Raptors: Stock up, Stock down as tough injuries keep piling up

Stock down: Gary Trent Jr.

Trent was hyped up all offseason long as a player who was going to explode in 2022-23, as the hot shooter was going to provide a boost in an area where Toronto is very deficient. He’s had his moments, but poor performance and injury have made the last two weeks a nightmare.

Trent averaged just 12.0 points per game over his last six contests, scoring more than 12 points just once in that span. Shooting 35% from the field is nasty business to begin with, but making just under 19% of his 3-point attempts is a sign that something is really wrong with him.

Gary Trent Jr. has been off for the Toronto Raptors.

Trent is going into the most important offseason in his career. With Tyler Herro and Jordan Poole each getting nine-figure contracts, Trent could opt out of the final year of his Raptors contract and attempt to secure his own bag. Playing like this is not going to help his case.

The Raptors’ unique defensive style and commitment to crashing the offensive boards has helped them score enough points to get by without amazing 3-point shooting. Against contenders, they will need Trent to get back to his best relatively soon.