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Raptors building competitive training camp roster

By Brian Boake

TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 16: Rapper, Drake poses for a photo with the President of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, before the Golden State Warriors game on November 16, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 16: Rapper, Drake poses for a photo with the President of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, before the Golden State Warriors game on November 16, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Raptors are adding players to their roster as training camp approaches. Hopefully both the big team and the 905 will be strong as a result.

The Toronto Raptors have signed another player. He’s NBA sort-of veteran swingman K.J. McDaniels. Our Chris McKee has already taken a look at him, so I won’t repeat. What’s more interesting for me is how the roster is beginning to take shape as training camp approaches.

There are typically two types of NBA camps. One is a tight big-team-only kind, in which the only positional battles are those between numbers 2 & 3 on each position’s depth chart. The Golden State Warriors don’t have any open spots in the starting lineup, so their camp will be focused on sorting out the bench, and putting in new schemes.

The Raptors are holding the second kind. There are jobs available; the small forward position being the most prominent (hence McDaniels). The centre position is far from being straightforward. Fred VanVleet won’t surrender the backup point guard spot to Delon Wright without a monumental effort. And will Lorenzo Brown factor into the discussion on cut-down day?

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 23: K.J. McDaniels
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 23: K.J. McDaniels /

Minor league team of quality

Toronto management is still getting up to speed on the degree of flexibility afforded them by the presence of the Raptors 905 G-League squad. No longer an afterthought, the team is coached by a highly successful former NBAer, Jerry Stackhouse.

This is the recap of the 905 guys winning last year’s championship game. Here’s the money sentence: Toronto Raptors assignees led the 905 in the first half, combining for 43 of the team’s 57 points. I’m sure Pascal Siakam, who was named the playoffs MVP, never wants to be in a position to win that honour (or a G-League title) again.

That’s the beauty of having the minor league so close. Moving a player down is so easy, and so scary. Sure, Mississauga is a short drive along the westbound 401 from the Air Canada Centre, but as far as the players are concerned, it might as well be on Mars.

The Raptors won’t be fully successful until they are a very difficult team to make. In the early years, we had malingerers, career-is-over guys trying to cash just a few more cheques, and players who clearly had not been well-scouted (Mengke Bateer and Rafael Arajuo, I’m thinking of you first).

Part two of that thought is the Raptors must be a hard team to remain with. Whether a youngster or a veteran, each player must constantly be mulling the question “What am I going to kill and eat today?” (that’s a metaphor, people).

Human beings by nature will take an easy route to anywhere if one is available. Raptors management is ensuring a tough, serious camp where only the strong will survive. Such a mindset is overdue.

While we’re on the topic…

At the risk of trying your patience, I’ll also mention I’m still bugged by what the Raptors did with Justin Hamilton. He was thrown in to the DeMarre Carroll salary-dump trade by the Brooklyn Nets, then promptly waived and stretched (i.e., paid out over time) by Masai Ujiri.

There’s room for Kyle Wiltjer at camp but not Hamilton? It’s not a matter of the money – Hamilton is costing a million bucks for the next 3 years, which is a rounding error. But why not invite the guy to make the team if you have to pay him anyway?

Hamilton is apparently going to play in China, so good for him. I hope it was that wish to do so which caused Masai to waive him. Sometimes a team’s GM can enhance his reputation by granting a fringe player his wish, i.e., to play somewhere else.

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