Prior to Friday’s game against Charlotte, Eric Koreen of The Athletic and Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca both made the case that the Raptors should make a lineup change. Koreen advocated for Gary Trent Jr. to replace Dennis Schröder in the starting five, with Murphy acknowledging that’s the “most obvious immediate move.”
The logic, as Murphy explains, is that the trio of Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Scottie Barnes would benefit from playing with at least one outside shooter, if not two. Instead, the three forwards have spent most of the season alongside Schröder, an inconsistent marksman (he’s at 33.3% on threes this season) and Jakob Poeltl, a non-shooter. The five-man unit had a minus-3.1 net rating entering Friday, which isn’t acceptable for the team’s top lineup, writes Murphy.
However, head coach Darko Rajakovic stuck with his usual group against the Hornets. The starting five spent 17 minutes on the floor together and was outscored by three points during that time while making just 2-of-11 outside shots. The rest of the Raptors’ lineups played Charlotte to a draw, but the starters’ three-point deficit was ultimately reflected in the final score: Toronto lost 119-116 to fall to 9-13 on the season.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- The Raptors are at a familiar crossroads, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who says the team has failed to properly judge the level of its roster and where it stands relative to its competition in recent years. The franchise can’t afford to make that mistake again and will need to be prepared to make difficult personnel decisions at this season’s trade deadline, Grange writes.
- Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca explores the same subject as Grange, suggesting that time is running out for the current roster to prove it deserves to be kept intact. Within his story, Lewenberg cites league sources who say the Raptors still haven’t opened extension negotiations with Siakam but also haven’t discussed him in trade talks since the summer. Siakam will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
- Mouhamadou Gueye has gotten off to a strong start for the Raptors 905 this season, averaging 15.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in 32.4 minutes per game through his first nine contests with Toronto’s G League affiliate. Gueye would’ve been the most logical in-house candidate to fill the two-way contract slot that opened when the Raptors waived Ron Harper Jr., according to Murphy, but he’s currently dealing with a neck injury. Using that two-way spot to sign Jontay Porter away from another organization will provide the banged-up 905 with some additional depth.
Jakob Poeltl not learning how to shoot the 3 from age 21-28 in the nba is crazy. This man has not improved in all the years he has been in the nba.
He’s the farthest thing from the problem. An efficient, .733 eFG% and rim protector who plays ~27 minutes.
Time to blow it up and rebuild around Scottie. This team has been decidedly mediocre for a few seasons now and it’s incredibly frustrating to watch. Management needs to choose a direction.
The time to blow it up was last trade deadline, the returns we’re gling to get for OG and Siakam are going to be pennies in comparison.
It’s also true that all 3 guys might benefit from not playing all together. Of course, that’s kind of mandated by the roster. Last year, someone thought the answer was to play without a C. Now, apparently, there’s a thought the answer might be to play without a PG. If they’re not going to implement the most obvious answer, then might as well try it.
I think the plan would be for Trent to play the 2, OG the 3, and move Scottie to the one.
Still struggling to understand why Ujiri isn’t willing to either pull the plug or make another Kawhi level trade. This current Raps team needs to either commit to Scottie at the 4 and deal Spicy P, or at the one and add more shooting/depth off the bench. Personally, Scottie, Dick and Trent are the only three guys I see on this team that are worth keeping long term. GT Jr. may be a surprise in my list, but dude is only 24 even though it feels like he’s been in the league forever. Good shooter, works hard on D, and is well priced for a 6th – 7th man role.
A change is long overdue. If Spicy brings the Raps back a package such as what has been rumoured from the Hawks (AJ Griffin, Saddiq or Hunter, salary filler and a 1st + a pick swap), it’s time to pull the plug on this iteration of the Raptors.
Ujiri seems personally wedded to this group. It’s really the first team he’s put together from scratch, and he did it under his own philosophy. Maybe he can’t accept it’s flawed. Regardless of what letters or number appears after Barnes’ name, they can’t have a C, Siakam and Barnes on the floor together and expect to have enough floor spacing to run a modern NBA offense. That’s true even if Barnes’ improved shooting continues. If GTJ starts, it helps spacing with the starting group, but hurts the spacing with the bench units. Moving pieces around isn’t going to change the fact that too many of their best players aren’t reliable 3 pt shooters.
Trading Siakam and adding 3 pt shooting seems like a good start to me. That alone can allow the existing guys to breath and play to their skills better. From there, the next moves needed might be clearer. The problem, of Ujiri’s own making, is that he now has 3 guys (Siakam, Barnes and GTJ) becoming UFAs next year, without any league consensus on their market value.
That package is def off the table, most teams that are competing have their scorers locked in, OG brings so much more value to a team trying to win.
What Raptors need most. Is a true PG. The player they can afford to move is OG. Barnes natural position is SF. Graddey is the future at SG. Seems too obvious …….
Deal OG to kings(for Huerter and Harrison with picks).