Ranking the Raptors

I gotta say, I am starting to run low on ideas. The basketball season feels so far away from now and it being the sport I am now the most knowledgeable (if you can call it that) about, I am in a bit of a dryspell. That being said the NFL season starts next week and once I lock in and start watching those games I am sure I'll be able to muster up a bunch of Steelers reaction content for you readers (Puneet). While we wait for that, lets rank the top 10 players on the Raptors roster heading into this season. Obviously these can change in a hurry based on improvements these guys make in season. All we have to go off of here is past performance and maybe some video from other tournaments and scrimmages the players have taken part in this summer. Take it all with a grain of salt, and as always please feel free to argue with me in the comments if you disagree. 

10. Jamal Shead

Ok, maybe I am stretching here. I just wanted a chance to write a little bit about Jamal Shead, is that so bad? Everyone after #8 on this list is pretty much a tossup. You've got your pick of inconsistent long time bench players, young guys and rookies of all shapes, sizes and ages. Jamal Shead is a 6' point guard that was picked in the second round and has concerns over his shooting ability. So what makes me think he'll crack the top 10 best players on the team this year? He has DAWG. After Kyle Lowry left the Raptors, they've lacked players with the undeniable winning gene. We haven't seen Shead play a single NBA minute yet but by all accounts, this is exactly what he brings to the table. The team was noticeably better with Shead in the game during summer league. He was extremely disruptive on defense and constantly making the right plays on offense. The Raptors will need more size off their bench and it is likely they go to guys like Mogbo for positional reasons. Injuries and underperformance are a part of any NBA team though and I believe that if Shead gets a chance, he is going to run away with the backup point guard job. 

9. Chris Boucher

It's going to be a sad day when Chris Boucher leaves the Raptors. Now the final remaining member of the 2019 championship, Boucher gives it 110% every single time he touches the floor. When coach Darko Rajakovic introduced a new system to the Raptors involving ball movement and decision making from the big man positions, Chris Boucher saw his role shrink to nothing by the end of last season. A true professional, Chris never complained. Whenever he did get a chance to come into the game, he was energetic and always seemed to make something happen. Boucher sometimes lacks in the ability to make quick reads on both ends of the floor. For everything he brings to the energy of the game, he does tend to take away in intelligence of the game. Boucher might not end up playing the 9th most minutes on the team this year, but I believe just like last season, he will likely end up sitting on the bench for someone younger and less talented. Shout out Chris Boucher man.

8. Davion Mitchell

New comer to the Raptors this season! I was very excited about this trade with the Sacramento Kings, but I do have to admit that it had nothing to do with Davion. Jalen McDaniels was maybe the worst Raptor I ever had to watch and trading him away was a great day in my books. Getting back an actually useful player in Davion Mitchell is just a cherry on top. Everything that was said about Shead could be applied to Mitchell. Davion didn't get much of a chance to showcase his playmaking ability in Sacramento playing alongside De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. In Toronto, he likely plugs in immediately as the backup point guard. If Mitchell can provide some stability, solid defense and just average 3 point shooting, he will be a massive upgrade over what the Raptors have been running out there at the backup 1 spot the past few seasons. I think Davion can bring a lot to the table and shoot himself up this list as the season goes on. 

7. Kelly Olynyk 

As a white kid from Scarborough, I have always loved me some Kelly Olynyk. I was beyond thrilled to find out he got traded to the Raptors. Kelly brings a lot to the table on offense. He's a big man who can stretch the floor, handle the ball and play make a little bit. All of these are skills Darko Rajakovic will lean on heavily. Kelly can provide veteran leadership and stability to bench units that the team will definitely need. The issue with Kelly is he's never been a great defender, turning 34 at the end of this season, that doesn't promise to get any better. Kelly will be leaned on to provide a veteran presence and some instant offense to bench units. If injuries hit and his role expands, the team might be in a bit of trouble on defense. 

6. Gradey Dick

Am I high on Gradey here? Should I be higher on Gradey? I hope I'm not high enough. At the start of last season things were looking rough for 20 year old Gradey Dick. I even went to Mississauga and watched him play absolutely terribly in a g-league game, much to my worry. Then the season went on, he got put into a strength and conditioning program, injuries happened and by the end of the season, Gradey was the player he was promised to be. An elite sharpshooter in college, Gradey brings that and so much more to the team. The thing that impressed me the most is that Gradey seems to have great instincts on both sides of the ball. Whether that's relocating off ball to catch an open shot or find a cut to the rim or making the right reads and passes when he has the ball, Gradey will never stop your offense in its tracks. He also has some height at 6'6 and with some added bulk, may not be a bad defender as the season goes on. Scottie Barnes is going to need shooters to thrive in the way the team wants to use him and Gradey Dick continuing to improve his game may just prove to be that guy. I'm hoping at the end of the year Gradey slips into the top 5 on the team easily.

5. Bruce Brown

I guess I have Bruce over Gradey just because of tenure in the league and reputation. He wasn't exactly thrilling with the Raptors last season, but that might not be entirely his fault. The main player in return for Pascal Siakam, Bruce Brown figured that he was a rental for the Raptors to be traded at the deadline. He was never traded. The fans figured he'd be traded before the draft. He was never traded. Now here we are, Bruce Brown is starting the 2024-2025 season a Toronto Raptor. Brown can bring a little bit of everything to a team and has done so his whole career. He can handle the ball, play off ball, shoot a little bit, defend most positions and he does it all without complaints. He is best suited as a role player alongside star level talent who can kind of get in where he fits in, that won't be the role he gets with the Raptors. Never the less, he's a good player and the Raptors figure to use him as either a starter or one of the first players off the bench this season due to his versatility. 

4. Jakob Poeltl

Jak! I get made fun of a lot for being seemingly the only Jakob Poeltl fan left in the city. People love to throw tomatoes at Masai Ujiri for trading a first round pick for Jakob only to have the team underperform. I am here to say that wasn't that bad of a trade. Jakob Poeltl is a solid NBA center. He can protect the rim, has great hands and finishes consistently. Jak is the best screen setter on the team. The offense looked much more potent after acquiring a real point guard in Immanuel Quickley to utilize his screening skillset. He's also an underrated passer, something Darko leans on in his system. When Jak went down with an injury at the end of last season, the Raptors immediately became absolutely terrible. They went 4-28 without him. Of course a lot of that was without Scottie Barnes as well, but 4-28!! The eye test matched the record as the Raptors defense plummeted to nothing without the solid big protecting the paint. If the Raptors want to make my playoff prediction come true, they are going to need a full season out of Jak to make it happen.

3. Immanuel Quickley 

There is an argument to be made, and probably should be heard, that IQ will end up the second best player on the team. The Raptors seemed to show that faith in him signing him to a 5 year $175m contract to stay in Toronto this offseason. There's a lot to love about Quickley's game. He's far and away the best off-the-dribble shooter the Raptors have coming into this season, a skill every NBA team seeks. He's had his moments as a dogged defender, although he also has had his moments of weakness on that end. The more intriguing aspect of his game, and something that didn't get showcased all that much in New York, is he's a very underrated playmaker. Having more of an opportunity as a lead guard, Quickley nearly tripled his assists per game output after the trade last season. He developed a strong 2 man game with Jakob Poeltl as well as operating off-ball for Scottie Barnes at points last season too. Where Quickley can improve is his finishing at the rim. Quickley has a tendency to settle for floaters rather than getting all the way downhill. If IQ can improve on this aspect, he will prove to be a far above average point guard in the league and a huge source of winning in Toronto. 

2. RJ Barrett 

Maybe I just have a soft spot for RJ. I've written about him extensively on this blog so I will keep this part short and sweet. I think RJ is poised for a breakout season. His role has been simplified and his skillset is absolutely needed by this team. I think there's a very good chance that RJ finishes the year as the Raptors leading scorer. There's not a single player on the roster who can get to the rim and score or make a play as effectively as RJ Barrett. This is a skillset that I value slightly higher than Quickley's shooting ability and for that reason, I have him at #2. 

1. Scottie Barnes

This is obvious isn't it? Scottie was an all-star last season for a good reason. Everything I read about him calls him a "Jack of all trades," which he most definitely is. Scottie improved every aspect of his game last season. He averaged nearly 5 more points, 1 more assist, 2 more rebounds, and 1 more "stock" last season over his second year. Going into year 4, there's no reason to believe Scottie won't get even better. You could read a million articles talking about his improvements shooting the 3, the best way to utilize him on defense, his improved handle and a variety of other things Scottie has become awesome at. I want to focus on what will take him to that next level, something he will need to do for the Raptors to be as good as I think they can be. Scottie still last season would ease into games, feeling out where he's needed before taking over in the 4th. If Scottie can enter a game with that killer instinct, The Raptors are going to be a much improved team across the board.