Collin Murray-Boyles quickly established himself as a difference-maker on the defensive end in his rookie season and flashed some offensive upside as a strong, athletic, and versatile youngster. This season is supposed to be about offensive growth for Murray-Boyles, as he’s taking on the Raptors’ sixth-man role off the bench.
So far, he’s off to a slow start, averaging 5.7 points over the first three games. Murray-Boyles was especially quiet against the Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing the Raptors’ 117-94 loss with just three points on 1-for-3 shooting from the field. He got a wide-open dunk around the 4:40 mark in the second quarter out of a pick-and-roll with RJ Barrett. After that, he made one free throw and missed a 3-pointer and a free-throw line jumper.
The Raptors were without Kawhi Leonard, who was a late scratch due to a knee issue, and got virtually nothing out of Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl. Barnes and Poeltl combined to shoot 0-of-14 from the field and both finished with 0 points. While Barnes’s energy was a much bigger problem, the Raptors could have benefitted from a less passive game from Murray-Boyles.
Jamal Shead, Allen Graves, and Jamison Battle all attempted more shots than Murray-Boyles. Yes, defense is his forte, but if the Raptors want to maximize his potential, he has to be more involved in the offense, even against teams with big, defensive-minded frontcourts.
On the bright side, Murray-Boyles was able to contribute on the glass, grabbing a team-high seven rebounds, including four offensive boards.
Ja’Kobe Walter looks like the Raptors’ most productive reserve so far
Walter got the start against the Timberwolves with Leonard out and was one of the few bright spots in the game. He sank five 3-pointers on his way to 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in 31 minutes. He was the Raptors’ leading scorer, edging out RJ Barrett by two points.
It was his most productive game of the season so far, and his first efficient 3-point shooting game. If he can keep up the 3-point shooting and confidence offensively while doing his job as a perimeter defender, Walter could emerge as the Raptors’ most productive bench contributor over Murray-Boyles—which would also be a win for the Raptors. They want both to flourish as much as possible.
In many ways, Walter may actually have an easier path to putting up big numbers off the bench. For one, Walter is one year ahead of Murray-Boyles in his development. Moreover, he isn’t asked to battle much bigger players in the paint regularly and coexist with two other frontcourt players who don’t space the floor very much. Plus, putting up impressive scoring numbers is a lot easier for a player who can comfortably knock down a handful of 3-pointers each game.
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