4 Studs and 2 Duds from Raptors' absolute demolition of Wizards in Montreal

Gradey Dick was a stud

Prior to getting injured himself in Las Vegas Summer League back in July, Gradey Dick was a fascinating player to watch. He clearly took a step forward as an on-ball creator, breaking down defenses and making plays with the ball. On the other hand, he couldn't hit a 3-pointer to save his life, which was supposedly his best skill.

The preseason opener was encouraging from a growth standpoint, as Gradey Dick was once again showing off an improved dribble game. Four times he scored by driving inside the arc, twice with a smooth midrange jumper and twice more in the paint, including a tough, arching lefty layup off the glass. He also had five assists, showing off his improvement as a playmaker.

Yet Dick was 0-for-4 from beyond the arc, his shot once again not showing up. It's probably merely a small-sample-size fluke, but if his attention to his on-ball game makes him a worse shooter this year, his value to the Raptors goes down. They need his shooting most of all, and he needs to hone that skill to be the best player he can be in the NBA.

Jamal Shead was a stud

Last season, the Raptors spun their tires down the stretch to find reliable backup point guard minutes, and most of the options were somewhat porous defensively at the point-of-attack. Lockdown perimeter defense is the new goal of the Raptors this season, and they traded for Davion Mitchell and drafted Jamal Shead to give them a defensive presence behind Immanuel Quickley.

Mitchell started in place of the injured Quickley and was solid, but Jamal Shead came in and was immediately impactful. The Defensive Player of the Year last season with Houston played his first NBA seconds and couldn't help but steal a pass on the very first possession. Moments later he had another. He was drawing charges, busting up plays, and locked up opposing players with a lot more pedigree like Bilal Coulibaly and Jordan Poole.

He was steady on offense as well, finishing the game with 10 points and four assists. It would not be surprising to see Shead overtake Mitchell early in the season and become the long-term backup to Quickley for the next half-decade or more.