The Toronto Raptors have managed to scrape and claw their way to a 6-7 start in the 2023-24 season, as fans have seen the very enticing highs and depressing lows that Darko Rajakovic, Gradey Dick, and Pascal Siakam have reached in the first 13 games of a pivotal season.
While it’s hard to look at a below .500 record and be too excited if you are a Raptors fan, there have been some promising trends early in the season. Scottie Barnes looks like an All-Star, OG Anunoby has been dominant on both ends, and Dennis Schroder has been a tremendous offseason signing.
Unfortunately, the Raptors have seen some concerning issues pop up. While 13 games are clearly not long enough to start ripping the roster to shreds for a team that went 6-7 against a very difficult schedule, things could become that bad if the Raptors let these problems fester.
Should fans be panicking about the state of the Raptors, namely as it pertains to some trends that stand to bring any positive momentum to a grinding halt? It’s time to examine this trio of developments and figure out if any of them are actually worth worrying about.
Toronto Raptors panic meter: Which trends are worrying?
Gradey Dick’s shooting
Any criticism of Dick in his rookie year must be tempered with the fact he turned 20 years old. He is still growing into his body, yet he’s still shown a great feel for the game for a rookie. However, it’s fair to worry about why it’s taken so long for his shot to come around.
Dick is making just 27% of his shots overall and 24% of his 3-pointers despite shooting a good deal of triples per game. With Dick drilling over 40% of his 3s at Kansas and hovering close to 50% for most of the season, the regression has been a bit startling.
Will the Toronto Raptors keep letting Gradey Dick shoot?
Getting rookies into comfortable situations where they can do what they do best is so essential for any coach. Dick may be doing a lot well, but if his shooting isn’t clicking, what exactly does he do at an above-average level that should warrant consistent minutes in the rotation?
Rajakovic seems willing to let Dick play through his early struggles, and there’s a good chance that a streaky player in college is just in his head as he adjusts to life in the pros. He will likely be fine and have a very long career as a scorer in this league for Toronto, but it’s also not unreasonable to want more if he’s going to be in the rotation.
Panic Meter: Moderate
Gary Trent Jr’s inconsistent play
Trent is averaging just 11.5 points per game this season while shooting under 40% from the field and 3-point range. With how well he played last year and the role he was supposed to play this year, the shortcomings of Trent have been magnified for all to see.
After opting into his player option in search of a big deal next year, Trent was tagged with the role of Sixth Man on a team that was not expected to light up the scoreboard or shoot particularly well. He’s had some moments, but Trent hasn’t been nearly as effective a scorer on the bench as he was in the starting lineup.
Gary Trent Jr. must step up for the Toronto Raptors.
Even with Barnes taking a step forward as a shooter, Toronto’s spacing is still painful at times. Trent playing heavy minutes and teaming with OG Anunoby could give this team a major shot in the arm, but he hasn’t lived up to his end of the bargain. Trent has always been streaky, but he’s had some stinkers this year.
Of the three impactful players that could hit the free agent market next year in Trent, Anunoby, and Siakam, GTJ seems like the least likely of the three to be retained. If he doesn’t turn back the clock to the Nick Nurse era, it might be tough for him to get market value and for the Raptors to keep up with elite offensive teams.
Panic Meter: High
The overall halfcourt offense
The Raptors rank 24th in the league in offensive rating, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. While Toronto is fourth in the league in points per game in transition and fourth in assists per game, their halfcourt offense is once again near the bottom of the league in terms of points per possession.
The numbers are bad, but there are three main reasons things could turn around. First, Rajakovic’s philosophical tenants of constant ball movement and more 3-point shooting can work brilliantly when appropriately executed, like in the Milwaukee, Dallas, and Detroit victories. The foundation is there.
Will the Toronto Raptors fix their halfcourt offense?
Second, Rajakovic has had to figure out the best way to maximize Barnes, find a role where Siakam can thrive, and work around a lackluster bench he largely inherited while navigating the pitfalls of being a rookie head coach. Building any great offense from the ground up takes time.
Finally, Toronto has had a brutal schedule to begin the season. Six of their first 13 games were against teams with a defensive rating in the top half of the league, and that doesn’t even include contenders like Milwaukee and Dallas. Against teams like Detroit, San Antonio, and Washington, the offense seemed to work.
Panic Meter: Moderate to Low