Toronto Raptors poised to achieve ‘next level’ status?

A few weeks into the 2013-14 season, the Toronto Raptors looked lost. Their leading scorer Rudy Gay was struggling and the team appeared destined for yet another disappointing year. That’s when things were shaken up and Gay was traded to the Sacramento Kings.

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Possibly behind a stroke of luck or a locker room culture change, the Toronto Raptors began to win. This time though, the wins didn’t stop and Toronto marched all the way into the postseason.

Now behind a relatively young roster, there are question marks looming around the ability of the franchise to replicate their success though David Aldridge of NBA.com believes the Toronto Raptors are poised to take things to the next level.

"It says here, though, that the Raptors are best poised to get to the next level.All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan added a 2014 FIBA World Cup roster spot to his growing list of accomplishments, and he just turned 25. The Raptors had nearly drama-free contract negotiations in re-signing Kyle Lowry, Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez. The Raps also have a developing power player in 22-year-old center Jonas Valanciunas, who is still scratching the surface of his potential."

It’s one thing to sneak up unexpectedly though when you have a target on your back, things become much more difficult. That’s something the Toronto Raptors are likely to deal with this season, though with budding talent they’ll have the opportunity to take the punches and deliver their own.

With a returning roster that’s a year wiser and accustom to playing together, the Toronto Raptors could emerge as one of the best in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

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