Team president Masai Ujiri called for sweeping changes to the Toronto RaptorsB次元官网网址� culture after last season came to a disappointing end. The foundations of those philosophical renovations will be laid this week at training camp in Vancouver.
Raptors team president Masai Ujiri and new head coach Darko Rajakovic spoke to media Monday in Toronto before the team caught a flight to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 west coast for a five-day training camp. Ujiri continued to preach about changing the teamB次元官网网址檚 culture throughout his 30-minute news conference.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檒l be no selfishness this year,B次元官网网址� said Ujiri, doubling down on his call for change after head coach Nick Nurse was fired April 21.
Ujiri and Rajakovic started rebuilding TorontoB次元官网网址檚 culture with a series of conversations with players in the off-season. Ujiri said the players were open to the constructive criticism, took accountability, and offered their own opinions.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 important that we communicate that from all levels of this team,B次元官网网址� said Ujiri. B次元官网网址淎nd also with coach Darko, he believes in the system and the style of play and weB次元官网网址檒l see when we start.B次元官网网址�
Rajakovic defined the kind of selfishness that Ujiri described and then offered a cure for it on the court.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 taking poor shots, itB次元官网网址檚 over-dribbling the ball; weB次元官网网址檙e going to try the complete opposite of that,B次元官网网址� said Rajakovic. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to try to move the ball more.
B次元官网网址淢e, generally, I never liked heavy iso style of basketball. I donB次元官网网址檛 think it can be winning on the highest level so I think my biggest thing is going to be to get guys to buy in that doing less is actually doing more.B次元官网网址�
Three significant Raptors contracts could expire at the end of this season: all-star Pascal Siakam, shooting guard Gary Trent Jr., and defensive stalwart OG Anunoby.
Rajakovic said he wasnB次元官网网址檛 worried about those players trying to maximize their personal stats while negotiating new deals, adding that they are B次元官网网址渢rue professionals.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淟ess does not mean less of the shots, less does not mean taking away from their game. Less means making quicker decisions and sharing the ball,B次元官网网址� said Rajakovic. B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day, the ball always finds the best players. TheyB次元官网网址檙e going to be in those situations no matter what.B次元官网网址�
Siakam led Toronto with 37.4 minutes and 24.2 points per game and ranked second on the team with 7.8 rebounds per game last season.
A veteran of the RaptorsB次元官网网址� 2019 NBA championship team, Siakam said he understood what Ujiri and Rajakovic were saying about selfish attitudes in 2022-23.
B次元官网网址淲e just have to have better chemistry and understand each other, play well off each other,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hen you see a lot of teams play, you understand what they do and you know how things happen and the way they follow through.
B次元官网网址淓veryone plays their role B次元官网网址� it has to be that way here.B次元官网网址�
The Raptors went 41-41 to finish last in the Atlantic Division and lose to the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament last season.
Nurse was fired nine days later when Ujiri made his original comments about changing the culture in the ensuing news conference.
Centre Jakob Poeltl, who was traded to Toronto at last seasonB次元官网网址檚 deadline, also wants to see a change in the teamB次元官网网址檚 dynamic.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e just got to figure out a way to enjoy playing together through the ups and downs,B次元官网网址� said Poeltl. B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 something we struggled with in the past where we had moments where it looked like we gelled, and everything was free-flowing, and we could beat the best teams in the league.
B次元官网网址淏ut through our down periods, we really struggled and completely changed the way we played basketball.B次元官网网址�
The Raptors open training camp in Vancouver on Tuesday.
Their first pre-season game is Sunday against the Sacramento Kings in Rogers Arena.
Toronto will host Cairns Taipans of AustraliaB次元官网网址檚 National Basketball League at Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 15 and visit Chicago on Oct. 17 before wrapping the pre-season at home Oct. 20 against the Washington Wizards.
