The Toronto Raptors got Summer League off to a flying start, as they dominated the Philadelphia 76ers on the back of a fourth-quarter in which Philly managed just seven points. Even without a first-round pick, Toronto announced that they are without question must-see Summer League TV.
The Raptors have most of their rotation (if not all it) firmly set in stone. These Vegas exhibitions aim to find out which non-guaranteed deals will populate the back end of the roster and which young prospects are worth stashing on Raptors 905 to start the season.
While they likely won’t win by 20 points every game, Toronto should be thrilled that some of their more contested battles for playing time have gotten off to such a rigorous start. The game results are almost immaterial, as most of the substance from this tournament comes in how these players look in the film room.
The Raptors’ coaching staff will likely pit these three collections of players against one another in Summer League play. The winners of these battles will probably have an advantage when it comes time to trim the roster down to 15 players and two two-way deals.
3 Toronto Raptors Summer League battles to watch
3. David Johnson vs. Jeff Dowtin
Dowtin may seem like a random G League player thrown into the roster for the sake of completion. Still, his 13-point, nine assist showing actually helped him exceed what former second-round pick Johnson was able to amass. Those two are guaranteed very little in the battle for a roster spot.
With Justin Champagnie likely getting some NBA contract during the offseason and one of the two usable two-way contract slots already used up on Ron Harper Jr. after the draft ended, both of these players could theoretically compete for that last two-way spot on the roster.
The Toronto Raptors will keep an eye on Jeff Dowtin, David Johnson.
Nick Nurse has already said that he is keeping an eye on Dowtin, who had some impressive moments during his brief tenure with the Warriors and Magic last year. After barely getting on the floor in the NBA last year, Johnson is on his last legs following a so-so G League season.
The best way for one of these players to win out is to show either improved efficiency or some undeniable defensive talent. Nurse needs to experiment with both of them, as picking the right two-way player might be pivotal for fully fleshing out the 905 roster.
2. Christian Koloko vs. DJ Wilson
With Koloko fresh off being drafted and Wilson having put pen to paper on a two-year non-guaranteed deal, it looks like both of them have an inside track to the final 15 spots on the roster. Koloko and Wilson will be locked in a battle for minutes for most of the season.
Wilson was one of the few players that didn’t necessarily dominate, going just 2-9 from the field. While Koloko was a bit inefficient, the fact that he recorded seven rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in 28 minutes proves he is a tremendous defensive prospect worth nurturing.
Toronto Raptors: Christian Koloko, DJ Wilson are competing fervently.
While Wilson has some verticality to his game, he isn’t going to be the greatest rim protector in the world during an 82-game stretch. For all of Koloko’s physical and defensive gifts, the reason he fell to the second round was a lack of polish on offense.
If either one of these two fixes these flaws between now and the start of the season, Nurse might have no choice but to stick them in the rotation. For now, let’s let the two tallest players on the roster go one-on-one with each other and see where they’re both at on both ends.
1. Dalano Banton vs. Armoni Brooks
Banton and Brooks could not have more different styles of play. While Brooks is a 6-3 sniper who lives and dies by the 3-point line, Banton is a 6-9 lanky defender who looks perfect for Nurse’s defense. Both of them stuffed the stat sheet in the win against Philadelphia.
Even though Banton started slow and turned it over seven times, he finished with 21 points on some fairly efficient shooting percentages. Brooks was on fire from 3-point range, leading the team in scoring and making a convincing case for a spot as the 10th man in the rotation.
The Toronto Raptors will focus on Dalano Banton and Armoni Brooks.
Banton might have the defensive edge on his side, but it may be hard for a team that could still use perimeter shooting to wave a veteran with such a lethal jumper. Brooks was cooking during his rookie season with Houston, and seems to have rediscovered his form in Vegas.
While Nurse likely does not want to lose any one of these players, one might need to be discarded if he intends to spread talent evenly across his roster. Brooks came out firing, and it’s on Banton to decide if he will return fire with a solid showing of his own.