The Raptors’ Summer League squad may have lost its first game against Boston by three points, but first-round pick Allen Graves put together a strong performance. He finished with 22 points on 9-16 shooting from the field and 3-8 from deep, 13 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.
Graves showcased everything the Raptors are hoping he can bring to their team next season: floor spacing, rebounding, and disruptive defense.
Summer League head coach Ivo Simovic praised Graves’s IQ after the game, per an interview with the Hello and Welcome podcast, but also issued a reminder that one great Summer League game doesn’t guarantee a smooth transition to the NBA from day one. The talent level is vastly different, after all.
When asked how one can know which parts of Summer League will translate well to the NBA, Simovic said, “Do we know 100%? We don’t know. Nobody knows. What we can do, we can keep working. It’s a process, obviously. The guy just got drafted two weeks ago, maybe less than that. He did five days of practice, seven days of practice with us, and played well. So, that’s a good starting point. So, we’re going to keep building from here.”
Graves certainly has potential and fits the Raptors’ identity like a glove, but he probably won’t be the perfect role player immediately.
It’s still fair to be excited about Graves
Fans should never put too much weight on one Summer League game, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be excited about Graves’s potential and what he can bring to the Raptors right away.
The defensive fit is thrilling. Assuming that Kawhi Leonard will still be on the Raptors’ roster next season despite the trade being on hold right now, the Raptors will be an absolute monster on defense. They can roll out a lineup of Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and Collin Murray-Boyles that is almost impossible to score against. If Graves can be just as disruptive in the NBA as he was in college and his first Summer League action, it will only give Darko Rajakovic more options for death lineups on defense.
Seeing Graves go 3-8 from deep also bodes well for his fit with Barnes, Murray-Boyles, and Jakob Poeltl. Barnes isn’t scared to shoot, and Murray-Boyles has been working on his shot this offseason, but neither is a proven 3-point threat who forces defenses to space the floor. If Graves can become that in the NBA, he will be a smooth fit next to the other frontcourt players and fill a glaring hole on the Raptors’ roster.
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