The Raptors saw several breakouts this past season. Scottie Barnes took his scoring to the next level in the playoffs, Collin Murray-Boyles was completely unfazed by the transition from college to the NBA, and Ja’Kobe Walter grew into one of the Raptors’ most reliable 3-point shooters and a trusted defender.
Gradey Dick’s season went the opposite way. He struggled to make threes and have a defensive impact and eventually fell out of the rotation. He played just four minutes in the playoffs—fewer than Jamison Battle and A.J. Lawson. After that, it seemed almost inevitable that Dick’s time with the Raptors would come to an end. Trading him would also free up the money necessary to re-sign Sandro Mamukelashvili when he declines his player option and becomes a free agent, or chase any other impactful addition in free agency.
According to recent reporting by NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Raptors are now actively looking for trades.
“Sources say that the Raptors are also working to find a new home for recent first-round pick Gradey Dick to find him a new home that provides a fresh start,” Fischer reported on The Stein Line.
Trading Gradey Dick would be a win-win move
As mentioned, trading Gradey Dick would give the Raptors some financial flexibility that could make a real difference in building out the team’s depth.
For Dick, landing with a new team would provide a fresh start. In his lone college season, Dick averaged 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 40.3% from the 3-point line. The efficient outside shooting is what made him so interesting to the Raptors. They needed a 3-point specialist—and still do—but Dick never shot more than 36.5% in his three seasons with the Raptors. With the shots not falling, head coach Darko Rajaković chose to go with other young players, mainly Ja’Kobe Walter, instead.
But three seasons with one team, in a defensive-minded system, don’t necessarily mean that he can’t still become a good NBA role player elsewhere. A fresh start with a team looking to take a shot at a young 3-point shooter without giving up a ton could be just what he needs.
The Raptors are hoping that their latest first-round pick doesn’t follow in Dick’s footsteps
With Allen Graves, the Raptors drafted another player who shot 3-pointers efficiently in college, although at a lower volume than Dick and in the frontcourt. One of the biggest questions for Graves is whether his 3-point shot will translate to the NBA or if the Raptors will be disappointed again.
However, Graves also has a strong defensive profile going for him, and we all know how much the Raptors like tall forwards who can be disruptive defenders. So, he is already a smoother fit with the Raptors’ identity.
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