Toronto Raptors: 3 things to look for in preseason opener vs. 76ers

1. The performance of non-guaranteed players

These games might not be as impactful to some of the established starters in terms of playing time, but it could mean everything to the six players on non-guaranteed deals fighting for three open roster spots. Yuta Watanabe and Freddie Gillespie will try to fight off Ishmail Wainright, Sam Dekker, Isaac Bonga, and Reggie Perry.

With these six all featuring such contrasting styles of play, it will be interesting to see how Nurse slices up the playing time and what roles these players fill. In such a short preseason, one or two breakout games could be the difference between making the team and getting shipped out of town.

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

Watanabe’s shooting and Gillespie’s rebounding will be under the microscope, especially after the latter’s poor Summer League play. Still, Wainright and Bonga both look like promising defenders, and with Perry’s post scoring and Dekker’s improved production overseas, nothing is a given for any of these players.

While everyone has their preferences on who should be included on the final roster, but assuming that Nurse and Ujiri show off the personnel acumen that helped build a champion and bolster the back end of the roster with a few members from this group, fans should trust in their ability to separate the studs from the duds.