The Toronto Raptors finally finished one of the longest and most exhausting coaching searches in recent history, as they settled on former Memphis Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic as their next leader. Looking at his resume, one might wonder why he has taken so long to earn this opportunity.
Rajakovic’s tenure in Memphis, in which he established himself as a master developer of young talent and an adherent to his own variation on Mike Budenholzer’s and Taylor Jenkins’ offensive system, was very impressive. He will try his best to duplicate that successful run in Toronto.
Adding players that he is familiar with will not only let Rajakovic’s vision come into full bloom, but it could help the roster get more in tune with his scheme and what needs to happen in order to succeed. As a result, Masai Ujiri might need to look into acquiring some Memphis players.
Be it a return package for a huge OG Anunoby trade, or a few trades here and there that aren’t as bombastic as an OG deal, Ujiri needs to make sure that some of these three Grizzlies end up joining Rajakovic in his new digs.
3 Grizzlies players Darko Rajakovic could bring to the Toronto Raptors.
3. PG Tyus Jones
In the Raptors’ ceaseless search for a backup point guard, they have missed multiple opportunities to land a player like Jones. With Memphis in a position to draft a point guard in the 2023 NBA Draft and Rajakovic’s assistance in moving the ball, he could try to tell Masai Ujiri to make this move.
Jones had one of the best scoring years of his career last year, all while ranking as one of the best point guards in the league when it comes to assist/turnover ratio. With or without Fred VanVleet, bringing Jones into the fold could help with this new-look Raptors offense.
Will Tyus Jones come to the Toronto Raptors?
Who better to help into Rajakovic’s offense than a player who has led one of the best bench units in the game and played a vital role in making sure Memphis kept winning games without Morant in the lineup? In terms of immediate fix, few players would be better than him.
Jones is not going to be given up lightly, though he could be mixed into an Anunoby trade alongside some of the other players on this list. Gone are the days of trying to peruse the bargain bin for point guards like the Raptors have been in the last few seasons.
2. SF Ziaire Williams
Any hypothetical Anunoby to Memphis trade had Williams, a former 5-star recruit picked No. 10 overall in 2021, going to Toronto in the return package. While Williams hasn’t put it all together at the NBA level, it’s clear to see why an executive like Ujiri would be all in on a player with his skillsets.
Williams never averaged more than 8.1 points per game during either of his two seasons with Memphis due to both a confluence of a lack of opportunities being given to him and his own shortcomings. His offensive game was never allowed to really take flight.
Will Ziaire Williams thrive with the Toronto Raptors?
If Williams can improve his shooting, which might not be an unreasonable task for him to achieve in his third season, he could bring his terrific defensive potential and rim-rattling dunks to the Raptors as they try to get younger and more offensively diverse.
Williams has shown he can lock down multiple positions in the pros already, and the Raptors might be able to give him more developmental attention. If Rajakovic is what everyone says he is as a developer, he should have no issue getting Williams to perform at top level.
1. C Steven Adams
If the Raptors are unable to bring back Jakob Poeltl, or if they get engaged in some sign-and-trade shenanigans, Adams could come right in and fill a similar role for the Raptors. Adams might be Rajakovic’s pet project, as he helped develop him in both Memphis and Oklahoma City early in his career.
Adams averaged 11.5 rebounds per game last season, further cementing his reputation as one of the game’s best rebounders and screeners. While not at Poeltl’s level as a defender, he has proven to be more than adequate in this area against some of the best in the sport.
Can Steven Adams join the Toronto Raptors?
While Adams’ knee injury proved that Memphis was far worse off without him in the lineup, adding a big who is about to 30 with some major injury history might not necessarily be an ideal move for a team that is trying to compete for a title and build a sustainable young team.
Ultimately, Adams’ potential candidacy as a Raptors center amounts almost entirely to how comfortable Rajakovic feels with running his system without the Aquaman cosplayer. If he views Adams as an essential part of what he wants to do, Ujiri’s hand could be forced.