Toronto Raptors: Does quest for more shooting have internal solution?

The Toronto Raptors have been winning all season, but have hit a bumpy patch recently. The team needs to rediscover their outside shooting, or find some, and quick.

By this point in the season, the Toronto Raptors must be pleased with most elements of their team, with one giant exception. Their 3-point shooting, counted on to be a strength, has been a serious weakness.

After 16 games, the team was hitting at a 33.6% rate from deep – nothing to brag about, but not crippling either, as their 12-4 record reflects. In their next 16, i.e., up to now, the percentage is 36. We find our team tied with the Brooklyn Nets at 19th with a full-season rate of 34.8%. The top teams in this category include gaudy names like Golden State (tied for first), Indiana and Boston.

The Raptors have compiled a 23-9 record in spite (certainly not because!) of their disappointing shooting from deep. And don’t look now, but our guys have lost five of their last eight games. You can run, but you can’t hide.

Any shooters out there?

The quick fix would be to trade for a shooter, except you need to find one. J.R. Smith has told by the Cleveland Cavaliers to stay away from them while they search for a trade partner. Smith is a career 37.3% gunner, although he was bumping along at 30.8% before being punted. He’s also owed $ 14+ million NEXT year. Even if the Cavs agreed to pay his stipend this season (and the Raptors wanted to send someone there, as both teams are over the salary cap), this trade wouldn’t make sense for the Raptors. Besides, Smith has so much “baggage”…

I bring Smith up to illustrate how difficult finding someone to fill a hole can be in the NBA. So how about this notion? Our group is banged up, so there won’t a better time to give someone an audition. [20-second timeout: The Raps don’t qualify for an hardship exception, which would allow the temporary creation of a roster spot. We’ve only one player, Jonas Valanciunas, who is likely to be out for more than 2 weeks; 4 are needed.] Jordan Loyd, a swingman, is the Raptors 905 leading scorer now that Chris Boucher is with the big team. While Loyd is hitting at a barely-acceptable 34.7% rate from deep in the minors, I’d still be interested in seeing what he might do at the highest level. Whenever I’ve watched Loyd, I’ve been impressed by his poise. He might be one of those extremely rare individuals who performs better as the competition level increases.

If Deng Adel were to bump his percentage substantially above its current 27.9%, he would be another I’d like to see promoted. Not yet, I’m afraid.

Final thoughts

Carmelo Anthony is still looking for a place to land. I hope it’s not Toronto.

Austin Rivers has been cut loose by the Phoenix Suns after just arriving there from Washington in the Trevor Ariza trade. The Raptors could bring him in relatively cheaply using their Mid-Level Exception. The Suns are on the hook for the rest of his $ 12+ M salary. Waiving Rivers was a strange move. If he’s not part of their long-terms plans, that’s fine – so why not spotlight him, them move him on at the deadline for something of value?

Rivers, who’s been in the NBA since 2012-13, finally gets his scoring average into double figures…and then gets traded and waived. That’s not a healthy trend. His career 3-point percentage is 35.2%, which doesn’t get the pulse racing.

Norman Powell will likely dress against Indiana on Wednesday night. If he’s our best hope of improving a vital element of our team’s offense, I’m not comfortable. Masai, Bobby Webster and the gang need to get imaginative.