The Toronto Raptors are in the spotlight this year but in a good way following the acquisition of superstar Kawhi Leonard in the offseason which is already paying off.
While it's still to be determined how the team's chemistry will hold during meaningful NBA minutes next week, the Raptors are heading in the right direction and as a result, caught the attention of NBA TV analyst David Fizdale who couldn't contain the praise he had for the up and coming squad.
"That team, they are dogs," Fizdale said. "They got a tough squad. RJ Barrett, he's a tough kid. Scottie Barnes is a tough dude. Quickley is tough. They got a really physical, fast, tough team. We know what Kawhi is about. He's as tough as they come, and he's a closer. Darko does a great job. Their offense, the way they space the floor around the dribble drive, one of the best teams at it. Coach deserves a lot of credit for that."
Fizdale's remarks have been evident despite Toronto going 2-3 to wrap up preseason action. The team would suffer a narrow 129-125 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday, but showed tremendous grit throughout the matchup, outscoring their conference rival 45-36 in the final frame.
Moreover, Leonard's re-debut with the team on Tuesday against the defending champion New York Knicks set the tone for what appears to be an exciting year for the Raptors who will look to make a serious push for the East. The 35-year-old led the way with 21 points and two steals while Barrett followed closely, scoring 17 points and shooting an efficient 50% from the field.
Barnes could be in for a huge year as well, averaging an impressive 18.1 points per game last season. Also, he'll have all the motivation in the world after feeling the sting of not earning a top 10 spot in the 2027 NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds.
Head coach Darko Rajaković and Barrett will also have chips on their shoulders given Rajaković entering his fourth season at the helm and Barrett's name being brought up in past trade discussions.
Barrett averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists last year and clearly has the potential to build on that going into this season. He had another solid showing last Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers, logging 20 points and five assists while collecting five rebounds.
Besides their main core, the Raptors have other intriguing pieces in first-round pick Allen Graves and second rounder Jaden Bradley. Bradley was converted to a standard NBA contract on Sept. 21, an early show of faith taken by general manager Bobby Webster.
Toronto will also look forward to the development of 7-footer Nate Bittle who secured a two-way spot on the roster. The young center out of Oregon shined during the Raptors' Summer League campaign, averaging 9.8 points and 2.8 blocks.
Again, while Toronto's results have been promising so far, whether they can keep up the momentum against starting lineups will be tested when their season kicks off on Oct. 21 versus the Chicago Bulls.