The Toronto Raptors have looked to fill the backup point guard role for years. They will hope that the 2024-25 season is the year where they can finally do that.
After being acquired from the New York Knicks, Immanuel Quickley has had the starting job locked down. The depth chart behind him is not that simple.
While there should be a vision for how that role will be filled this season, there should also be room for opportunity. That is where Raptors rookie Jamal Shead comes into the mix. After a trade with the Sacramento Kings, he wound up with the Raptors following draft night.
The expectations for Shead should be relatively modest heading into the 2024-25 season. However, there should be a handful of reasons to believe that by season's end, he will be firmly involved in the Raptors' rotation.
No. 3: Shead's Pro-Ready Skills
The good thing about drafting older prospects in the NBA Draft is that, typically, they will be more polished and ready for the NBA upon arrival. That should be the case for Shead, to an extent.
The former Houston Cougars guard displayed some incredible defensive tenacity during his four years with the team. His senior year was the finest showcase of that ability. Shead averaged 2.2 steals per game to go with 3.2 defensive win shares and a defensive box plus/minus of 6.4. He was named the 2023-24 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in the process.
A fun fact that will not shock you: Jamal Shead leads the Raptors with 9 deflections through 3 preseason games.
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) October 15, 2024
His defensive ability should earn him opportunities to stay on the floor for the Raptors. However, if his offense looks anything similar to some of his preseason success, there should be no doubt he will carve out a role for himself.
Shead looked strong in his first preseason game against the Washington Wizards. He scored 10 points to go with 4 assists in the win. Shead was also a bright spot in a loss against the Boston Celtics during the team's third preseason contest. His 14 points and 5 assists displayed a steady and reliable presence at the point guard spot.
No. 2: Shead's Track Record Of Success
If there is one thing that the Raptors rookie is familiar with after his four seasons in the NCAA, it would be winning.
Shead has posted strong marks in terms of his win shares and win shares per 48 during his college career. His senior season, when he won Big 12 Player of the Year, was his most impressive.
Shead posted 6.3 win shares while averaging .220 win shares per 48. Houston finished the season 32-5 in the process.
Just wanted to bring back the fact that Jamal Shead had a ridiculous 120-18 record with the University of Houston, and won POTY and DPOY in the same season.
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) October 12, 2024
Proven winner. pic.twitter.com/QsQ0csQ6Lp
A big part of the reason for Houston's success was his steady play overall as the lead guard. Shead was an effective leader at the point guard position for the Cougars. It does not always reflect in the numbers for him. Although, his 6.3 assists per game (and 8.1 per 40) are certainly nothing to scoff at.
The intangibles of Shead, as a player who wants to play within the offense and elevate those around him, are exactly the kind of attributes that one would look for from their backup point guard.
No. 1: The Competition For The Role
The good news for Shead is that his competition for the role should leave an opening for him to capitalize on. That competition would come from another key part of the aforementioned trade with the Kings.
Davion Mitchell was the centerpiece of the trade with Sacramento. He should be the frontrunner to secure the backup point guard role for the Raptors. In a lot of ways, Mitchell and Shead are both very similar molds in terms of their archetype at the position.
Mitchell's strengths are also on the defensive side of the basketball court. He has established himself as a capable point of attack defender and that has earned him playing time during his career to this point.
However, his minutes per game decreased in each of his season with the Kings. As a rookie, Mitchell was averaging 27.7 minutes per game. By his third season in Sacramento, that number was down to 15.3. The Kings were comfortable trading him away in order to make room in their rotation for their top selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, Devin Carter.
Despite having a career year in 2023-24 in terms of his efficiency, Mitchell has yet to prove that he can be a real positive on the offensive end. He tied a career-worst -2.4 defensive box plus/minus last season as well.
Mitchell is only entering his fourth season in the NBA, but he is already 26 years old. With limited growth throughout his first few seasons in the league, a rebuilding team like the Raptors may eventually choose to roll with the younger Shead.
This would give Masai Ujiri and company an opportunity to see what they have in their rookie, deeper into what could be a long season for the franchise.