Raps Have 15 and Reason To Think Positive?

You can never be certain with Bryan Colangelo but it seems like the Raptors... might be done? There is still talk that Raptors would like to move Marcus Banks but that seems more like mission impossible. But the Raptors have reached that magic number of 15 to fill a roster. It has been a heck of an off season... has it not? 9 new faces and realistically only the core players remain. Bosh, Bargnani and Calderon are really the only players of significance that Colangelo kept. No offense to Quincy Douby, Patrick O'Bryant and Marcus Banks, but I don't think any of them can be considered rotation players. It has always been said that Bryan Colangelo hates to lose. They also say actions speak louder than words. Well a loud and clear statement has been made to Raptor fans. It has been that same statement made to Chris Bosh. If the true goal of Bosh is to win. Which Zack Cooper said yesterday he thinks it is, in our interview and I agree with him. Chris Bosh has to be impressed with the response of his G.M to failure. In fact Bryan Colangelo makes other G.M that make excuses that they can't make moves look quite silly.

True all of this is on paper and in theory but everyone to a man thinks the Raptors have greatly improved. Many folks like to use statistics and what not to try to illustrate points. I respect the folks that do the work and research it takes to do these type pieces. However I have always based my opinions based on what I know and what I see. Stats are great when you are talking about your fantasy league. However it is about wins and loses at the end of the day. Lots of options for this team in terms of depth. It should make for a very competitive situation for the final few spots in Jay Triano's rotation. Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems just become 2 more people in the mix battling for time.

The last time Colangelo did a major make over like this the results were fantastic. If you want proof just go look at the banner that hangs in the ACC for evidence. That being said this team needs to do some things that Division Championship team did not. The first and foremost thing is get off to a quick start. That team that won the Atlantic actually never got off to the greatest start if you recall. This team given it's schedule can not afford to fall behind like that out of the blocks. There was no Boston big 3 back then and the East as a whole was much weaker. If you are willing to concede that Boston, Orlando and Cleveland will be the top 3 teams in the East. That leaves just one home playoff spot to secure. The Atlanta Hawks held that spot last year. They also have made some adjustments and improvements. But, no team in the East has made more changes than the Toronto Raptors.

As much as people will crunch numbers and stats it will come down to that great unknown called chemistry. How all the people and personalities come together. A large part of building that falls on the coaching staff and of course head coach Jay Triano. In his time with team Canada, Jay did a tremendous job at building that kind of chemistry in short periods of time. He will need those skills to do that for this team to get them ready for a very challenging start to the the schedule. Go look at it for yourself, and tell me how many easy wins you find in November?

They do say it is not how you start it is how you finish. However if the Raptors want to not just make the playoffs, but make noise in them, that phrase will not apply. Remember how everyone talked last year about the turn in the schedule. Well the Raptors can't wait around for that this season. If the Raptors are serious about being in the mix in the East they can not be saying wait till February. That is when the schedule drastically shifts in the Raptors favour this year.

Even though it may be all just on paper at this point Bryan Colangelo has done a heck of a job turning over this roster. I don't think you can find a person that thinks he could have done anymore then what he has done. It is now up to his choice for the coach of this team to make him look good. It is up to the players as well. If Chris Bosh has the breakout season that I am personally expecting along with all these changes it should make the Raptors a solid team that no one can afford to overlook. Still a long way to the end of October, but expectations are growing for this team and unlike last year, I think there is a more solid foundation to believe in them.