3 fringe Raptors players who deserve to return in 2023-24

The Toronto Raptors will likely be in for a transformative offseason. With Fred VanVleet, trade acquisition Jakob Poeltl, and Gary Trent Jr. all potentially hitting the free agent market on top of the fact that Nick Nurse might not return as the head coach, Masai Ujiri has some big decisions to make.

Addressing Toronto’s lack of bench depth will likely be No. 2 on the priority list after Poeltl and likely one of either VanVleet or Trent is retained. Let’s hope you didn’t get too attached to any of these reserves, as the possibility of most of them returning for 2023-24 is unlikely.

That doesn’t mean the Raptors need to throw the baby out with the bath water. There are multiple players on this bench that are likely going to have their fit reevaluated, yet should still be around for next season. Be it through a lack of opportunity or solid play, they deserve one more crack.

This trio of Raptors showed enough during their inaugural season north of the border to warrant one of the club’s 15 main roster spots in 2023-24. Getting rid of them too quickly might be one way that Ujiri and the rest of the front office bungle the start of the offseason.

3 fringe Toronto Raptors players who must return in 2023-24.

3. Otto Porter Jr.

Porter came into the offseason with a nice updraft of hype in his sails, as he looked like the veteran shooter that this Raptors bench needed. While he had some nice moments in his limited action with Toronto, injuries once again limited him to just eight games all season long.

Porter, who signed a two-year contract last season, is such an injury risk that Toronto must supply themselves with depth to guard against any potential pitfalls. Having said that, Porter never really got a chance to show what he could do for the Toronto bench.

Otto Porter Jr. must prove his worth to the Toronto Raptors.

The last time we saw Porter, he was playing expert two-way basketball for a Warriors team that won a championship. Play even approximating that would have made a world of difference for the Raptors. Perhaps they could have jumped over Atlanta if Porter went off once or twice.

Porter’s 3-point shot has been consistently excellent throughout his career, meaning that he could come right in and make an impact from beyond the arc in his return. His health is a serious concern, but the Raptors should also give him one more shot due to his potential fit in this offense.