An analysis of several NBA teams, focusing on the Toronto Raptors' recent winning streak amidst trade rumors, the Washington Wizards' commitment to rebuilding, and the New Orleans Pelicans' potential to defy expectations despite a challenging season.
If you're a Toronto Raptors fan convinced that tanking is the way, strap in – wins might be on the horizon. Toronto has reeled off four wins over their last five games, all against opponents competing for the playoffs. During previous press conferences, Toronto's staff has alluded to their tanking intentions. At the same time, the Raptors have several veteran players on expiring contracts that could potentially be converted into future draft capital.
Those players won’t garner trade interest if they’re not on the court. They’ll remain put unless they’re showcased properly. With seven games between now and the trade deadline, Toronto’s best stretch of the year might be happening before our eyes. They’re not alone in this exercise though as several other teams are also jockeying for a bottom three spot in the standings. Toronto Raptors auditioning During this five-game stretch, Toronto’s four most discussed trade candidates have been impacting winning – Bruce Brown, Chris Boucher, Davion Mitchell, and Kelly Olynyk. Looking at the most recent game’s box score - Boucher, Brown and Olynyk accounted for 68 percent of the minutes off the bench. As a result, we’re seeing a more balanced scoring split between the starters and bench players. With the exception of Boucher – who’s averaging one minute per game less – all three other veterans have seen their minutes rise. There are ultimately two ways I’d capitalize on this when Toronto completes their ‘baseball series’ against Atlanta. I’d be monitoring the spread and even consider the moneyline on Toronto if the pricing is favourable. Additionally, I’d wait until closer to tip-off when FanDuel releases player props for the bench unit. The Pick: Brown over points, Olynyk and Mitchell over assistsThe Wizards are in a class of their own with FanDuel listing them at a 13.5 win total (heavily juiced to the under). Good job Washington - you’ve locked up those lottery balls. They have three players in their starting lineup younger than 21; no other team in the NBA has more than one. Alexandre Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Bilal Coulibaly are all viewed are core building blocks for their future. While he has three years remaining on his contact, it’s on a declining scale making it increasingly team friendly as the cap continues to go up. The team would be smart to empower their younger players, and that’d come at Kuzma’s expense. The former-NBA Champ’s season has been split by a 12-game absence, but even though his minutes remain the same, his usage has taken a decline since rejoining the lineup. He continues to shoot inefficiently going 41.6 percent from the field, 24.1 percent from deep, and 51.2 percent from the line. That line caught my eye as they faced one of the hottest defences in the NBA. The Wizards are prioritizing their younger players. Fade all their disposable guys. There’s one team amongst the bottom-feeders that seems intent on competing – the New Orleans Pelicans. They’ve had a season from hell with all their injuries, but given the compilation of talent on their roster, it’s nearly impossible to count on them to lose at the pace these other tanking teams will. CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray are an average at worst backcourt while Trey Murphy is one of the more explosive scoring wings in the NBA. As their star players return from injury, they continue to have one glaring hole which doesn’t look like it’ll be solved – frontcourt depth. 20-year-old rookie, Yves Missi, has been thrusted into the starting lineup after New Orleans rid themselves of Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. the season prior. Missi is athletic and has promising upside, but every night it seems an opposing big is getting the best of him. Kessler – 13 rebounds (11.5)
NBA Toronto Raptors Tanking Trades Washington Wizards New Orleans Pelicans Lottery Playoff Race
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