The Toronto Raptors started to come unglued following losses against Boston and Minnesota, so head coach Nick Nurse decided to switch up the starting lineup just a bit, putting much-maligned center Aron Baynes on the bench, playing a small lineup with OG Anunoby at the 4. The switch worked out perfectly, as Fred VanVleet led the Raptors to a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Pascal Siakam was named the center, and the Raptors started three players in VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, and Norman Powell that are 6-3 or shorter. Opting for speed and shooting over Baynes’ size, VanVleet ran the Jrue Holiday-less Bucks out of the gym, scoring 33 points in the victory over Milwaukee.
The new offense, which allowed Chris Boucher to play in his natural power forward position off of the bench, helped the Raptors drain 17 3-pointers. Based on VanVleet’s comments, this lineup is more than just a temporary fix.
VanVleet seems to think that this new lineup will be the move going forward, saying that it “better be” a sustainable combination because the Raptors “don’t have a choice.” It doesn’t take a master tea leaf reader to see that was a direct shot at Baynes.
Fred VanVleet, asked if the small lineup is sustainable: "It better be. We don't have a choice at this point."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) February 17, 2021
Fred VanVleet’s quote about Aron Baynes proved he can’t start for the Raptors
Baynes is averaging just 5.5 points per game in his first season with the Raptors, which is a sharp decline from what he pulled off during his standout 2019-20 season with the Phoenix Suns. With his trademark interior defense both less impressive than prior seasons and doing little to combat the poor offense, Baynes was moved to the bench.
Off of the bench, Baynes no longer has to be a secondary scoring option inside and top interior defender. In this reserve role, Baynes can work on scrapping, setting hard screens, and playing tough defense. That’s the ideal role for him, not trying to mimic what Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka did last season.
Aron Baynes, second-unit guy, works.
— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) February 17, 2021
Baynes’ play as the starting center was so bad that it prompted Masai Ujiri to reportedly start to pursue a trade for Cleveland Cavaliers big man Andre Drummond, While Drummond would be a major boost for this lineup, rolling with a smaller lineup that features Siakam at the 5
While it seems like VanVleet was hinting at the fact Baynes is better off on the bench, the lineup switch could lead to a nice spike in form. Winning with this new combination could turn the Raptors’ season right around.