Darko Rajakovic has a very difficult task on his plate right now, as he needs to figure out a way to take a roster that is not currently equipped to become a high-flying attack and somehow get them back up in the ranks of the NBA's elite after Nick Nurse failed to accomplish this feat.
Rajakovic has tried his best to get Toronto to share the ball and play with pace, and the early returns have the Raptors ranking in the top five in the league in assists per game. However, Toronto's halfcourt offense remains quite poor, often buoyed by the fact Toronto has played some lackluster defenses.
Toronto's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which was aided by some very painful missed free throws and Tristan Thompson turning back the clock, showed that Rajakovic's current offensive plans need some serious adjusting if the Raptors are going to end up breaking through eventually.
Rajakovic doesn't need to completely throw the baby out with the bath water, but he does need to realize that what he is trying to execute isn't vibing with the rest of this roster. These three changes might be enough to spark the team and get them back on track.
3 rotation fixes Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic must make.
3. No more Gary Trent Jr. in closing lineups
I get the temptation. Between Jakob Poeltl's lack of shooting, Trent's (alleged) abundance of it, and Scottie Barnes' solid play as a small-ball center in some funky lineups, putting GTJ out there makes sense. Unfortunately for Trent, he hasn't been doing enough to warrant the extra minutes.
While the Raptors did pull off a wild win against the Pacers, Trent missed two free throws with just seconds left, leaving Buddy Hield with a chance to win the game at the buzzer. After stepping out of bounds on Toronto's final possession in the Cleveland loss, Trent's late-game stumbles continued.
Gary Trent Jr. can't close games for the Toronto Raptors.
Trent is shooting just 39% from the field and 37% from 3-point range in a contract year. Trent might have been designated as the unofficial Sixth Man, but he hasn't quite taken to that role through 17 games. He could eventually work his way back into that role, but he also needs a bit of a breather.
Trent has always been a somewhat scattershot, streaky player who can go white hot or ice cold in a minute, but his lows can be quite difficult to stomach. The Indiana and Cleveland games showed what happens when Trent's cold spell is thrown into a crucial late-game situation.
2. More Otto Porter Jr.
Porter is not going to save this rotation. He is a limited player who is so injury prone his minutes are still being managed carefully. However, the fact that Toronto keeps throwing out so many poor shooters every night while minimizing Porter's role makes no sense.
Porter is averaging just 12.2 minutes per game despite nailing 44% of his triples. Porter went from earning a start and playing at least 14 minutes in four straight games to receiving multiple DNP-CDs and never topping 11 minutes in any of his next subsequent four contests. What is the plan?
The Toronto Raptors must utilize Otto Porter Jr.
Porter needs to be given a longer leash than Chris Boucher. Porter gives you the versatility that Boucher provides while also being a much more effective shooter and more comfortable in a traditional wing role. The lack of minutes has been baffling so far.
Toronto added two players in the offseason to help with the lack of shooting, but Gradey Dick has since found himself struggling in the G League and Jalen McDaniels was taken out of the rotation after just four games. This should all play into more time for Porter.
1. No more Chris Boucher/Precious Achiuwa together lineups.
This is the third year in which Boucher and Achiuwa, who often find themselves playing similar roles, will be on the team together. Nick Nurse wasn't able to fully quit his addiction to putting both of these players on the floor together, and Rajakovic is falling for this trick as well.
Per Cleaning The Glass (subscription required), the Raptors are 6.1 points per 100 possessions worse than their opponent in all lineups with more than 20 possessions on the floor that feature both Achiuwa and Boucher together. The Malachi Flynn-Jalen McDaniels-Scottie Barnes lineup alongside those two grades out as one of the worst lineups in the NBA.
Chris Boucher and Precious Achiuwa can't play alongside one another.
Masai Ujiri shouldn't be faulted for believing this could work. The slender veteran Boucher and athletic freak sparkplug in Achiuwa may seem complementary, but they both offer little value as volume shooters and lack the size needed to truly hold their own at center.
By the time the trade deadline passes, it seems increasingly unlikely that both of these players will be on the team together due to overlapping skill sets. The sooner Rajakovic realizes that these lineups simply do not work, the better the offense will be.