The Raptors could make a big trade this offseason to bring in someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving, or Donovan Mitchell. They could also re-sign Sandro Mamukelashvili, who is almost certain to decline his player option and become a free agent, and see what more they can get out of their current roster.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie deemed the latter the most likely outcome on the Raptors offseason episode of the Game Theory Podcast.
“I think the most likely outcome is that they move Gradey Dick, they use 19, they retain Sandro, maybe you extend Shead, maybe you extend Barrett, and you really move into the new season with this team at the end of the day,” Vecenie said.
If that is the case, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and Collin Murray-Boyles will be more important than ever.
If the Raptors don’t make any notable additions, internal improvement will be key
The Raptors want to get better. If they can’t—or don’t want to—upgrade the roster on the trade market, the players already on the team will have to improve. While RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley still have room to grow, we mostly know what they, Brandon Ingram, and Jakob Poeltl will bring to the table.
Younger players like Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, and Collin Murray-Boyles, on the other hand, still have room to surprise us. With the right development, they may even help solve some of the Raptors’ biggest issues.
Walter is the most likely candidate to fill a gaping hole on the roster. If the Raptors go into next season with virtually the same roster, they still lack 3-point shooting. If Walter can shoot over 40% on a high volume, as he did after the All-Star break, for a whole season, it would go a long way for the Raptors’ offense.
Murray-Boyles and Shead exemplify the way the Raptors want to play defensively. They are physical and disruptive and make winning plays on that end of the floor. Their offense isn’t quite as advanced yet—Shead shot only 36.7% from the floor and 32.1% from three, and Murray-Boyles did almost all of his damage very close to the rim—so a step forward there would be huge for the Raptors if no outside help is coming in.
Scottie Barnes’s improvement will be a focal point
Scottie Barnes played like an All-NBA candidate in the regular season and then took his offense to another level in the playoffs, averaging 24.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game.
After that run, the Raptors’ front office and coaching staff will be desperate to see if he can play like that for the majority of the regular season and another playoff appearance. Barnes, who was not thrilled about being left off the All-Defensive First Team and an All-NBA Team, should come into the season with a chip on his shoulder and ready for another leap.
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