3 Things we are watching for in Raptors' season opener vs the Cavaliers
No. 2: The Integration Of The New Players
There were certainly a lot of teams who were a lot busier this offseason than the Raptors were. However, there will still be some considerable intrigue in seeing some of the new faces that the organization added.
The main focus of the attention here will be on a few key players. The top of that list would be probably be Davion Mitchell. The Raptors have struggled to fill the backup point guard spot in recent years. The team was forced to deploy desperate measures like running Malachi Flynn in that role.
Mitchell will get every opportunity to secure the job after being acquired from the Sacramento Kings this offseason. The appeal in having him serve as the backup point guard would undoubtedly be his strong on-ball, point of attack defense. Mitchell should be able to come in off the bench and change the energy of the basketball game with his tenacity on that end.
here is a supercut of jamal shead's defensive plays in preseason.
— William Lou (@william_lou) October 19, 2024
in 77 minutes, he created 8 steals, 4 moving screens, a charge, and a push off. he's just ridiculously disruptive.
this doesn't even include the many shots he changed + deflections + closeouts. https://t.co/j81dH6NXD1 pic.twitter.com/k7RxT8Abi8
If Mitchell does not prove himself to be a capable backup, perhaps Jamal Shead will. The rookie guard has made a strong case during the preseason to earn meaningful minutes in the regular season. The season opener will offer insight into how big of a role he carved out for himself.
One other rookie is worth keeping an eye on in this category too. Jonathan Mogbo averaged 17.4 minutes per game during the preseason. Whether or not he remains a prominent part of the rotation is an interesting storyline for opening night against the Cavaliers.