Who should start for the Toronto Raptors if Pascal Siakam is out?

Fred VanVleet

Fred VanVleet has been absolutely atrocious so far this series. He is 1-11 from the field, 0-7 from three, and has recorded just four assists in 63 minutes. He’s even missing free-throws, going 2-5 from the line. Perhaps in the recording of Space Jam 2, LeBron James has actually stolen FVV’s talent.

So how can he possibly be an option to start? Because Fred VanVleet is still a good basketball player. He’s in a DEEP slump, he hasn’t done anything lately, but there is a good player in there. At some point, he will break out of this. But can you really put your season on the line, in hopes of a player breaking out of a slump?

From a matchup perspective, it works out pretty well. Danny Green has been guarding Tobias Harris for the past two games. Kyle Lowry will likely shift on Jimmy Butler, and Fred VanVleet will be responsible for chasing JJ Redick around screens.

But inserting Fred into the lineup makes the Raptors very small, particularly against a huge lineup like Philly’s. The Raptors are getting killed on the glass as-is. As they shrink, that becomes an even larger liability.

Typically, inserting Fred into the starting lineup would punish the Raptors less offensively than the other options. However, the way he is playing right now, he might be the most detrimental. He still demands the defense’s attention from beyond the arc, but watching him dribble the air out of the ball to brick a jumper isn’t helping anyone.

If Fred was playing to his typical standards, this would be the right decision. With his play at the moment, it’s tough to say he should be playing at all, let alone starting.