The Toronto Raptors' 43-point domination of the Chicago Bulls to kick off the 2026-27 season went about as well as humanly possible. While Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes were the highlights, and Immanuel Quickley had a tremendous outing, rookie Allen Graves ended up with a game ball after flashing many of his best traits.
Graves scored just five points, but he tallied five rebounds (four offensive), blocked three shots, and recorded a steal in just 19 minutes of work. His offensive game is still a work in progress as he tries to figure out how to get open against NBA-level athletes, but he looks like a defensive weapon who can immediately be a thorn in opponents' sides.
The Raptors often get flak for drafting versatile forwards with raw offensive games. However, with Barnes' recent star turn and Collin Murray-Boyles continuing to prove his worth, Graves' robust debut as a small-ball backup center shows that his defense is good enough to earn him minutes in the rotation early on.
Allen Graves' strong debut validates Toronto Raptors' draft philosophy
If Murray-Boyles were a bit taller than his current 6-7 frame, he may have lready ascended to the starting lineup. While he appears to be a big part of Toronto's future, part of his appeal may be in him operating as a bashing old-school power forward on offense and frontcourt switchblade on the other end.
With a more robust 6-9 frame and a bit better instincts as a passer, Graves playing a bit closer to the basket than he did in college might make him a more natural fit as a smaller backup 5-man in Darko Rajakovic's scheme. Even against a thin Bulls team down presumed starter Nic Claxton, Graves looked the part on defense.
The Toronto Raptors draft plenty of players like Allen Graves
Part of why Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster have leaned so heavily into the "Vision 6-9" dogma that prioritizes players who can defend multiple positions like Graves and Murray-Boyles is, ironically, a high floor. Even if the offensive game is a work in progress, being that much of an impact player on defense will ensure consistent minutes.
Throwing those two players into a lineup that already had the Leonard-Barnes duo causing havoc in the starting lineup may be what sets Toronto apart in a very crowded Eastern Conference. Even in his first game as a pro after coming off the bench for a mid-major program, the analytics darling Graves had some impact plays.
The Raptors' next two games will come against Washington Wizards and Minnesota Timberwolves teams that have Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, and Rudy Gobert in their frontcourt. Those challenges will stretch Graves as far as he can go, but he has plenty of encouraging signs to build on.
Add us as a preferred source on Google