Basketball Island

It's report card time for the Raptors! With the second half of the NBA season about to begin, it's the perfect time to give out mid-season grades for each member of the team. Has Scottie Barnes exceeded expectations so far? How has Brandon Ingram looked in his first year in Toronto? How can Immanuel Quickley improve his final grade? Hein, Wes, Hambone and Fab break it all down.

It's been a good season overall for the Toronto Raptors... but they still can't seem to take down the best teams in the NBA, particularly in the Eastern Conference. Why do the Raps struggle against elite teams? Will they remain top-6 or fall back in the Play-In Tournament? What can they do to improve their roster? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab try to answer these three burning questions. 

THE NBA TRADE DEADLINE HAS OFFICIALLY PASSED! Did the Raptors do enough to boost their roster? Was passing on a big move the right approach? How will Trayce Jackson-Davis fit in? Which team won the deadline? Hein, Fab, Wes and Hambone discuss it all.

GIANNIS TO THE TORONTO RAPTORS? Trade rumors are once again swirling as the Bucks are looking to potentially trade Giannis Antetokounmpo. Would the two-time MVP fit with Raptors? Who would Toronto have to give up in a trade? Does Domantas Sabonis make any sense? Why can't the Raps beat the Knicks? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab discuss it all on the latest episode of Basketball Island.

Despite dealing with some injuries, the Toronto Raptors have strung together some wins on their western conference road trip. However, it's hard not to think big picture with the trade deadline approaching. Should the Raptors look to make a big move? Would Domantas Sabonis be a good fit? Time to buy low on Ja Morant? How about Anthony Davis? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab share their thoughts on a pot...

The Raptors showed fight in a comeback overtime win against the 76ers on Sunday, but they followed it up with a 13-point loss in Monday's rematch. Does this Raptors team have playoff level toughness? What's going on with Jakob Poeltl's injury? What's your favourite Kyle Lowry moment? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab break it all down. 

Trade winds are blowing again! Hawks point guard Trae Young is on the trading block and the Toronto Raptors have been rumored as a potential destination. But with the Raptors slowly finding their identity, is it a good idea to bring him into the mix? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab discuss why they're against a Young trade, while also diving into the Raptors recent success.

This Toronto Raptors season has been a roller coaster! After a blowout loss to the Wizards, the Raps bounced back with comeback wins against the Warriors and Magic. Have they discovered a new identity as of late? How can Immanuel Quickley be deployed better? Should we be concerned with Jakob Poeltl's back injury? Hein, Fab, Hambone and Jevohn Shepherd discuss it all. 

Remember that winning streak? This season started off so promising for the Toronto Raptors... but after tough losses to the Celtics and Nets, things are looking bleak again. What's the Raptors biggest issue at the moment? Should the team regret trading OG Anunoby? Which NBA Christmas Day game are you looking forward to the most? Hein, Hambone and Fab discuss that and more. 

THE LOSING STREAK IS FINALLY OVER! However, that doesn't mean the Toronto Raptors shouldn't look to improve. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis have been rumored as potential trade options, but who are the more realistic targets? Hein, Wes, Fab and Hambone explore hypothetical trades for a back up center and discuss the Raptors win over the Heat on Monday.

The Raptors are out of the NBA Cup and have now lost 4 straight and 6 of their last 7. How does Toronto right the ship and how much of this losing streak is due to the absence of RJ Barrett? Fab, Hambone, Hein and Wes discuss the NBA Cup loss and more.

SCOTTIE BARNES HAS ARRIVED! The Raptors ended a two-game losing streak with a clutch win over the Trail Blazers on Tuesday and Barnes was a big reason why. Does he have a chance to win Defensive Player of the Year? How much are the Raps missing RJ Barrett? How important is Jakob Poeltl? Hein, Wes, Fab and Hambone discuss that and more.

THE VIBES COULDN'T BE HIGHER! The Raptors have won eight straight games and 12 of their last 13. The Pistons are the only team with a better record in the eastern conference. How far can this team go? Is Brandon Ingram a top five wing in the east? Which Canadian NBA player has impressed you the most? Wes, Jevohn, Hambone and Fab discuss that and more.

The Raptors are officially on fire! Toronto has won eight of their last nine games and sit third place in the Eastern Conference entering Tuesday's NBA slate. Has Brandon Ingram made them a legit top 6 team? Is Scottie Barnes playing at an All-NBA level? Can we expect this success to continue in the foreseeable future? Hein, Wes, Fab and Hambone discuss that and more. 

After a questionable start to the season, the Raptors have won five of their last six to improve to 6-5 through 11 games. Is this team actually good? What have we learned so far? Is Toronto a lock to win their NBA Cup group? Should Jaylen Brown be bald and proud? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab discuss that and more. 

Things seemed pretty dark up north in the midst of the Raptors losing streak, but it looks like they've steadied the ship with three straight wins. How much of Toronto's recent success is sustainable? Have RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes taken a leap? Can they continue to defend at a high level? Hein, Wes, Fab and Hambone discuss that and more on this week's episode of Basketball Island. 

The Raptors have lost three straight games since their opening night win against the Hawks... and it hasn't been pretty on the defensive end. Why is Toronto struggling to guard so much? Who's to blame and where do they go from here? Does Darko Rajakovic need to shake up his lineups? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab try to wrap their head around Toronto's slump. 

It's only one game... but the Raptors exceeded opening night expectations with a convincing win over the Hawks. What was the most impressive part about the victory? Can the Raptors sustain this throughout the season? Is Victor Wembanyama about to take over the league? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab discuss. 

The start of the NBA season is less than a week away! Our friends at FanDuel have the Raptors regular season win total set at 39.5... but will they go over or under once it's all said and done? Hein, Fab, Hambone and Wes discuss Toronto's outlook and the amount of games they will win. They also highlight some of their best futures bets at FanDuel to consider. 

Toronto Raptors fans finally got a sneak peak of the team in Monday's pre-season game against the Nuggets. However, many questions still need to be answered as we approach the regular season. Will this team make the playoffs? How does the starting five fit together? How much pressure is on head coach Darko Rajakovic? Hein, Hambone, Wes and Fab are here to tell you. 

Basketball Island is BACK! The 2025-26 NBA Regular Season tips off in less than a month and expectations for the Raptors have changed drastically compared to last year. Is Toronto finally ready to go back to the playoffs? The crew sat down with Gradey Dick, Collin Murray-Boyles and Brandon Ingram at Raptors media day to find out more. 

Well... the Masai Ujiri era is over after 12 years in Toronto. What is the state of the Raptors without him moving forward? Is this team good enough to compete in the Eastern Conference next season? Who were the biggest winners and losers of free agency? Hein, Wes, Fab and Hambone break everything down. 

With the 9th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select... Collin Murray-Boyles! How will the South Carolina forward fit into the Raptors rotation? Will Masai Ujiri and the front office shake up the roster? Who were the biggest winners and losers of the draft? Hein, Wes, Fab and Hambone break it all down. 

Who doesn't love Raptors trade speculation? It started with Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors a few weeks ago... but now Kevin Durant has entered the fray. Should Toronto try to trade for Durant? Would the basketball fit make any sense? Can the Pacers come back to win the NBA Finals with a hampered Tyrese Haliburton? Wes, Fab and Hambone break it all down.

An Oklahoma City tornado tried to stop them... but the Basketball Island crew would not be denied. Hein, Hambone and Jevohn Shepherd break down Pacers vs. Thunder in the NBA Finals with help from our friends at FanDuel. They also dive into Giannis Antetokounmpo/Toronto Raptors rumors and the firing of former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau.