Despite a number of key players going down with injuries, the Toronto Raptors continue to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Now Masai Ujiri and his staff must evaluate the roster and decide if a move is needed before the trade deadline.
Before the season started, a number of “experts” south of the border predicted that the Toronto Raptors would take a step back this season. A few went so far as to suggest that the Raptors might miss the playoffs entirely.
Entering the new year, the Raptors are 23-11. They were 25-9 through 34 games last season. The Raptors’ current mark is good enough for fourth in the Eastern Conference. They are only one and a half games out of second.
The Raptors managed to weather the storm following injuries to Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka. Just when it looked like Nick Nurse would have his complete rotation intact, Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol and Norman Powell all went down. It appears Powell is set to make a return soon. Siakam and Gasol still remain without any timeline.
Before suffering a shoulder injury, Powell had started to show flashes of the player the Raptors believed he could become. He is averaging 14.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range. Outside of Powell, the Raptors’ perimeter rotation includes a few familiar names.
After being named the league’s Most Improved Player last season, Siakam has taken another step forward. He is averaging career-highs across the board. Siakam is a lock to make his first All-Star team and is quickly becoming the face of the Toronto Raptors.
OG Anunoby has shown improvements but lacks consistency. Finally, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson looks like one of the steals of the summer. He is a solid option off the bench, capable of playing either forward position. However, beyond that questions remain about the rest of the Raptors’ options on the wings.
With all these injuries, Nurse has been forced to go deep in his rotation. Patrick McCaw is averaging 27.9 minutes per game in December. Nurse likes a number of the attributes McCaw brings to the table. He has good size at 6-foot-7, with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. McCaw has the tools to be an above-average defensive player, but his offensive game is lacking.
McCaw is still young, at just 24 years old. Like most young players, McCaw needs consistent playing time. It’s possible he is turning a corner. McCaw played a season-high 43 minutes in a recent win over the Boston Celtics. He chipped in with 18 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and one block.
After McCaw, the Raptors’ options are Stanley Johnson and Malcolm Miller. Detroit Pistons fans know how frustrating Johnson can be. He has all the tools but just can’t seem to put it all together. Miller, on the other hand, isn’t a legitimate option to log heavy minutes. Both Johnson and Miller have been jumped in the rotation the last three games by two-way player, Oshae Brissett.
If McCaw or someone else can become a consistent contributor then the Raptors will be in a good position. If not, Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster might need to consider making a trade to bring in an insurance policy if the team is serious about making a deep playoff run.