As we approch Day 1 of the NBA season, it is hard to get in the swing of reading all the news going on with the Toronto Raptors. Go away from the computer for a day and they go out and sign every guy older than dirt. Short of the signing of Aaron Gray, it seems the Raptors are just filling the roster with guys that don’t matter just to get the season over. It looks like they just want to be able to fill a bench and have a full practice. Not win games.

And for one, I am happy with that.

This season is already short and for the Raptors it will be a lost season.

Going in, we all know they are going to be bad. We know they are going to lose a lot of games. But that is the way they need to go to get better long term.

They need to change the culture with youth who want to play hard and play defense.

Think the Raptors are a major long shot to win games. Online betting site TopBet.com thinks so, listing them at the bottom of the list in terms of odds.

Hiring Casey is the first step but there is still a mile or two to go.

I have always said, Toronto fans can handle losing, what they can’t stand is players not working their ass off every night.

This bunch under Casey is gonna work. They have youth and they have athletes. By losing and getting high draft picks, they can keep adding to that.

Next season’s draft should be stocked and the free agent market will be better.

This season is all about a change in the right direction. Losing for the greater good. It will be ugly to watch but as long as their is a plan and progress is made, I think Raptors fans can deal.

This is the season where DeMar DeRozan takes another step and becomes the team’s go to guy. This is the season where Ed Davis fights for and takes a starting role. This is the season where Andrea Bargnani rebounds. Okay, I went one to far there.

This season is the stage setter for fighting for a playoff spot. You can’t rush it when you are a small market team. You can’t throw money at it and fix the situation. You need to go through the pains of losing and hope you have management that knows how to make the right choices to improve.

I can only assume all the vets that are being brough in are to not only share a few minutes of game time, but to teach and mentor the youth. The Big Cat is past his prime no doubt but he can certainly offer a few tricks to Ed Davis and Amir.

I am braced for a painful season but with every loss, I will actually be happy. No point fighting to be 10th in the Conference. That gets you nowhere. You are either in the playoffs or you want to be last.

The only good news is fans only need to endure a short season of losing before we can start building that future again.

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