I only saw the Raptors play once this season, and I liked what I had seen but didn't really need to see it anyway, because I already know what Toronto is about. When Kawhi left the Spurs, as intelligent as that organization is they still eventually had to go into a rebuild. But when he left the Raptors they, under that dude Ujiri, stuck to their guns.
So getting near the trade deadline, when just a week ago it didn't look like shit was going to happen, everybody was like 'Toronto should trade, Toronto should trade'. Well I saw them play around that same time against their Western rivals, the Warriors. I don't remember if the Raptors won or not. But I do remember saying to myself that this team is only a solid C away from contending.
Fred Van Vleet may look like a miniature KAT, but besides for him they have a long roster, where only five of the players are 6'5" or shorter. To me that's the future of the NBA, one day having teams with like five deadass Giannises, a bunch of tall dudes who can all do everything, which I would say the Raptors are perhaps more like than any other team. But for now, you still need a center. So I was looking at them amidst all of the speculation and saying to myself I hope they dumb out and trade anybody, because all they need is a C.
I don't know if Jakob Poeltl will fulfill that role, that he definitely has the potential. And that's what makes the Raptors the Raptors. You can't be up there and Canada dumbing out and shit like that. If you do, your team will get relocated to Las Vegas or some shit.
CONCLUSION
You heard it here first - if Poeltl works out, the Raptors will be contenders. I'm not saying they'll take the East, but in a way they do have just as much continuity as the Celtics (though not the Bucks).
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