3 Toronto Raptors who need to elevate their play this season

1. Malachi Flynn

Flynn is another potential option to back up VanVleet at the point guard spot. However, like Banton, he did not have a 2022 season that would distinguish himself as such. The talk about how the Raptors missed out on Dennis Schroder as a backup guard is suggestive of management’s lack of faith in the options currently on the roster.

His young career in the NBA has stalled, and he may need a change of uniform to get the opportunities he needs if he stagnates. Flynn, a late first-round pick in 2020, was often a DNP-CD in his sophomore season. He averaged 4.3 points in 12.2 minutes over 44 games. These numbers were all lower than his rookie season output.

The struggles of Malachi Flynn have hurt the Toronto Raptors.

Flynn was very busy this summer playing in Pro-am games, where he scored 73 points in one contest. While it was an impressive showing for future suitors, it wasn’t against a true NBA roster coached by a professional.

Flynn, like Banton, needs to figure out a way to rise in the Raptors’ organizational depth charts. Be it providing the team with a niche skill that it lacks, like elite shooting, or showing improvement and consistency in all facets of the game, he needs to do something. On a roster that has a fixed rotation, Flynn is on the outside looking in.