Raptors disappointing despite “rebuilding” season. Photo Credit: Raptors/Facebook
It was late September 2024 when Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri proclaimed this:
“I would use the word ‘rebuilding,’ that’s the right word,” Ujiri said when asked what he expected from the season ahead. “I think we have a clear path now going forward.”
Despite that, the Raptors sitting at (10-31) exactly at the halfway point of the 82-game NBA campaign, has been disappointing. Entering play Friday night in Milwaukee, Toronto is just (1-18) on the road.
Preeminent Raptors and NBA Reporter, here in Canada, Doug Smith of Niagara Falls, had this to say when asked if he could pinpoint Toronto’s struggles this season.
“They can’t get out of their own way,” Smith said. “They turn the ball over too much, they foul too much, they can’t execute in the last five minutes of close games.”
So could changes be on the way ahead of the February 6 NBA trade deadline?
It was last year at this time that the Raptors dealt OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam.
Smith predicts there won’t be any major trades this season for Toronto.
“You look at a guy like Bruce Brown, Chris Boucher is always in the conversation, but I don’t think a big blockbuster with the Raptors will happen,” said Smith, who also predicted the underachieving Phoenix Suns have to do something to shake up their season.
“It’s just not working there. They have to do something. They have to shake it up through a trade. They’re the team that has to do something.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers (34-6) are the beasts of the east, while the Oklahoma City Thunder (34-6) are best in the west.
The two teams met Thursday night in Oklahoma and the Thunder rolled to a 134-114 victory led by Canadian Shay Gilgeous-Alexander and his 40 points.
Smith feels there’s no question that the man they call ‘SGA’ is the Most Valuable Player this season.
“I think it will be overwhelming, if not unanimous,” explained Smith. “His team is better, he’s better. Shay is so far above the best guy on his team, I can’t imagine, I don’t know a voter who would say ‘no I cannot vote for him.’
As for Cleveland and Oklahoma City staying on top.
“I can’t see anybody challenging either of them in their conferences. They’re just so far above, better than the other guys that are chasing them, that it would take an upset of biblical proportions. And that’s factoring Boston in the east, but Cleveland is just so much better than them right now. I just don’t see it changing, I really don’t,” Smith added.
In other interesting basketball news this week, Maverick Carter, LeBron James’ business manager, has been enlisted as an adviser by a group of investors seeking to raise $5 billion to form an international basketball league that would serve as a rival to the NBA.
Bloomberg first broke the story Thursday, and says the group — which includes multiple private equity funds — is looking to form a league consisting of six men’s teams and six women’s teams, playing games around the world.

Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.