Locked On Raptors

Are the Toronto Raptors more likely to be worse than the Detroit Pistons this season, or better than the Miami Heat? In Episode 1714, Sean Woodley and Jamar Hinds (Raptors Republic) play a round of What's More Likely? Off the top, they dig into whether there's a better chance of the Detroit Pistons overachieving and finishing in front of the Raptors in the Eastern Conference standings than there is of the Miami Heat having a backslide and finishing behind Toronto. Next, they talk about the two guys who will likely see the most opportunity with Bruce Brown out of the lineup, and discuss whether Ja'Kobe Walter or Ochai Agbaji is more likely to earn a season-long rotation gig while the Raptors' top trade candidate is on the sidelines. Lastly, Sean and Jamar discuss whether it's more likely we see the Raptors execute a full firesale and trade away three or more veterans before the trade deadline, or to see them trade future assets to add to the roster now. Moses Moody Hive stand up! Join us over on the Locked On

If only one of Scottie Barnes or Immanuel Quickley can take a gigantic leap for the Toronto Raptors this season, who would you prefer be the one to take it? In Episode 1713, Sean Woodley is joined by Katie Heindl (Basketball Feelings) to play a round of Raptors-themed Would You Rather! Off the top, they get into whether the Raptors would be better served by having Scottie Barnes make the leap to All-NBA caliber with Immanuel Quickley staying at the same level he was at last year, or by Quickley making a jump to being an All-Star while Barnes merely maintains last season's All-Star form. Next, after some tough news regarding Kawhi Leonard, Sean and Katie discuss whether it's better to have been a Raptors fan over the last five seasons, or a Clippers fan? Lastly, would it be better for the Raptors to have a Top-10 offense and a Bottom-5 defense or a Top-15 defense and Bottom-10 offense this coming year? Join us on the Locked On Raptors Discord server! https://discord.gg/N3RwbTAsFor your next listen, check out t

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday that they'll be retiring Vince Carter's no. 15 on November 2nd, and you simply can't be Raptors fan and not have a take on it! In Episode 1712, Sean Woodley goes solo to react to the decision to immortalize Carter in the rafters of Scotiabank Arena, why it's fine to feel weird about it even if it absolutely makes sense and is definitely deserved considering all the good Carter did for the franchise. Plus, Sean digs into his own personal journey with Carter fandom, from a 47-point outburst against the Milwaukee Bucks back in 2000 to him quitting on the team and breaking the hearts of an entire generation of fans. Lastly, Sean sorts through some listener questions about Vince, his dunks, the potential of an in-tact Carter/Tracy McGrady team & more! Join us over on the Locked On Raptors Discord server! https://discord.gg/A5vDDCjJ For your next listen, check out the Locked On NBA podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Cl

Bruce Brown Jr. is having arthropscopic knee surgery and will be reevaluated in three weeks -- what does it mean for the Toronto Raptors? In Episode 1711, Sean Woodley and Vivek Jacob discuss Brown's knee surgery and the players on the Toronto Raptors roster who will most be impacted by his early season absence before taking a swing at assembling the Toronto Raptors' early season rotation, minute-by-minute. Off the top, they dig into Brown missing time, the strange reaction to the news from some corners of the fan base, and how his absence will affect players like Ochai Agbaji, Ja'Kobe Walter and Davion Mitchell's roles and minutes in the early going. Next, Sean and Vivek try to piece together their ideal Raptors rotation by beginning with the starters. Is Jakob Poeltl in line for a career high in minutes? And will Gradey Dick get handed a heavy workload as a second-year player? Lastly, they attempt to piece together the bench rotation. After Kelly Olynyk, Mitchell and evenutally Brown, who else will get a sh

What are the most important stats to keep watch of for the Toronto Raptors throughout the 2024-25 NBA season? In Episode 1710, Sean Woodley goes solo to talk about the most important statistical trends to track that will tell the story of the Raptors this coming season. Off the top, Sean digs into why the on-court NET Rating when the Raptors' most important players -- Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl  -- share the floor is probably the most important thing to keep an eye on this season, moreso even than the Win/Loss column. Next, Sean digs into the Raptors three-point volume and accuracy, and how much the team needs to improve in both departments to create an offensive environment conducive to winning games. Lastly, Sean digs into some rapid fire stats to track, including Transition Frequency and Rim Frequency, two hallmarks of last year's team, along with the half court offense's per-possession scoring rate, and the team's defensive Location Effective Field Goal Per

What are the most important swing skills for Toronto Raptors franchise player Scottie Barnes, as well as back-end rotation guys Davion Mitchell? In Episode 1709, Sean Woodley and Jamar Hinds (Raptors Republic) run through the skills that could most improve the status of Scottie Barnes, Davion Mitchell and Ochai Agbaji within the NBA if they can show some growth and development in 2024-25. Off the top, Sean and Jamar talk about Scottie Barnes, whose swing skills carry massive importance not just for him but for the Raptors franchise as a whole. Can Scottie learn to master the mid-range pull-up and even dabble with some more accuracy on pull-up triples? And can he become a more reliable lockdown wing defender? If he can do one or both, watch out. Next, they get into Davion Mitchell and why for him, his pick-and-roll craft is going to be a major swing skill for him as he looks to get back to his roots as a lead guard creator and carve out a role as the Raptors' backup point guard. Lastly, Sean and Jamar chat abo

Nike has no jersey ideas left, and Rogers is about to take over MLSE, which could have major implications for the Toronto Raptors. In Episode 1708, Sean Woodley and Katie Heindl discuss a very uninspiring leaked Raptors city edition jersey and what they're hoping to see from the Raptors' 30th anniversary celebrations before reacting to the bombshell first reported by Scott Soshnick that Rogers is buying Bell out of its stake in MLSE. Off the top, Sean and Katie chat about another round of Nike poorly executing City jersey designs, why the Raptors one falls flat, and why they're still hopeful that common sense will prevail and the team will rebrand to their original colours and logo for the 30th season. Next, they chat about what they want to see from the Raptors' 30th season celebrations, retiring Vince Carters' number, and other commemorative nights they'd like to see worked into the schedule. Lastly, Sean and Katie discuss the Rogers takeover, and why it feels bad! Join us over on the Locked On Raptors Disc

What are the most important swing skills for Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett & Gradey ahead of the Toronto Raptors' 2024-25 season? In Episode 1707, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob to kick off an annual series on the most important things that key members of the Raptors can add into their game to level up as players over the course of the upcoming NBA season. Off the top, they chat about Immanuel Quickley, and why his rim pressure and playmaking can both be classified as vital swing skills for him in his first full year as the Raptors' lead guard. Next, Sean and Vivek chat about RJ Barrett, whether his incredible accuracy as the rim is sustainable after shooting 13 percentage points better than he ever has from inside six feet over his 32 games with the Raptors, and the steps he needs to take on defense to entrench himself into the Raptors' long-term plans. Lastly, they chat about Gradey Dick, who could transform the Raptors' offense if he can be a good second-side creator getting downhill off the cat

Did the Toronto Raptors front office successfully navigate the 2024 NBA offseason, and what do they need to do over the next year to instill confidence that they can still be an NBA Championship-worthy group of decision-makers? In Episode 1706, Sean Woodley goes solo to talk about Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster's work over the summer, the mistakes that piled upon one another in the lead up to last year's disaster season, and the amount of runway they should be granted to rectify their missteps of the recent past. Off the top, Sean examines whether the front office successfully managed to turn the page towards the Scottie Barnes era this summer, and outlines why despite some missed opportunities, it was a summer that achieved the overarching goal. Next, Sean takes a look back over the last five years and digs into the poor decisions made along the way, how justifiable they were, and whether it's fair to judge the front office more on how they rectify those mistakes than those mistakes themselves. Lastly, Sean o

What's the range of outcomes for the Toronto Raptors as the Scottie Barnes Era begins in earnest in the 2024-25 NBA season? In Episode 1705, Sean Woodley and Joe Wolfond (The Score) take a look at the best, worst and most likely case scenarios for a Raptors team that seems to have put to noxious vibes of last season behind them as they pivot to a core led by Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. What is the best case outcome for this team? And does the win total matter as much as the on-court results for the Raptors' most important players? They also get into what the worst-case situation would look like for this year's Raptors, and what kind of deadline moving and shaking we could see depending on the results the team sees in first few months of the campaign. Lastly, Sean and Joe take a look at the Raptors' range of potential finishing positions within the Eastern Conference. Is the Top-8 really as entrenched as it seems going into the season? Are the Raptors too good to truly tank to the bottom

Scottie Barnes is the guy the Toronto Raptors are betting the future of their franchise on -- will he vindicate that decision this year with a big time follow-up to his impressive 2023-24 season? In Episode 1704, Sean Woodley and Katie Heindl (Basketball Feelings) dig into the best and worst case outcomes that could be on deck for Barnes in his fourth season in the NBA, and the reasons why he will or will not continue his rise among the league's top talents. Off the top, they chat about the best case outcome, which probably entails Barnes doing the superstar thing and driving winning basketball any time he's on the floor -- something he failed to do last season despite an immense leap. Plus, how much does his scoring output need to tick up in order for him to truly ascend into the ranks of the league's elite? Next, Sean and Katie discuss where things could go wrong for Barnes in Year 4. What if the Raptors can't eek out winning stretches when he's on the floor? What if his struggles as an isolation, pull-up a

Kelly Olynyk is almost certainly a better player than the one we saw struggle for Team Canada at the Paris Olympics, but can the Toronto Raptors keep their big man in positions to succeed throughout this coming season? In Episode 1703, Sean Woodley goes solo to talk about the best, worst and most likely outcomes for Olynyk in his first full season as a Raptor and why the position he's asked to play by the coaching staff is probably going to go a long way in determining how successful he is. Off the top, Sean digs into why playing Olynyk as almost exclusively a stretch four is the way to go for the Raptors this season, as his issues in the Olympics highlighted how ill-equipped he is to play as a center at this point in his career. Can he get heavy run next to Jakob Poeltl in core lineups? And can Jonathan Mogbo and/or Bruno Fernando prove up to the task of soaking up the majority of the backup center minuted behind Jak? If they can, Kelly should cook. Next, Sean digs into why playing too much center could spel

Bruce Brown Jr.'s tenure with the Toronto Raptors did not start of especially well after his arrival in the Pascal Siakam trade last season, but does he have the capacity to rehab his value as a meaningful contributor on a more healthy version of the team? In Episode 1702, Sean Woodley and Katie Heindl chat about Brown's best, worst and most likely case scenarios going into the 2024-25 season and whether or not he stands a chance of rehabbing his value enough to make him a viable trade asset going into the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline. Off the top, they chat about why a best-case outcome where Brown gels with a healthier version of the team, provides additive value to the on-court product, and plays himself back into being the type of guy contenders might offer up a low first-round pick for at the Trade Deadline is more on the table than some of the more doubtful corners of the fan base might think. Next, they dive into how things could go awry with Brown this season. Will the Raptors coaching staff find a way to

Jakob Poeltl is about the most predictably consistent player on the Toronto Raptors, but is there room for his stats to take a big jump in the 204-25 NBA season? In Episode 1701, Sean Woodley and Vivek Jacob talk about the best, worst and most likely outcomes for the Raptors starting center this coming season and assess his place within the Raptors' plans both in the short and medium-term future. Off the top, Sean makes an impassioned argument for why Jakob Poeltl is in line to have a career-best season due to a multitude of factors that seem like they could drive his stock upwards. Next, Sean and Vivek discuss the worst case scenario for both Jak and the Raptors as a whole, which would entail Poeltl missing extended time with injury similar to last season where he missed 32 games -- of which the Raptors won four. Could a Jak injury or a disaster start for the team cause the trade winds to start blowing around Poeltl? And is trading him for futures an absolutely terrible idea for a team trying to build itself

Can Davion Mitchell prove to be a viable second-draft project and backup point guard for the Toronto Raptors, and what shape would a successful season for the 4th-year, former Sacramento King take if everything breaks right? In Episode 1700, Sean Woodley digs into the best, worst and most likely case scenarios for the Raptors' biggest offseason addition. Off the top, Sean details why Mitchell finding a comfort zone as the Raptors' no-doubt backup point guard would absolutely be the best case outcome for his first season in Toronto, but why history suggests that probably ain't gonna happen. Next, what if the Raptors' try to force a square peg into a round hole and run with Mitchell as their backup point guard, even if it isn't working? The answer: a worst-case outcome kind of season that maybe spells the end of his NBA career. Lastly, Sean looks at the most likely outcome for Mitchell, who stands a decent chance of being a useful 8th-man who does most of his work off the ball on offense -- but is there a world

Gradey Dick looks like the de factor starting two-guard for the Toronto Raptors going into his second season in the league, but can he hang onto the job all season long? In Episode 1699, Sean Woodley goes solo to take a look at the best, worse and most likely outcomes for the former Kansas Jayhawks standout in his sophomore season. Off the top, Sean looks at what a best-case scenario would look like for Dick, wherein he replaces Gary Trent Jr. in the starting unit without causing much defensive drop-off, while greasing the wheels of the offense in a more dynamic way than GTJ was capable of doing. If he does, does he hang onto the starting job throughout the season? Probably! Of course, with second year players it's never that simple, and Sean examines the potential of some stagnation from the Raptors' sharpshooter. Can he bring up his above-the-break three point percentage and hang well enough on defense to provide a positive impact in Year 2? Lastly, Sean digs into the most likely outcome for Dick in his sec

RJ Barrett was a picture of offensive consistency for the Toronto Raptors after being acquired from the New York Knicks in the OG Anunoby trade last season, but can he replicate that scoring output while improving as a defender? In Episode 1698, Sean Woodley and Vivek Jacob (Raptors in 7, Sportsnet) talk about the best and worst case outcomes for Barrett in his first full season with Toronto -- one  that could play a huge part in determining his long-term outlook with the franchise. Off the top, Sean and Vivek dive into the best-case outcome for Barrett, which sees him maintain the same offensive role and efficiency as he had last year while using a better defensive environment around him and some personal development to transform into an average to slightly-above-average defender on the wing. Next, they talk about the worst-case scenario for RJ in 2024-25, in which his career-best outputs as a rim finisher and three-point shooter fall back towards his career averages, while the defense remains at a below-ave

What are the best and worst-case scenarios for Toronto Raptors lead guard Immanuel Quickley in the 2024-25 NBA season? In Episode 1697, Sean Woodley and Katie Heindl (Basketball Feelings) chat about what needs to happen for Immanuel Quickley to have his best-case season in his first full year with the Raptors, where his three-point shooting and playmaking need to be as he settles into the lead guard role, and how the play of and fit with his teammates will inform his growth as a player in 2024-25. Next, they chat about the worst-case outcomes for Quickley this year. Will his rim pressure issues persist? Will his three-point shooting remain as voluminous and accurate as it was with the Raptors post-trade last season? And is there a chance his new $35-million/year contract starts to look like a major overpay by the time this season wraps? Lastly, Sean and Katie chat about what they think is actually the most likely outcome for Quickley this season, which to both of them is a lot closer to his best case scenario

In Episode 1696, Sean Woodley is joined by Katie Heindl (Basketball Feelings) to answer some Toronto Raptors mailbag questions from you, the listeners, about Darko Rajakovic going into his second year, Scottie Barnes' 2028 Olympics hopes and more! Off the top, Sean and Katie discuss what the expectations for the Raptors' head coach should be after he was dealt an extremely difficult hand in his first year on the job, and why continuity could be essential to getting a real grasp of what Rajakovic is all about as a coach. Next, Sean and Katie discuss whether or not Scottie Barnes stands a real chance of making the 2028 US Olympic team for the games being held in Los Angeles, with Sean firmly planting his flag on one side of the argument. Lastly, they discuss how high a pick the Raptors would need to be guaranteed in the 2025 draft in order for them to willingly endure another miserable season, what kind of shooting proficiency Davion Mitchell would need to attain to be a viable starter, and what historical Rapt

In Episode 1695, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob to chat about where the Toronto Raptors stack up within the Eastern Conference's projected bottom-7 teams. Can the Toronto Raptors outshine the Wizards, Pistons, and Nets this season? With LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller leading the Charlotte Hornets, will their health and consistency hold up? And what about the Miami Heat—are they the most vulnerable playoff team from last year due to age and injury concerns?Join us as we break down the Eastern Conference's bottom teams and chat about whether the Raptors can surpass them. We also compare the Atlanta Hawks and Raptors, giving a slight edge to the Hawks, but it's by no means a slam dunk. Plus, we conduct an all-time Raptors lefty draft!Join us on the Locked On Raptors Discord Server! https://discord.gg/NQ7vHRSKFor your next listen, check out the Locked On NBA podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Ne