"“Our philosophy has always been getting two-way players, and I think I said this summer we're in talent acquisition,” Webster said in his end-of-season media availability. “We still need more better players. There will be a time where it feels like, okay, this specific piece is what puts us over the top, but, no, I think this summer, whether it's the draft or free agency or trades, we'll be looking at the best two-way players available.”"
"To be a legitimate title contender, you can't just excel at one aspect of the game. You need to rank towards the top of the league in defensive and offensive ratings. All three of the last NBA champions finished the regular season as one of the best two-way teams in the league. The Thunder ranked third in offensive rating and first in defensive rating, the Celtics finished first and second, respectively, and the Nuggets had the fifth-best offensive rating and sixth-best defensive rating in 2023."
"The Raptors already have a top-five defense. So, they have to balance maintaining that defensive impact-or even improving it-with improving offensively, which makes it difficult to feel confident in bringing in an offensive savant who would be a weak link on defense."
Raptors plan to add talent this offseason to build on recent success while improving offensive production. GM Bobby Webster emphasizes acquiring two-way players through the draft, free agency, and trades. The team needs more offensive firepower but must preserve defensive tenacity and prowess. Title contenders typically rank near the top in both offensive and defensive ratings, and recent champions have been among the league’s best two-way teams. Raptors already have a top-five defense, so offensive additions must not create defensive weaknesses. The roster improvement approach also aims to avoid pushing all resources too early.
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