Was Lou Williams the reason the Raptors lost their edge?
Not only did the Toronto Raptors not re-sign Lou Williams, they didn't even make the reigning Sixth Man of the Year an offer. Given how well Williams performed in Toronto, not to mention his popularity in the locker room, this was a bit of a surprise. So why did the Raptors let Williams walk? The reasons aren't wholly clear, but Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun thinks it had something to do with the Raptors lack of grit last season.
"Two years ago, there was a scrappy nature to the Raptors that seemed to go missing this season. They had more offence this year — and Williams certainly contributed to that coming off the bench — but they couldn’t defend, not the way Casey or Ujiri wanted them to defend. ... if you’re not Lou Williams and you try to emulate Lou Williams, you might lose a little of yourself in the process."
It'd be foolhardy to lay all of the blame at Williams' feet, but Simmons does have a point in saying that Williams was never known for his defense. In an effort to rediscover their identity, the Raptors let one of their most popular players go.
(h/t Toronto Sun)
Photo credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
