minutes per game, and an All-Star nomination might be in the cards.

(Courtesy: Basketball-Reference)

Season Expectations

General manager Masai Ujiri's mandate for the summer was obvious: improve upon last season's 26th-ranked defense.

Ujiri took an ax to the supporting cast, jettisoning offense-first players like Vasquez and Williams, while replacing them with two-way producers like Joseph, Biyombo, and Carroll. They also made substantial changes to the coaching staff.

But that leaves major question marks regarding the offense. Williams and Vasquez helped form a dominant bench unit for the Raptors last season, which fueled a fifth-ranked attack. Will their defensive upgrades come at the expense of their offense?

Ujiri is hoping that a balanced team is the key to unlocking the Raptors' full potential. They've been good, winning 48 games in 2013-14 and 49 games last season, but they're trying to take the leap toward greatness.

Ultimately, the team is hoping for playoff success. After two straight first-round exits, the Raptors' core of DeRozan, Lowry, Valanciunas, and company need to step up when it matters most.