Raptors Coach Shares Expected Timeline For Toronto's Rebuild

The Toronto Raptors are hopeful this rebuild will only take two to three years before the organization is once again looking competitive among the league's best

Apr 12, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, center, directs his team during the second half against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports | Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors don't want this rebuild to drag on.

The plan is to be patient, Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said in a recent Serbian interview with Mozzart Sport, but Toronto wants to be competitive again in the next two to three years.

Rajaković's comments echo those of team president Masai Ujiri who preached patience in the days following the organization's decision to trade Pascal Siakam earlier this year.

“A normal rebuild with other teams takes five, six years. Do we have the patience for that?" Ujiri said at the time. "Do we have the patience for three to five years building of our team? Some way, somehow we are going to have to have patience."

Toronto has so far shown no indication the organization plans to tank in 2024-25 despite losing its first-round pick this year to the San Antonio Spurs. The plan, Ujiri said, is to evaluate how the start of the season goes before making any decisions on how Toronto should proceed.

Rajaković said the hope for Toronto is to continue to build around Scottie Barnes with other similarly aged players in their early 20s that will allow the Raptors to grow together over the next few seasons.

Toronto already has the 23-year-old RJ Barrett, 24-year-old Immanuel Quickley, and 20-year-old Gradey Dick surrounding Barnes, and the Raptors view their two draft picks this year as another opportunity to augment the core with young talented players, Rajaković said.

The Raptors view this draft as a little more unpredictable than other drafts, Rajaković said. The players at the top of the draft are relatively similarly skilled to those going later in the first round which could create an opporunity for Toronto to nab a valuable role player at No. 19.