Raptors Finally Snap Skid But Young Core Quiet Vs Bulls

The Toronto Raptors snapped their losing streak but it was the players who won't be here long-term who led the way against the Chicago Bulls

For weeks now the Toronto Raptors have made it clear they’re focused on the future.

The Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby trades signaled a pivot into a new era and now Toronto’s development of Scottie Barnes is paramount to whatever happens this season. As Raptors coach Darko Rajaković has said repeatedly, nothing is more important than development.

But then out of nowhere, Rajaković seemed to flip.

“I’m not into moral victories. We’re playing this game to win games,” Rajaković told reporters Monday following practice.

Maybe he was just toeing the league line, forbidden from saying otherwise, let alone using the T word. But what’s really the goal for Toronto this year? Winning games on the backs of players who won’t be here long term or finding out what the future holds for a few of the young ones?

Tuesday's 118-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls was an awkward one for the Raptors if development is truly the top priority. Sure, it was a victory, but Toronto's long-term pieces were quiet or disappointing. It was those who probably won't be here next month or next season who led the way.

Take Gary Trent Jr., for example. The 24-year-old dropped 24 points on 9-for-15 shooting, but his days with the organization once again seem numbered with trade rumors swirling ahead of the trade deadline for the second straight year.

When Trent first arrived in Toronto there was this belief that maybe he had some untapped potential still to be unearthed but by now it’s increasingly hard to believe that’s still true. That’s not to say Trent can't fit in Toronto long-term if there’s a reasonable deal to be negotiated. He’s been lights out from three-point range this whole month and connected on six three-pointers including a clutch transition three to give Toronto a nine-point lead in the fourth.

Trent will have some value to someone both ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline and in the offseason. He’s a streaky scorer with a reliable three-point shot and players like that are useful. It’s just how useful and for a team like the Raptors that’s probably looking for more well-rounded players as they head into this new era, Trent’s one-dimensional scoring might be better utilized elsewhere.

Bruce Brown Jr.’s impressive 19-point performance Tuesday night seems even more meaningless, relatively speaking at least. He’s almost certainly to be moved at some point in the next 10 days as the most valuable of Toronto’s remaining trade chips. He helped Toronto erase a 16-point Bulls lead in the third thanks to a 10-point quarter. Later, he nailed a three-pointer to put Toronto up six early in the fourth, but what’s the value in a stellar performance from a player who clearly isn’t part of the future?

The most important performance was probably from Jordan Nwora who had back-to-back three-pointers late in the third including a four-point play as he impressed for the second straight night. He almost threw down a massive dunk over Dalen Terry but was fouled and couldn’t finish through contact. Nwora isn’t a certainty to be back next season by any means, but the 25-year-old forward at least will be with the organization through the end of the year with a chance to prove himself to the Raptors. He dropped 17 points on efficient 5-fo4-7 shooting.

For Toronto, the result was marred by how uninvolved Barnes was for large swaths of the night. He looked out of sorts going against Alex Caruso at times and never found much of a groove against the Bulls. He took an unnecessary 22-foot mid-range jumper early in the shot clock that wasn’t close and took an ill-advised 14-footer over Nikola Vucevic, again, settling for shots he has no business taking.

Barnes did have a crucial stop against DeMar DeRozan, helping on the double-team alongside Thad Young to force a costly turnover that gave Toronto a six-point lead in the fourth. He later found Young inside out of an isolation attempt against Vucevic to keep Toronto ahead with a minute to go.

It just never seemed entirely easy for Barnes who finished the night with 13 points on 4-for-14. 

Gradey Dick, meanwhile, was held scoreless in 20 minutes off the bench.

Considering how disappointing this recent stretch has been for Toronto, a win is a breath of fresh air. But if it's not with Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, or RJ Barrett leading the way, it's value certainly is diminished for an organization that can't really be focused on winning games this year.

Up Next: Houston Rockets

The Raptors will have their look at Fred VanVleet and the rebuilt Houston Rockets on Friday night when they face off against their former point guard at 8 p.m. ET.