The Toronto Raptors began the second half of the 2021-22 season in a very concerning fashion thanks to defeats against the Hornets and Hawks by 32 and 27 points, respectively. The once-feared lineup that was taking down Eastern contenders doesn’t look as mighty.
Not only is Fred VanVleet dealing with an injury that is making it tough for him to play at peak efficiency, but OG Anunoby could miss time with a finger injury. Players like Khem Birch and Chris Boucher will have to take on even more important roles soon as a result.
Toronto is making these changes right as one of the most important parts of the schedule is coming up. Sure, they include several consecutive games against teams that likely will be in the draft lottery, but that could put extra pressure on a team that needs to start picking up the pace.
The Raptors’ rotation is far from set, as injuries and ineffective performance have put even more pressure on starters like VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, and Gary Trent Jr. to carry the offensive load. That simply can’t last if the Raptors have serious playoff ambitions.
The Toronto Raptors need to watch these 3 position battles.
3. Dalano Banton vs. Malachi Flynn
Banton and Flynn have been trying to prove their worth as a long-term bench piece, though both of them have seen their effectiveness jump all over the place. After Banton seemed to return to the rotation for good, it was Flynn who got more minutes in the Hawks loss and started against Brooklyn.
The two could not have more contrasting skillsets. While Flynn is a pick-and-roll dynamo that needs the ball in his hands to be as effective as possible, Banton’s 6-9 frame and energy on defense make him more of a schematic fit for Nick Nurse. Flynn might need a strong finish to lock up a 2022-23 spot.
The Toronto Raptors must pick between Dalano Banton, Malachi Flynn.
Flynn put a ton of pressure on Banton by scoring 18 points on 7-11 shooting in place of VanVleet in a dominant win against the Nets. As good as he was in that game, the Raptors likely have not made a firm decision on how the rotation is going to shake out over the next few weeks.
Flynn might have the upper hand right now, but inserting Banton back into the rotation after a few weeks on the bench helped snap him out of the funk he was in. These two are by no means done their friendly competition to get more minutes.