BOSTON (CUP) – After two straight first round playoff exits, Masai Ujiri made several moves throughout the offseason, which ultimately proved to be one of the busiest in recent memory. Now, how are the Raptors going to do in the upcoming season.

Notable Losses:

Lou Williams, Amir Johnson, Greivis Vasquez, Tyler Hansbrough

Notable Additions:

DeMarre Carroll, Cory Joseph, Bismack Biyombo, Luis Scola DeMarre Carroll

Already endearing himself to millions of Raptors fanatics, DeMarre Carroll seems poised to deliver exactly what Toronto has been lacking in previous years. Though he may not be the type of player to impress you with his tremendous skill or unnatural feats of athleticism, what Carroll brings is arguably much more desirable. Carroll has quickly made a name for himself as a hustle guy and an all-around team player. Brought here mostly for his defence and effort, Carroll put up decent numbers across the board. His 3-pt% of .395 ranks higher than any other Raptor on last year’s roster to shoot at least fifty three-pointers. If Carroll can maintain a high level of play throughout the season his impact on this team could be exceptional. Expect a warm welcome for “JYD 2.0” when his name is announced in the starting line-up for the Home Opener.

Cory Joseph

While DeMarre Carroll may have been the biggest name to come to Toronto in the offseason there was perhaps no bigger story in the area than that of Cory Joseph. Following in the footsteps of assistant coach Jamaal Magloire, Joseph will become just the second Canadian to suit up for the Raptors. There is however an extra level of excitement surrounding Joseph’s signing with the team and rightfully so. Unlike Magloire, Joseph is still in the early stages of his career, and he had the privilege of being mentored by Greg Popovich during his time in San Antonio. A true backup PG is something the Raptors didn’t really have last season between Vasquez and Williams, so this could prove to be a great pickup. Nobody stands to gain more from this addition than Kyle Lowry, who appeared to run out of gas towards the end of last season. A question mark still surrounds Lowry’s ability to play at en elite level, not just over an 82 game stretch, but also into the postseason and beyond. Joseph is expected to take some of the pressure off of Kyle, especially on the defensive end, and more importantly, motivate him to elevate his game and reach new levels of consistency.

Bismack Biyombo

As if Jonas Valanciunas wasn’t enough, the team had to go and get another player whose name Charles Barkley struggles to pronounce. Biyombo has the potential to bring the interior defense and rebounding that was sorely missing on last year’s squad. The most impressive part of the signing is the fact that the Raptors brought him in on a bargain in the wake of a sizable shift to the league’s salary cap. Expect to hear local broadcasting sensation Jack Armstrong yelling, “Get that garbage outta here!” a bit more often whenever Bismack is on the floor.

Luis Scola

While Luis Scola may not have been the first name that came to mind when thinking of veteran players to bring leadership and experience to a relatively young locker room, that doesn’t mean he should be forgotten. Yes, his most productive years are behind him, but his worth doesn’t necessarily revolve around what he brings on the court so much as what he brings to the gym. Scola has been an effective and intelligent player throughout his career, utilizing slick post moves and a silky 15-plus footer to get his buckets. These are attributes that could help improve Valanciunas’ offensive ability if relayed effectively. Don’t expect magical numbers from Scola, his play will be solid but not overwhelming. His potential benefit stems from the words of wisdom he can share with his younger teammates.