Building the perfect complementary piece for the Toronto Raptors' young core
Toronto has a solid batch of talented young players, but they are arguably missing a key player with the intangibles to help elevate the franchise's future.
With a multitude of injuries plaguing the team, the Toronto Raptors have completely shifted their attention to improving for next season. It might be a bit grim to see the once mighty Raptors fall from grace, but considering each defeat can make or break their first-round pick conveying this year, it makes the team's losses sting a lot less.
Nonetheless, there are some bright spots to look forward to with the Raptors' young core, as they have a solid "big three" of Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Scottie Barnes. Not to mention, their 2023 first-round pick, Gradey Dick, has been showing tremendous upside in the latter half of the season.
They've made other key moves to help the roster in the 2024-25 season, like extending hometown kid Kelly Olynyk for an additional two years with the team. The front office may be reviewing all these components and believe they have everything figured out.
How do the Toronto Raptors improve the roster for next season?
Be that as it may, there is always room for improvement, and one of the key factors missing from this Raptors' young core is the ideal complementary piece to help elevate the strengths of his star teammates. Gradey Dick and Kelly Olynyk are talented players in their own right, but the reality is that Dick is still a few years away from being a starting-caliber player on a winning team, while Olynyk is better suited as a backup.
The other two starters behind IQ, Barrett, and Barnes are Gary Trent Jr. and Jakob Poeltl, both of whom can be very inconsistent and underwhelming in their roles. So, what exactly makes the 'perfect' player to complement Toronto's young stars? Across the NBA, there are numerous role players and specialists who help fulfill specific team needs, often serving as influential pieces in contending teams and championship cores. Taking the best attributes from these key players across the league, we could hypothesize the quintessential missing puzzle piece for a hopeful Toronto Raptors squad.
Let's step into the NBA laboratory and build the perfect complementary player to join with the Raptors' young core.