Young, Exciting, and Frustrating? Your 2005/2006 Toronto Raptors

With the pre-season behind them, the Raptors seem to have overcome much of the negative reaction towards this year’s draft and actually have many fans excited about the prospects for the team in the near future.

Not only are rookie forwards Charlie Villanueva and Joey Graham looking like very solid first round picks, but free agent pickup Jose Calderon could be the first true point guard the team has had in several years. Jose was one of the top point guards in Europe but is a rookie to the NBA game. And even the embattled Rafael Araujo, the big center picked in the first round last year, has shown signs of improvement after a good summer workout program.

With Chris Bosh, an emerging young superstar, as the centerpiece, the Raptors have a nice core of talent, which also includes fan favorite Matt Bonner, Morris Peterson, Jalen Rose, Eric Williams, Mike James and the return of the most beloved Raptor ever ? Alvin Williams.

On top of this, the team holds the rights to two exciting players currently playing in Europe, big man Uros Slokar and guard Roko Ukic.

Rebuilding brings the youth, energy, skill, and excitement fans crave, but will also likely deliver inexperience, inconsistency and frustration throughout this season. It could be a roller coaster of emotions. Fans with a vision to the future should enjoy watching the group of young players evolve and learn to play together this season. More casual fans who just want a winning record and the excitement of a playoff series may not enjoy this year as much, although the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference could be attainable for the Raptors.

The Eastern Conference

Miami and Detroit will both certainly challenge for the Eastern Conference title again this year. Don?t overlook the talent, depth, and coaching of Indiana, who are poised for a great season, after all the struggles with injuries and player suspensions following last season’s infamous “Brawl at the Palace.” These three teams are tested and proven.

Two other teams have improved themselves on paper, and look ready for breakout years. The Cleveland Cavaliers have surrounded LeBron James with great shooters and may be on the verge of playoff success. The New Jersey Nets have great talent on the perimeter and should also have a solid season. Both should make the playoffs if no significant injuries hit them but neither team would appear to have what it takes to truly compete with the three main contenders.

Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Washington should also make the playoffs but their talent is thin enough that one key injury could drop them out of the race entirely. So realistically, there are one or two spots left up for grabs with teams such as Chicago, New York, Boston, Toronto, and Orlando all fighting for the right to be beaten badly in a first round playoff series against a top Eastern club. At this point, there does not seem to be significant separation between any of these teams. Most will end up in the draft lottery next summer. The team that gets the best draft position may be the true winner among this group.

The Western Conference

The West is all about the San Antonio Spurs. They clearly have the best talent, most experience, and most capable coaching staff in the West. And with big question marks surrounding the next best teams from last year, Phoenix and Seattle, there just doesn?t appear to be a legitimate threat to knock off a healthy Spurs club. The Houston Rockets could be the wild card team in the West and get as high as the second seed if Phoenix struggles without Amare Stoudemire for several months.

If the Spurs struggle and somehow get upset in the playoffs, look for the East to regain the title. The Eastern teams are just more complete than any Western club other than the Spurs.






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