The Toronto Raptors decided not to make any moves at the trade deadline. Fans are split on the development; happily, the hole in their lineup already has its answer.
This year’s trade deadline was active around the NBA. Teams like the Memphis Grizzlies have thrown in the towel and traded pieces for upside. Teams like the Washington Wizards are pushing for their playoff spot by trading for the troublesome Markieff Morris. Teams like the Toronto Raptors opted to take the safer route and let the deadline pass them by. And why shouldn’t they? They have the second best record in the East, and are known as the fifth best team in the league. The problem is that they are not serious contenders and a shake-up may be necessary to push the team over the edge.
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What could we have hoped for though? The gripes we have are with the power forward position. The only workable contracts (of players available to be dealt) belong to Patrick Patterson, James Johnson, Luis Scola, and the group of D-leaguers. Yes, we could have traded for Thaddeus Young, but he is not much of a floor spacer, as he shoots 31% from down town and is generally undersized at the 4 position. What about Markieff Morris? You wouldn’t want to upset that ticking time bomb with a 10-foot clown pole. The point is that these players are talented, but aren’t the solution. The answer is right in front of our faces.
Mr. Patrick Patterson is quietly having an incredible season for the Toronto Raptors. He is averaging a whopping 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds at 34.8% shooting from three. It doesn’t seem like that much, but he fits the mold of the team, and I can prove it with statistics too.
The Toronto Raptors hold a 105.8 offensive rating (6th in the league) , and a 101.5 defensive rating (9th). Pattrick Patterson holds a sterling 108.7 OffRtg (2nd on team) and a 98.2 DefRtg (4th) at 24.4 minutes per game. Just that is good enough to see his value (and maybe put him in the starting lineup?), but there’s more. Pattrick Patterson’s defence is invaluable to the team. He is in the top 8 defensive lineups marched out every night, ranging from 81.3 to 102.1 DefRtg. Not even Kyle Lowry can compete with that. On offence Patterson is in the top 7 lineups, ranging from 127 to 112.7 OffRtg. Even though he may not be hitting his jumpers as consistently, his presence is felt on both ends of the court.
The man in front of him in the lineup, Luis Scola, has been incredibly durable as the starter and is usually thrown in the game for spot minutes to rest (you guessed it) Patrick Patterson. Both can stretch the defence out but Luis Scola’s DefRtg is 105.2, 5th worse on the team. What also is to note is that our young centre Jonas Valanciunas has a worse DefRtg than Scola at 105.4. The DefRtg in the three lineups they share together are all north of 105, while the OffRtg are all below average. The three line ups that Valanciunas does not share with Scola are much better, OffRtg all above 120 and the DefRtg at 105.7, 102.1 and 94.3.
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Based on the data, we will continue to believe what we all suspected, that Luis Scola is no starter. Pattrick Patterson would be a much better cog in the starting line up for spacing and defence. Valanciunas needs a player who can move their feet on the outside so the inside can’t easily be exposed by quicker and smaller power forwards. Patrick Patterson is that man, and he is already on the team. What Masai Ujiri should have done was trade Scola’s expiring and cheap contract in order to free up the starting spot for Patterson, so everyone could get what they want.