2 Raptors whose stocks are skyrocketing, 2 that are fading fast
By Mike Luciano
Stock Down: Gary Trent Jr.
While the Raptors did take Trent’s starting job away from him in order to give Schroder a featured role, they made sure the electric shooting guard was the first player off the bench. Trent hasn’t taken to this new role, as this seven-game stretch is as bad as any he’s ever had in Raptors colors.
Trent is averaging a pitiful 9.6 points per game while making 34% of his overall shots and 32% of his 3-pointers. Between his on-ball defense once again looking questionable and his 3-ball catching more iron than nylon, Trent looks nothing like the player Toronto almost extended in the offseason.
The Toronto Raptors need more from Gary Trent Jr.
What separates elite-scoring Sixth Men like Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson from the rest of the pack is their ability to be half-court creators. Not only is Trent looking more like a straight-up shooter than a bench microwave, but his ineffective play has spread to the rest of the bench.
Think about how much better the much-mocked bench would be if a couple of extra 3-pointers from Trent got knocked down. On a team that lacks shooting to begin with and prayed Trent would paper over their cracks in this area, his streakiness and poor play look even worse by comparison.