When you think of NBA veterans you think of LeBron James, Steph Curry, James Harden, or Kevin Durant; players in their late 30s who have won at the highest level or have at least gone on playoff runs and understand the ins and outs of the league to perfection. The Raptors don’t have a veteran like that. Garrett Temple has barely stepped onto the court this season.
The Raptors are a young team. Jakob Poeltl is the only rotational player who is older than 28. Aside from Brandon Ingram, the Raptors’ stars are all in their mid-twenties and in an interesting position, as Immanuel Quickley noted in a media availability on Friday. They may not necessarily see themselves as veterans, but they still have to play the role for their younger teammates.
“It’s kind of weird for a lot of us,” Quickley said. “Me being 26, him [RJ Barrett] only being 25, we kind of have a role of not only learning at the same time, but also helping younger guys.”
Quickley, Barrett, and Scottie Barnes are far from finished products. They still have a lot to learn, but they have to be leaders for younger players like Collin Murray-Boyles and Ja’Kobe Walter anyway.
Quickley and Barrett have more playoff experience than most Raptors
Jakob Poeltl has the most playoff experience on the Raptors’ roster. He played in 22 playoff games and won two series, even though he didn’t play much in his first trip to the postseason.
Barrett and Quickley are next in line with 16 and 13 playoff games, respectively. They went to the playoffs twice with the New York Knicks and won one series in 2023, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1. Barrett was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Jalen Brunson that year, and Quickley was the Knicks’ sixth man.
The only other key rotational players who have been to the playoffs are Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes. Ingram played in ten games with the New Orleans Pelicans but never won a series. Barnes played four games as a rookie.
Getting playoff experience as a group will be important
The Raptors may make some changes in the offseason or further down the line, but at least some of the team’s current core is a big part of the team’s plans for the future. So, getting their first playoff minutes together is a big deal.
This is also Darko Rajaković’s first time as a head coach in the playoffs, although he was on the sideline as an assistant coach for plenty of postseason action.
No matter the outcome, this playoff series will be a great learning experience for everyone involved with the team.
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