When evaluating young Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, success shouldn’t be the only metric used.
The 2023–24 Raptors, whose season begins Wednesday against Minnesota, promise to be a vast cry from earlier editions both stylistically and tactically.
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Better ball movement, greater movement off the ball, and more sets started from the high post are just a few of the established rules of the game that rookie head coach Darko Rajakovic has been preaching.
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The objective, at least offensively, is to generate enough open looks in the hopes of taking more shots, regardless of whether a team is looking to defend a championship, is coming off a.500 record and eliminated in a play-in game, or has made franchise-changing changes in the off-season to take that next step.
It is impossible to emphasize how much Raptorland has altered.
Rajakovic is where it all starts, but it affects every facet of the business.
The time of championship competition is long past. The Raptors’ five-year streak that began with Dwane Casey in charge and ended with Nick Nurse in 2019 saw them achieve 50-win seasons, but those days are long gone.
For the Raptors, it’s a new day, a new era under Rajakovic, and actually a new approach to evaluate the group as a whole.
Looking at win totals would be silly in light of the clear roster flaws.
When Nurse replaced Casey, he was also a brand-new head coach, but the situation was very different from what Rajakovic faces.
little shocking deal is imminent, and it makes little sense to even think about the Raptors challenging teams like Milwaukee or Boston for the top seed in the East.
The 2023–24 season will be more than anything else one of growth and recovery.
The development of Scottie Barnes in a halfcourt offense, Barnes’ ability to reclaim the joy he evidently had during his rookie season, and his ability to make three-pointers will all be key indicators of Rajakovic’s success.
Success under Rajakovic will depend on how he handles Pascal Siakam, who begins his ninth season in Toronto and is the team’s top player.
Dennis Schroder’s performance at the most recent FIBA World Cup, where he led Germany to victory and was awarded the competition’s MVP, has received much too much attention. Schroder is a typical NBA point guard who frequently searches for his own shot.
He’s the Raptors’ best option at that position right now because they’ve been fairly clear about wanting to use Barnes as their main ball handler.
In the weeks leading up to opening night, Rajakovic would frequently say, “We’re talking to our players a lot about quality of shots.” Not all mid-range shots are unsuccessful.
When you catch the ball in good position and the defense is giving you specific coverage, there are times and places when we want to
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