With falling leaves, pumpkins aplenty, and Thanksgiving meals, October has arrived — and so has the return of the NBA.
Raptors fans are more excited than ever, and after what they witnessed last season, everyone is ready for a fresh start. How will the Raptors fare this year? Let’s preview the 2024–2025 Toronto Raptors season.
Last season
The 2023–2024 Raptors season was one to forget for Toronto basketball fans. The team’s performance was unbearable, finishing with a 25–57 record — the fourth-worst in franchise history. This record is just ahead of the 2010–2011 season (22 wins), the 1995–1996 season (21 wins), and the expansion-era 1997–1998 season, which saw only 16 wins.
Everything seemed to fall apart for the Raptors on March 1 against the Golden State Warriors when Raptors small forward Scottie Barnes fractured his hand while contesting a layup, causing him to miss the rest of the NBA season.
Without Barnes, they were easily the worst team in the NBA in the last five weeks of the season, as the Raptors went on to post a 3–19 record to finish the campaign.
The news of Barnes’ season-ending injury was a blow to Raptors fans, compounding the disappointment of seeing his best season derailed. Barnes was averaging a career-high 19.9 in points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists as the key piece in the Raptors’ rebuild.
While the play on the court was disappointing, off-the-court scandals — particularly one involving Jontay Porter — ultimately sealed the team’s fate. The former Toronto Raptors center received a lifetime ban from the NBA after an internal investigation revealed that he had placed bets on basketball games and provided information to another bettor to improve their odds of winning.
This news broke the NBA, with many players expressing their disbelief at Porter’s actions. “I never [encountered a] situation like this before,” said Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković.
Along with finishing the season with a dismal record, the Raptors saw their hopes for a top-10 pick dashed. After the first half of the 2023–2024 season, they aimed to tank for a lower position in the league, hoping to increase their chances of securing a top-10 overall draft pick via the draft lottery. However, this strategy ultimately yielded no result. Instead, they acquired Jakob Poeltl, and the eighth overall pick was traded away to the San Antonio Spurs. The Raptors had to wait until the 19th pick when they drafted Ja’Kobe Walter.
The 2023–2024 Raptors season was marked by disarray, as the team experienced several low points, including the largest home loss in franchise history — a 48-point differential — and a 15-game losing streak in April. To say last season was difficult for Raptors fans is an understatement.
So, what can Raptors fans look forward to this season?
New signings
In June, the Toronto Raptors bolstered their young roster by signing center Branden Carlson as a free agent in a two-way deal and trading Jalen McDaniels to the Sacramento Kings for forward Davion Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov, and the No. 45 pick.
Both players are expected to receive decent minutes per game as the Raptors aim to build chemistry along with their current players and new additions.
July was Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri’s busiest month of the offseason. He made several selections in the 2024 NBA draft, most notably selecting guard Walter for a rookie contract as well as point guard Jonathan Mogbo. Adding these pieces will help the Raptors build for the future.
The Raptors are strategically adding young talent while also acquiring seasoned veterans to support their development. In free agency, the Raptors signed veteran shooting guard Garrett Temple to mentor the younger players, along with another youngster, point guard Jamal Shead.
Contract extensions
In addition to signing new players, two key Raptors players were up for a new contract, starting with former New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley. The deal is worth around $175 million over five seasons. Quickley is an exceptional player who will contribute significantly to the team’s growth.
The biggest signing of the summer for the Raptors was Barnes’ maximum rookie contract extension. Barnes’ contract is worth $225 million and could rise to $270 million if he meets the supermax criteria. Like Quickley, Barnes’ deal is also for five years. With this signing, the Raptors have established their core for what appears to be a rebuilding phase for the organization.
Expectations
What can we expect from this year’s Toronto Raptors? For fans hoping the Raptors could contend for a playoff spot, sorry to say, it doesn’t look like that will happen. The team is still in the process of finding their identity, and their core players are still too green. During a press conference on September 30, Ujiri was asked to describe the upcoming season, to which he replied, “I would use the word rebuilding.”
Looking on the bright side, the Raptors now have a clear direction for the team. With the right young pieces surrounding them, they could become a force to be reckoned with in a few years.
Fans have seen many players come and go with the Raptors, but with a young core that includes Barnes, Quickley, Gradey Dick, and others, they can feel optimistic about the team’s long-term future.
