I know the new duo in town that everyone is looking forward to finally seeing in action is the pairing of All-Star caliber wing Brandon Ingram and the Raptors' resident do-it-all forward Scottie Barnes.
However, if we're looking at things from an internal perspective and considering the talents the Raptors found in the drafts and through their own scouting, they definitely see a ton of potential in building around Gradey Dick as well.
Earlier this year, veteran Raptors insider Michael Grange reported that Dick was rumored to be the only other long-term franchise player with untouchable status, apart from Barnes. While Dick might not necessarily be in that top-three option status on a contending team, he will certainly serve a huge role playing alongside Barnes and eventually Ingram when he's fully healthy.
Unfortunately, the potential of Barnes and Dick playing off each other on the court hasn't translated into the most impressive statistics. In fact, the duo has a negative 8.1 net rating on the floor together this season, which is very worrisome.
Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick struggle to show on-court chemistry
Now, to be fair, if you look at the NBA advanced stats sheet for two-player lineups in Toronto, you'll notice that essentially all the possible pairings hold negative net ratings, so it might be a bit unfair to single out Barnes and Dick.
That said, you have to consider that these are two players who are seen as key to the Raptors' eventual return to playoff contention. If they aren't clicking effectively, how can we expect them to translate that into true success?
The glaring weaknesses of both players are still clear as day, despite their stellar individual talents. The honest truth is that Barnes is still far from becoming the true NBA superstar needed to elevate his squad to peak levels of NBA glory, while Dick's defensive questions remain an alarming setback.
A while back, I pointed out the crucial importance of prioritizing Dick's development within the Raptors' framework, especially considering he was arguably the team's most vital player after the All-Star break.
To play devil's advocate for a moment, I’d like to give Barnes and Dick the benefit of the doubt by suggesting that the Raptors' struggles this season don’t accurately reflect their true potential as a duo. If team success were more straightforward, the synergy between Barnes and Dick might appear more favorable.
Nevertheless, it’s certainly concerning that two vital pieces of the franchise's future are unable to translate their talents into wins together. This remains a significant red flag, regardless of the circumstances. Raptors fans must remain optimistic that this pairing can turn things around and bring new energy to their performance.