Toronto Raptors: 3 goals for Malachi Flynn in 2021-22 season

Offensive goal: Improve scoring efficiency

The biggest issue with Flynn last year wasn’t the raw numbers. His per-game averages were more a product of his lesser role on the team and lack of minutes, but the one thing that can be held against him is his scoring efficiency.

Part of that is shot selection. We’ve mentioned before how Flynn took too many shots from the outside, and how staying aggressive attacking the rim will expand his offensive game, but taking it to the basket is the most efficient scoring spot on the floor.

Flynn shot a putrid 37% from the field last year and 32% from three. While those numbers would have anyone holding their noses (and rightly so), Flynn’s scoring efficiency is already seeing an upward trajectory.

From the month of April on, the time in which Flynn started to get real NBA minutes off the bench, his numbers jumped to 13 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.0 rebounds a game to go along with 1.3 steals a game while shooting over 40%.

Toronto Raptors: Malachi Flynn should be a more efficient player.

Those are the kind of numbers that win you rookie of the month, but they’re also just a product of more opportunity. Flynn averaged 29 minutes a game in April and May, compared to only 11 minutes in the first five months of the season.

However, efficiency does not get the same boost from more opportunities. On the contrary, scoring efficiency can go down the larger a player’s role is on the court, which is what makes Malachi’s statistical leap in that department have a lot more substance.

In those last 24 games, Flynn’s FG% jumped from 32% to 40%, his 3-point shooting went from 18% to 37%, even his free-throw shooting took a bump up from 67% to 83%.

This change is significant. It’s undeniable evidence that Flynn is getting more and more comfortable in the NBA, and can be, at the very least, a serviceable backup point guard with starter potential.