Category: 📁 Sport Paths

Here is my overall strategy and roster construction ideas for the Toronto Raptors 2026 offseason and going forward, including possible lineup changes and potential trade ideas.

What

• Improve 3PT/FT shooting of all players around Barnes/Murray into future
• Improve height, rebounding, defense, and eventually 3PT shooting at center
• Center - Get tall starting center(s) to rebound and defend, hope 3PT potential
• Point - Get young backup or fringe PG that shoots 3PT, rebounds, passes
• Continue trading for young players to get team of 2-Way shooters/defenders
• Sign cheap centers if just rebounds/defense, play Murray/Barnes center rarely

Players

• Barrett - Trade for young prospect player(s), draft picks, maybe center
• Shead - Trade possibly and get a better shooting and rebounding PG
• Poeltl - Keep and move to bench to trade salary at future date, or use in trade
• Ingram - Keep for 3PT shooting, late clock scoring, and team consistency
• Walter - Promote to starting lineup at SG, Murray starters insurance 6th man
• Gradey - Keep as 11th guy, maybe don't extend, possibly trade at deadline

Continued... >

Here's the lineup and depth chart that I think the Raptors should go with for the start of the 2025-26 season, given the current roster.

Lineup

• PG - Quickley - Walter - Shead
• SG - Dick - Agbaji - Battle - Temple
• SF - Ingram - Barrett - Roddy/Lawson
• PF - Barnes - Murray - Mogbo
• C - Poeltl - Chomche - Mamukelashvili
• 2W - Chomche, Martin, Hepburn

Notes

• Dick in starting lineup for catch-and-shoot 3PTs
• Barrett on the bench for ball handling and scoring
• Walter on the bench for more shooting over Shead
• Chomche on the bench for defense and development
• Barnes plays some small ball 5 for shooting, often to finish
• Murray/Barnes do ball handling for bench that guards lack

New Crew Value - 2025 Rebuild vs. 2013 Rebuild

• PG - Quickley 26 > Lowry 27 / Walter 20 > Vazquez 28
• SG - Dick 21 > Ross 22 / Agbaji 25 > Salmons 34
• SF - Ingram 27 = DeRozan 24 / Barrett 25 >> Patterson 24
• PF - Barnes 24 >> Johnson 26 / Murray 20 >> Hansbrough 28
• C - Poeltl 29 < Valanciunas 21 / Chomche 19 >> Hayes 30
• Much more youth and potential to grow better into future
• Top young draft picks already in place over decent veterans
• Team is young so will need/play veterans more if playoffs

Here's one potential trade and draft idea for the Raptors this offseason, which might be one way to help accomplish a possible big picture overall strategy and lineup configuration that is also suggested and outlined.

May 22, 2025 - Original

Rockets

• Poeltl
• Agbaji
• Shead
• Mogbo

Raptors

• 10th Pick - 2025
• J. Smith
• Sheppard
• 2nd Round - 2026 & 2027

Continued... >

Here's a plan for the Raptors going forward, focused on getting all players who are the best 3PT shooters, deprioritizing great athletic defenders unless they'll shoot great too, and leave passing for the best passers on the team to setup 3PT shooters.

Strategy

TLDR - Shooting Yes, Defense Less, Passing Bests

• Build the team around everyone being a great shooter except for Barnes and Chomche
• So, focus less on defense, with defense being best possible only IF they can shoot great
• Put ball in hands of natural best passers like Barnes/Quickley, Mitchell/Mogbo for now
• So, focus less on everyone needing to pass in future, less turnovers, and 3PT specialists
• Keep PG/SG/SF/PF/C players who can be 40% 3PT shooters, defense 2nd skill hopefully
• Keep PF/C players who can be 35% 3PT shooters, defense 2nd skill important for C

Plan

TLDR - Lose This Year, Trade Poor Shooters, Get Great Shooters

• Lose for 1 year and get high 2025 draft pick
• Trade veterans and all poor shooters for young players/picks who are best shooters
• Play the young players more so you lose this year
• Make everyone take catch and shoot 3s, even Mitchell/Mogbo/Chomche/etc.
• Focus on getting the best young 3PT shooters
• Get best defense you can while having everyone shoot, and only great passers pass
• 2024 Raptors Draft Trade Idea

Continued... >

Here is a summary of the general strengths and weaknesses of Raptors management over the last 10 years, using the benefit of hindsight to note possible major successes and mistakes.

Foresight And Future Of Raptors

• Idea - Raptors management, scouts, and analysts have had outstanding foresight

Because the Raptors management, scouts, analysts, and coaches have done such an amazing job selecting and developing players, the Raptors should still have a good team this year and going forward, even after losing VanVleet in free agency. Overall, the Raptors have had an otherworldly level of decision making, player development, and culture creation in the last 10 years. The Raptors have nailed and appropriately developed more lower draft picks they have made than possibly every other team, not to mention undrafted players. That, along with many other reasons, is why they have the second most wins of any team in the NBA over the last 10 years, while enjoying an incredible run from 2013-2023. The Warriors are the team with the most wins, and it took the Raptors beating them in the Final to get the Raptors their championship.

As I see it, the Raptors and Ujiri have had amazing foresight and good decision making in some general areas from 2013-2023. These areas which have traditionally been great strengths include:

• Reset Trades - Trading away a poor contract or player to improve - Anthony, Bargnani, Gay
• Like Trades - Making trades for key players who they like - Ibaka, Leonard, Trent, Poeltl
• Rebuilding - Rebuilding and growing a lower ranked team from scratch with no stars
• Developing - Developing all players well beyond their expected ability and value
• Drafting - Drafting good players who they like - Wright, Siakam, Anunoby, Barnes
• Signing - Signing undrafted and free agent role players who they like - VanVleet, Boucher
• Patience - Being patient while players and the team go through ups and downs
• Chemistry - Creating a culture of team chemistry, working together, and having fun

Continued... >

Here are my ideas and strategy for the potential lineup, depth chart, and final roster spots for the Toronto Raptors going into the 2022 season, now that they are heading into training camp.

This takes some points from the main ideas I previously noted in "Raptors 2022 offseason lineup changes", which I wrote shortly after the end of the season. They did follow a few of my ideas from that article already, including resigning Boucher, drafting a versatile and athletic center, and signing Champagnie to an NBA deal for now at least. And there have been some rumblings about Achiuwa having an increased role or even possibly starting as I had also crazily suggested.

Notes

• Make Achiuwa a starter and move Trent to the bench
• Give Hernangomez the 14th spot as I always thought he would make team
• Give Jackson the 15th spot over Champagnie as he is athletic and versatile
• Move Champagnie down to a 2W spot and Dowtin to Raptors 905 contract
• Make Flynn the backup PG because of good shooting and assists/turnover
• Play Koloko a lot as a main bench player in the first half of the season

Extras

• I wonder if Achiuwa's role should eventually be a 3-and-D small forward
• I wonder if Banton's role should eventually be a playmaking shooting guard
• Play the bench players much more this year and develop the young guys
• They likely can't, but try to keep Trent on bench always so he can get 6th man
• If Trent starts, the bench in my second lineup is a HUGE switchable lineup
• Thaddeus Young could be a possible small ball center over Koloko sometimes

Continued... >

These ideas do not take into account future FA or trade upgrades.

Notes

• Make Achiuwa the starting center
• Move Trent to the bench as 6th man
• Resign Boucher as backup big
• Sign Champagnie to NBA deal as 3-and-D bench player
• Let Thaddeus Young go - Better Shooter or Younger
• Move Birch to 3rd string 7K contract only - Better Shooter
• ----
• Run offense through Barnes and Banton handling ball much more
• Turn Fred and Malachi into shooters more often than ball handlers
• Make Fred, OG, Malachi, Gary do catch and shoot 3 PTs mainly
• Make Fred and Gary shoot only from 3 PT line, not 5 feet back
• Have Pascal, Prec, Justin, Chris focus on catch and shoot 3 PTs
• Give ball to Pascal or Gary if near end of shot clock to score
• ----
• Draft or add versatile athletic center with shooting potential
• Bench is Banton, Trent, Champagnie, Boucher, 2nd Rd Pick or FA
• Play the bench more and rest the starters more in season
• Playoff 7-8 might be Trent, Boucher, Banton/Champagnie
• If keep Young, make him small ball center, trade Birch if possible
• Bench would then be Banton, Trent, Champagnie, Boucher, Young

Lineup Option 1

• VanVleet - Banton
• Barnes - Trent
• Anunoby - Champagnie
• Siakam - Boucher
• Achiuwa - Draft Pick / Young / FA

Lineup Option 2

• VanVleet - Flynn
• Barnes - Banton
• Anunoby - Trent
• Siakam - Champagnie
• Achiuwa - Boucher

What

• Rebuild to the future if can get a top passing and IQ point guard in draft
• Take on others large contracts and 1-year veterans to still be good this year
• Open room to move Norm Powell into the starting lineup to be 2nd scorer
• Put Lowry and VanVleet in good situations to win and make money at home

Why

• All-in on rebuild with young players and aim for 2021 free agents or star trade
• Open cap room for 2nd player to come with Giannis to join Siakam and Anunoby
• Competition too good this year, take a step back to rebuild, let VanVleet etc. go
• Need more to beat BKN, GSW, MIL, LAL, BOS, LAC as well as PHI, DAL, MIA, DEN

Continued... >

What is the Oilers roster and who should play on lines together? I play armchair coach and try to make the best Oiler lines and depth chart from their current players.

After watching the majority of the Oilers games this season, I couldn't help but evaluate the players and start thinking of line combinations. So I thought I'd have a shot at what I think the Oilers and McLellan could do with their lines and roster. These lines are based on getting the most out of their current players, both for right now and looking forward to the future.

Warning - I'm Not A Scout Or Expert

OK, first of all, I do at least know Slepyshev is a left winger. And I realize moving Yakupov to play center is absolutely insane. Maybe one way to put it is that I'm not smart enough to know just how insane it is. But with that said, I'm not a purely casual watcher, or completely uninformed. Even though I'm no scout and I have never played any high level hockey, I love watching what is actually going on in the game. I've watched fairly closely at times as I've enjoyed the games this season. And I've done a bit of reading about these players in coming up with this set of lines too.

But if you think one of these ideas is stupid, you are most likely right. I'm really just another guy with an opinion. I don't know the Oilers in and out like some people who have been avid fans for the last 5 years. And I certainly don't know as much as coaches, scouts, or ex-NHLers who actually evaluate players better than I ever could. Please write your own article about all the reasons Yakupov can't play center for instance, and contact me with the link. I'd be interested in reading it. Or even better, try to write down your own full set of lines and roster. It would be neat to see how other people think the lines and depth chart of the current Oilers should be drawn up and why.

Forwards

• Line 1 - Hall - Nugent-Hopkins - Purcell
• Line 2 - Draisaitl - McDavid - Eberle
• Line 3 - Pouliot - Yakupov - Letestu
• Line 4 - Korpikoski - Lander - Slepyshev

Defense

• Pair 1 - Klefbom - Schultz
• Pair 2 - Nurse - Reinhart
• Pair 3 - Davidson - Sekera

Reserves

• Forwards - Klinkhammer - Gazdic - Hendricks
• Defense - Fayne - Ference

Continued... >

Here are a few different predictions I have about the Blue Jays lineup for 2011. I haven't heard anyone talk about some of these possibilities at this point. A couple of these predictions are somewhat unlikely but I think there is a chance they could happen. These changes to the lineup are based on the Blue Jays having their current roster of players and working with what they have. If they make any other offseason moves it would obviously change the lineup and what lineup they go with. Also, I think the batting order will change quite a bit depending on who does well. Now onto what I think the Jays could do with their current roster for the 2011 season, beginning with the most unlikely.

1. Rajai Davis Starts In Center And Vernon Wells Moves To Right

People have mentioned other possible lineup changes but nobody has mentioned moving Wells. This would give them a better defense than Davis in LF and Snider in RF I think, and before last year there was talk about Wells' declining defense. They traded for Davis and he could just be a 4th outfielder, but if they actually traded for him you have to think they like him quite a bit. If they really want Davis in the lineup it would be gutsy to go ahead and move Wells to RF because this would give them the best defense and lineup with the players they currently have. Davis has more speed in CF than Wells but has a poor arm so can't play RF and it would mean he is at the top of the lineup every day. Snider in RF and Davis in LF of course is more likely so as not to upset Wells but I think there is a chance they could do this.

Continued... >