Toronto Raptors: 3 rotation decisions to make in training camp

The Toronto Raptors have been finalizing their last few signings ahead of training camp’s Monday start and, as we prep for the first scrimmages and drills of the 2021-2022 season, the coaching staff and front office will have many rotational questions to unpack and decide on rather quickly.

With franchise legend Kyle Lowry off to the Miami Heat and Pascal Siakam out with an injury for the beginning of the season, Nick Nurse and Masai Ujiri have to not only figure out opening night’s lineups, but they’ll have to piece together how this roster will operate when it’s fully healthy and functional.

Who’s the leader? Which bench pieces are going to take the reigns and play the pivotal sixth and seventh man spots? How do the newcomers fit into the schemes on both ends?

There’s a lot of important decisions to make for a team that is expected to bounce back after last season’s struggles in Tampa.

3 big rotation decisions the Toronto Raptors must make.

We’re gonna take a look at the top 3, but first, a quick glance at a couple of honourable mentions.

Where does Gary Trent Jr. fit in his first full season with Toronto?

The Raptors have an interesting rotation in the first year without Lowry as Fred VanVleet takes sole possession of the point. Gary Trent Jr., Malachi Flynn, and newly acquired vet Goran Dragic round out the top four options.

The reality is that Trent fits best in the starting lineup. His shooting will be important for opening up the middle of the floor for Siakam when he comes back, and with plus defenders in VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and Siakam all on the floor with him, Trent Jr. can focus the bulk of his energy on the offensive end.

That’ll be incredibly important for a team whose starters can be incredibly streaky on the offensive end.

How will the backup center spot shake out?

It’s hard to find anyone who dislikes Freddie Gillespie and the grit he brought as Toronto’s latest G League developmental project. However, with the acquisition of Precious Achiuwa in the Lowry sign-and-trade, does Gillespie have a spot in the rotation?

The simple answer is probably not. Gillespie earned his spot in the league with sweat and spirit, but Achiuwa not only brings crazy athleticism but a defensive game that prompted Golden State assistant coach Mike Brown to hint at his similarities to former DPOY Draymond Green.

Ultimately, it’s unlikely Nurse keeps that kind of potential out of the lineup, no matter how much we all love the other Fred.

3. What kind of role and playing time will Goran Dragic receive?

When the Raptors made the deal with the Heat, they got the classic prospect/vet combo package for their star player. Now, we’ve already talked about Achiuwa, but where does Dragic fit into a team that he reportedly didn’t want to play for originally?

The reality is that Dragic’s value as a player for this team is going to come down to whether the Raptors can start off hot or not. If Nurse and Ujiri think this team can make a serious run at the playoffs, Dragic has to be the unquestionable sixth or seventh man.

During his Miami stint, Dragic was posting 30 minutes a game with 16.2 points and 5.2 assists per game. He’s the floor general point guard who doesn’t just bring ready-made offense with him, but can teach young players like Flynn and Dalano Banton the finer things of being a starting-caliber guard.

Will the Toronto Raptors get some utility out of Goran Dragic?

However, if the Raptors start falling behind, or even if they start to think it’s more of a play-in year than a playoff year, do they start pulling Goran back a bit and prepping him for a trade?

We know Toronto isn’t where Dragic is dying to play, so if a team like the Mavericks gives up some draft capital or a young, promising player, it makes sense to get Flynn more minutes and get as much value out of the Lowry trade as possible.

The first 20 games will ultimately dictate this move, but the coaching staff will need to decide now what comes first. Is it Flynn’s development, or Dragic’s more polished play?

2. What does the starting lineup look like without Pascal Siakam?

Pascal Siakam is out. We all know it, we all hate it, but it’s the truth going into the season. What will the opening night lineup look like?

It’s tough to know exactly what Nurse is thinking, but there are a few possibilities.

• G Fred VanVleet
• G Gary Trent Jr.
• F OG Anunoby
• F Scottie Barnes
• C Khem Birch

This is the most defensively intimidating lineup the Raptors can run out on Opening Night. We know VanVleet, Anunoby, and Birch are going to be in any starting lineup, so they’re a given. In this lineup, Trent offers an offensive option that can hopefully keep Toronto firing consistently, even if Anunoby or VanVleet go cold at any point.

Bringing in Barnes from the get-go is a massive risk. His game is incredibly raw, especially on the offensive end, where his jump shot is a long way from perfect. Still, his potential, defense, and length make it a genuine possibility that he starts right away on the court rather than the bench.

Is it worth the risk? We’ll see what Nurse thinks. It’s important to manage his growth in a very prudent manner, no matter how great an impression he’s made on us.

Will the Toronto Raptors start Scottie Barnes or go small-ball?

• G Fred VanVleet
• G Goran Dragic
• G Gary Trent Jr.
• F OG Anunoby
• C Khem Birch

If the Raptors decide to go small ball, this is likely the best way to do it.

Birch has been the lone rebounding bright spot since he came to Toronto last year, pulling down nine rebounds per 36 minutes since being traded from the Orlando Magic. It makes sense that without Siakam, the move could be to surround Birch with shooters, space the floor, and let the native Canadian clean up the misses.

The big negative? Defense. Dragic has been a Defensive Box Plus/Minus negative every non-Rockets year of his career, and he has been even worse than normal these past two seasons in Miami. Add to that Trent trying to guard bigger wings and you have a recipe for disaster guarding the hoop.

This lineup may fit the odd matchup-based game, but it’s unlikely to see much action overall.

• G Fred VanVleet
• G Gary Trent Jr.
• F OG Anunoby
• F/C Chris Boucher
• C Khem Birch

This is the most likely starting lineup come opening night. Boucher slotting in at the 4 spot gives the Raptors a credible inside/outside offensive option that Barnes isn’t at this juncture. He may not go off every night, and he’s never the first option, but he has the ability to keep a defender on him.

As for his defense, it goes without saying that Boucher can make an impact.

Boucher’s defense isn’t perfect, but if Toronto wants to protect the rim while also being a nuisance on the 3-point line, Boucher gives the starting lineup a player that can scare a player off a potentially open jumper.

There’s no way to know for sure who will trot out onto the court for the start of the Wizards game, but if I were a betting man, this would be it.

1. How many minutes does Scottie Barnes get per game?

Most questions and conversations about the Raptors have to include heavy discussion about the No. 4 overall pick, and this one is no different.

As mentioned previously, Barnes is a high-ceiling, low-floor player with quality defense and wingspan whose offensive game is gonna require A LOT of polishing and reworking. So what’s the sweet spot in terms of playing time for Barnes?

The answer is as much as possible. Barnes showed the potential for the type of all-around, versatile game in his Summer League debut, displaying a level of confidence that says he’ll do better learning from his mistakes on the court more than watching from the bench.

The Toronto Raptors need to get Scottie Barnes some minutes.

The important thing is not to expect too much, because Scottie will expect the world of himself. Barnes’ jump shot is going to be inconsistent, he’s going to miss reads as he adapts to the speed of the NBA, and his intensity may lead to him getting down on himself after a bad game.

Ultimately, the best idea would be to get Barnes on the floor for 20 minutes a game. As a guy who was only taking 8.1 shots per game at the collegiate level, Nurse and the Raps vets will need to help facilitate Scottie’s offense, and you can’t commit too much time to that while trying to consistently win.

More importantly, they need to be in his ear when he’s off the floor. Barnes will learn a lot on the fly as he makes mistakes and takes in the flow of the game, but if he can commit 20 minutes on the floor and a full 48 minutes mentally immersed, the Raps should come out of training camp excited for what the future holds.