The NBA is officially back, ladies and gentlemen! We’ve got a slate of games set for today, and of course, the Toronto Raptors kick off their season against the Chicago Bulls tomorrow night. But before we got here, we had the preseason to analyze and draw some important takeaways from. While the team’s main pillars impressed in spurts, a few of Toronto’s lesser-known players showed just how important it is to make the most of the preseason — and possibly earn the coaching staff’s favor and a bigger opportunity.
One name that caught my eye late in the preseason was second-year guard Alijah Martin.
Martin got his preseason moment to shine when he joined the starting unit against Detroit last week, filling in for the inactive core. He quickly put on a blitzing performance that caught the eyes of Raptors Nation. He got hot early as the Raptors’ primary option, and while he cooled off a bit in the second half (giving another hungry Raptor, Trayce Jackson-Davis, a chance to take the spotlight) — there was still plenty to rave about in Martin’s performance.
My Raptors Rapture colleague Chris Lambert recently highlighted how Martin is poised to become the Raptors’ “next man up.” I totally agree, but I also think his role could become much more interesting given the skill set he brings to the Raptors — especially when the team needs more diversity. Looking at Toronto’s backcourt, we know it’s Immanuel Quickley and then Jamal Shead. I had my eye on Chucky Hepburn before the preseason and after the team’s first preseason game, but after another untimely injury, the Raptors opted to part ways with the Louisville product, effectively putting those hopes in the gutter.
I was also paying attention to what Martin could bring as a sneaky name in this category. He may have had only one real sample in the preseason, but my takeaways from it suggest he could impact the guard depth chart in a different way than Jamal Shead does in his backup role.
Alijah Martin could add a new spark to the Raptors’ backcourt
Shead is a tremendous floor general, with stout vision and playmaking ability off the bench. I’ve said before that getting him to league-average (or even slightly better) offensive production is the next step in his development. There was a game this preseason where I was impressed by his increased aggression and how he got to the right spots to make the most of his abilities. But I don’t know if anyone can confidently say right now that Shead is a consistent, get-you-buckets type of guard — and that may be the role he’s forced to evolve into also, simply because Toronto needs more scoring off the bench.
That’s where Alijah Martin comes in.
Against Detroit, we saw drive, aggression, poise, and a willingness to keep attacking the basket, battling inside, drawing fouls, and getting up a couple of threes — all while fitting into the Raptors’ trademark defense-first, hustle-first mentality. Sure, Martin eventually struggled a bit with his own efficiency, but there’s still a ton of value in giving Martin a real look.
Either you slot him in as the third-string point guard (even though he’s more of a shooting guard or combo guard) or as part of a bench group with Shead at the one, Martin at the two, Ja’Kobe Walter at the three, Jamison Battle (or maybe rookie Allen Graves) at the four, and either Kyle Anderson or Trayce Jackson-Davis at the five. Or, you can mix and match which ever of the starters you'd want in with this unit to help add a bit more firepower.
I didn’t include Collin Murray-Boyles in that group because, even if he’s set to come off the bench, he'a not exactly a “bench player” in the traditional sense. With the Jakob Poeltl situation in the starting lineup still up in the air, CMB will more than likely be a backup playing big-time starter minutes.
I think giving Martin a fair bit of run could help Shead avoid some of the efficiency issues that come from trying to force himself into a role he may not be cut out for. I like Shead, and I know how much value he brings at his position. But I can’t deny that Toronto could benefit greatly from having another slasher and explosive scorer who can get inside.
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