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.