The Toronto Raptors are already putting in their offseason work. In an effort to get better, here is what each player can improve before the season begins.
The Toronto Raptors are returning next season to defend their championship. It’s an uphill battle with only three-fifths of the title-winning starting lineup. To make things even more difficult, the Raptors have lost the best player to ever wear their jersey, Kawhi Leonard.
The Raptors won’t dwell on the players that have joined other organizations. They have many key players still on the roster and should remain an above-average team in a weak Eastern Conference. To compete with the best in the East, each player must put in the work to upgrade their skills.
The Raptors as a team have already begun taking steps toward finding the players that will allow them to be successful next season. Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will not be able to replace the superstardom that Leonard provided, but they have had a focus on what they believe the team could use in order to win games.
Based on their free-agent acquisitions, it’s apparent that defence is a priority. The Raptors have added Dewan Hernandez, Stanley Johnson, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson whose greatest assets are their stopping abilities. The hope is that they will find a way to compete well enough on offense to be a great team. In order to do that, they’ll certainly need to make improvements in a few areas.
The players have already begun their offseason training. Throughout the summer they are working on progressing their development.
Dewan Hernandez
With the second to last pick in the 2019 NBA Entry Draft, the Raptors selected Dewan Hernandez out of the University of Miami. The scouting report on Hernandez is that as a 6’10” center, he is active in the paint and has the ability to outrebound his opponents. His excellent vertical plays a helpful role in this.
Hernandez has also demonstrated himself to be a competent and fleet of foot defender. This has helped him when out at the perimeter. Unfortunately, when closer to the cup, Hernandez struggles with timing on help defence. He will need to work on this through the summer and into next season.
With the ball, passing has been a real problem for Hernandez. If he wants to find himself playing in the NBA, it will take dedicated work to improve in this area. Otherwise, Hernandez remains too predictable offensively. There is a good chance that he will have time to develop his game playing with the 905.
Biggest area to work on: Passing
Malcolm Miller
Malcolm Miller is a serviceable player who the Raptors hope can develop into a regular member of the rotation. Thanks to a shoulder injury, Miller was limited to playing only 13 games last season in the G-League and 10 more in the NBA.
There were hopes that Miller would take steps on his development, especially in his three-point efficiency. Unfortunately, there was some regression in that area with Raptors 905. That could be attributed to having missed so much time. Luckily, when called up, he shot the lights out.
This coming season, if he makes the roster, it will likely be at the end of the bench. Already, a decent defender, Miller brings value to the team as a spot-up shooter. He is a 3-and-D player who requires others to get him open looks. Miller should be looking to add depth to his game and work on his handles. He could be far more valuable if he can create his own shot.
Biggest area to work on: Shot creation
Matt Thomas
Matt Thomas signed with the Toronto Raptors this offseason after spending the last two years in Europe. The 24-year-old former Iowa State Cyclone was brought to Canada for one reason, his ability to shoot it.
Thomas was one of the best jumpshooters in all of Europe last season, averaging 2.2 three-point makes per game on a ridiculous 48.5-percent from beyond the arc. His numbers as a spot-up shooter were even more impressive.
Matt Thomas was arguably the top jump shooter outside of the NBA last season posting an eFG% of 82% on catch and shoot jump shots including 99% when left unguarded.
— Synergy Basketball (@SynergySST) July 1, 2019
But if Thomas wants to stay on the floor long enough to show off his elite marksmanship, he needs to be able to compete defensively. No, he doesn’t need to be Patrick Beverley or even Klay Thompson. But he can’t be an overwhelming liability. He needs to find a way to be JJ Redick or Stephen Curry.
Thomas can already shoot, but his ability to improve as a defender might determine his NBA success.
Biggest area to work on: Defense
Cameron Payne
To this point in his NBA career, Cameron Payne has been a disappointment. He hasn’t performed to his draft position or even to an NBA-quality in general. Toronto is hoping they can change that.
Payne can certainly make improvements as a rebounder, defender, and passer. However, if he wants to make it in this league, his greatest improvement will need to come as a scorer.
Throughout his career, Payne has shot inefficiently at the rim, from the mid-range, and from beyond the arc. He doesn’t need to improve all three, but he does need to find one that he can excel at.
If his most recent two stops mean anything, it’s likely going to be his three-point shooting. A below-average shooter early in his career, Payne shot greater than 35-percent from three in Cleveland and greater than 45-percent from three in Summer League.
If Payne can shoot above 35-percent from deep with the Raptors, he has a shot to make it as a real player next season. If he continues to struggle from behind the arc, he’ll likely struggle within it as well.
Biggest area to work on: Three-point shooting
Stanley Johnson
Stanley Johnson is one of the Raptors offseason free-agent signings. He is joining the team on a two-year deal worth $7.5 million with a player option in the second season. Toronto will be his third home in two years after the Detroit Pistons traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans declined to extend Johnson a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. Clearly, the Pelicans did not see Johnson fitting into their future.
Johnson will be a project for the Raptors. He is a talented defender but underwhelms on offence. In his career, he has averaged seven points on 21.6 minutes of action. He owns an atrocious field goal percentage of 37.4 and an effective field goal percentage of 43.4.
This offseason, Johnson will need to work on his shooting. If he wants to play an impactful role, he must see his shot drop with greater frequency. Otherwise, his time on the floor could lead to empty possessions for the Raptors. There is a lot of potential for Johnson who has yet to put it all together in the NBA. Hopefully, the change in scenery, new teammates, and coaches help him find his stroke.
Biggest area to work on: Shooting
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is one of the Raptors latest signings. He happens to have a number of similarities to Johnson, including also not having his previous team, the Brooklyn Nets, extend a qualifying offer. Both he and Johnson also played together in college for the Arizona Wildcats.
Like Johnson, Hollis-Jefferson is a solid defender with a weak offensive skillset. Both will need to work on their shooting. Hollis-Jefferson will also need to add more range to his shot since 60-percent of his attempts were within five feet of the hoop, according to cleaningtheglass.
Getting the former teammates back together could be helpful if they find themselves in the gym pushing each other to improve their respective shots.
Biggest area to work on: Shooting
Chris Boucher
Chris Boucher had an incredible season with the Raptors 905 and was rewarded in the form of accolades and hardware. He was named to the All-NBA G League First Team and took home both the NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year and NBA G League Most Valuable Player awards.
His fantastic play at the G-League level helped earn him a standard NBA contract on the eventual NBA Champions.
There is a lot to like about Boucher’s game. He plays hard and doesn’t give up on plays. He has tremendous leaping ability and uses it on both ends of the floor.
Unfortunately, he’s also quite lean and lets shots fly with the same reckless abandon as Stephen Curry. Over the summer, Boucher might want to find a personal trainer that could help him bulk up safely. He may also want to find a life coach who is willing to tell him the truth, he isn’t Curry.
Per 36 minutes, Boucher averaged 8.2 three-point attempts. For context’s sake, Danny Green, who owned a 45.5 three-point percentage, took fewer long-range shots per 36 minutes. He averaged 7.1.
Boucher’s firing at will wouldn’t be a problem if he was making his shots more consistently. He shot 32.4-percent from downtown last season. Boucher needs to work on his patience and ensure he’s making the right plays. He would be well served to cosy up to one or multiple veterans on the team and pick their brains about basketball psychology. There is a lot he can learn and his potential teachers are already paid to spend time with him.
Biggest area to work on: Shot selection and basketball awareness
Jordan Loyd
Jordan Loyd is a difficult player to evaluate based on his limited time in the NBA. He played in 12 games for the Raptors and a total of 55 minutes. When he was on the floor, it was primarily in a garbage-time role, which meant that he was up against opponents’ end-of-the-bench players.
Evaluating Loyd should be done based on his time in the NBA G-League, playing for the Raptors 905. Jama Mahlalela converted Loyd this past season to become a point guard. It was a transition that allowed the team to make Loyd the primary ball-handler and play-caller. He did not look out-of-place in his new role, attacking the hoop and launching threes.
As he heads into next season, he will need to continue to work on getting comfortable playing at the one. That means he will need to work on all the fundamentals. If he hopes to find himself playing meaningful NBA minutes, this will be a must.
Biggest area to work on: Playing full-time point guard
Patrick McCaw
Some may believe that the Raptors re-signed Patrick McCaw because he is a talented player who Nurse can plug-in off the bench at multiple positions. They may point to the defensive prowess that earned him a nod to the MWC All-Defensive Team when he was a sophomore at UNLV. However, the real reason McCaw is back with the Raps is because he guarantees them a championship.
McCaw may have only had a small role at the end of the bench for the Raptors in the postseason but his presence was enough to clinch the title. McCaw has been in the NBA for three seasons and has won the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy each of those years. He happens to be the first to win three consecutive NBA titles since Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant did it from 2000-2002.
The Raptors get a player who they can trust to play with energy in the halfcourt. He will provide above-average defence but below-average offence. It may be difficult for him to become a consistent finisher at the hoop as it has been a real struggle in his career. As such, he should work on using his athleticism to drive to the bucket. He would also benefit from focusing on improving his passing.
Combining well-timed drives would allow McCaw to draw help defenders and kick out to teammates to get them open looks.
Biggest area to work on: Attacking the basket
Serge Ibaka
Serge Ibaka needs to stop feeding his teammates beef penis. It just isn’t a tested and reliable way to build camaraderie. Though it’s surely a delicious delicacy, the Mafuzzy Chef should consider finding alternative ways to ingratiate himself with his teammates.
On the court, Ibaka was a feared rim protector who dined out on pick-and-rolls. He used screens to help generate shots from his office at the elbow. He also wasn’t shy about launching open jumpers from beyond the arc. Unfortunately for Ibaka, he was often left unattended for a reason. From outside, he connected on only 29-percent of his shots.
From two-point range, Ibaka was a lot more consistent. Outside of releasing the ball from the restricted area (he had a field goal average of 73.7-percent), Ibaka was best from mid-range. He hit 49.4-percent of his shots between eight-16 feet and 50.7-percent from 16-24 feet.
Ibaka is historically a better outside shooter than he was this past season. He needs to work through pushing his range back and finding that stroke once again.
Biggest area to work on: Extending shot behind the arc
OG Anunoby
OG Anunoby was believed to be one of the team’s bright up and coming stars going into the last offseason. He had just come off an incredible playoffs performance where he was tasked with the difficult assignments of guarding opponents’ best weapons. As he showed matching up against LeBron James, he was not only fearless but also effective.
This past season, had a rocky start. There appeared to be regression on the court but Anunoby’s real difficulties came in his personal life. Sadly, his father passed away before the start of the campaign. When basketball resumed, Anunoby wasn’t the same lockdown defender nor was he a reliable offensive weapon. There was still a lot of growth needed in his game.
All his playing struggles would have been forgotten if Anunoby had a repeat of his 2018 postseason performance during the Raptors 2019 run. Unfortunately, two days prior to the start of the opening round, Anunoby needed an emergency appendectomy. It was a surgery that lasted three hours and kept him out of playing in the playoffs entirely. Though he was eligible partway through the NBA Finals, Nick Nurse elected to keep Anunoby on the bench.
Anunoby will have to prove himself yet again next season and there are ways to do it. For him, it would be ideal to work together with the 2019 NBA Most Improved Player, Pascal Siakam. Siakam could help Anunoby find his own signature move that will help upgrade his offence. Ideally, this would also assist Anunoby to find ways to create his own shot. He could be very dangerous once he manages to put this all together.
Biggest area to work on: Bouncing back to 2018 Anunoby
Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet has consistently improved his game since coming into the league. He has gone from an undrafted player to being in the conversation for NBA Finals MVP. The Raptors backup point guard has shown glimpses of brilliance on the court and hopes to capture that level of play more consistently.
VanVleet can be dribble-happy at times, pounding the air out of the rock in an attempt to generate offense.
It would be invaluable for VanVleet to work on involving his teammates. It not only allows everyone on the floor to find their respective rhythms together but it also will result in more open looks for himself. Using strength to address a need is an excellent way to persevere.
Biggest area to work on: Ball movement
Norman Powell
Norman Powell came out of college as a two-guard and has adapted his play in the NBA as a small forward. He has done so because of his natural abilities and athleticism. That was on display in the playoffs where Powell started slowly but picked up as the team went deeper.
He is a gifted player who has the ability to put the ball on the floor and create his own shot. Unfortunately, it appears that at times, Powell forgets that he has a skill set that includes a good first step, excellent acceleration and a strong ability to finish at the rim. Instead of using his athleticism, Powell will often settle for a mid-range jumper or a three-ball. There are times where that above-the-break-three attempt should have just been a pass.
Powell, should work with his coaching staff this offseason to straighten out his decision-making. Watching back film could help provide insights as to when windows open for drives to the hoop, cutting options for a dish and when settling on a jumper is what’s best.
Biggest area to work on: Decision making
Kyle Lowry
This past season, Kyle Lowry acted as a leader and was a huge contributor to the team’s success. When he was playing well, the Raptors racked up wins. Lowry provided pace, energy, ball movement, and well-timed drawn charges.
Come playoffs, Lowry elevated his game. Even when he wasn’t pouring in points, he was doing things on and off the ball to help his teammates. There was never anyone on the floor who played with as much heart as he did.
Lowry’s season woes came in the form of inconsistency at the three-point line. Some nights, he was knocking down his pull-up jimmy from outside with ease. On others, all he was laying was bricks. No doubt, Lowry is constantly in the gym working on his shot but when it’s on, he becomes even more lethal by spacing out the floor.
This offseason, Lowry should continue his perimeter work. In 2019 he shot 34.7-percent from three-point range. There is no reason to believe that cannot improve. Two years earlier, in 2017, he was converting at a clip of 41.2-percent. While he may never return to that degree of efficiency, he could absolutely see a spike from last year with the right training in place. He should find time to carpool with Ibaka and practice clearing racks from the perimeter.
Biggest area to work on: Three-point shooting stroke and returning it to previous highs
Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol was an important mid-season acquisition for the Raptors. His play helped elevate the team and made them incredibly difficult to play against in the offseason. Gasol demonstrated that he is a pass-first, unselfish player, looking to swing the ball and keep his teammates involved.
On the defensive end, Gasol should continue to play the game the way he always has, with passion and active hands. His willingness to attack the perimeter and provide early help makes running plays against him very difficult.
Gasol could work on taking more shots. Already an above average shooter for a big man, the center should look for the easy points when they’re there for him. That might mean getting himself in the low post and calling for the ball or practising his drop step. Gasol already has the ability, he now needs to convey the confidence that he is willing to collect points himself whenever he wants them.
Biggest area to work on: Aggressiveness as a shooter/scorer
Pascal Siakam
When Leonard signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, many believed it meant that the Raptors biggest star was now Siakam. Like Leonard, Siakam was also a Finals MVP. He won the award after clinching the 2017 D-League title.
Siakam was also named the NBA’s Most Improved Player this past season. His growth in his short time in the association has been remarkable. So much so, that onlookers believe that he will not slow down but continue to develop his play.
Siakam has built a game that makes him difficult to guard, especially near the hoop. He is one of the better finishers in basketball and has footwork that could make a ballerina blush. He is also a plus defender to top it all off. These skills demanded Siakam no longer come off the bench, but start games for his team.
Fans may not have voted Siakam into the All-Star game last year but after witnessing what he was able to do throughout the regular season and the playoffs he should have gained enough popularity to have a better result next season.
That, of course, depends on Siakam matching or exceeding his 2019 play. Despite, the impressive assent of the Cameroonian power forward, he may find things more difficult next season. This could be because without Leonard on the floor, defences could load up against him.
Siakam was already well scouted going into his third year with the Raptors. Opposing coaches game planned for him but Siakam added more depth to his game that made him nearly unstoppable. One new element was the addition of a corner three. Siakam was hitting his shots from there, forcing opponents to chase him off the line.
The next step in the forward’s development should be to find his stroke elsewhere on the court. Though it is a far more difficult shot, it would benefit Siakam to add an above-the-break element to his game. If he could start knocking down threes from the top of the arc, he makes the tough task of guarding him even more difficult.
Biggest area of improvement: Above-the-break three-point shooting
The Raptors have all summer to get their postseason work in. Hopefully, it is enough time for each of them to make the desired improvements that they’re presently focused on.