#fred-vanvleet

#fred-vanvleet

This week, we're talking about the Nuggets winning it all, how to make the draft more entertaining, the Darko Rajakovic hire and VanVleet hitting the market.Off-Season Funhouse: Episode 289
Joining us this week: He's an actor and producer from shows like The Amazing Gayl Pile, it's Brooks Gray, along with his sons Marc E Mann and Spency G from the Orangeball Juice Podcast!
(00:00) - Intro time, song and dance, all that
(04:48) - NBA: Major takeaways from the Nuggets winning their first ever title
(19:44) - NBA: How to make the NBA draft more entertaining
(32:57) - Raptors: Darko Rajaković is the new head coach!

The Toronto Raptors will likely go above and beyond to make sure Fred VanVleet returns to the team on a long contract that compensates him well, but they will not be the only team that will try to break the bank as they try to add a standout performer at the point guard spot.The Phoenix Suns could be in the market for a third star next to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

The Toronto Raptors face the very distinct possibility of losing Fred VanVleet in free agency.While they will likely bend over backward to appease him and keep him in town, the firing of Nick Nurse and his likely exorbitant price tag create some serious obstacles that could come in the way of him achieving his full potential.

Fred VanVleet and the Toronto Raptors were the only team in the Atlantic Division that did not make it to the postseason this year.Even after trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets managed to make it into the first round of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.Brooklyn landed two long-term fixtures with Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson in the Durant trade, but the flaws in their roster started to show during their sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Toronto Raptors have long enjoyed one of the greatest home-court advantages in the NBA.Even though Fred VanVleet noted that the crowd could be a little bit uneven when the team is playing poorly, Raptors fans feed off momentum like no other fanbase, creating a very hostile environment for opposing teams.

The Toronto Raptors might be tempted by one of the many "Vision 6-9" prospects out there in the 2023 NBA Draft, but most of the NBA mock draft predictors out there seem to think the Raptors will use their valuable pick on a dynamic ball-handler in the backcourt.With Fred VanVleet a threat to run in free agency, and the depth is so lackluster that even keeping him around is no guarantee of success.

After last night's game the Toronto Raptors have moved to a record of 37-38 which has them tied with the Atlanta Hawks for the 8th seed.The Hawks own the tiebreaker over Toronto but winning the game last night has put them in great position to make a run for the 8th seed and only have to win one play-in game to qualify for the playoffs.

Fred VanVleet's Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards seemed like they were destined to meet in the play-in for the longest time before Wes Unseld Jr. had to watch his team slip away due to injuries.Nevertheless, Washington was determined to give Toronto their best shot on the road.Even with Bradley Beal, Monte Morris, and Kyle Kuzma out due to injury, the Wizards put forth a valiant effort.

In the grand scheme of things, a race for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference wouldn't rank very high on the best plots in the NBA right now.Still, it's what Toronto Raptors fans are left hanging on to with eight games left in the season.Both the Raps and the Atlanta Hawks in front of them have been lockstep - one step forward, one step back - since the All-Star Break, and one game still separates them in the standings.

There's a scene in the 1997 movie Armageddon - one of the worst movies ever made, but maybe also the single best bad movie ever made? - where, as our heroes prepare to launch into space so they can go drill a hole in an asteroid, the NASA flight director says to all those assembled, "All right ladies and gentlemen, it's pucker time."

The Toronto Raptors have some big questions to answer in the offseason, with Fred VanVleet's status on the team chief among them.Will the Raptors choose to bring him back, or will he end up signing elsewhere and calling time on one of the best careers in Raptors history?VanVleet is projected to opt out of the final year of his contract and cash in on one last big payday.

Raymond Chandler was many things before his protagonist detective Philip Marlowe entered the public consciousness.He worked in the navy.He was a reporter.He was a poet.He worked for an oil company.He was good at some things but far from a influence in the broad fields of his different endeavors.Eventually, out of money during the Great Depression, he decided to write some pulp fiction to stay afloat.

The Toronto Raptors appear to finally be in the home stretch of their head coaching search after weeks of uncertainty and minimal clarity.Names like Steve Nash and JJ Redick have come and gone, but fans might get some sort of resolution soon.The latest buzz seems to hint at the notion that Sergio Scariolo, Jordi Fernandez, and Darko Rajakovichave emerged as the top three finalists to be Nick Nurse's successor.

The D'Angelo Russell experience with the Lakers this year had some big peaks and valleys.During the regular season and in spurts during the postseason, Russell was an integral part of this Lakers team.But in the biggest games of the season against the Nuggets, he was a non-factor.That sour taste still lingers as the Lakers begin to head into the summer and offseason and, as a result, Russell's future with the franchise is certainly up in the air.

The Toronto Raptors are just a few weeks away from what promises to be one of the most impactful offseasons in team history, as they have multiple big names hitting the market and a ton of fairly obvious needs the team needs to get ironed out relatively soon.After last season, where the Raptors signed Otto Porter Jr. and called it a day, more impactful additions and retentions are needed.

The Toronto Raptors know that they need to come out swinging in free agency, as they have many key players currently in positions to bolt Canada for greener pastures elsewhere.Fred VanVleet, the team's starting point guard and vocal leader, is among those players.VanVleet has become one of the more radioactive names in basketball, as his defenders and enemies are as diametrically opposed as possible.

For the second consecutive season, Malachi Flynn found himself on the outside looking in, unable to break into coach Nick Nurse's rotation while getting the EBUG (Emergency Backup Goalie) treatment.Flynn made strides this season, but it took injuries from several key players before the minutes opened up for him, but unfortunately, those minutes quickly went away once the team got healthy.

The following is part of Raptors Republic's series of pieces reviewing the season for the Toronto Raptors.You can find all the pieces in the series here For much of Chris Boucher's early career, he was fighting to solidify his place as a professional basketball player.From going undrafted after tearing his ACL in his senior season to dominating the G League to eventually carving out a consistent role in the NBA during the Tampa season, Boucher's path to legitimize his NBA dream hasn't been an easy one.

Since winning the NBA Finals in 2019, the Toronto Raptors have lived in the middle of the pack.Obviously, Kawhi Leonard left for the LA Clippers, but they still had a solid core in place.The trio of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby has led the team since then, but they haven't had much success to show for it.

Now that the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery is in the books and the draft order is settled, hypothetical free-agent signings and trade ideas are in full swing.With a prospective new general manager, the 8th overall pick in the draft, and two major expiring contracts in Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis, the Washington Wizards are surely going to be active in the offseason.

The Toronto Raptors are never going to be an attractive free agent destination due to their geographic issues, so Masai Ujiri needs to be very proactive in the trade market as he looks to improve the team.The Brooklyn Nets, who may take a look at Fred VanVleet, might be able to help Toronto out here.

NBA Champion, All-Star, one of the most successful undrafted players of all time, undrafted free agent, Fred VanVleet.The Raptors are at some sort of crossroads.Caused by the slow, trickling loss of talent from a championship team, the fruitless attempts to replenish it; and finally, the clashing of different egos and personalities.

The Toronto Raptors are locked into the No. 13 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, giving Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster a chance to add a legitimate game-changer.What makes their job even easier is that the team's needs have been clear as day for some time now.The Raptors' lack of offensive pizzazz, specifically as it relates to their backcourt, is what will make them one of the more interesting teams in the lottery.

Some might find it unfair for Toronto Raptors fans to throw stones at the Philadelphia 76ers for ending their season in embarrassing fashion.I, however, am not one of those people.This is a time for looking at the MVP in Joel Embiid and (to paraphrase David Byrne) ask ourselves, "Well, how did we get here?"

On May 6, I shared a column that suggested that the Washington Wizards should approach their General Manager search like a midmarket team.That said, Washington is a big market city, and the Wizards shouldn't hesitate to swing for the fences if the right candidate comes along.According to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com,

Hallelujah, they're finally paying attention.After years of inexplicably being ignored by voters for the NBA's All-Defensive team, O.G. Anunoby - one of the most effective, dogged, and versatile defenders in the league - was finally selected for the league's All-Defensive second team.Anunoby started the year on a defensive tear, right from opening night, when he grabbed three steals; that set the tone for his season, where he ended up with a league-high 128 thefts and led the league in steals per game (1.91), too.

We momentarily interrupt your Raptor-less playoff programming with a Raptors coaching search update.The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that the Toronto Raptors are interviewing Denver Nuggets lead assistant coach David Adelman this upcoming week.The Toronto Raptors are interviewing Denver Nuggets assistant David Adelman for their head coaching job this upcoming week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

The Boston Celtics would never consider the trade proposal NBA Analysis Network came up with, sending Jaylen Brown to the Kings for a package of Kevin Huerter, two future first-round picks, Davion Mitchell, and Richaun Holmes.While Huerter in a nutshell would be the perfect complementary piece to the current Celtics lineup, he's far from the type of headliner Sacramento would have to offer in a trade package for a top-10 scorer who's likely to be named to an All-NBA team.

The Toronto Raptors might be in the market for a cheaper shooting guard this offseason, as Gary Trent Jr. could be on the move.While he did struggle during the last few stretches of the season, Trent still provides a ton of traits that are in short supply on this team.Trent averaged 17.4 points per game while providing more turnover generation on defense and an above-average 3-point shot that teams need to respect with a great degree of earnestness.

The Toronto Raptors are going to be connected to many of the hottest names on the traded market, with the need to improve immediately becoming a necessity.OG Anunoby has been thrown back in the rumor mill, as Toronto is likely going to look for ways to recoup draft picks.Toronto might need to get the Portland Trail Blazers back on the horn.

Check Part I before you go on.Let's go on.4. Give me your MILDEST offseason prediction.ADON:
GARY IS GONZO.Gary, probably, believes his contractual simulacrum to be in the realm of Jordan Poole ($28.7 Mil), Tyler Herro ($27 Mil), and Anfernee Simons ($24 mil).Masai, probably, thinks him closer to the Bogdan Bogdanovic ($18.7 Mil), Tim Hardaway Jr. ($17.9

The Toronto Raptors will need to ensure that their 2023 Draft Class produces a winner on the court and leader off it that can help guide this team for the next half-decade, at least.That sounds like a tall order, but that is also how dire things have gotten for this squad lately.While the Big East looks like a conference that could produce a standout player for the Raptors to select, they would be foolish to turn down the Big 12.

Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors may have had it rough this season after taking a step back, but they can take solace in the fact that they are having a better season than the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference.Damian Lillard is averaging over 32 points per game, yet this team is in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes.

The Toronto Raptors have played most of the year with a very suspect second unit, as the lack of consistent 3-point shooting off the bench and inability to perform when the chips are down are part of the reason Toronto is a play-in contender rather than a playoff fixture.It's not unreasonable to suggest that everyone outside of Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes should be on the table when it comes to evaluating their worth as complementary pieces next season.

The Toronto Raptors have another chance - their fifth in a month! - to get back to .500tonight, as they host the Miami Heat at Scotiabank Arena.Currently sitting at 37-38, the Raptors haven't struck even since they were 13-13 waaaay back on December 9... before they lost six straight and sent this season into the slog it's been ever since.

It's really difficult to create layups and dunks in the halfcourt.There's a reason the most desirable players in the sport are those who can create looks at the rim, either to score or force the haphazard collapse from the defense to create opportunities elsewhere.The Raptors are still a bottom-five offense in the halfcourt, so they need to create easy looks as often as possible.

Game Story:
The 40-35 and now 7th seed (again) Miami Heat will look to bounce back from Saturday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets with a matchup in Toronto.The Toronto Raptors are 37-38 and sitting in 9th place in the Eastern Conference, fighting for play-in positioning.They are coming off a win the other night in which OG Anunoby dropped a near 30 point performance on strong efficiency.

The hardest and final task of the four-game homestand is coming up tonight as the Raptors will take on the Miami Heat.Toronto leads the season series two to one and will look to make it three one after tonight.It's a huge game that the Raptors must win if they plan on catching the Heat, who are only three games ahead.

The Toronto Raptors will likely head into next season with Nick Nurse as the team's head coach, but that doesn't mean that they are totally done looking for a replacement that could step in if Nurse's performance is not deemed satisfactory.In fact, Toronto is reportedly extending feelers out to gauge the availability of former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka.

The Toronto Raptors have been watching the NCAA Tournament like a kettle of hawks over the last few weeks, as they are trying to find which players have the skills needed to join this team and contribute instantly.They've found some standouts, but none of them have made it to the Final Four festivities.

In the late 19th century, two men raced to discover as many fossils as possible, and to put them together in recreation of as many dinosaurs as they could.O.C. Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope despised one another, and they went to great lengths in their competition, including destroying fossils and putting bones together in ways that never actually happened.

On February,28th, former Washington Wizard Will Barton signed with the Toronto Raptor after a disappointing season with Washington.Toronto has been plagued by subpar play at the guard position for most of the season, and instead of allowing Jeff Dowtin Jr. to shore up the backup point guard role, they decided to go with Barton and it has had disappointing results.

The Raptors have a huge game coming up tonight as they can further separate themselves from the Washington Wizards who are also eyeing a Play-In spot.It's the tie-breaking game for the series this season as they previously traded wins three weeks ago.Wizards scope (33-41, 11th in East | Offensive rating: 16th | Defensive rating: 21st) Last five games: vs Spurs 136-124 W, vs Nuggets 104-118 L, @ Magic 112-122 L, vs Kings 118-132 L, @ Cavaliers 94- 117 L.
Just a few weeks ago the Wizards and Raptors were fighting each other for a Play-In spot and now Washington has fallen off quite hard.

After a crushing loss to the Indiana Pacers last game, hopefully it was the final wake up call that Toronto needs in order to truly lock in for this final stretch of games.The Detroit Pistons who are notorious for giving Toronto trouble in the past are coming to Scotiabank tonight and Toronto simply can't afford to drop games like this, this late in the season.

Masai Ujiri, Fred VanVleet, and the Toronto Raptors are one of many teams that are currently locked in a very uneven middle ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race.Toronto would be in the play-in tournament (at the time of writing) if the season ended today.The Raptors need to pull off a serious balancing act here, as they need to make sure that they don't lose sight of their offseason goals while simultaneously showing the league that they are a team that should be feared in a potential postseason clash.

The Toronto Raptors have long been heralded for their ferocious, unforgiving home environment at Scotiabank Arena.With Fred VanVleet piloting the team to a 23-14 record despite all of the trials and tribulations that the squad has gone through, playing in Toronto is still hell for opposing teams.That doesn't always mean that all 41 home games are going to be the equivalent of a WWE cage match.

Starting on the Raptors side of things, this game was another blown opportunity.Opinions have been split all season on whether Toronto should be gunning for a playoff spot in the first place.However that quest would be significantly easier if the Raptors catch the Hawks, resulting in one play-in win to make the postseason instead of two.

The Toronto Raptors were considered the favorites to beat an Indiana Pacers team that was playing without star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, but injuries of their known sidelining Gary Trent Jr. and Scottie Barnes made things a bit more complicated.An already thin bench was stretched thin without these players.

The Indiana Pacers are visiting the Toronto Raptors tonight in an eastern conference matchup that holds serious implications for Toronto, like all of the remaining games will.Toronto needs this game to keep trying to rise in the standings and Indiana may be without their best player in Tyrese Haliburton tonight so that makes things a bit easier for Toronto.

The Milwaukee Bucks are the top team in the eastern conference and to some, the top team in the NBA, and if there was ever a litmus test that Toronto wanted to use in order to measure exactly how they fare in the NBA, this was it.The night ended in defeat but this should be classified as a good loss rather than one that keeps everyone's heads down.

The Milwaukee Bucks have the best record in the league, and they showed us why tonight, by dispatching the Toronto Raptors tonight behind a barrage of three-pointers and a monster fourth-quarter effort.The Bucks won the final quarter 29-16, led by Brook Lopez, who scored 17(!) in the frame.The Raptors, trying to coax something out of their bench, started the period 1-for-11 from the floor as the Bucks quickly erased a 6-point deficit and rolled the rest of the way.

For both the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks, at this point in the season, every game matters.For the Bucks, they're in first place in the Eastern Conference, but it's hardly a comfortable lead; they're just two games up on both the surging 76ers, winners of 8 straight games, the Boston Celtics, who are struggling at the moment (for them) but could get back on track any day.

Fred VanVleet and the Toronto Raptors have bounced back nicely after a subpar West Coast road trip, winning three straight games at home in impressive fashion.The degree of difficulty will be kicked up a notch against the Milwaukee Bucks.Giannis Antetokounmpo has this team operating at peak efficiency, making them as viable of a championship contender as any other team in the league.

The 2022-23 Toronto Raptors truly are a Jekyll-and-Hyde team, it seems.After what felt like a disastrous five-game road trip - where they went 1-4 - the Raptors have reeled off three straight home wins, are just one game below .500,and now have a chance - if the Atlanta Hawks lose today, and the Raptors win - to move into 8th place in the Eastern Conference.

Fred VanVleet carried the load in the first half and Pascal Siakam took over in the second as the Toronto Raptors won their third straight.VanVleet led all scorers with 28 to power the Raptors past the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 122-107 on Saturday, with 22 of his points coming before intermission.

Nick Nurse and the Toronto Raptors are right in the thick of the play-in race.While winning should always be encouraged, and the team is in a much better position than they were earlier in the year, the fact that the Raptors are in this position after winning 48 games last year has to sting.Even the biggest fans of Raptors executive Masai Ujiri must acknowledge that he has not done an amazing job of plugging the holes on this roster.

The Toronto Raptors welcomed the Minnesota Timberwolves to Scotiabank Arena tonight as they attempt to climb in the standings during the last weeks of the regular NBA Season.With nearly similar records and placements in the East and West, it's crunch time for both these teams.The T-Wolves came into this game undermanned, missing Anthony Edwards after he suffered a bad ankle injury last night.

The Toronto Raptors need to get through this last chunk of regular season games with as few interruptions and poor performances as possible, as Fred VanVleet and the rest of the squad are running out of chances to gain ground in a significant fashion.Winning against the Oklahoma City Thunder was a nice start to this late stretch.

The Toronto Raptors have spent much of the season taking on water, plugging holes in the boat, and finding two more spring anew for every one solved.There has been a broken defense, starters who don't fit together, stars who don't fit together, lack of effort, lack of shooting, lack of rim pressure, and lack of bench support.

Are the Toronto Raptors hot right now? Are they feeling the March Madness fever?I know we just witnessed a 16 seed upset a 1 seed in the March Madness tournament for the second time in NCAA men's basketball history, but have you ever seen a 9th seed in the East upset the 8th seed in the West?This truly could be ground shaking if it happens.

This game should be considered a golden opportunity for the Raptors to inch closer to the all-important eight seed.League leading Milwaukee is waiting on Sunday, literally the worst opponent you can draw up to play on a back to back.1-1 in this scenario is a passing grade.Minnesota is the final West opponent on the schedule.

The Toronto Raptors are not necessarily going to be in a position of strength when negotiating with point guard Fred VanVleet.The latest NBA rumors suggest that the point guard market around him isn't going to be super deep, with only a few players capable of replacing his production.One of those players is Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell, a potential Raptors trade target once upon a time that was shipped back to LA from the Minnesota Timberwolves at the deadline.