Kyle Lowry’s wrist operations means the Raptors won’t hit the playoffs they way they’d hoped. He can adapt quickly to the newcomers, but it’s a narrower ledge.
It was always going to be a climb to reach Valhalla. Or, more accurately, it was going to be a climb to get a chance to have a chance. This is the era of LeBron James, and while he’s no longer in his absolute prime, he and Cleveland still tower over the Eastern Conference, problems and all.