Toronto Raptors: 3 rotation changes Nick Nurse must make

3. Giving Malachi Flynn a chance

This one just makes no sense. The theme of this Raptors season is letting the young guys figure things out on the floor while getting assisted by veterans. That’s cool, but if that’s the case, why is a first-round pick from a year ago banished to the realm of the benchwarmers to start the season?

Flynn played in garbage time against Boston and has yet to even score a point in this young season. Dalano Banton has clearly jumped over him in the rotation, as it appears Flynn’s late-season surge and Conference Rookie of the Month award from April of last year has done little

The Toronto Raptors have neglected Malachi Flynn.

The Raptors are letting Scottie Barnes start right away, giving Gary Trent Jr. a healthy diet of shots, and making Precious Achiuwa (selected nine picks before him) a starter at center, but Flynn has found it almost impossible to get in the game. We saw last year that he can score at a solid rate in this league while remaining an effective passer, so what’s the deal here?

The Raptors might understandably be worried about Flynn not being an amazing shooter right now and how he would fit in this shooting-deficient lineup, but letting him waste away on the bench is no way to develop a first-round pick.