3 Raptors under the most pressure in the 2023-24 season
By Mike Luciano
2. Gary Trent Jr.
While Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are both upcoming free agents, they have both sustained high-level two-way play in the NBA for multiple years in a row. Trent decided to return to Toronto for one more year, and his “prove it” campaign may have gotten a bit more difficult after his move to the bench.
Trent has been a very solid scorer for the last few seasons, standing out as one of the few quality shooters on this Toronto team. However, with his move to the bench coming at a time when Rajakovic wants to expand the rotation and pass the ball around, his production could take a dip.
Will Gary Trent Jr. score well for the Toronto Raptors?
If Trent hits free agency off a down offensive season, the idea of paying someone who may never become a truly elite on-ball defender and has seen his scoring dip might not be that attractive. Trent looked great off the bench against the Kings, but how sustainable is that play?
The Raptors have kicked the tires on giving Trent an extension early in the offseason, but nothing solid ever seemed to materialize. Will he improve his value, or regret not finalizing a contract with Toronto before the start of this season? We’ll see how he plays on the bench.