The Raptors are one of the most interesting teams in the NBA entering the 2022-23 season.
They made some important additions in the offseason, but the Raptors are mostly running it back with the same roster as last season that won 48 games and earned the No. 5 seed.
Where will that place them in a now stacked Eastern Conference? The answer hinges on a number of things.
From what's next for Scottie Barnes to how likely they are to make a trade, here are the 10 questions that will define the 2022-23 season for the Raptors.
MORE: The Raptors are primed to shock the Eastern Conference — again
10 burning questions that will define the Raptors' season
Will Scottie Barnes make the All-Star team?
Take a deep breath, Raptors fans.
Yes, there's a world in which Barnes adds to his bag, jacks his scoring up over 20 points per game, flourishes as a legit do-everything one-through-four presence on both ends and continues to be an ahead-of-the-curve developmental marvel.
But asking Barnes to crack the All-Star threshold in a crowded Eastern Conference frontcourt pool featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Pascal Siakam, Bam Adebayo and Khris Middleton feels a notch too optimistic.
So, no, Barnes probably won't make the cut.
The East is loaded, and whether the coaches actually vote Barnes in is almost immaterial. Raptors fans have every right to expect another leap toward superstardom, a leap which, by the way, could very well manifest itself over the entire 82-game schedule.
Especially as Barnes is still finding his bearings on the heels of a minor ankle injury that shut him down for three weeks ahead of training camp, a slow start shouldn't come as much of a surprise, nor should it temper enthusiasm.
Ultimately, the version of Barnes that shows up come playoff time in April is far more significant than whether he shows up in Salt Lake City as an All-Star.
— Micah Adams (@micahadams13)
MORE: How Scottie Barnes is playing copycat with Kevin Durant
Will Pascal Siakam become a top-15 player?
Siakam says his goal is to be a top-five player, but cracking the top 15 will be difficult enough.
TSN's Steph Noh ranked the top 30 players in the NBA entering the 2022-23 season and had Siakam 24th. The usual suspects were ahead of him — you know, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, etc. — plus the likes of Chris Paul, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Donovan Mitchell.
Defensively, Siakam is already up there with some of the best at his position. He's pretty disruptive, and he checks out as one of the NBA's more versatile defenders. He's made tremendous strides offensively almost every season he's been in the league, but he's still not quite at the level of some of the players he's looking to surpass.
Will he get to that level this season? Time will tell, but it would change Toronto's outlook in a big way if he does.
One thing in particular to watch: Siakam's 3-point shooting off the dribble. He has gone from making 34.0 percent of his pull-up 3-point attempts in 2019-20 to 23.7 percent in 2020-21 and 25.7 percent in 2021-22. That's going to be an important shot for him as he looks to climb the best player rankings.
— Scott Rafferty (@crabdribbles)
Can Fred VanVleet replicate his career year?
It won't be a walk in the park, but there's a pretty clear path for VanVleet to at least replicate the production he put forth during the 2021-22 season.
VanVleet was awesome last season, finishing the year with career-best numbers of 20.3 points, 6.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game, all while averaging 37.9 minutes. What the numbers don't illustrate is that a knee injury sustained in the second half of the season severely limited VanVleet's production. He was a shell of himself during the season's stretch run.
If a cold finish to the season caused VanVleet's numbers to regress to the mean, then the mean is still pretty impressive.
It's typical training camp fodder, but VanVleet has said that he's entering this season feeling great physically and much more in tune with what his body needs with respect to maintenance, rest and recovery.
With Siakam looking to take his game up another notch, it will elevate those around him and likely make things easier for them, too. Let's not forget that VanVleet's hot start last season came without Siakam by his side.
It's been some time since both Siakam and VanVleet have clicked simultaneously, but it could make for a scary result and, yes, another career year for "Steady Freddy."
— Gilbert McGregor (@GMcGregor21)
MORE: Why a healthy, improved duo of Siakam and VanVleet can be scary for the East
Who will win the backup point guard minutes?
Look, I don't know who will get the backup point guard minutes. But I know who should, and that's Dalano Banton.
I was lucky enough to call the FIBA Americas and got a chance to see what a team looks like with Banton running the show. Throughout the tourney, I learned one thing: Banton improved with the requisite playing time he received.
The spotlight was on Banton to produce as the only NBA player on Canada's roster, and he delivered, helping his team finish fourth at the event while making the tournament All-Star five.
If the Raptors want to know what they have in Banton, this is the season to find out. He's too good for the G League, where he averaged 24.1 points, 8.9 boards and 5.9 assists while shooting 51.1 percent last season. It's time to find out if he can hack it in the NBA, so head coach Nick Nurse is going to have to let him play, make mistakes and learn from them in consistent minutes all season long.
If Banton is nailed to the bench for an extended period of time, we'll leave this season with the same questions we have right now.
— Carlan Gay (@TheCarlanGay)
Did the Raptors solve their bench issues?
The Raptors had the lowest-scoring bench in the NBA last season.
Not one of the lowest. The lowest. Toronto might have a low-scoring bench again, but it shouldn't be dead last in the league.
Otto Porter Jr. was an important pickup in the offseason, giving the Raptors a sharpshooter with championship experience. Christian Koloko might not be ready to contribute immediately, but he fills a need as a rim-running center. Both Dalano Banton and Malachi Flynn are still young, but there's reason to believe at least one of them will pop this season.
Then there's Precious Achiuwa, who is a solid Most Improved Player candidate. If what we saw at the end of last season was real, the Raptors could have some real firepower off their bench this season.
That sound you just heard was the starters breathing a huge sigh of relief.
— Rafferty
Will Precious Achiuwa take a leap?
Yes, and I say that with confidence.
When the Raptors got Achiuwa in the sign-and-trade deal that sent Kyle Lowry to Miami, it immediately felt like the now 23-year-old was heading to an organization that could maximize his talents. It didn't take very long for that idea to come to fruition, as Nurse started to utilize Achiuwa in ways we never saw during his rookie season with the Heat.
Achiuwa became a jack-of-all-trades for the Raptors, defending inside and out, bringing the ball up the floor off rebounds and even taking (and making!) 3-pointers. He started to show his potential that made him a first-round selection in 2020, and it's evident that Achiuwa was just scratching the surface last season.
After a full season and offseason under his belt, I believe this is the year we will see Achiuwa really start to make a major impact on both ends of the floor in every game.
He'll likely still come off the bench, but I can't wait to see Nurse deploy Achiuwa in creative ways, playing him everywhere from the three to the five. His freedom and long(er) leash in Toronto will be the best thing for his development as a prospect.
— Kyle Irving (@KyleIrv_)
Is this the season for O.G. Anunoby?
Ah, yes. We've arrived at the annual Anunoby question.
Raptors president Masai Ujiri is expecting Anunoby to make a "big jump" in 2022-23, and Nurse is certainly open to the idea of him playing a bigger role in the offense. The 25-year-old's scoring numbers have gone up every season of his career, so it wouldn't be shocking to see him take another step forward.
And yet, it's difficult to envision Toronto giving the keys to Anunoby that often because of the talent on this roster. Barnes will handle the ball more as a sophomore. Siakam is an All-NBA player firmly in his prime. VanVleet is coming off a career year. Gary Trent Jr. and Achiuwa will be involved as well.
And we can't ignore the injury history. Anunoby's list is long, and he has only logged a total of 91 games in the last two seasons. You can put some of those injuries in the "bad luck" category, but that is a lot of wear and tear on a young body.
Anunoby is a terrific 3-and-D wing, the kind of player any team would love to have. If the Raptors are going to make noise in the East, he will have to be part of the equation.
Still, I'm going to lean toward Anunoby being solid rather than spectacular. (I'll catch you here next year for the same question.)
— Jordan Greer (@jordangreer42)
Is Nick Nurse the best Coach of the Year dark horse pick?
Not only is Nurse the best dark horse pick, but he also might be the best pick... period.
I don't really understand why Nurse is so far down the list of odds to win, as low as 10th in some places. While the Raptors might have a limited playoff ceiling simply factoring in top-shelf talent and the lack of a bonafide MVP candidate, they should be an incredible regular season team.
And this is a regular season award. So, while the road to the NBA Finals still likely goes through Milwaukee, Boston and Philadelphia, the Raptors are a deep and funky bunch that's difficult to plan for during a long season. Factor in the NBA's best home-court advantage, and Nurse's squad has all the makings of one that will likely shock some pundits.
Compared to his counterparts, Nurse is right there.
Chris Finch could turn Minnesota into a West contender, but there are lots of teams to leapfrog. Tyronn Lue's Clippers could be the class of the West, but Kawhi Leonard is likely the driving factor there. Taylor Jenkins and the Grizzlies won't surprise anyone after coming out of the pack as last year's breakout team. Darvin Ham will be a popular pick, but the Lakers' success will come down to the health of LeBron James and Anthony Davis far more than the rookie coach's clipboard.
Erik Spoelstra, Jason Kidd, Joe Mazzulla... go on down the list and you'll struggle to find anyone with as much of a clear roadmap as Nurse.
You heard it here first: Nick Nurse will win the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year award. In the words of Maui, you're welcome... and thank you.
— Adams
Will the Raptors hit the over on their regular season win total?
The Raptors' current over/under win total at Caesars Sportsbook is 47.5. Even though Toronto won 48 games last season, I think it goes under this year.
The Raptors are going to be a playoff team in the East. I like their chances of finishing in the top six again to avoid the Play-In Tournament, too. But with the conference getting tougher, I could see them going 45-37 or 46-36.
Teams like the Cavaliers and Hawks got better. The Nets should have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving available much more than they did last year, and Ben Simmons' return could result in a higher ceiling for that team.
Factoring in all of those things makes me feel like Toronto may slide to the No. 6 seed, and Chicago finished sixth with a 46-36 record last season.
That feels like the right range for the Raptors this season.
— Irving
Will the Raptors make a trade?
I'll let ESPN's Brian Windhorst answer the final question.
"The Toronto Raptors will be a spoiler in the Eastern Conference. ... Everybody ticks off teams that they think will win the East. Nobody talks about the Raptors," Windhorst recently told his "NBA Today" colleagues. "And the Raptors are primed to make a midseason trade. My hot take is watch out for the team north of the border to create some havoc in the East this year."
It's safe to say that Ujiri will find his way into the conversation if a disgruntled star is considering a change. The Raptors were attached to big offseason targets like Durant and Deandre Ayton, but both players ended up back where they started.
Even if a huge name isn't available, though, I expect Toronto to pull off a deal that improves their chances of making a deep postseason run.
— Greer
