Aggressive Off-season Moves Send Raptors to the Franchise’s First NBA Final

Aggressive Off-season Moves Send Raptors to the Franchise’s First NBA Final

May 26, 2019 Off By Ryan Ye

The Toronto Raptors shake off their past playoff woes and advance to the NBA finals for the first time in franchise history after taking down the East’s best Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

Toronto went down early in the series 0-2 and it looked like the Raptors were once again headed for another disappointing playoff finish that fans and the NBA have become so accustomed to.

Playoffs have not come easy for Canada’s only NBA franchise. They have never been able to move beyond the conference finals since being founded 24 years ago. Especially in recent past, the Raptors have struggled to make that next step in the post-season:

  • 2013/14: Lost First Round (Nets) 4-3
  • 2014/15: Lost First Round (Wizards) 4-0
  • 2015/16: Lost Conference Finals (Cavaliers) 4-2
  • 2016/17: Lost Conference Semifinals (Cavaliers) 4-0
  • 2017/18: Lost Conference Semifinals (Cavaliers) 4-0

Throughout their five-year playoff streak, the Raptors possessed the same core group. It was Dwane Casey at the helm with Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan leading the way on the floor. As close as they got, this group was not able to get it done.

They were one of many teams that fell victim to Lebron’s reign in the East. Regardless, this was a franchise that was gaining a reputation of not being able to perform and get results in the playoffs.

This season would be the one to change that however, it did not come without a cost.  

Rewind to this past year’s off-season. The Raptors were coming off a season performance that earned them first place in the Eastern Conference for the first time ever while also tallying a franchise best 59 wins. In addition, Lebron’s rule of the East was over. The King made the move to the West and would be a Los Angeles Laker for the foreseeable future.

This appeared to be a perfect storm for a Raptors team that was looking to get over the playoff hump that has haunted them repeatedly in the past. It looked like the East for the 2018/19 season would be there for the taking.

The combination of a franchise best performance and the departure of Lebron would have most teams salivating over their optimal position for success but, not Toronto. Raptors President Masai Ujiri knew he could not end the next season with the same disappointing finish. He needed to make a statement. This was their window of opportunity and Ujiri needed to make sure it would not go to waste.

Cue the series of shocking yet necessary decisions made by the Raptors President that led them to their first ever NBA final:

May 11, 2018: Raptors fire head coach Dwane Casey after a season performance that earned him NBA Coach of the Year.

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It is not often that a coach receives the highest honor in earning the Coach of the Year award only to be let go at the end of the season. Casey spent seven years with the Raptors, tallying the most wins as a head coach in franchise history and posting an overall record of 320-238. However, Casey possessed a subpar playoff record of 21-30, reflective of his struggles in postseason play. During his tenure, the Raptors made the playoffs five years straight, only making the conference finals once. Ujiri felt if the franchise was to take that next step in the playoffs, change needed to start at the top. Nonetheless, the decision shocked fans around the NBA.

June 14, 2018: Raptors promote Nick Nurse to head coach after serving as an assistant for five years.

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It became even more shocking when it was announced that Raptors’ Assistant Coach Nick Nurse would be the one replacing him. It was an unforeseen coaching hire that magnified Raptors fans’ uncertainty if letting Casey go was the right call.

After one season with Nurse, Raptors fans have come around to confidently back the decision made by Ujiri almost a year ago. Nurse has proved he has a superior ability to make adjustments, a characteristic evident during this year’s playoff run that was lacking and often a point of criticism during Casey’s tenure. Nurse has proved he can coach successfully on the biggest stage in the biggest moments. With much credit to the Nurse, his team will make their first ever finals appearance in his first opportunity as an NBA head coach. Something not many others can say they have done.

June 18, 2018: Raptors trade DeMar DeRozon, Jakob Poetl and a 2019 first-round pick for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.

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The decision that was unquestionably the hardest to make was the DeMar DeRozan trade for Kawhi Leonard. DeRozan is one of the NBA’s top stars. He was the first star loyal to Toronto. He leads in a plethora of Raptors’ franchise stat lines and can easily be put in the argument for one of the greatest Raptors of all-time. There is endless affection and love towards DeRozan for all that he has given to this franchise, a mutual feeling that became abundantly evident in his return to Toronto. However, as hard as this decision was and as much as he meant to the city, it was one that needed to be made.

Kawhi Leonard is a superstar. He is exactly the type of player the Raptors needed to get them over their playoff hump. His postseason performance thus far has reached historical numbers. What he has done in the playoffs has never been seen before in a Raptors jersey.

Even more impressively, in his first season with the Raptors, Kawhi already ranks third all-time in post-season scoring for the Raptors franchise. He has only played 18 playoff games.

There is no question that without DeRozan, the Raptors would not be where they find themselves today. He was a part of the group that laid the ground work for this franchise. He ultimately was the piece that enabled Toronto to get their superstar. However, Kawhi, a one-year rental or not, was able to give Toronto what they have been waiting 24 years for. Something DeRozan was never able to do. A chance at an NBA title.

Fast-forward to today, the Raptors trounce the Orlando Magic in five, they beat the Philadelphia 76ers in seven (largely attributed to the first ever game seven buzzer beater game-winner in NBA history made by who else…Kawhi Leonard) and are now only the sixth team in NBA history to comeback from a 0-2 series deficit to move on to their first NBA final.

Many questioned the decisions made by Ujiri but now, unequivocally understand it was those aggressive decisions that got the Raptors to where they are today.

This is a playoff run that will forever be cherished by this Raptors team, the fans and the city of Toronto but, the job is not done.

The Toronto Raptors will now take on the Golden State Warriors that have won the past two NBA titles and have made the finals five years straight. And unlike the Raptors, past playoff woes do not exist for the Warriors.

Starting Thursday night, Toronto will try to do the unlikely and continue this unprecedented playoff run that no other Raptors team has done before. Ujiri’s aggressive moves and courage to make high risk decisions has earned the Raptors a spot in their first NBA finals. Now they have their shot.

Over the next couple of weeks, the NBA world will discover if the courage, fortitude and will to do whatever it takes to win a championship by this Raptors franchise is enough to beat the juggernaut that is the Golden State Warriors.

Is this the best Raptors team in franchise history?

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CategoryNBA
TagsDeMar DeRozan Golden State Warriors Kawhi leonard Masai Ujiri Milwaukee Bucks Toronto Raptors