2008-09 Record: 33-49

Last Season?s FIC Rank: -4.0, 21st

Key Additions: Jarrett Jack, Hedo Turkoglu, Marco Belinelli

Key Subtractions: Shawn Marion, Jason Kapono

Key Rookies: DeMar DeRozan

Probable Starters: Jose Calderon, Marco Belinelli, Hedo Turkoglu, Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani

Point Guard: After playing in all 82 games during the 2007-08 season, Jose Calderon missed 14 contests last year. Regardless of the time he missed, Calderon averaged career-highs in points (12.8), assists (8.9) and minutes per game (34.3). As Toronto?s best play-maker, he had a 41.0 assist percentage, which quantifies his chemistry with teammates Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani.

He isn?t an explosive scorer by any means, but is careful with the basketball and is extremely reliable at the foul-line. His defense is decent, although he is often beaten by faster point guards.

Jarrett Jack, the second point guard to go one way or the other between Toronto-Indiana in as many summers, will play plenty for the Raptors. He?s not as careful with the ball as Calderon, but his scoring capabilities are better. The combination of Calderon-Jack gives Toronto a very good duo, especially since neither takes too many risks.

In addition to Calderon and Jack, Hedo Turkoglu will handle the ball at times. He filled in as Orlando?s ball-handler often after Jameer Nelson went down last season and could be used by coach Jay Triano as a point-forward type.

Swingmen: The Raptors have a new stable of swingmen with Marco Belinelli (trade), DeMar DeRozan (rookie), Hedo Turkoglu (sign-and-trade) and Antoine Wright (trade) entering the mix. Quincy Douby and Sonny Weems will play on the wing as well, but their minutes will be limited by the team?s top-four options.

Belinelli never quite lived up to the billing in Golden State, but the European-friendly Raptors are hoping they?ll be able to get more out of him than the Warriors ever did. He?s a very good shooter (career 39.5% from distance) and should get more open looks in Toronto than he did with a less-talented cast in the Bay Area.

Turkoglu is obviously the biggest addition, coming to Toronto in a four-team sign-and-trade that occurred after the forward backed out of a deal with Portland. I?ve taken some heat on RealGM Radio for saying that I wouldn?t give Turkoglu $10 million annually, but his skill set and the Raptors? system are great matches for each other.

He brings great versatility to Toronto. Not only can he play multiple positions, but he can also score in a variety of ways. He can hit threes (38.5% for his career), free throws (80.1%), has a good mid-range jumper and can also attack the basket. He isn?t a poor defender, but 95% of any conversation about Turkoglu?s game will focus on his offense.

DeRozan is an interesting piece, especially since his role isn?t exactly clear-cut. Turkoglu could take a majority of the minutes at small forward, or even shooting guard, but Belinelli should have to show something significant in order to lock down a majority of the perimeter minutes over the rookie. The former Trojan is raw, but his potential may be higher than any other member of his class.

If Belinelli blossoms in Toronto, the three-man rotation of the Italian, the Turk and the American could help the Raptors climb near the top of the Eastern Conference.

Frontcourt: The biggest knock on Chris Bosh has always been his lack of strength, but he reportedly added between 15 and 20 pounds of muscle to his slender frame this summer. Assuming he maintains his fluidity, footwork and speed, he could be prepared for his best season yet.

The extra muscle will allow Bosh to bang inside against larger opponents more often, instead of relying on his superior footwork and speed around the basket. He has always had a decent mid-range game, but has improved in that aspect and can step out on the perimeter with regularity as he enters his seventh season. The added bulk will also help Bosh keep opponents from manhandling him in the paint on the other side of the ball.

His net points per 100 possessions last season was +12.0, a tribute not only to his status as one of the better big men in the league but also his importance to the Raptors. Fans in Toronto are hoping that the team will improve this season as Bosh explodes, in hopes that he?ll re-sign and the postseason will be an annual event.

Andrea Bargnani, who received an extension from the Raptors this summer, is Bosh?s partner in crime. He enjoyed his best season last year, including career-highs in points (15.4), rebounds (5.3), blocks (1.2), three-point shooting (40.9%), field-goal shooting (45.0%) and minutes (31.4).

He?s far from your typical big man, but his bag of tricks goes right along with general manager Bryan Colangelo?s love for the European game. The first overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Bargnani loves to shoot the basketball and is very athletic. More of a commitment to defense would be very beneficial to the Raptors, especially since they surrendered 110 points per 100 possessions, which put them in the bottom nine.

Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans, Rasho Nesterovic and Patrick O?Bryant will compete for minutes in Toronto?s rotation. Nesterovic, a familiar face, might have an edge, while Evans is one of the league?s best per-minute rebounders.

Forecast: Colangelo believes that the Raptors can be a 50-win team with home-court advantage in the postseason. That?s not out of the realm of possibility, but the club will have to gel quickly and their studs (Calderon, Turkoglu, Bosh and Bargnani) will have to remain healthy in order to have a shot. They?ll finish with around 45 wins, which should put them in the four-six range in terms of playoff seeding. They aren?t anywhere near the beasts of the East (Boston, Orlando and Cleveland), but there isn?t any reason why they can?t complete with or surpass the rest (Atlanta, Miami, Chicago and Philadelphia).


Andrew Perna is Deputy Editor of RealGM.com and co-host of RealGM's Radio Show. Please feel free to contact him with comments or questions via e-mail: [email protected]. You can also follow Andrew on Twitter: APerna7.