It's officially "wait until next season" for the Toronto Raptors.
After finishing the 2024-25 regular season with a 30-52 record and not making the play-in tournament for the second straight year, the Raptors turn their focus to next season.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic said he is happy with what he has seen from his young players.
“They are creating good habits of playing unselfishly, and this is the second year in a row that we beat the franchise record in assists, which I’m very proud of,” he said.
The Raptors traded back in February with the New Orleans Pelicans for small forward Brandon Ingram, a young star in the NBA. In return, the Raptors gave up two players and two draft picks.
The objective was to team up Raptors all-star Scottie Barnes with another dynamic scorer. This past season, he averaged 22 points per game.
Ingram has not played since Dec. 7, 2024, when he sprained his ankle against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but said he is trending in the right direction.
“Last few weeks, I have been on the floor, in the weight room every morning, just having a consistent routine. Things are trending in the right way, so just continuing to do workouts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Raptors' president Masai Ujiri said his aim for the Raptors has not changed since he started working for the team.
“The goal is always a championship," he said. "We will win another one here, and that is how I feel inside. Every day I wake up, I sleep, I drink, I eat, is to come and try to win. You know, nothing else,” Ujiri said.
He said a key to rediscovering the path to victory will be the June 25-26 draft in New York, followed by the free agency frenzy where players can move by signing new contracts, all to create powerhouse teams that can win a championship.
But Ujiri understands that many athletes do not like playing in Canada because it's outside of the United States.
“We are not going to hide under tables because a player does not want to come here or what anybody’s perception of this market is," he said. "We are the only team in the NBA that is international, and it is a unique opportunity, and it's going to be an incredibly unique opportunity in the years to come.”
Ujiri believes this summer might be different.
The Raptors do not have the cash to sign key free agents, but Ujiri said something is cooking for the summer.
“I can guarantee you there are many unique opportunities that are going to come up in July, and we have to look at all of them,” he said.
Ujiri said he saw Barnes' growth off the court as a 23-year-old athlete.
“One thing I challenged with Scottie, and he challenged himself with this year, was becoming the leader because he is not shy about that. We have put this on him, and he has taken it with pride,” he said.
Since becoming the face of the Raptors, Barnes said as much as he is excited about the rebuild, he wants to win now, and is tired of missing playing the game when it matters most.
“I expect us to do good for sure next season. Getting into the playoffs and making a great run with the team that we have, there are no excuses,” he said.
