Toronto Raptors: Pros and cons of Fred VanVleet starting over Gary Trent Jr.

The Toronto Raptors are fully healthy for the first time in what feels like forever, as Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet returned to action. With those two alongside Gary Trent Jr., Toronto’s backcourt of the future is starting to take shape.

Unfortunately, with Lowry and VanVleet back at the same time, and considering Toronto’s lack of rebounding this season, Nick Nurse chose to tinker with the lineup by sending Trent to the bench against the Brooklyn Nets. Lowry and VanVleet started, while OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and a true center in Khem Birch made up the rest of the starting five.

There was nothing in Trent’s recent form to suggest he was worthy of this demotion, as he was averaging 20.0 points on 45% shooting and 42% from the 3-point line in his last 10 games. Perhaps even more importantly, he was averaging over 34 minutes per game.

Lowry and VanVleet are both extremely talented, but Norman Powell was the driving force on the offensive end for Toronto during the middle of the season, and Trent looked like he was filling that role with aplomb. Is making Trent a reserve the best option Toronto can adapt? Or will sending VanVleet to the bench end up being the move?

Pro: Gary Trent Jr. gives the Toronto Raptors shooting off of the bench.

Chris Boucher was the only Raptor that was a somewhat reliable scorer off of the bench this season. Malachi Flynn has impressed of late, and DeAndre’ Bembry has had his moments, but Boucher is the only one to really sustain his efficiency. Trent gives the Raptors a perimeter scorer they can lean on when Lowry or VanVleet rest.

The trade with Portland doesn’t get done unless the Raptors think that if Lowry ends up leaving, Trent could be the featured perimeter sniper. While playing him off the bench is a temporary fix, it could help the Raptors in the postseason, as it would give them a trusted shooter that will give the second unit an added degree of nastiness and efficiency.

Con: Gary Trent Jr. could play less off of the bench.

Trent went from playing over 30 minutes a night regularly to playing just 14 in a game against a very competitive if injured, Nets team. Unsurprisingly, a somewhat streaky shooter who needs extended minutes to be able to fully make his mark on the game, was not as proficient, scoring just five points and making just two of his nine shots.

The whole “Starter Norm” thing came from the fact that Nurse actually unleashed Powell when he put him into the starting lineup. Putting handcuffs on Trent’s game by limiting his minutes doesn’t make a ton of sense. With Lowry not going to the bench, why not put VanVleet on the bench? He’s shooting just 39%, and Trent is a more natural off-ball shooting guard.

Let VanVleet get his 30 minutes per game with the bench, where he can dominate the ball and orchestrate the offense by himself.

Nurse needs to come down with a definitive answer on his rotation choices, but picking the wrong combination could force the Raptors to quickly exit the postseason picture.