The Toronto Raptors committed to building their team with young talent, as they added Scottie Barnes with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Masai Ujiri added Dalano Banton and David Johnson in the second round before snagging Justin Champagnie as an undrafted free agent.
Toronto hasn’t been shy about throwing them into the fire. Three of the four players have seen at least some chunk of time in the rotation, with Barnes in particular starting every game he’s featured in. As a result, Toronto has picked up a solid 20-18 record to this point.
The Raptors’ success in the near future will be indelibly tied to these players and how quickly they can adjust to the speed of the game. Considering most of them look like solid NBA players, Toronto should feel good about their foundation.
How have the rookies been progressing this season? Should the Raptors feel good about where the youngsters are at or concerned that some of them have seen their upward trajectories start to plateau over the last few weeks?
Toronto Raptors rookie progress report: Are new additions developing?
Justin Champagnie
Positives: Rebounding, Energy
While most undrafted NBA players spend their rookie season mired in the G League, Champagnie has been so darn impressive that he may have earned a more significant chunk of rotation time as Svi Mykhailiuk struggled to fend off the young sparkplug.
When they signed Champagnie as a two-way player following an extremely productive college career at Pitt, Toronto thought they were getting a quality rebounder that goes 110% on every position and finishes looks inside. So far, he’s been able to check those boxes with aplomb.
Justin Champagnie has been a major boost for the Toronto Raptors.
Negatives: Shooting
Champagnie had one insane game where he couldn’t miss from 3-point range, but he’s still below-average in this area. This may be the one reason Nurse is hesitant to put the 6-6 wing in the rotation despite the fact Toronto has been much better on both ends when he is in.
The Raptors have four rookies on their roster, and Champagnie has been getting the second-most minutes after Nurse retooled the rotation late in December. Champagnie should be a part of this team’s bench going forward considering how the effort always perks up when he comes in.
Grade: A-
David Johnson
Positives: Interior Finishing, Reducing Turnovers
It’s been easy to forget about Johnson this season. On top of the fact he’s spent most of the year in the G League, he wasn’t available as a late December roster call-up due to an injury. When he’s been healthy, however, the former Louisville guard has some impressive G League numbers.
Johnson is averaging 13.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game for Raptors 905 while making 48% of his shots inside the arc. That number paired with the fact that he is cutting down on turnovers is encouraging, as he is fixing the flaws that plagued him in college.
David Johnson has spent his Toronto Raptors tenure in the G League.
Negatives: Efficiency
Johnson is still not an amazing shooter at this point in time. He is making just 38% of his shots from the field and 30% from 3-point range. His shot selection was an issue at Louisville, and that wart on his style of play doesn’t appear to have gone away.
This year was always supposed to be about development with Johnson, as he came into the pros with some questions about his professional fit. While he hasn’t answered a ton of them yet, his numbers in the G League show that he has BA potential if he irons out some of the kinks.
Grade: B
Dalano Banton
Positives: Defensive Versatility, Speed
Banton was a rotation mainstay in the early parts of the season, as Nurse was completely infatuated with his long arms and ability to blow past defenders at 6-9. Able to lock down opponents on the wing and switch everything, the former Nebraska product appeared to be more pro-ready than most anticipated.
Banton was so impressive in the preseason and early parts of the regular season that he overtook Malachi Flynn in the rotation and looks like the more promising offensive player. While he slipped in the drat due to how raw he is, it appears as though Nurse has helped him find his footing in the pros.
Dalano Banton has been up and down for the Toronto Raptors.
Negatives: Offensive Creation
Banton has fallen out of the rotation because he is too raw on the offensive end. His sharp interior finishing hasn’t been as potent in recent weeks, and his 3-point shooting remains a liability. He’s received several assignments to Raptors 905 to work on those issues.
At least fans can take solace in the fact that Banton is proving to be much too good for the lower ranks, putting up obscene numbers in the G League. Once he regains his confidence on offense, he should have no trouble reestablishing himself in the pros.
Grade: B-
Scottie Barnes
Positives: On-Ball Defense, Interior Finishing, Offensive Rebounding
After the initial shock of the Barnes pick faded, Raptors fans realized they drafted a player with a slightly higher ceiling than Jalen Suggs. Considering he is still at the forefront of the Rookie of the Year race alongside names like Evan Mobley, it’s obvious what Ujiri saw in him.
His on-ball defense has been impressive, as he is shifting between protecting the rim and taking on NBA-caliber point guards. He can get to the rim with ease, and his condor-like wingspan has helped him reel in some offensive rebounds.
The Toronto Raptors have to be thrilled with Scottie Barnes.
Negatives: 3-point shooting, Aggressiveness
While Barnes had one streak where it looked like he would never miss a 3-pointer, his effectiveness from deep has waned. He can be a bit too passive on offense at times, as some Raptors fans would love to see him take over games more often.
Luckily, these are generally minor complaints. In a season where many thought he would be unplayable on offense, Barnes has emerged as a weapon that is impossible to drop from the starting lineup.