While it may be an exaggeration to say they actively tried to lose, it was clear that winning was not their primary concern.

With 9 minutes and 43 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Raptors held a nine-point lead over the Orlando Magic. However, head coach Darko Rajaković made a series of lineup changes that signaled a shift in priorities. Immanuel Quickley, a key offseason acquisition who had played just 26 minutes, was subbed out for rookie Jamal Shead. Almost two minutes later, starting center Jakob Poeltl exited the game, replaced by Orlando Robinson, who had only recently transitioned from a two-way contract to a standard deal. At that moment, the Raptors were up by 10 points. Just 18 seconds after Poeltl’s departure, Scottie Barnes, having logged 30 minutes, also left the game.

None of those three players returned to the floor. In Poeltl’s case, the Raptors could point to a minutes restriction as justification, though he had already exceeded the 23:37 he played on Tuesday in a game on Sunday. Regardless, the pattern was clear. Finally, with 1:37 remaining in a two-possession game, RJ Barrett was also pulled, with Jared Rhoden—who had signed a two-way contract earlier that day—taking his place.

Despite seemingly making every effort to surrender control of the game, the Raptors still managed to emerge victorious. Clutch shot-making from Rhoden and rookie Ja’Kobe Walter, along with some savvy strategic decisions from Rajaković, helped secure the win. However, the bigger picture was evident: with the Raptors holding a 20-42 record and sitting two wins behind (or ahead?) of Philadelphia and Brooklyn, they had little incentive to push for victories. Their positioning in the draft lottery took precedence over adding to the win column.