Raptors: 3 most disappointing players from first chunk of regular season games
By Mike Luciano
No. 2: Stanley Johnson
Johnson, a former first-round pick out of UConn, fizzled out in Detroit and failed to stick in New Orleans. While he latched on with the Raptors last season, showing that he could have some value as a solid defender, Johnson’s inefficient shooting and inability to consistently fill it up forced him to go from rotation stalwart to the end of the bench.
Johnson is scoring just 3.0 points per game while making just 40% of his shots. His 9.7 PER, a number that is remarkably above his career average, speaks to the fact that for all his positive traits he provides on the defensive side of the ball, he is a complete black hole on the offensive end.
Johnson’s lack of offense is killing the Raptors
Johnson thought that his ability to guard multiple positions would get him some guaranteed minutes, but DeAndre Bembry showing more on the offensive end and Yuta Watanabe suddenly becoming indispensable for his defensive hustle made Johnson irrelevant. When scoring even two points in a game becomes an accomplishment, that’s a worrying sign.
Johnson’s versatility and defense made him a pleasant surprise early in the season, but Watanabe’s emergence and Bembry’s resurgence have made Johnson’s style of play completely redundant. He needs to start scoring to prove his worth.