Mid-Season Report Card: The Tampa Raptors

After looking like a lottery team to begin their inaugural and hopefully only Tampa season, the Raptors are currently 8th in the east. What's next?

What are Toronto's playoff chances?

High. The Raptors should make the playoffs because they have experience, championship DNA, and a solid team that's better than most of the teams smelling playoff basketball from the bottom.

How the Raptors will fare in a first round series is up to Kyle Lowry and the rumors surrounding his potential departure before the deadline.

He brings invaluable strength to this team as a leader and as a great point guard, and if he desires to leave and contend elsewhere, the front office would work to accommodate his wishes given all he's done for Toronto. Tampa?

Florida's third team

The Raptors are in Tampa because of travel restrictions enacted by Canadian government amid Covid, and boy was it a rough start. The Tampa Raptors began the season at 2-8, which sent them into serious lottery contention.

They've since turned it around and are back in the playoff hunt going into the break, with Pascal Siakam returning to form with an impressive average of 20-7-5 per game. Kyle Lowry (18-5-7) has taken a backseat statistically to Fred VanVleet (20-4-6), and VanVleet's historic 54-point game has cemented him as a star for Toronto as well as the league. Tampa, too.

Deadline

Given VanVleet's ascent and Kyle Lowry's expressed interest in leaving, the deadline is a primary factor in the Raptors' future, as they could be sending him home to Philly, and the return would presumably be some contracts, picks, and Tyrese Maxey.

Even if Lowry leaves, the Raptors will still make the playoffs.

Grade:

C