The Toronto Raptors have had one of the messiest 13-12 starts in the NBA so far this season. Between the wild inconsistency from night to night and all of the injuries that have befallen this rotation, Toronto’s resiliency has been stretched to its absolute limit.
The Raptors have seen star players regress, key additions get injured right out of the gate, and rivals in the East start spreading their wins by winning more frequently than they did last year. Despite all of that, Toronto is in playoff position once again after 25 games.
Certain areas of the team have clearly underperformed in this stretch of games, as Toronto’s unique style of play has created a roster that has some challenges being a consistent perimeter threat. Pair that with Nick Nurse’s constant tinkering, and you can get some chaos.
With the season nearly one-third of the way in the books, it’s time to see which players have been performing above what fans and the organization expected. However, fans should expect more from a handful of Raptors that haven’t plaid as well as they possibly could.
Grading every Toronto Raptors player after 25 games.
Guards
Fred VanVleet: C+
While VanVleet looked like his old self against the Lakers, there’s reason to question his overall body of work thanks to his 36% shooting percentage. Nurse seems to think that his flaws are mechanical and can be fixed quickly. VanVleet’s efficiency will be key in determining how far this team can go.
Gary Trent Jr: B
Trent was demoted to the bench after some poor shooting nights and iffy defense, and he’s responded well to the move. Trent has averaged 18 points per game since the move, making 39% of his 3-pointers and scoring 35 points against the Pelicans during that stretch.
Toronto Raptors: Gary Trent Jr. is thriving off the bench.
Malachi Flynn: B-
Flynn is still incapable of holding down a rotation role during his third season in the league, be it because of Nick Nurse’s quick hook or his own play. While he has been much better as a shooter this year, he’s yet to string together consistent solid performances.
Dalano Banton: B-
Like Flynn, Banton’s playing time has been fluctuating. While he did have a 27-point night against the Pistons that showed he can be a viable scorer in this league, his inability to consistently be a dynamic presence forced Nurse to move him back to the bench.
Jeff Dowtin: B+
While Dowtin’s time on the court has been very limited, he’s actually put enough positive reps on tape to get fans excited about what the future may hold.