The Raptors definitely have an optional menu. The starting lineup that finished last season included a two-time All-NBA player, a former All-Star player, an all-around outfielder, Rookie of the Year from the previous season, and finally, the center that brought those disparate pieces together. At least a third of the league would be happy with this starting point.
The frustration with the Raptors’ 2022-23 season has been that those bits add up to… absolute mediocrity, even if that five-man unit is fine. No matter how good coach Nick Nurse was and still was tactically, there was something intangible about this team. Stylistically and personally, things just didn’t work out. Nurse’s relationship with some of his players and bosses had frayed enough—due to roster decisions and his communication style—that a breakup was inevitable.
There’s a desire to read the background of his replacement, Darko Rajakovic, and try to figure out what that means for the Raptors. the truth? The Serb, who has spent the better part of the past decade as an assistant with Oklahoma City, Phoenix and finally Memphis, has enough flexibility to train in whichever direction the Raptors prefer to move. On Saturday, the Raptors named him to be their next head coach, ESPN first reported. They fired the nurse in April after a five-month stint.
Rajakovic has spent most of his time developing players, and that seems to be at the forefront of what the Raptors think. Whichever way the team chooses, Rajakovic is the one who will put internal growth at the fore. With that stalled over the past few seasons, a new set of eyes to oversee things is huge. He has the skill to be with the Raptors amid re-tooling, with an emphasis on youth.
Coming to Toronto, he has proven that the players are a pleasure to work with.
“(Rajakovic) is just like one of those guys (that) you don’t know what to expect from,” Stephen Adams, then with Thunder, he said in 2016. “You don’t know if he’s happy, or sad, or like he’s blown away or nothing. He’s just always wired. So, when he’s trying to teach you something, he’s really serious. And he’s like a bum! (He’ll) just break you. Yeah, he is.” Crazy.”
Rajakovic has close relationships with players such as Adams and Grizzlies substitute Desmond Payne. No matter what the Raptors do with their veterans, which includes free agents Fred VanVleet, Jacob Boltel and Gary Trent Jr. and stretch-eligible forwards Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, the path to whatever comes next involves getting the most out of the team. young players.
Darko!!! Really like this rental for Toronto, it was well thought out in both Memphis and OKC.
– John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) June 10, 2023
The Raptors have been good at it for a long time. However, that organizational strength has faded since the pandemic, with draft picks like Malachi Flynn and Dalano Banton failing to capture the rotation spots and the team being recycled by undrafted free agents and two-way players. The result was that the starting nurse played more than any other coach in the league.
Even 2021-22 rookie Scotty Barnes took a notable step sideways, if not backwards, last season.
One of the biggest issues between the nurse and the front office was the lack of development from the younger Raptors’ plays. As it stands, the Raptors are knocked out by one first-round pick — protected by the top six in 2024 — and three second-round picks. They will have to find some gold, and Rajaković will be instrumental in the process. He also has a scouting background and has been coaching in some form since he was 17 years old.
Beyond that, Rajakovic’s biggest task will be building a creative and productive attack for this roster, but the search will end up in October. He’s known for creating a lot of pick-and-roll looks. He is also charismatic and known for his sense of humor.
How he handles shifting into the big seat is unknown, as are all first-time coaches. Dealing with players as an assistant is much easier than dealing with a head coach, when you become responsible for their playing time.
We’ll see how Rajakovic handles the roster when the Raptors open their training camp. More interesting: the list that will receive Rajakovic. This is the first coach hired by Masai Ujiri from outside his current organization. His instincts have served him well in other areas. Now, we learn more about what and who to trust.
– the athleteFred Katz contributed to this report.
(Photo: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)