Locked On Raptors

In Episode 1542, Sean Woodley goes solo after a bit of a holiday break to share his biggest takeaways from the week that was for the Toronto Raptors, answers some listener questions, and bust out another fantastical trade idea for Fake Trade Friday. Off the top, Sean talks about the Raptors embarrassing loss to the Utah Jazz, the comfortable win over the Washington Wizards, and the long-awaited lineup change that could very well prove to be a jumping off point for a better version of the Raptors than we've seen so far -- but is it too little, too late? Next, Sean's fields some listener questions about whether Gradey Dick should be back in the rotation mix, and revisiting the Damian Lillard sweepstakes from this past offseason. Lastly, Sean shares another one of his brilliant Trade Machine creations for Fake Trade Friday with a seven-player swap that sees the Indiana Pacers get their big wing defender, while the Raptors get the ideal big man to pair with Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam for the long haul.Join

In Episode 1541, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob to react to the Toronto Raptors' 121-111 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night in a game that saw the Raptors show some positive signs of life only to fall short to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris, all of whom scored 30+ points in the game. Off the top, Sean and Vivek discuss the encouraging changes to the rotation Darko Rajakovic deployed in the game, as well the defensive work by Jakob Poeltl and Dennis Schroder, who had their best game working in tandem to guard pick-and-roll since the very early days of the season. Next, Sean and Vivek discuss O.G. Anunoby's prolonged shooting slump and small step back on the defensive end this season and why it's looking more and more like moving O.G. and not Pascal Siakam before the NBA Trade Deadline is the best pathway for the Raptors to retain talent around Scottie Barnes while reorienting the roster around him in a way that can be conducive to success. Lastly, they run through The Good (Pasc

In Episode 1540, Sean Woodley is joined by Dave DuFour (The Athletic, Nerder She Wrote, Georgian National Basketball Team) to chat about the Toronto Raptors' struggling defense, once thought to be a major strength of the team, which has plummetted down the defensive charts after a pretty strong start to the season. Off the top, Sean and Dave chat about where it's gone wrong for Toronto's middling defense so far, and whether the issue with the team is more about a lack of defensive talent, or a faulty deployment of a defensively talented group of players. They also examine what's gone on with the offense, and chat about Scottie Barnes' ascendence in Year 3. Lastly, Sean and Dave discuss first-year head coach Darko Rajakovic, who has received tons of heat for his handling of the Raptors' rotations, and seemingly needs to reevaluate the team's defensive scheme. But even with the faults he's shown, it's still way too early to judge him as a coach, right? Ulimately, player personnel is going to be what drives team

In Episode 1539, Sean Woodley is joined by Jamar Hinds (Raptors Republic) to break down the Toronto Raptors' 113-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night that saw a great Scottie Barnes game (30-10-5) and a strong second half from Precious Achiuwa, and not a whole lot else in the positives department. Off the top, they dig into some of the recurring issues that popped up in this game that have been lingering around the team all season long, including a rough first quarter and some extremely porous defense in the first half. Next, they dig into the play of Precious Achiuwa, who rightfully closed this game after a strong second half in which he helped grease the offense while also offering more resistance against Nikola Jokic than anyone else on the team. Lastly, they run through The Good (Scottie's lefty full court pass to Pascal Siakam, the half court offense's progression), The Bad (Siakam's deployment, the transition offense's regression) and The Hmmm (Jakob Poeltl maybe being the odd man out in th

In Episode 1538, Sean Woodley is joined by Katie Heindl (DIME, Basketball Feelings) to chat about ascending Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes, who has been by far the biggest bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming 11-15 Toronto Raptors start to the season. Off the top, Sean and Katie chat about what's most stood out to them about Scottie's ongoing leap and what parts of his game have been the most entertaining to watch and track in the season's early going. Next, they dig into the Raptors teammates of his that they've had the most fun watching him work with on the floor, with some thoughts on his play alongside O.G. Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Pascal Siakam. Lastly, they project ahead and chat about the types of players they'd like to see the Raptors seek to pair with Scottie for the long haul, and chat about why Scottie's play so far this year has helped to salvage the entertainment value of this year's version of the team. He's pretty awesome!Join us over on the Discord, it's a wonderfu time! https:/

In Episode 1537, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob to react to a Toronto Raptors win over the Charlotte Hornets that hung in the balance until Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam took over in the fourth quarter to secure a 114-99 decision. Off the top, Sean and Vivek live out Groundhog Day again, and dig into why this game simply HAS to the last dance for the starting lineup, which has been very bad all year, and was brutal once again against Charlotte -- made all the more frustrating by how comfortably the Raptors pulled away after swapping Gary Trent Jr. in for Jakob Poeltl with the starting group. Next, they chat about Jakob Poeltl and Dennis Schroder, who would better serve the Raptors coming off the bench, and why their issues on the court are very much intertwined at this point. Lastly, they run through The Good (Scottie Barnes' low-man defense, Gary Trent Jr.'s first career double-double), the Bad (Malachi Flynn, backcourt defense) and The Hmmm (the closing lineup forcing Darko's hand (???), Precious

In Episode 1536, Sean Woodley goes solo to lay out the options and the stakes at play for the Toronto Raptors as the calendar hits December 15th, unofficially opening up NBA Trade season, before introducing a new recurring segment: Fake Trade Friday! Off the top, Sean digs into the current state of affairs for the Raptors, and details why the next two months represent perhaps the last chance for the Raptors' front office to right the wrongs of the last couple years and set the franchise back on course into the next few years of the Scottie Barnes era. It's the Last Chance Saloon! Next, Sean outlines the ideal outcomes for the Raptors over the next couple years -- both fantastical and unlikely though not impossible and more realistic. Is there any way for the front office to get creative in an effort to retain both O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam to pair with Scottie Barnes moving forward while having enough on hand to reshape the roster in a way that makes sense around then? Or is the more realistic outcome a

In Episode 1535, Sean Woodley goes solo to break down the Toronto Raptors' 135-128 win over the Atlanta Hawks in a game that saw the Raptors' defense struggle once again outside of a handful of critical moments. Off the top, Sean digs into the defense faltering once again, and how it was saved by some timely defensive stops by Jakob Poeltl, and some stretches of excellent defensive work by Precious Achiuwa. The offense seems to at least have a plan, can the defense tap into the gear it seemingly can still reach in its best moments more regularly to help steady the ship? Next, Sean digs into another strong night for the Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby trio, their imrpessive numbers as an on-court trio this season, and why as trade season looms, a move away from one or two of the three will not be indicative of what those three guys are capable of and much more an indictment of the rest of the roster build. Lastly, Sean runs through the Good (not being the Hawks), the Bad (the starters being TOO good)

In Episode 1534, Sean Woodley is joined by Katie Heindl (DIME, Basketball Feelings) to chat about Pascal Siakam's future on the heels of Michael Grange's latest over at Sportsnet before answering a couple of listener questions about the current state of the Toronto Raptors. Off the top, Sean and Katie chat about Grange's report about Siakam's future and the possibility that the Raptors could look to extend him sooner than later if they don't think a fair return is out there for him ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. Is that a good idea? Or would it be more of the same from a front office that could be excused of kicking the can down the road a little too liberally? Next, Sean and Katie dig into a listener question about whether the Raptors are running the risk of wasting Scottie Barnes' talent if they cash in their best players for middling returns. Lastly, they address a question about whether the Raptors' experience with Kyle Lowry a decade ago informs their current, patient approach to managing their core pl

In Episode 1533, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob (Sportsnet) to pick apart a all-too-familiar brand of loss for the Toronto Raptors against the New York Knicks on Monday night where the starting lineup once again got absolutely waxed in its time on the floor. Off the top, Sean and Vivek discuss the Raptors living out the real life definition of insanity, where they're hoping for different results despite rolling out the same ineffective rotation patterns that have cost them minutes and games countless times this season. Plus, some thoughts on the Raptors' defense, which right now lacks any sort of identity or stated goal. Next, they chat about what the Raptors do now that they're 9-14 with all kinds of uncertainty hanging over their short and long term future, and dig into how the cloud of doubt hanging over every game this team plays and loses has sapped any joy that could be found in watching the Raptors' play a whole bunch of ostensibly entertaining and close basketball games. Lastly, they run throug

In Episode 1532, Sean Woodley goes solo to dig into the Toronto Raptors' 119-116 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday in which the team's defense continued its recent slide, and the starters continued to be not very good. Off the top, Sean digs into the Raptors defense, why they seem to be underperforming compared to the raw defensive talent the roster boasts, and the areas where it feels like they've lost the rope a little bit in recent weeks as they've plummeted outside of the league's Top-10; they simply can't be good if their defense stinks! Next, Sean examines another rough night for the starters and pleads with Darko Rajakovic through a microphone to look at making a change to the starting unit after more than a month's worth of negative results now piling up. Lastly, Sean runs through The Good (Scottie Barnes' multi-faceted 31-10-10 night), The Bad (the end of the Ron Harper Jr. dream) and The Hmm (Precious Achiuwa rediscovering his three-point shot) to round out the show.Join us in the Discord! It'

In Episode 1531, Sean Woodley is joined by James Herbert (CBS Sports) to chat on the 10-year anniversary of the Rudy Gay trade that helped kickstart the greatest run of success in Toronto Raptors history. Off the top, Sean and James reflect back on the day of the trade and the run for the team that followed, with a special focus on the four guys the Raptors acquired from the Sacramento Kings: Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez, Chuck Hayes & John Salmons, all of whom contributed to the Raptors' turnaround in the 2013-14 season. Next, they dig into how the Gay trade and the aftermath informed how they each view team building today, and what the long-standing legacy of the deal is now that we have a decade's worth of distance from it. Lastly, Sean and James chat about the parallels between the 2013-14 Raptors and the 2023-24 Raptors, who boast similar fit issues and are looking at similar crossroads as a franchise.Come join us over on Discord! Today we're talking mostly about Shohei Ohtani definitely coming

In Episode 1530, Sean Woodley is joined by Jamar Hinds (Raptors Republic) to chat about a frustrating Toronto Raptors loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night that featured huge nights from Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. along with a big time fourth quarter by Scottie Barnes, but was spoiled by some baffling Dennis Schröder possessions and a slow-to-react Darko Rajakovic. Off the top, Sean and Jamar dig into why Schröder's fingerprints were all over the Raptors' issues in the final minutes, as his commandeering of the offense, brutal misses and really rough defense resulted in the Heat pulling away comfortably in the waning moments of the game. Next, they dig into the prolonged issues for the Raptors' starting lineup, which hasn't really done much good since the opening week of the NBA season. Is NOW the time for the change after hitting rock bottom? Sean and Jamar dig into why they'd move to start Gary Trent Jr. in place of Schröder, and the cascading positive effects that could have on the

In Episode 1529, Sean Woodley is joined by Katie Heindl (DIME, Basketball Feelings) to chat about what's at stake for the Toronto Raptors as the second quarter of their schedule gets rolling tonight against Kyle Lowry and the Miami Heat. Off the top, Sean and Katie chat about why these next 20 or so games are so important for a team that feels different in tone, but is very similar in record to the 2022-23 team that fell short of expectations. Ultimately, this mostly comes down to the decisions on Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby's futures and how they fit in with the burgeoning Scottie Barnes era of the franchise, and with the hard deadline imposed by their expiring serving as something of a deadline to decided with one, both or neither of them are part of the long term vision. Next, they dig into why Precious Achiuwa and Pascal Siakam are two players they've got their eyes fixed on during this upcoming stretch, with Precious still fighting to carve out a steady role with more reliable night-to-night play, and

In Episode 1528, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob (Sportsnet) to play a Toronto Raptor themed version of the beloved sleepover game, Would You Rather? First off, Sean and Vivek discuss and debate whether Dennis Schröder or Jakob Poeltl should get moved to the bench in the event head coach Darko Rajakovic shakes up his starting group on the heels of some recent struggles to open games. Next, they discuss whether they'd rather be the Raptors or Golden State Warriors over the next 3 to 5 years based on the different but equally confusing conundrums both franchises seem to be faced with as they each sit at 9-11 through 20 games. How does the Toronto Blue Jays pursuit of superstar Shohei Ohtani play into the answer? You'll have to tune in to find out! Lastly, with the official retirement of Raptors legend and Sean favourite Terrence Ross over the weekend, Sean lays out a not-at-all biased case for why he'd rather have Ross' NBA career, complete with memorable moments and a Dunk Contest win over the career of

In Episode 1527, Sean Woodley is joined by Oren Weisfeld (Sportsnet, Complex, The Internet) to chat about the Toronto Raptors' 119-106 loss to the New York Knicks on Friday night despite a strong showing from Scottie Barnes (29-9-4-5-1 on 13/19 and 3/7 from three). Off the top, Sean and Oren discuss why the Knicks' overwhelming depth and noted lack of bad players was a big differentiator between the two teams on Friday, while also diving into how the Raptors' aggressive coverages on Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson left the Raptors' exposed on the back end of some pretty lifeless defensive rotations. Next, they chat about the Raptors now that they've surpassed the 20-game mark on the season and whether this group has any capacity for growth, and what they've been surprised by so far through a quarter of the season. Can the bench get better? And is there room for the Raptors' defense to regain no-doubt Top-10 status? Lastly, Sean and Oren run through the Good (Jalen Brunson being very Kyle Lowry-like, Chris Bou

WOOPS! This show was meant to go out on Friday and was in drafts all weekend. Still good stuff, though! In Episode 1526, Sean Woodley goes solo to take stock of the 9-10 Toronto Raptors as they get set to play their 20th game of the season tonight. Off the top, Sean dives into the tale of the tape on the first 19 games, which includes some unsurprising outcomes for both their offense and defense compared to preseason expectations. Of course, though, Scottie Barnes' leap is the story of the season so far, which changes the context of the team in a pretty significant way while also making this year's version of the team significantly more watchable than the 2022-23 Raptors were. Next, Sean digs into what the first quarter of the year has told us about the Barnes-Pascal Siakam-OG Anunoby trio and its viability going forward. The path of least resistance may be to move on from Pascal at the deadline, but is that really the way to optimize the talent around Barnes for the long haul? The data is telling us those th

In Episode 1525, Sean Woodley goes solo to break down the Toronto Raptors' 112-105 win over Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns to snap the Suns' 7-game winning streak. Off the top, Sean digs into an impressive effort from Scottie Barnes who put the brakes on his recent slump with a killer second half, taking the baton from Pascal Siakam after his strong first half. This was the first option / second option dynamic you're looknig for as Barnes ascends to his station atop the team's hierarchy. Next, Sean chats about the other Raptors who chipped in lunch bucket efforts, from Dennis Schroder embodying the point guard role beautifully, to O.G. Anunoby going toe-to-toe with Kevin Durant, Jakob Poeltl simply never missing while providing a sturdy backbone for the defense, and Precious Achiuwa with a truly grimy effort on the boards. Lastly, Sean runs through the Good (a glorious sequence from the second quarter), the Bad (the Scottie with bench lineups, until they turned out to be Good), and the Hmmmm

In Episode 1524, Sean Woodley is joined by Katie Heindl (DIME, Basketball Feelings) to chat about the Toronto Raptors dropping their final In-Season Tournament game to the Brooklyn Nets 115-103 on Tuesday night. Off the top, they chat about a really poor performance from a starting unit that the Raptors simply can't afford to get poor performances from, and dig into how the Nets defense felt specifically designed to prevent the Raptors from getting to the spots they need to get to. Next, they chat about the Raptors' defensive slippage of late, especially in transition, and how the defense came entirely unspooled in the late going against Brooklyn when they went to Scottie Barnes at the five in the final four minutes. Plus, some Napoleon talk? Lastly, they dig into The Good (OG Anunoby's game-ending three, Chris Boucher's performance in not enough minutes), the Bad (washing out of the In-Season Tournament, bad gold quarter zips) and the Hmmmm (Scottie Barnes' recent slump, the Raptors never feeling part of the

In Episode 1523, Sean Woodley is joined by Vivek Jacob (Yahoo Sports Canada, Sportsnet) to chat about Toronto Raptors rookie Gradey Dick getting assigned to play some games with Raptors 905 in the G-League, and discuss the bigger picture work that still needs to be done to get the Raptors development pipeline back to its former glory, if it is at all possible. Off the top, Sean and Vivek chat about Gradey Dick's first couple 905 games, whether it was the right call to send him down to the G-League, and what he can stand to gain from playing for the team. Next, they chat about whether any progress has been made on repairing the pipeline between the G-League and the Raptors' big club, Eric Khoury's work as the team's head coach, and why some tempering of expectations needs to exercised by Raptors fans expecting the 905 to return to its former heights, during which they churned out and/or refined the games of all sorts of NBA talent at a time when they were one of the first teams really tapping into the G-League