Ranking 5 Raptors burning questions by how quickly we want them answered

No. 4: Do the Raptors plan to keep Jakob Poeltl?

Jakob Poeltl is a good NBA center, but he's not a great one. He is above-average protecting the paint but, again, not elite at it. He can catch lobs and finish at the rim but his offensive bag is quite limited, and he doesn't provide an iota of floor-spacing. Given that he is also 29 years old, he doesn't fit the timeline of this team either.

If the Raptors want to maximize their level of play in the present, keeping Poeltl makes some sense. He is a solid enough center under contract for multiple seasons, and this front office chose him not once but twice, giving up a lucrative pick to trade for him. They both clearly love Poeltl and probably don't want to embarrassment of flipping him too soon.

Yet upgrading on Poeltl in the long-run, even if it means not prioritizing winning in the present, is a very possible path for the Raptors. He doesn't fit their timeline, and having a younger center who can space the court next to Scottie Barnes would be excellent. It could take time to find such a player, but the Raptors don't have to be in a rush. Will they move on from Poeltl by the deadline? That's a question we want answered.

No. 3: How good is Gradey Dick?

One of the most impressive things in preseason thus far has been the play of Gradey Dick. He was largely thought of as a movement shooter coming into the league last year, with a sprinkling of upside that he could develop into something more. That development appears to have happened, and Gradey is confidently handling the ball and creating shots for himself and others.

On the one hand, adding yet another player to the starting lineup and overall rotation who can create offense is a boon; it's the single-most difficult NBA skill to do at a high level, and if Gradey is legitimately good in that area it will boost the offense. However, if he is merely ok at it, and yet eats up possessions hunting his own shot and pulling up into contested midrangers, it will hurt the offense.

The other layer on top of that is whether Gradey's development in his on-ball drive game has or will hinder his off-ball 3-point shooting. That's the skill the Raptors actually need the most right now, and there isn't another player on the roster who will truly stretch defenses in that way. Can Gradey improve as an on-ball player and still make teams uncomfortable with his off-ball movement because of his elite 3-point shooting?

The Raptors need to know just how good Gradey Dick is, and if he can put it all together.