USATSI

The Toronto Raptors have had an eventful offseason. Though they were able to re-sign guard Fred VanVleet to a new four-year, $85 million deal, they also lost a couple of key frontcourt contributors in Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol. Ibaka signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency, while Gasol joined the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Raptors did add Aron Baynes and Alex Len to help fill the void left by the departures of Gasol and Ibaka, but both will still be missed in Toronto. 

While several other teams in the Eastern Conference vastly improved their rosters over the offseason, the Raptors will enter the 2020-21 NBA season looking a lot like the same team they were last season, but with a slightly less formidable frontcourt. As such, many are wondering where exactly the Raptors will fall in the East's pecking order, and if they should still be considered a contender. Despite such speculation, VanVleet, who has become one of the faces of the franchise, is excited about the Raptors as currently constructed. He thinks they're being overlooked, like they were prior to their Kawhi Leonard-led run to a championship in 2019, and he doesn't mind playing the underdog role. 

"I'm excited about what we've got," VanVleet said of the Raptors, via via ESPN. "I think we're kind of headed back in the direction of where we were pre-Kawhi [Leonard], where people are overlooking us again, which is not a bad place to be in. ... We've got a lot of work to do and we've got to get a lot better as individuals, and then we'll go out there and see what we can do. I'm excited. I can't wait to get back to work."  

Now that he has a fresh, four-year deal with Toronto, VanVleet has a long list of personal goals that he would like to accomplish, but winning another title is paramount to him. 

"All of the individual accolades that you could ever think of -- though I don't really share those publicly because that's not what I'm into -- but I've got a lot on the table that I want to get done," VanVleet said. "But now I'm just locked in on that next championship. That feeling of winning a championship, it trumps anything I've ever done in my life, in my career. Besides my kids, that's right up there, as far as personal journeys and accomplishments that you can make. ... So trying to chase that next championship, that's what I'm locked in on."

The Raptors will face a unique disadvantage in the coming season, as they will be forced to play their home games in Tampa, Florida because of travel restrictions put in place by the Canadian government in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This comes after the Raptors just spent several months in the league's bubble in Orlando. So, while they will obviously miss the friendly confines of Scotiabank Arena, at least they have some experience when it comes to playing away from home. 

"Once we knew that Toronto was up in the air, as far as us being able to return, I was just happy it was somewhere warm," VanVleet said of playing in Florida. "Hopefully we'll spend our time there and doing what we've gotta do and then make our way back to Toronto at some point, obviously respecting all of the COVID guidelines. Health and safety comes first. So obviously, we miss our fans and we can't wait to get back to them."

While many teams in the East will have to work on developing chemistry early in the season as they incorporate new pieces, the fact that the Raptors are bringing back largely the same squad as last season should work in their favor and help them hit the ground running in what projects to be a competitive conference.