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Toronto Raptors 2015 NBA Season Preview

By Cody Williams

Apr 15, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) sits on the bench prior to the game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Air Canada Centre. The Hornets won 92-87. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) sits on the bench prior to the game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Air Canada Centre. The Hornets won 92-87. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 12, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll (5) drives to the basket past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Tayshaun Prince (12) at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Timberwolves 112-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll (5) drives to the basket past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Tayshaun Prince (12) at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Timberwolves 112-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Biggest Offseason Move

This is going to be a common theme in this preview, but I can’t speak highly enough of the Raptors going out and landing DeMarre Carroll in free agency. Not only is Carroll a tremendously talented player, but he’s the exact type of player that Toronto needed to add to try and take the next step forward after finding themselves as a perennial playoff team.

Carroll established himself as one of the elite three-and-D players in the NBA last season with the Hawks and established himself as a guy who can step up in big moments. He proved that he will take the challenge of guarding an opposing team’s best player, but can also do things like play both forward positions and stretch the floor with his perimeter offense. Adding that to Toronto is going to make their team more versatile and, ultimately, better coming into the 2015-16 season.

Biggest Offseason Mistake

What Toronto did this offseason was quite impressive to me in a number of ways. They did an effective job replacing some of the pieces they lost and of adding components to make their team more dynamic. Subsequently, it’s hard to pinpoint any move that they made as a massive and glaring mistake.

The only move that’s even remotely questionable was signing center Bismack Byombo to a two-year, $5.8 million deal. While he’s not going to be featured and will come off of the bench, we’ve pretty much seen what Biyombo is as an NBA player at this point and it’s not pretty. It just feels like an inconsequential signing in the midst of a slew of really solid signings that help move the team forward.

Next: Offensive/Defensive Breakdowns

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