The are deep into a rebuild. After trading away eight players at the trade deadline, they started to establish their new core. Unfortunately, it was not even a month post-deadline that the injuries and other circumstances started stacking for the Raptors, and now they find themselves without ANY of their new core to finish the season. Friday night's game against the was the team's ninth straight loss, their longest streak in a decade, and featured zero of the Raptors' regular starting five. All of Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Immanuel Quickley, Gary Trent Jr., and RJ Barrett were out. The longest-tenured Raptor on the court was Gradey Dick... the rookie. Yet, as some of the circumstances surrounding the team have taught us this month, sometimes it's just bigger than
basketball. Sure, losing nine in a row is rough, but the Raptors have put effort into focusing on what they can control at this point -- the development of who they have with them now. The game against the Thunder on Friday was not only a continuation of that development, but also a good reminder of what this rebuild could lead to. The Thunder went through a massive rebuild and are now one of the best teams in the NBA, and will compete for a championship this spring. Watching them makes you think of what the future could look like for the Raptors. OKC Stays Patient, Builds All-Star Roster When Shai Gilegeous-Alexander, born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was drafted 11th overall in the 2018 , hopes were high that he would turn into a star. He's met those expectations, surpassed them, and still has room to grow. There's debate about who would be drafted first overall in that draft, knowing what we know now. That year saw , , Deandre Ayton, and more on the board, but SGA would definitely rise in stock. The 2023 Canadian Athlete of the Year is averaging 30.8 points per game this season for the Thunder, propelling them to a top spot in the Western Conference. He led Team
Canada to a Bronze Medal at the FIBA
World Cup in 2023, and is becoming a household name in basketball. This trajectory, especially as Canadian fans watch and adore one of their own, should only get people more excited about the potential of Scottie Barnes. He's only a few years behind SGA in experience and age, and the way SGA has thrived over the last few years could very well be the path Scottie Barnes is on. Prior to his hand injury, Scottie was averaging just under 20 points per game, made his first All-Star Game this season, broke multiple franchise records, and had a great development season. The future is bright for Barnes and the Raptors, as strange as the present may be. Gradey Dick nearly beats career-high Gradey Dick has surely had an . He was drafted 13th overall by the Raptors, who didn't really have a clear vision at the start of the season. He didn't play much to start and got sent down to the G-League Raptors 905 for some run. Once the Raptors' trades started picking up, Gradey was brought back to the main team. He then underwent weeks of intense training on his body to try and get him a little more into
NBA shape. Slowly his minutes . Then March hits, and Gradey Dick is suddenly the longest-tenured Raptor playing on the court. "Gradey, especially the first half there, did a really good
Job of creating shots for himself, the team found him, he was knocking down those shots. We as a team have got to do an even better job on finding him when he's open." - Darko Rajaković Definitely not your typical rookie year, but Gradey seems to be taking it all in stride. He's putting in the effort, learning on the go, and seems to be receptive to coaching and mentorship. On Friday night, Gradey scored 21 points on 4-for-7
shooting from three, with five rebounds, one assist, and one steal. He was one point away from his career-high of 22 points. He also scored the most points he ever had in a single quarter, with 13 in the first. "I think the great thing with our team is our vets. Garrett [Temple] does an amazing job of, all the seasons he's played, he finds out what works for him and kind of gives me a little advice and tips of what I can do" - Gradey Dick 12 Games Left in the Season While there have not been any updates on the four core players out long-term (Barnes, Poeltl, Barrett, and Quickley), the assumption is that they will not be back this season. Gary Trent Jr. is set to be re-evaluated before the Raptors play
Washington on Saturday night, and the rest of the injury report will likely stay the same with Chris Boucher and DJ Carton having injuries. "I'm feeling good, just trying to be as consistent as I can and come in the same way that I always do, whether it be coming off the bench or starting games." - Gradey Dick So, the Raptors will be rolling with their young squad for the coming weeks. They have 12 games total left before the regular season ends, and really no chance to make the Play-In tournament and have any postseason. They are currently in a battle with Memphis for the sixth-best draft lottery odds, and can most likely not move up any further than that. They would need to land in the lottery to avoid that pick being sent to the -- a stipulation from the Jakob Poeltl trade. So, the young guys will continue to try and prove themselves, and be evaluated as future prospects. The rest of us will be on the edge of our seats waiting to see how the lottery plays out.