Here are the three biggest questions facing the Toronto Raptors.
Can Scottie Barnes be the face of a franchise?
Barnes had an exciting start to his career in winning Rookie of the Year. But the responsibilities should only increase in his sophomore campaign. And for Barnes to make the leap toward stardom, he is going to need to make more plays with the ball in his hands and improve as a shooter.
How do they compensate for lack of star power?
One thing the Raptors do have is depth. While lacking in superstars, the squad is littered with good players. And Otto Porter Jr. is a good addition to any roster. The likes of Porter, Fred Van Vleet, Pascal Siakim, O.G. Anunoby, Chris Boucher and Gary Trent are all going to need to be clicking for Toronto to compete.
Are they good enough to win a playoff series?
The Raptors surprised many pundits a season ago. They likely won’t catch people off guard this time around, and it is worth wondering how low the ceiling is for the team come playoff time when playing hard gets you only so far. We know they are well coached by Nick Nurse, but they will likely be at a talent deficit against any opponent they face off with in the first round, at least when it comes to elite players.
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