STRENGTHS: The two best offseason moves were acquiring Hedo Turkoglu in a sign-and-trade and signing guard Jarrett Jack ... Turkoglu is one of the NBA’s top clutch players, who showed his versatility in helping Orlando reach the NBA Finals ... Jack can play either guard position and will be a fixture on both ends of the court ... Point guard Jose Calderon is a great decision maker and has led the league in assist-to-turnovers the past two years ... Expect Calderon and Jack to play together at times in the backcourt ... Chris Bosh remains one of the top players in the NBA ... So consistent, Bosh can be penciled in for 22 points and 10 rebounds ... Forward Reggie Evans, acquired from Philadelphia, gives Toronto some needed toughness ... First-round pick DeMar DeRozan is an athletic wing player who could see immediate playing time ... Swingman Antoine Wright could be an underrated acquisition who is more of a defensive player ... Center Andrea Bargnani (15.4 ppg) should continue to make strides ... Despite being a 7-footer, he has more of a perimeter game ... The Raptors led the league in free throw shooting and should again as long as Evans doesn’t get to the line too much ... Marco Belinelli, who never developed in Golden State, could give the Raptors yet another perimeter threat ... The acquisition of Amir Johnson provides depth and athleticism in the frontcourt.
WEAKNESSES: The Raptors still may rely too much on the perimeter game and not get enough inside scoring ... With so many new players, it may take time for everybody to get used to one another ... Even with the addition of Evans, the Raptors’ toughness will still be questioned ... The Raptors remain a below average defensive team, although coach Jay Triano says defending will be a high priority.
PROJECTION: 2nd in the Atlantic Division / 5th in the Eastern Conference
PROJECTED STARTERS
PG Jose Calderon - The steady Spanish point guard should look fresher after taking the summer off. Toronto doesn't need him to score much, which is good.
SG Antoine Wright - No star, but a pretty well-rounded wing player. Will compete for playing time with Marco Belinelli, Jarrett Jack and the rookie DeRozan.
SF Hedo Turkoglu - The do-it-all Turkish forward can be a great addition. Consistently good in crunch time situations. Not that young anymore.
PF Chris Bosh - All-Star skills. Bulked up during the offseason to be more of an inside presence for the Raptors. Should be dominant in the paint.
C Andrea Bargnani - Must build on last year's late-season surge. No question about his talent and shooting skills, but he needs to show more competitive fire.
sixth man - Jarrett Jack - Heady playmaker that will probably spend time on the court at the shooting guard spot along with Calderon. Nice pickup by Toronto.
http://hoopshype.com/previews/toronto.htm