TORONTO – So far as Darko Rajakovic is worried, there is no such thing as a off-season.
Rajakovic had his year-end news conference Tuesday morning at OVO Athletic Centre, the Raptors’ dedicated training facility. Toronto’s head coach said he had already sketched out his players’ development plans for the summer well before the Raptors were eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I have already got 40, 50 per cent of my first team meeting ready for next yr,” said Rajakovic firstly of his news conference. “Probably like two, three months ago, I began already planning the summer, planning the subsequent season, starting making a bunch of notes.
“That’s an ongoing process. That never stops.”
Rajakovic was named Toronto’s tenth head coach in June 2023 with a mandate to develop the team’s young core of players built around 2022 rookie of the yr Scottie Barnes.
The Raptors picked up the team option on Rajakovic’s contract in March 2025, keeping him locked up through the 2026-27 season.
“It really never stops,” said Rajakovic on his work to develop his players’ skills. “It’s continuously finding ways learn how to improve, learn how to recuperate, learn how to help players, learn how to stay of their corner.
“That’s a process that’s underway now.”
Although his emphasis has at all times been on helping young players like Barnes, RJ Barrett, Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter and Collin Murray-Boyles improve, Toronto took a step forward within the 2025-26 campaign.
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The Raptors had a 46-36 record within the regular season, improving Rajakovic’s profession record as a head coach within the NBA to 101-145, all with Toronto. They were the fifth seed within the Eastern Conference, pushing the fourth-seed Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the primary round of the playoffs.
After Toronto’s Game 7 loss on Sunday, Rajakovic called the season “an absolute success” but had a brief list of things he desired to see his team improve.
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“I believe we did a great job this yr with defence and the best way we’re guarding the ball but I believe us having more paint protection is something that we are able to take a take a look at,” said Rajakovic. “I believe continuing to develop the offensive side of the ball with individual improvement of players, of their shooting, goes to be very, very vital for us.”
Toronto’s playoff run was also a private triumph for Rajakovic as he became the primary non-American coach to achieve the league’s playoffs after leading a team for a complete season.
Rajakovic said he learned lots concerning the difference between the regular season and playoffs.
“It’s not about complicated plays. It’s about making easy plays. It’s about execution of those easy plays,” said Rajakovic. “Should you take a look at a straightforward play of pick-and-roll, if it’s a guard-guard pick and roll, ensuring it’s a great setup, ensuring you’re coming alone to set a screen so you’ll be able to create a bonus.
“There’s going to be physicality. It’s not going to be easy to create those gaps and benefits. It’s really working on the basics of the sport.”
Rajakovic said that all-star forward Brandon Ingram will see a specialist about his right-heel inflammation later this week. Point guard Immanuel Quickley goes to miss a few weeks as he recovers from his right hamstring strain.
Each are expected to be ready for next season.
Rajakovic said he’ll even be looking within the mirror over the summer.
“I actually need to proceed my development on mental performance,” said Rajakovic, adding that he works with mental performance coach Brian Cain. “That’s going to be one thing that I’m going to essentially give attention to continuing, growing in that area this yr, and it’s at all times continuing to search out more answers to be one per cent higher.
“How we are able to recuperate offensively and defensively? The whole lot really revolves around how will we help our players. How can I be a greater leader for them? How can I help them to be more productive on the court?”
Raptors general manager Bobby Webster, who’s the pinnacle of the team’s basketball operations, will speak with the media in his own news conference on Wednesday afternoon.
This can be a corrected story. An earlier version had the unsuitable yr Scottie Barnes won rookie of the yr.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2026.
Note to readers:This can be a corrected story. An earlier version had the unsuitable yr Scottie Barnes won rookie of the yr.
© 2026 The Canadian Press