2020-2021 Raptors Training Camp and Preseason

[LJ2]

They still have to show Giannis they can win it all with him on the roster, so expecting to see an expanded rotation might be a bit premature.

[The Great One]

Raps breakout player this year? Watson.

Watson > Davis. You heard it here first.

[Quirk]

Raps breakout player this year?.

Boucher.

[G__Deane]

It will be interesting to see how Nurse handles the rotation this year, now that he doesn't have the "we are the defending champs" moral authority to lord over newbies and bench guys trying to get more minutes. Last season, there was this undertone of trying to prove that the championship "wasn't just Kawhi", but in the end it really was Kawhi. And that attitude seemed to spill over into not trusting the new guys who don't understand "what it takes to be champs.".

This year, Nurse doesn't have to worry about giving the champs the opportunity (and minutes) to defend the title. Loyalty was fully extended last year... almost to a fault in the playoffs. I would expect, or hope, to see an expanded rotation and more developmental minutes.

Let's hope, since we really need a step-up from unexpected sources this season imo. Someone even beyond OG and Norm.
Matt Thomas or one of the new guys given a chance to prove themselves?

[MixxAOR]

Looking at the roster I don't see any talent that will become a "revelation" or changes trajectory of this team. Some guys will get more minutes and put up points but not really change anything big picture wise.

[G__Deane]

Looking at the roster I don't see any talent that will become a "revelation" or changes trajectory of this team. Some guys will get more minutes and put up points but not really change anything big picture wise.

Hence the term "unexpected source"

[GOLDBLUM]

Crazy. They’re all going to have had it before long...

[DanH]

Crazy. They’re all going to have had it before long...

This is kind of part of the plan. Players out in the world with no supervision or constant testing were bound to be positive at about the same rate as the public (actually that rate is lower than the US test positivity rate of late).

The whole point of getting players in with their teams is even if it's not quite as secure as the bubble, you still have much more limited contact with the outside world and you have constant testing to detect and contain any outbreaks before they spread.

It could certainly fail, but the positivity rate right now is not relevant to the likelihood of success.

[planetmars]

48 out of 546 isn't terribly bad right? About 8.8% of that population.

In the entire US, using worldmeters.info, they've had 14.3M cases.. In a population of 328.2M people that is about 4%. Generally people in the US only get tested when they have symptoms (not always, but typically).. where as in the NBA they are testing 100% of their population.


Now for a pessimistic take.. MLB had only 1.2% of its population testing positive in its first round of testing (38 out of a population of 3185 people) according to mlb.com. However that was in June when the number of cases wasn't as high as it is now.

[Demographic Shift]

Raps breakout player this year? Watson.

Watson > Davis. You heard it here first.

Who is Watson.. Did he come in from IBM ?


But a good question none the less...

Who is the Raps breakout player of the year ?

Votes for Boucher and for Watson.

I think Matt Thomas makes an impact this year.
If Duncan Robinson can make a splash and an impact in Miami with essentially the same skill set then Matty T can do it here in Tampronto.

[MixxAOR]

Hence the term "unexpected source"

Would definitely be a pleasant surprise

[TheWaterboy]

Raps breakout player this year? Watson.

Watson > Davis. You heard it here first.

48 out of 546 isn't terribly bad right? About 8.8% of that population.

In the entire US, using worldmeters.info, they've had 14.3M cases...

We've been collecting guesses for the breakout player of the year - any early guesses for the outbreak player of the year?

[G__Deane]

We've been collecting guesses for the breakout player of the year - any early guesses for the outbreak player of the year?

Lou Williams probably has herpes again by now, does that count?

[bertarapsfan]

My pick for breakout is Bouch. I dont think he is necessarily going to blow everyone away but think he will have a much better season and fill in the backup center role well. Some of his biggest moment were in classic games from last year. Road wins in Portland and L.A, 31 point comeback vs dallas. He is going to have some big moments that are going to be so fun to watch where he starts hitting 3s and blocking shots and it will be really fun.

[inthepaint]

Who is Watson.. Did he come in from IBM ?


But a good question none the less...

Who is the Raps breakout player of the year ?

Votes for Boucher and for Watson.

I think Matt Thomas makes an impact this year.
If Duncan Robinson can make a splash and an impact in Miami with essentially the same skill set then Matty T can do it here in Tampronto.

Would love it to be true, but Duncan Robinson had a coach that believes in giving appropriate minutes to guys earning it . Closer to a true merit system and free internal competition with equally sized leashes. Gave lots of minutes to unproven Nunn, Herro, and Robinson. With confidence and rhythm, they thrived, had their valued increased as assets to the team, and made the NBA finals.

Our system, in contrast, is more akin to a "society of castes". Little social mobility. There's a rigid pecking order. Nurse has his favourites, the opportunity and leash size will be doled out from that. If you're McCaw, FVV or Gasol, you're pretty much have to be hurt or borderline asking to take a seat (like Gasol's body language in some of the Boston games last playoffs). Doesn't matter if they're overshooting poor quality shots, passing up good shots, or have your team play 4 on 5 on offence.

Guys like TD, Thomas and Watson though, have to excuse themselves to fart in the bathroom, and MUST make something happen quickly on the floor, cold out of the bench, in the 5 minutes play time they don't know if and when they're gonna get. If they don't it's back to riding the pine hard. I'd like to believe this year will be different, but Nurse (whom despite that is an outstanding coach), has that as a defining trait. It may change this year (we don't have a core of guys defending the title anymore), but I need to see it to believe it.