Toronto Raptors: 3 biggest focus points for training camp

Toronto Raptors training camp is right around the corner, meaning that Toronto’s goal to build for a stronger future can officially get kick-started. The 2021-22 season can go in one of several different directions, and getting off to a fast start is integral to this team succeeding in 2021.

Toronto did manage to draft well, adding a class full of high-ceiling talents like Scottie Barnes, and they retained two starters from last year’s second-half push in Gary Trent Jr. and Khem Birch on relatively economical deals.

While the squad will be back in Toronto this season, plenty of question marks surround this team. With Kyle Lowry gone, a rotation that needs to figure out how minutes are assigned, and a smattering of very raw players that need some tutelage before they are ready for primetime, Nick Nurse has his hands full.

Fans and team members alike will be keeping an eye out for these three trends over the course of training camp and the preseason, as they could be the difference between a surprisingly efficient start and another season spent at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

3 biggest areas of focus at Toronto Raptors training camp

3. Development of the rookies

The Raptors definitely opted for versatility and long-term potential over immediate scoring growth, as they followed up the selection of Barnes by taking Nebraska guard and Native Canadian Dalano Banton right before they added Louisville’s David Johnson. All three fit Ujiri’s vision of a long, defensively sound team.

However, none of the three are projected to be particularly good shooters as rookies. Barnes’ biggest flaw is his jumper, though he made strides in Summer League. Banton was objectively poor as a shooter with the Cornhuskers, and while Johnson was the best of the three in college, his Vegas stats weren’t jaw-dropping.

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How will the rookies help out Toronto Raptors?

While Johnson and UDFA Justin Champagnie, also not a fantastic shooter, will likely get a ton of reps in the G League to start the season by way of their two-way deals. Banton will likely be on the end of the bench, while Barnes stands to be one of the first guys off of it in his rookie season.

If they start showing gradual improvement over the course of Toronto’s camp and preseason schedule, Ujiri’s scouting knowledge and penchant for risk-taking could pay off once again. If Barnes can create his own shot and a 6-9 guard like Banton starts scoring, Toronto’s bench will be just short of elite.

2. Performance of non-guaranteed players.

The Raptors have six players with no or partial conditional guarantees currently fighting for space on the roster. 2020-21 holdovers Yuta Watanabe and Freddie Gillespie will compete with European imports Ishmail Wainright and Sam Dekker in addition to NBA free agents like Reggie Perry and Isaac Bonga.

Training camp will essentially be an audition for these players, as Toronto will fill out the end of their bench in large part thanks to the performances they see in the next couple of weeks. Everyone has their opinion on who should be included on this final roster, but it may ultimately come down to how many different traits each player can provide.

Which non-guaranteed players will make the Toronto Raptors roster?

If Nurse and Ujiri want a perimeter defender, Watanabe and Bonga are the men for the job. Size in the post could help out Wainright, Gillespie, and Perry. Dekker is the wild card, as he is a bit of an unknown quantity after years overseas.

As Watanabe proved last year, injuries and ineffective play in the rotation could force a player at the end of the bench to hear their name called. The Raptors will get every single bit of relevant data possible when it comes to picking the best players for this roster, but picking the wrong players could have an adverse impact on the overall records.

1. Pascal Siakam’s health and status

Siakam, who had been one of the durable stars in this league before the season from hell last year, is scheduled to get his season properly started around November, as he is recovering from a shoulder operation in June that usually takes around five months to fully heal from.

All eyes will be on Siakam, as fans may finally get an accurate picture of how far along he is in his rehab. Will he be able to suit up as soon as opening night against the Washington Wizards thanks to some tremendous healing capabilities? Or will fans have to sit through several weeks of Siakam-less games?

How healthy will Pascal Siakam be?

With a No. 4 pick in Barnes that will play a lot of power forward and one of the best bench players in the East in Chris Boucher, Toronto is well-equipped to deal with a player like Siakam missing a short period of time. If this extends deep into the season, however, that could be problematic.

Considering that we haven’t heard a ton from the organization or Siakam himself on how far along he is in the process, we may be able to get some more formal updates on how far along he is. Siakam is the key to Toronto returning to the playoffs this season, and Toronto needs to do everything possible to get him back and healthy.