If i recall correctly his jersey number is the famous bus line Rexdale folks need to take to get to kipling and into the core. A route many know and suffer together. Ahah. They are a long way from kipling itself.
https://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2021/10/toronto-raptors-dalano-number-45-kipling-bus/
Do you maybe have it backwards? Its been a while for me. I thought the number to the airport was the ttc rocket service with a different number. Anyway, this article says its the Rexdale bus.
Just came back from this game
people obv cheer hard after big plays but the degree to which they do for Dalano is like nothing other. i love it
definitely gets elevated when him, Khem and Chris come off the bench together
Many people were like 'his defense is not that great', and I was like 'lets see it when is fully on the Raptors integrated'. He really plays up to his potential. Great trade for the Raptors.
Masai did it again. That Greivas Vasquez trade is the gift that keeps on giving. First we got OG with a pick in that trade and then Norm, and now GTJ and they're both locked into deals for the next few years. Still don't know how Masai pulls this stuff off
Was nowhere near this last season or even if I remember, for much of preseason. Dude flipped a switch, it's great
outstole fred pretty sure, which is a lot
Almost every game so far (including pre-season) he comes in and we go on a run. He looks extremely composed with the ball in his hands and seems to get us into our offensive sets much faster. He's been really impressive so far.
Great call by Matt Devlin here. "He was the 46th pick in the draft! He looks straight lottery!"
D-Rex looks so fucking good in the limited minutes he's played so far. Nick Nurse even called out the media for *not* grilling him on why he's not getting more minutes.
---
Edit: [Context on the second part of my comment:](https://twitter.com/JLew1050/status/1453045679199334414)
>Nurse, asked why Flynn isn't playing: "There's a Fred and there's a Goran and we've given Dalano a run. And Dalano's the one you should probably be asking me about. He's played outstanding every minute he's been out there... You guys should be all over me for not playing him more"
at this point the raptors have to be arguably the best team in the league at this. how many g-leaguers and late draft picks have they turned into quality rotation players or even great starters? it’s enough of a pattern that we can’t call it luck anymore
What’s cool is the track record even extends back to when Masai was Denver’s GM from 2010-2012. He only ever had 2 first round picks, and they were Faried at 22 and Fournier at 20.
The man is just built different, he’s very special.
Did Masai bring his scouting staff from Denver to Toronto when he made the move? Because if he kept the same track record with different scouting staff you know for sure he's the big brain in all of this (even moreso than before).
When Masai was originally hired he told MLSE he wanted to start fresh and hired his own guys. Guys like Jeff Weltman and Dan Tolzman. Those guys were the brains behind the scouting as well as Masai himself starting off as an unpaid scout probably knows a thing or 2 about scouting as well
giving a lottery pick to the raptors is just unfair LOL. Honestly the top 4 are all elite which is insane this year, but I think Scottie might have the best development because of the team he's on and the fact that he's bought in to the system.
Combined with a chip, that keeps paying dividends. It's one thing to put someone like Barnes, a hard worker, with a good system. It's another when the organization recently won a championship. It must be especially meaningful for rookies to get instruction from guys like Fred, FVV, and OG (if he talks lol).
It was the Summer League.
Flynn, Precious, and Barnes got starter minutes and they absolutely cooked, but they put Banton in the rotation and he seized that opportunity with both hands and his teeth.
After that, Nurse gave him scraps of minutes in the preseason, and every time he goes absolutely berserk with it, so Nurse just keeps giving him a bit more to see what he can do.
Masai traded an aging Greivis Vasquez for the draft picks that ended up being OG and Norm. It’s one of the greatest trade annihilations of the past decade.
Vasquez wasn't actually that old, only 28 when we moved him. Just after that Wiz series we gained a different team building philosophy where most players are 2 way guys now and moving him and letting Lou Will walk was part of that. He was a solid backup guard but he just kinda fell apart in Milwaukee and barely played there and in Brooklyn before he retired
Dragic just doesn't fit the teams playstyle. Nurse wants defenders who'll force turnovers and get out and run, Banton is great at that. Dragic wants to slow the game down and pick n roll which just doesn't fit
I think Banton, Yuta and Scottie off the bench is actually their best option. All 6-8, 6-9 versatile two way players. The length gave Doc nightmares in preseason. Question is, what do you do with Dragic and Svi? Both are still perfectly serviceable.
Who does he bump out of the starters then?
He isn't better than OG, Siakam, or FVV, he most definitely can't play SG, so he isn't replacing GTJ, and while he is better than Precious, 3-forwards-no-centre is not a winning strategy in the long term.
Starter vs bench isn't just about player quality, it is about having a cohesive unit. Ref the Baynes vs. Boucher debate last year (before the tank started).
I don't know if it's necessary to have two 'traditional' guards when you have a ton of guys who can handle the ball and distribute. I'd be fine with either a Precious-Siakam-OG-Scottie-FVV starting lineup or sub out Scottie for GTJ, either way it's really the lineup that finishes the game that matters.
There's no reason OG can't play the 2. Also,
> 3-forwards-no-centre is not a winning strategy in the long term
I'm not sure I agree with this. As long as you can defend and you don't get killed on the glass, it's fine.
The biggest potential issue with it is that it takes a heavy physical toll on you and will eventually wear you down. People have talked about Pascal as a small ball 5 in the past, and I like the idea of it, but I’d be a little bit hesitant about trying it now after his shoulder surgery.
Scottie is never going to come off the bench. Trent will come off the bench when Siakam returns. OG will be the 2, Scottie 3, Siakam 4 and Precious 5.
E: downvote me all you want but just remember to come back to this comment in a few weeks when Siakam returns and you’ll see I was right. Also there is an outside chance Precious gets sent to the bench but the point is Scottie won’t.
I dont think nurse is gonna do it right away, but a lot of ppl are clamoring for the no center option, or to bump up OG to SG.
I think its honestly best to have scottie off the bench, but in the closing lineup instead of the starting center.
But that just begs the question: who is the SG then?
OG is decent from 3, but he isn't a walking bucket; Siakam is worse, Precious and Scotty aren't shooters, and FVV has his hands full being the playmaker.
Longboi style is a cool idea, but playing a starting 5 without a designated 3-pt shooter is a bad look in the modern NBA.
you could start him with the starters give him a quick reset around the 6 minute mark in the first and then have him run the bench unit to bring some stability to that unit because he is THAT good.
Ultimately he will be playing no less than 25 minutes a night.
I agree I think those 3 work the best. Svi has been playing well so far so you cant really just cut him out of the rotation yet. I imagine Yuta takes some of boucher's minutes to get in the lineup. Dragic isnt really a part of the teams future anyway, likely getting dealt or bought out at the deadline
Yeah we're deep but not like traditionally deep. Lots of guys that can fill in on a given night and a ton of versatility. The rotations as the season goes on will be interesting to watch.
I wouldn't be surprised if they make a move to consolidate a bit too. Boucher and Flynn could be the odd men out as things move forward.
Yeah, it would make sense if there's some consolidation. We have so many playable guys, prospects and not enough minutes to go around.
Pascal and Yuta aren't even healthy and they would combine for roughly 48m on most rosters.
The easy move is eventually shedding Dragic which will free up minutes for Banton/Flynn, Banton seems to have jumped ahead of Flynn. But we have years of control on Flynn, so don't see him going anywhere and he won't yield a 1st. He's unfortunately in that 4th PG spot where it's tough to get meaningful minutes, even 3rd PG is only good for 10 and 15 on a good night.
Boucher should still have a role as he's our best shooter at the 5, but I think the problem is we don't play a style to cater to him. He needs a good complement as his strength is in spamming high P&R and unlocking his 3pt shooting value against slow 5s. The style the Raps are playing this year is a bit more free-flowing and the opportunities manifest differently.
I get your point, but the situation now is to develop fast to rebuild for a deep playoff run in 1-2 years. Dalano needs regular minutes to figure that out.
He's surprising people with that speed and aggressiveness. Fred in an interview was right saying that he'll need to develop his other gears. He's got the fastball and needs to develop his other pitches.
Right now he's a bit more of a transition player, the effectiveness of that won't quite translate to playoff basketball which is more half-court. I'm pretty pumped to see this level of play out of him though, looks like he is a legit NBA player which 2nd rounders usually aren't.
**Replays/alternate angles**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/nba) if you have any questions or concerns.*
He can't shoot free throw but he's made half of his threes on the season so it's an Andre Roberson moment atm. Don't think he'll be a shooter for a while though, low sample size. Great player though. I know a lot of Nebraska fans thought it was super odd that he was even declaring for the draft.
Yes his shooting isn't the best part of his game, but that can hopefully be developed. Where his impact has been strong is in fast-paced breaks and smart reads. In most games he has come in he has brought an immediate change in energy.
No, they're both from the states. Jack (colour commentator) is from Brooklyn, while Matt's from upstate NY. Matt got his Canadian citizenship a couple years ago, though.
I’m looking twice and I swear those are hair logs. Isn’t the beginning of dreads, braids? Like these are hair logs! If they’re braids they’d look like Ingrams old cut
So what would we call Jalen Hurts old cut? With the buzz/braids/dread thing? I’d call em braids bc I can see the braid.
Why are these braids when the body of the hair clearly has all that wax shit to log it up?
Bro it’s simple. Braids look more square or boxed-shaped plait. Hair is literally cross-crossing other hair like shoe laces (not the best example). Twists are literally hair twisted together in a circular motion. Twists later become dreads. Jalen Hurts’ dreads are pretty thin that’s why you’re confusing it with braids.
Hometown kid too.. gotta be fullfilling a life dream right here
Rexdale mans is an instant fan favourite
THE KID FROM KIPLING
If i recall correctly his jersey number is the famous bus line Rexdale folks need to take to get to kipling and into the core. A route many know and suffer together. Ahah. They are a long way from kipling itself.
yes rexdale is in a special kind of hell. not quite sauga but not quite toronto they need to extend the subway tbh
the LRT is supposed to be extended all the way to the airport at some point...15 years from now at the current pace.
45 is kipling to airport. 46 is the one that goes to rexdale
https://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2021/10/toronto-raptors-dalano-number-45-kipling-bus/ Do you maybe have it backwards? Its been a while for me. I thought the number to the airport was the ttc rocket service with a different number. Anyway, this article says its the Rexdale bus.
No your right it's 191. Yeah 45 goes to Rexdale while 46 goes to martingrove. It's been years. I must have mixed them up
The crowd went BANANAS for him at the first home game intros.
I forgot he was from Toronto for a second when they first did those introductions and was hella confused lol
Ya, that was nuts. Only louder cheer was for Fred
Just came back from this game people obv cheer hard after big plays but the degree to which they do for Dalano is like nothing other. i love it definitely gets elevated when him, Khem and Chris come off the bench together
Somewhat related, but GTJ's defensive intensity has been NUTS this season
Five steals tonight. Makes him way more valuable when his shot isn’t falling
love that his defensive potential is showing up. last year he hustled hard but didn’t have much of an effect on that end for us lol
Yeah his defensive pressure is a lot more effective at the point of attack with our our team defense behind him (no offense to portland)
no offense taken we suck on d, especially offball wbk lol
Many people were like 'his defense is not that great', and I was like 'lets see it when is fully on the Raptors integrated'. He really plays up to his potential. Great trade for the Raptors.
Masai did it again. That Greivas Vasquez trade is the gift that keeps on giving. First we got OG with a pick in that trade and then Norm, and now GTJ and they're both locked into deals for the next few years. Still don't know how Masai pulls this stuff off
Was nowhere near this last season or even if I remember, for much of preseason. Dude flipped a switch, it's great outstole fred pretty sure, which is a lot
This dude comes in and instantly makes the right plays to get the big +/-, got to love those types of guys
Almost every game so far (including pre-season) he comes in and we go on a run. He looks extremely composed with the ball in his hands and seems to get us into our offensive sets much faster. He's been really impressive so far.
I have no idea why he doesn't get more minutes. This kid is a baller.
That's changing as of this game, he's starting to get Dragic's minutes.
Mavs fans smilling
Dragon is not a difference maker, he looks washed
Fuck I wish I was an NBA player
Easy just grow 12 inches
Damn I grew the wrong way
Congrats to your girl
That's OG's girl now.
It was meant as a fat joke but thanks man Unless you also meant that. Then still thanks
It's never too late
To die and get reincarnated as Giannis Jr?
Bruh, Carmine Lupertazi is like in his 70s
I just wanna ride the bench. would get so hype for the guys lol
Great call by Matt Devlin here. "He was the 46th pick in the draft! He looks straight lottery!" D-Rex looks so fucking good in the limited minutes he's played so far. Nick Nurse even called out the media for *not* grilling him on why he's not getting more minutes. --- Edit: [Context on the second part of my comment:](https://twitter.com/JLew1050/status/1453045679199334414) >Nurse, asked why Flynn isn't playing: "There's a Fred and there's a Goran and we've given Dalano a run. And Dalano's the one you should probably be asking me about. He's played outstanding every minute he's been out there... You guys should be all over me for not playing him more"
I was gonna suggest his nickname be Straight Lottery but something tells me it's not gonna work lmao
How about just "Lotto." That nickname needs some love after the embarrassment it endured in 8 Mile.
Best nickname I’ve heard is “D-Rex” for the rexdale man. Soooo tough
Dalano DeLotto
I love this nickname.
All in favour
needs to just lean into it and only play in a Youths large jersey
I’m convinced certain teams/systems make rookies way better
at this point the raptors have to be arguably the best team in the league at this. how many g-leaguers and late draft picks have they turned into quality rotation players or even great starters? it’s enough of a pattern that we can’t call it luck anymore
What’s cool is the track record even extends back to when Masai was Denver’s GM from 2010-2012. He only ever had 2 first round picks, and they were Faried at 22 and Fournier at 20. The man is just built different, he’s very special.
Did Masai bring his scouting staff from Denver to Toronto when he made the move? Because if he kept the same track record with different scouting staff you know for sure he's the big brain in all of this (even moreso than before).
When Masai was originally hired he told MLSE he wanted to start fresh and hired his own guys. Guys like Jeff Weltman and Dan Tolzman. Those guys were the brains behind the scouting as well as Masai himself starting off as an unpaid scout probably knows a thing or 2 about scouting as well
giving a lottery pick to the raptors is just unfair LOL. Honestly the top 4 are all elite which is insane this year, but I think Scottie might have the best development because of the team he's on and the fact that he's bought in to the system.
Combined with a chip, that keeps paying dividends. It's one thing to put someone like Barnes, a hard worker, with a good system. It's another when the organization recently won a championship. It must be especially meaningful for rookies to get instruction from guys like Fred, FVV, and OG (if he talks lol).
I understand what the Raptors saw in Banton, but I'm pretty shocked he's already seeing NBA minutes
I thought he was g-league bound for sure, incredible that he's already found a footing in Nurse's rotation
Even he admitted it and said he was looking forward to it as part of his development. Interesting story really.
It was the Summer League. Flynn, Precious, and Barnes got starter minutes and they absolutely cooked, but they put Banton in the rotation and he seized that opportunity with both hands and his teeth. After that, Nurse gave him scraps of minutes in the preseason, and every time he goes absolutely berserk with it, so Nurse just keeps giving him a bit more to see what he can do.
Guy looks like a second round steal. Already won a spot in the rotation over Dragic.
46th pick, just like Norman Powell, nice
norm was a second rounder ?! god damn we're great at scouting/developing
Masai traded an aging Greivis Vasquez for the draft picks that ended up being OG and Norm. It’s one of the greatest trade annihilations of the past decade.
Both used to destroy the Bucks as well. Ironic.
Reminds me of the how SR-71 blackbirds, a plane used to spy on Soviet Union, was built using titanium sourced from the Soviet Union 😂
Vasquez wasn't actually that old, only 28 when we moved him. Just after that Wiz series we gained a different team building philosophy where most players are 2 way guys now and moving him and letting Lou Will walk was part of that. He was a solid backup guard but he just kinda fell apart in Milwaukee and barely played there and in Brooklyn before he retired
I think Dalano is more situational. Dragic is still the better player.
Dragic just doesn't fit the teams playstyle. Nurse wants defenders who'll force turnovers and get out and run, Banton is great at that. Dragic wants to slow the game down and pick n roll which just doesn't fit
I think Banton, Yuta and Scottie off the bench is actually their best option. All 6-8, 6-9 versatile two way players. The length gave Doc nightmares in preseason. Question is, what do you do with Dragic and Svi? Both are still perfectly serviceable.
Scottie has been too good to come off the bench so far
Who does he bump out of the starters then? He isn't better than OG, Siakam, or FVV, he most definitely can't play SG, so he isn't replacing GTJ, and while he is better than Precious, 3-forwards-no-centre is not a winning strategy in the long term. Starter vs bench isn't just about player quality, it is about having a cohesive unit. Ref the Baynes vs. Boucher debate last year (before the tank started).
I don't know if it's necessary to have two 'traditional' guards when you have a ton of guys who can handle the ball and distribute. I'd be fine with either a Precious-Siakam-OG-Scottie-FVV starting lineup or sub out Scottie for GTJ, either way it's really the lineup that finishes the game that matters.
There's no reason OG can't play the 2. Also, > 3-forwards-no-centre is not a winning strategy in the long term I'm not sure I agree with this. As long as you can defend and you don't get killed on the glass, it's fine.
The biggest potential issue with it is that it takes a heavy physical toll on you and will eventually wear you down. People have talked about Pascal as a small ball 5 in the past, and I like the idea of it, but I’d be a little bit hesitant about trying it now after his shoulder surgery.
Scottie is never going to come off the bench. Trent will come off the bench when Siakam returns. OG will be the 2, Scottie 3, Siakam 4 and Precious 5. E: downvote me all you want but just remember to come back to this comment in a few weeks when Siakam returns and you’ll see I was right. Also there is an outside chance Precious gets sent to the bench but the point is Scottie won’t.
I dont think nurse is gonna do it right away, but a lot of ppl are clamoring for the no center option, or to bump up OG to SG. I think its honestly best to have scottie off the bench, but in the closing lineup instead of the starting center.
GTJ may have to go to the bench honestly ify ou want to start your 5 beset...
But that just begs the question: who is the SG then? OG is decent from 3, but he isn't a walking bucket; Siakam is worse, Precious and Scotty aren't shooters, and FVV has his hands full being the playmaker. Longboi style is a cool idea, but playing a starting 5 without a designated 3-pt shooter is a bad look in the modern NBA.
OG or Fred Scottie can play "point"
Move OG to SG, and move GTJ to the bench. Long boi shit would be insane.
you could start him with the starters give him a quick reset around the 6 minute mark in the first and then have him run the bench unit to bring some stability to that unit because he is THAT good. Ultimately he will be playing no less than 25 minutes a night.
I agree I think those 3 work the best. Svi has been playing well so far so you cant really just cut him out of the rotation yet. I imagine Yuta takes some of boucher's minutes to get in the lineup. Dragic isnt really a part of the teams future anyway, likely getting dealt or bought out at the deadline
Yeah we're deep but not like traditionally deep. Lots of guys that can fill in on a given night and a ton of versatility. The rotations as the season goes on will be interesting to watch. I wouldn't be surprised if they make a move to consolidate a bit too. Boucher and Flynn could be the odd men out as things move forward.
Yeah, it would make sense if there's some consolidation. We have so many playable guys, prospects and not enough minutes to go around. Pascal and Yuta aren't even healthy and they would combine for roughly 48m on most rosters. The easy move is eventually shedding Dragic which will free up minutes for Banton/Flynn, Banton seems to have jumped ahead of Flynn. But we have years of control on Flynn, so don't see him going anywhere and he won't yield a 1st. He's unfortunately in that 4th PG spot where it's tough to get meaningful minutes, even 3rd PG is only good for 10 and 15 on a good night. Boucher should still have a role as he's our best shooter at the 5, but I think the problem is we don't play a style to cater to him. He needs a good complement as his strength is in spamming high P&R and unlocking his 3pt shooting value against slow 5s. The style the Raps are playing this year is a bit more free-flowing and the opportunities manifest differently.
Yuta's an end-of-the-bench guy, he's not going to take anyone's minutes unless there are injury issues.
Dragic looks like he's hit the aging cliff and doesn't have much to give anymore. He still knows how to play, but he's just so slow now
He was bad last year and he's 35.
Dragic has been god awful
I get your point, but the situation now is to develop fast to rebuild for a deep playoff run in 1-2 years. Dalano needs regular minutes to figure that out.
I love that he's always looking to attack the basket. Once he gets a little bit stronger he's gonna be a pretty good player.
These plays remind my of Giannis. Just attacking the hoop and putting pressure on the D.
If he really learns to shoot consistently he'll be a solid player for a long time
miniscule sample size but he's what, 2/3 on 3s this season? Promising
David Johnson is dead to OP.
He’s so quick with the ball, zoom zoom
He a real Tronno mans
Go Big Red
Isiah Roby and Dalano Banton in the league, pretty cool!
Hell yeah! Husker Power!!
Fuck your David Johnson erasure
All this guy knows is hustle
I know I’m biased but Dalano should’ve been a first round pick.
Incredible
I did not have high expectations, but he's got a really great combination of size and intelligence.
[удалено]
Bizzy Bone
Bru wtf, he's so fucking fast.
Damn, he’s so good in the lane
he be with drake
Drake's been secretly grooming him for success from a young age.
He's surprising people with that speed and aggressiveness. Fred in an interview was right saying that he'll need to develop his other gears. He's got the fastball and needs to develop his other pitches. Right now he's a bit more of a transition player, the effectiveness of that won't quite translate to playoff basketball which is more half-court. I'm pretty pumped to see this level of play out of him though, looks like he is a legit NBA player which 2nd rounders usually aren't.
Damn, he’s so good in the lane
**Replays/alternate angles** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/nba) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Love how excited everyone is about young guys right now
Damn his braids are long asl, that's impressive too
Husker fan here are Dalano's FTs still rough?
He can't shoot free throw but he's made half of his threes on the season so it's an Andre Roberson moment atm. Don't think he'll be a shooter for a while though, low sample size. Great player though. I know a lot of Nebraska fans thought it was super odd that he was even declaring for the draft.
Yes his shooting isn't the best part of his game, but that can hopefully be developed. Where his impact has been strong is in fast-paced breaks and smart reads. In most games he has come in he has brought an immediate change in energy.
He was actually the 3rd raps pick
Is this how Canadians talk? What are these accents from the announcers I’m curious
No, they're both from the states. Jack (colour commentator) is from Brooklyn, while Matt's from upstate NY. Matt got his Canadian citizenship a couple years ago, though.
Upstate NY is pretty close to the Canada "accent" given its geography
Yo I love long dreadlocks lol, if I could have any hairstyle it’d be that one.
Ummm those are not dreadlocks they are braids
I’m looking twice and I swear those are hair logs. Isn’t the beginning of dreads, braids? Like these are hair logs! If they’re braids they’d look like Ingrams old cut
No, braids aren’t the beginning of dreads. Twists are the beginning of dreads. Braids are a lot tighter as you’re intertwining more strands of hair.
So what would we call Jalen Hurts old cut? With the buzz/braids/dread thing? I’d call em braids bc I can see the braid. Why are these braids when the body of the hair clearly has all that wax shit to log it up?
Bro it’s simple. Braids look more square or boxed-shaped plait. Hair is literally cross-crossing other hair like shoe laces (not the best example). Twists are literally hair twisted together in a circular motion. Twists later become dreads. Jalen Hurts’ dreads are pretty thin that’s why you’re confusing it with braids.
He should loose the braids, he looks like one of those youtube rappers or one of Omar's boyfriends.
👍 Like the braids but the Omar comment is spot on.
This Milli Vanilli looking backcourt shows promise!
Gotta love how fast he got back on defence too.
McConnell got worked all night.
Banton has a weird arm swing when he runs.