4 very bold predictions ahead of Raptors’ 2023-24 season
By Mike Luciano
2. Gary Trent Jr. finishes Top 5 in Sixth Man of the Year voting
The Raptors have officially put Trent on the bench to start the season, opting for a traditional point guard in Dennis Schroder instead of a more positionless alignment that puts Trent alongside the rest of Toronto’s best. Trent has been a consummate professional in Toronto, and that mindset could help him cook in this role.
Trent has been given the green light to let it fly from 3-point range, and the results in the preseason have been extremely encouraging. If he keeps this production up, which should be easy with a solid diet of minutes, Trent could be in the Sixth Man of the Year race.
Will Toronto Raptors SG Gary Trent Jr. be Sixth Man of the Year?
A second unit that features Trent, Precious Achiuwa, Chris Boucher, and new signing Jalen McDaniels could finally give Toronto the support they lacked last year. Improving the spacing and perimeter game is a top priority, and Trent might be their best individual shooter.
Trent is a classic bench gunner who can be a microwave scorer on a team eyeing a postseason run. In much the same way Lou Williams took home some hardware with Toronto, GTJ could pick up leaguewide notoriety before he tries to get a big long-term contract.