Raptors: Does Stanley Johnson’s defense make up for non-existent offense?
By Mike Luciano
Stanley Johnson looked destined to flush out of the NBA, as the former Top 10 pick completely floundered with the Detroit Pistons. Taking a flier on a developmental prospect, Toronto chose to bring in Johnson with the intention of converting him into a full-time power forward that can play center in a pinch. While by no means a star, Johnson has found a home in Toronto.
Johnson, much like Yuta Watanabe, has become a solid rotation player for the Raptors this year, as his defensive versatility has helped stop the bleeding following a really rough stretch of games. On offense, Johnson is trying to take on the same role Marc Gasol played, using his size and passing to conduct the offense when Aron Baynes is on the bench.
Stanley Johnson is playing the Marc Gasol role, which is the strangest thing I think I have ever said. He's being the passing hub at the top of the arc, playing great defense and hitting the occasional three.
— Raptors Report (@RapsReport) January 26, 2021
Johnson has a lot of positive traits, but his scoring ability remains lackluster. Should the Raptors expect more out of him on offense?
For all of Stanley Johnson’s positive traits, he offers the Toronto Raptors minimal on the offensive end
The raw numbers don’t look good for Johnson. Always a poor shooter, he is averaging just 3.1 points per game in 16 minutes while shooting 39 percent from the floor. While his numbers from three are slightly better, he doesn’t shoot them at a great enough volume to really earn the designation of a designated sniper.
While Johnson’s usage rate remains low, and his team is averaging over a point per shot attempt while he’s on the floor for the first time in his career, there are some warts to his offensive game. Johnson’s issues with turnovers continue to haunt him, as his 18.4 percent turnover percentage is one of the worst in the league for forwards.
The analytics show that the team doesn’t perform any worse or better on the offensive end when he is on the floor, but they do turn the ball over at a greater rate and rebound at a less efficient clip. Johnson’s status as a tough defender needs to be accentuated with something of value on the offensive end.
Johnson, still just 24, deserves a spot in the Toronto rotation, as his ability to defend multiple positions and provide a physical presence in the paint is needed. However, he is a complete non-factor on offense at the moment, and playing 4-on-5 will eventually start to eat away at the Raptors’ efficiency on offense as the year progresses.
