Raptors: 3 players who must step up without Chris Boucher

Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors started the preseason off on the right foot, taking down the Philadelphia 76ers in their return to Canada by way of a ferocious defense and transition-heavy offensive attack. They won this game without the services of Chris Boucher, a concept they need to get very familiar with.

Boucher will reportedly be out for a minimum of 3-4 weeks, as he had surgery to repair a dislocated finger. With Pascal Siakam on the mend as well, what was once a position of strength for tomorrow has very quickly become a net negative thanks to injuries at the position.

The Raptors have preached a “next man up” culture for years, and with both an All-Star level starter and Sixth Man of the Year contender potentially in line to miss game time, Toronto will need to act fast to replace him.

With Boucher on the mend, these three Toronto Raptors will need to rise to the occasion if the team is going to keep the momentum they picked up in the preseason opener rolling into the start of the regular season.

3 Toronto Raptors who must step up without Chris Boucher.

3. Precious Achiuwa

Achiuwa, who was billed as a hyper-athletic small-ball center when the Raptors acquired him from Miami, might end up getting some time at power forward due to the Boucher situation. If he is able to replicate his play against Philadelphia, Achiuwa should slide right into the rotation with ease.

Achiuwa scored 13 points on 6-9 shooting with seven rebounds. In addition to the fact he blocked two shots on the defensive end, Achiuwa was attacking the rim and making mid-range jumpers on the offensive end, showcasing the improvement that Nick Nurse and the staff wanted to see.

Toronto Raptors: Precious Achiuwa could replace Chris Boucher.

There are very few young players Achiuwa’s size that can move like he can and hang around down in the post. This makes him a natural replacement for No. 25. The Raptors might need to eat into their center depth by moving Achiuwa around, but his preseason opener made him look like a player that will demand increased minutes.

One issue that Achiuwa, and the rest of the Raptors, showed was how they struggled to contain the gargantuan Andre Drummond in the paint. If he can work on his post defense for situations like that, the defensive acumen that Toronto lost with Boucher could be made up for thanks to this second-year standout.

2. Justin Champagnie

While Dalano Banton had a very impressive debut, and David Johnson looked decent in limited action, Champagnie, who signed a two-way deal after going undrafted, may have had the most surprisingly impressive night of any rookie. While he came into tonight as a 905 project, he made a case for rotation time.

Champagnie, a 6-6 wing who played power forward in college, recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points and hauling in 10 rebounds, showing that he can get boards despite his lack of tremendous height thanks to his motor, tenacity, and ability to leap. Might he earn a role with the NBA team this season?

Justin Champagnie could sneak into the Toronto Raptors rotation.

Champagnie was named a first-team All-ACC performer last year at Pitt, while the No. 4 pick in Barnes was only a third-team selection. While he will also need to get some tutelage from Nurse on how to become a better shooter in the league, his blend of athleticism and physicality inside for his size can provide some matchup worries.

While we shouldn’t read too much into how minutes were allocated, the fact Champagnie played 22 minutes indicates Nurse really wanted a good look at how he was able to hold up against the Philadelphia bench. After such an impressive performance, he could wiggle his way into a rotation role by the end of the month.

1. Scottie Barnes

While Barnes wasn’t hot from 3-point range in this game, he did just about everything you could ask of a rookie in his first preseason game. Scoring 13 points and dishing out six assists proves his quality as a finisher and passer, while nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks show that he is adept at making plays as a defender.

Barnes figured to be a reserve to start this season, but it looks like he may end up getting moved into a starting role. While they could stick him at power forward or move him to the wing in the name of getting OG Anunoby more reps in the paint, the Boucher injury had given Barnes a chance to catapult his NBA stock into the stratosphere.

Scottie Barnes could see a bump in production for the Toronto Raptors.

Boucher is a very unique player to replace, as the slender big’s shooting, shot-blocking, and basketball feel are tough to replicate. Barnes might not bring the 3-point shot at this point in time, but he’ll keep the offense as free-flowing and dynamic as Boucher would’ve while flexing his defensive muscles.

Barnes came to Toronto with some skepticism, but he has done nothing but hit home runs since he got here. With a bubbly personality that makes him impossible to hate, Barnes could make himself a sensation with the Raptors by hopping right into the starting lineup and filling in for Boucher on both ends.