3 offseason regrets Raptors may have after wild start to 2022
By Mike Luciano
![PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 16: Head coach Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 16: Head coach Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/cfbfbff7777095a4d101c50bcda58d73f88add32242899ffc27da76e2d131235.jpg)
2. Not adding a backup point guard
The Raptors had multiple opportunities to add a point guard that can help give the bench a lift, and the biggest move they made in that area was signing the impressive Jeff Dowtin to a two-way contract. Dalano Banton and Malachi Flynn remain as inconsistent and all over the place as ever before this year.
While Banton did have the game of his life thanks to a 27-point outburst against the Pistons and Flynn is a much better 3-point shooter this year, the Raptors are still lacking behind Fred VanVleet. Neither of them look like rotation players when everyone is fully healthy, which leaves Toronto in the same spot they were in last year.
The Toronto Raptors lack guard depth again.
The most likely option that Nurse will deploy in the short-term is using Barnes or Siakam as the primary second-unit ball-handler. If the organization went into the offseason with the stated goal of reducing the strain on VanVleet, they won’t check that proverbial box unless one of these two stands out.
While both Banton and Flynn have been up and down this season, Nurse being very inconsistent with how he divvies out responsibility for this duo certainly hasn’t helped. Nurse needs to pick one guard, stick with him, and make sure they have every tool available at their disposal to become a quality VanVleet deputy.