Damian Lillard would be the marquee player on middle-of-the-pack Toronto

A decade of expertise signifies that Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri despises rebuilding. This grew to become instantly obvious after he refused to tank for Andrew Wiggins again when he was nonetheless being referred to unironically as Canada’s “Maple Jordan” earlier than the 2013-14 season. After watching the Raptors get eradicated within the play-in, canning Nick Nurse, and permitting Fred Van Vleet to stroll in free company, the mise-en-scène was in place for Toronto’s first actual demolition challenge of the Ujiri period. Nevertheless, at his end-of-season State of the Raptors handle, he nixed that concept.

“I by no means have a look at the final 10 years,” Ujiri bemoaned about rebuilding. “All I take into consideration is the way you win. I all the time assume that typically we’ve to validate the championship we gained. That’s how a lot we’ve to win right here. And I imagine that we’re going to win once more in Toronto. I really feel strongly about that… we’re about successful. We’ve not solely mentioned it, we’ve a minimum of tried to do it. That’s the place we’re going to proceed to go.”

After a quiet offseason, Ujiri is boldly making an attempt to observe by means of on his promise. The Raptors are invested in negotiating with Portland for a Damian Lillard commerce. But, Dame Lillard desires to be in Miami by hell or excessive water. These contradictory forces are about to converge. On the naked minimal, it’s plainly clear Lillard isn’t fascinated about being the marquee participant on one other middle-of-the-pack crew. Being Steph Curry’s vassal for a decade has clearly carried out a quantity on him.

Any deal that takes place would contain Toronto’s All-Protection ahead OG Anunoby and Gradey Dick. The irony is {that a} swap with Toronto for Anunoby’s expiring contract and Dick (it’s going to take some time to get that phrasing down with out it being awkward) is that it will give the Trailblazers the kind of younger, versatile, switch-heavy lineup Lillard wanted 5 years in the past.

Nevertheless, Ujiri is extra Pat Riley than Sam Presti, the writer of Oklahoma Metropolis’s rebuild. In some ways, Toronto resembles the pre-Jimmy Butler Miami Warmth 4 years in the past. Riley’s Warmth have been a gritty, stellar defensive crew, who’d simply labored by means of Dwyane Wade’s farewell season and have been searching for a spark with out possessing a paradigm-shifting lottery decide. Whereas Butler lifted the Warmth’s trajectory, no one anticipated the 30-year-old ahead to hold them to a pair of Finals in his debut season.

Toronto showers its star gamers with hero worship, however will Lillard love them again? If Lillard have been youthful than 30, this is able to be a extra intriguing match, however the Raptors have three years max to squeeze a title out of this group earlier than the sand runs out of Dame Time’s hourglass. However buying Lillard is the final word instance of Ujiri’s religion in himself. The Raptors’ modus operandi is to build up property, draft effectively, and execute shrewd trades. The Raptors averted a rebuild round DeMar DeRozan by pairing him with Kyle Lowry, who was obtained early in his profession for a protected first-rounder and ahead Gary Forbes.

Kawhi Leonard’s commerce to Toronto labored for each events as a result of he was in his pre-agency 12 months and this was an opportunity to reboot his profession with a contender after which take the circuitous path to his most popular vacation spot in Los Angeles.

Toronto has by no means shaken up the league by means of free company. The metaphysical distance for many American-born professionals with choices between franchises in main markets and Toronto may as effectively be interstellar journey. Few volunteer for the journey. Van Vleet remains to be the one free agent signing in Raptors franchise historical past to make an All-Star sport whereas signed with them and he was an undrafted rookie on the time. Nigeria-born Hakeem Olajuwon made the leap for his 18th season because the comfort prize for the departed Hint McGrady, however The Dream was a shell of himself by then. Perhaps Ujiri is relying on Olajuwon feeding Antetokounmpo Toronto propaganda in addition to footwork classes between the post move sessions they’ve been conducting all summer season.

It might be one factor if Scottie Barnes hadn’t simply regressed miserably. Barnes’ third season would be the barometer for whether or not he hit his peak sooner than his fellow rooks or if his upside has some bounce on the opposite facet of his Rookie of the Yr award. As for Lillard, he slots in properly on the level guard spot vacated by Van Vleet. Nevertheless, a major improve from the beloved Van Vleet doesn’t make Toronto the Subsequent Miami Warmth. The dream of flipping a number of younger items like Anunoby, Gradey Dick, and wage cap flotsam to match Lillard’s $45.6 million salary and replicating the 2019 Raptors championship magic is farfetched.

There’s a slim path to creating this work. Even with Lillard’s exorbitant contract, the Raptors would have the wage cap flexibility to make a transfer on the subsequent disgruntled celebrity to ask out whether or not it’s Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid. Pascal Siakam is a fringe All-Star and a perfect No. 2, who has doubtless peaked, however Barnes is the lacking piece. Sadly, until one other cornerstone top-10 participant is looking for a Canadian work visa by the commerce deadline, this might blow up in everybody’s faces if the Raptors are hovering across the play-in.

Observe DJ Dunson on X: @cerebralsportex