Deadline Day Shows the Raptors Remain Determined to find Success in Unorthodox Fashion

The Toronto Raptors are showing how far they're willing to push their unorthodox strategy with a victory over the Houston Rockets on trade deadline day

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster must have been smiling when the Toronto Raptors took the court Thursday night against the Houston Rockets.

It's not that the Raptors are better off without Fred VanVleet who was sidelined with left groin soreness he woke up with Thursday morning. That certainly isn't the case. But when VanVleet is out, Ujiri and Webster get to live out their crazy 6-foot-8 basketball fantasy. When the ball was thrown up Thursday in Houston, Toronto's starting lineup consisted of five players all between 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-8.

Heck, who needs anything else, the Raptors must think, having traded Goran Dragic and a lottery-protected first-round for Thad Young, you guessed it, a 6-foot-8 forward, and the Detroit Pistons' 2022 second-round pick. The organization has gone all-in on this philosophy, opting for versatility and switchability over the traditional. 

"I think Thad is pretty versatile," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said prior to Toronto's 139-120 victory over the Rockets, his team's eighth straight victory. "He’s a pretty good defender and has been around a little bit. He can finish around the basket, drive it, shoot it a bit, especially from the corners. He’s got some experience, which I think comes in handy. I think it proves some depth for us.”

It's depth at Toronto's deepest position, if the Raptors even have positions these days. Unable to fill their need for a backup point guard, backup shooting guard, or in the frontcourt, the Raptors opted for a player they'd had their eyes on for years, Webster said, and made Young their lone deadline addition.

On paper, having 11 players between 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-9 most of whom either have some trouble shooting, dribbling, or both is problematic. Frankly, it's already causing some problems for Toronto who hasn't been able to find Khem Birch any reliable playing time because of the way Chris Boucher and Precious Achiuwa are playing. But Nurse sees things differently. To him, talent is talent; play your best players and figure the rest out later.

"I would have probably thought sometimes when we roll out and start the quarter with Pascal, Scottie, Chris, Precious, and OG let’s say, you might say ‘What are we doing here?’ So far it looks a little strange and feels a little strange, but it’s been pretty productive," Nurse said. "They are kind of figuring it out. I’m hoping we can continue to do that. It’s a little unorthodox, but we don’t mind unorthodox."

Unorthodox is working for the Raptors. Even as the Eastern Conference takes steps forward with the teams surrounding Toronto — Cleveland, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Boston — all getting better, the Raptors remain comfortable in their identity. They've moved up to sixth in the conference and with Young replacing Dragic, they're, at the very least, better today than they were yesterday.

Trent Shows Why Raptors Deserve to Be Trusted

Anyone concerned about Ujiri and Webster's trading savviness need not look any further than Gary Trent Jr who Toronto acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers at last year's trade deadline. The 23-year-old guard has been everything Toronto could have dreamt of and more. Not only did he eclipse his season-high with 42 points, lighting up the scoreboard with 12 points in the first quarter and nine in the third, but Trent mixed in five steals and four assists, stats Toronto rarely saw from him last season.

Maybe the craziest part of the Trent transaction is it isn't even in Ujiri's top 3 best trades. 

Toronto Must Be Glad Boucher Stuck Around

The Raptors were reportedly in discussions to move Chris Boucher prior to the deadline and, according to Sportsnet's Amy Audibert, the 29-year-old Canadian thought he was going to be moved Thursday. The deal, however, fell through and Nurse must be thrilled.

Boucher continues to be a pillar of consistency off the bench for the Raptors. He's totally flipped his season around and is doing exactly what Toronto is asking of him. Against Houston, he dropped 16 points with five rebounds.

Siakam Remains Pretty Good

All the deadline news pushed aside the fact that Pascal Siakam cannot be stopped right now. He remains absolutely deadly attacking the rim, blowing past Rockets defenders with ease just one night after he took the Thunder to task for their lax defense. His 21-point second quarter gave way to a 30-point performance before fouling out late in the fourth.

Up Next: Denver Nuggets

The Raptors will return home where Young will join the team ahead of Saturday night's game against the Denver Nuggets at 7:30 p.m.