At long last, the NBA is back. Enough of the much-too-long preseason, enough of the training camp storylines, manufactured or otherwise, enough of speaking in hypotheticals. The season is here very shortly, which means all that’s left to check off the preseason To Do List is our annual staff roundtable. Part two goes tomorrow, part one is below. Let’s get these 2016-17 buckets.
(Note: Answers were collected before the Jared Sullinger news.)
1. What are you most excited about for the 2016-17 season?
Blake Murphy: Spending it with all of you.
William Lou: Finishing the season with more wins than the Boston Celtics and lasting longer in the playoffs than the Boston Celtics. Other than that, just enjoying another year of competency from the Raptors (seriously, the franchise has like 6 of those years in its history; let’s enjoy this).
Tim Chisholm: I’m most excited about starting a season that isn’t some sort of referendum on some aspect of the club or some player or the coach or the GM — it’s just a normal season for a good team. The storylines will develop as the season wears on, without the season bearing the burden of storylines written for it before the first game even tips off. That has never happened for this team before.
Tamberlyn Richardson: In my opinion, collectively this is the most exciting the NBA has ever been. I’m eager to watch the young teams rising (Wolves/Jazz), Westbrook’s revenge tour, and all the young Canadian talent. As for the Raptors, last season was so magical I can’t even fathom a repeat (or better). It feels like we’ve embarked on a golden era for the franchise and for basketball in Canada. It’s almost like ‘pinch me so I know it’s real’ situation. Ultimately, I want to enjoy the journey with my friends, the team at Raptors Republic and all of the people who take the time to visit the site and share their thoughts.
Kiyan Sobhani: External factors that are brewing outside the Six. I’m somehow excited about the improvements in the Atlantic, the rising force in Boston, and the unpredictable and possibly dangerous Knicks. The 76ers are no longer a free win, either. Detroit and Indiana have improved. All of this noise and hype -particularly around the Celtics – excites me mostly because I’m interested to know how the Raptors put away these teams and prove, again, why they’re the 2nd best team in the conference.
Shyam Baskaran: Probably the young guys. The Raptors have turned the corner as a franchise the past 3 years, and most of it has been centred around DeRozan and Lowry, but I think this is the first year where we’ll have significant contributions from the young guys – and I don’t just mean Ross, Valanciunas and Patterson (those guys really aren’t the “young guys” anymore). I’m talking about Norman Powell, Delon Wright, Jakob Poeltl, Pascal Siakam, and heck, throw in Bebe and Bruno too. I want to see at least 1 more of those guys turn the corner and contribute the way Norman Powell did last year.
Cooper Smither: Getting another season of Kyle Lowry Over Everything is a treat that we’ll all look back on fondly. Some have proclaimed it, others are more hesitant, but Lowry is the best Raptor of all time. Enjoy this while you can because the Kyle Lowrys of the world dont come around often.
Michael Holian: I’m tempted to go with what Norman Powell has in store for year two (fingers crossed for the Dunk Contest), but the opportunity and expected bump in usage that lies ahead for Jonas Valanciunas to (FINALLY!) cement himself as something more than a third wheel tips the scale. Whether or not it plays out that way is up for debate, but where a leap forward for both Powell and Valanciunas is the expectation, and fun as hell to watch unfold, the difference is JV’s is absolutely necessary.
Cameron Dorrett: The calm. Recent Raptors success has been great but carries a nervousness more palpable than Caboclo with the ball in his hands and the shotclock winding down. A trip to the ECF, two All-Stars, and Casey’s extension should finally settle us all down and let us enjoy a really good team.
Anthony Doyle: Seeing all the young guys grow. We’ve got such a talented young roster, and it’s going to be fun to see how Powell, Valanciunas, Ross, Siakam, Wright, Bebe, and Bruno grow this year and just how much we can get out of those guys. That’s the key, in my opinion, to the team taking the next step forward, and it’s nice to just have a talented team that’s also so young.
Alex Gres: Norman. Powell. The youngster represents everything a sports fan is most naturally drawn to – a humble underdog no one saw coming. He stormed onto the court in the second half of the year while not featuring on the opponents’ scouting reports, but that will change this upcoming season. The second year test claimed many a rookie, but I’m excited to see whether Norm, who learned the ropes on an eastern conference finalist, will knock yet another obstacle out of the way.
Spencer Redmond: Every season brings a new slew of storylines, and fun characters. The league is in a great place overall with almost every team having a fascinating storyline, regular season NBA has become must watch TV. For the Raptors specifically, there have been a ton of interesting storylines to follow. How good is Normal Powell? Is Jonas the third option the Raptors have been looking for this whole time? What’s a full season of DeMarre Carroll going to look like? It’s an exciting time to be a Raptors fan!
Warren Kosoy: I’m most excited to see Golden State’s 5-10 losses this year. In all seriousness though, I am really excited to see how this Raptors team responds to last year’s success. I think they are going into this season with a mindset that “We’ve accomplished a lot last year and got over the hump”. I’m wondering if we will see any complacency or if this team can take that next step. Odds are that there isn’t much higher of a ceiling than last year, but that’s why they play the game.
Barry Taylor: After seeing them in pre-season, I’m pretty excited to watch the Warriors. As much as I wasn’t a fan of the KD move it’s going to be pretty awesome to see how many wins they can put together. For the Raptors, eager to see what JV can do this year. He looked so good in last year’s playoffs, if he can stay healthy it could be a big year for the big man.
2. A season after the Raptors added defensive-minded players and tweaked their defensive schemes, they find themselves without the biggest impact piece from that overhaul in Bismack Biyombo. Can this defense remain above average without their best rim protector?
Shyam Baskaran: It’s really tough to say – on one hand, we lost our best rim protector, but on the other hand, we could still maintain our rebounding edge on most nights with the addition of a capable big like Sullinger, and a fully healthy season of JV. Not to mention, this time we’ll (hopefully) also have a full season from DeMarre Carroll meaning our wing defense on most nights will be better than last year. I also expect Norman Powell to be a rotation player for a larger part of the season than last year, and we all know the kind of defense he can play. I’m not saying we’ll be better than last year, but there are certainly some elements working in our favour in spite of Biyombo’s departure.
Cooper Smither: Yes. This core has had an above average defense with a far less advantageous defensive system in years past. It’s hard to statistically isolate Biz’s defensive impact as he was a part of the tremendous second unit that blitzed opposing benches to start the 2nd quarter. He was certainly a big factor, but he wasn’t the only positive defender going against weaker benches. There were some key nights throughout the regular season where he was borderline dominant defensively (vs. Minnesota, Indiana, etc…) but interpreting that as if it were an everyday occurrence would be foolish. Also, the drop-off would have to be pretty steep ~1.5 points/100 possessions to drop to average, doubt that happens.
Spencer Redmond: I think the Raptors can be just as good defensively as last year, even without Biyombo. A healthy DeMarre Carroll will play a bigger role this season, Norman Powell’s defense will be more prominent with a bigger role, and Siakam shows a lot of tools to become a great defender. These additions, plus some of the great defenders on the roster like Patrick Patterson and Cory Joseph, and this team will be fine at containing most teams.
Barry Taylor: They’ll obviously miss Bizmack and their rim protection will suffer a bit but JV is another year older and Sullinger is in a contract year. With the cap going up again he’s got a lot of incentive to bring the thunder every night on D.
Kiyan Sobhani: The Raptors had the third best OPPG last season. In theory, there’s no way they sustain that level after losing Bismack, who was not only terrific as a rim protector, but was also a mean individual defender and highly capable of holding his own on the perimeter when switched off. I think there’s a drop off, but I’m calling a bold one here – it won’t be that significant. With a healthy Carroll, some of those defensive dips will be recouped. If Powell gets more burn in the backcourt, some of the dribble penetration we were accustomed to last season can be sealed.
Cameron Dorrett: Biz was the 17th ranked player in the league last year from a defensive rating metric – so replacing him will be tough – but that doesn’t mean the Raptors can’t be above average. Still, I think it hinges on DeMarre Carroll’s health and effectiveness, and that has been anything but above-average.
Warren Kosoy: I think the defense can still be solid. The team is filled with good, high IQ defenders. It is very hard for ball handlers to blow by most of the Raptors guards and forwards, which helps to lessen the impact of not having great rim protectors. Demarre Carroll needs to maintain his health for this year because there is no one I trust behind him to guard opposing 3s. I think James Johnson was good insurance for that last season, and we saw flashes of that in the Eastern Conference Finals against Lebron.
Tamberlyn Richardson: In the short term losing Biyombo hurts. That said, there are reasons to believe the defense could improve especially post All-Star break. Why?
- Sullinger is an upgrade over Scola.
- Powell’s growth
- Re-committed Ross
- Presumably in his 5th season Valanciunas will take another step
- Healthy Carroll
- Lowry in a contract (opt-out confirmed) season
- The inimitable Pascal Siakam
Alex Gres: If they are to repeat as eastern finalists this season, they have no choice. Casey will have a trickier task without Biyombo, but the Raptors were not elite defensively in 2015/16 even with the Congolese warrior. It may be asking too much to expect Pascal ‘mini-Bismack’ Siakam to contribute on that end as a rookie, but a guy like Sullinger brings the best defensive rating (100 DRTG as per basketball-reference.com) out of Boston’s rotation players. They still have quality defenders in Joseph, Lowry (when he wants to be), Powell, Carroll and Patterson, suggesting the drop-off won’t be overly significant.
Michael Holian: Every time a perimeter defender got beat, and Biyombo was under the basket, a certain ease would come over me. I always had faith that his help defense would kibosh any attempt at an easy bucket. Not to mention the numerous times he did an admirable job on a mismatch when forced to switch, and his ability to clean the defensive glass. Fast forward: There’s enough influx of steady and opportunistic defenders (Carroll finally healthy/Powell year 2) mixed with the potential to build off of last season’s growth (JV) to weather the storm. Will they remain above average overall? Yes. Will there be setbacks regardless, particularly in negating second-chance points? There’s no way around it.
Anthony Doyle: Bismack will definitely be missed on the defensive end, but at the same time, the departure of Luis Scola will help. So it’s hard to weigh those two against each other, and I think at the end of the day it’ll really come down to whether we can get more effort at that end from our perimeter defenders, stopping the penetration before it happens, and also how much growth we can get out of Jonas Valanciunas in terms of rim protection.
William Lou: I expect the Raptors to be middle-of-the-pack in defense, but it’s possible for them to join the top-10 if enough of the following comes to fruition: DeMarre Carroll stays healthy, Jonas Valanciunas can be both mobile and aware when defending in space, and if DeMar DeRozan gives a shit on that end.
Tim Chisholm: It can remain above average, but it will take a hit. Bebe is not Biyombo as a defender. However, there are other things that the club can do now that they have some more multi-positional diversity in the front court, and so the pros should ultimately outweigh the cons when it comes to losing Bismack.
Blake Murphy: Not above average, no. I think there are enough other edges to be gained that the net impact of his loss has been overstated some – more on this in a piece coming for The Athletic today or tomorrow – but the defense will be a little worse. It’s just asking too much of a perimeter defense that already struggles to contain threes on occasion to focus even more on protecting the paint at all costs, and while Jonas Valanciunas (strong rim protection numbers in 2014-15) and Lucas Nogueira (a great small-sample block rate and a 9-foot-6 standing reach) have potential, there’s no making up for Biyombo’s presence around the rim.
3. The Raptors were once again an elite offense, despite limited assist totals (albeit with some better ball movement). It seems they can be a top-five unit at that end in their sleep. Still, what would you like to see more or less of to try to solidify their standing at that end?
Tamberlyn Richardson: Preseason has to be viewed with caution, but the Raptors (106.1) finished preseason ranked third offensively, behind Houston (111.1), and the Warriors (107.3). Everyone always talks about ball movement, but I want more player movement. Ross and JV should be factors in their fifth seasons. Ironically I think the biggest gains on offense can come from better transition defense. To that end, the bench unit of Joseph, Powell, Siakam, Patterson and whomever stand to be the benefactors of solid transition defense with all 4 of those players capable of flying down the wings for easy buckets or pull up threes.
Barry Taylor: Run more of the offence through JV. For the love of God, let him touch the ball. Have DeRozan as the second option and Lowry can take over when he needs to.
Blake Murphy: A little bit more love for Jonas Valanciunas and a little bit more ball movement. Shocking, right? Haven’t heard those notes in any season ever. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, or whatever, but the Raptors could be even deadlier with a more balanced approach that involves a few more hands touching the ball. Adding savvy passers in the post like Jared Sullinger and Lucas Nogueira may help some, as should a healthy DeMarre Carroll.
Anthony Doyle: Late in the season, there were some definite signs that Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan both wore down, and the load they were carrying both in terms of minutes and offensive production can’t have helped in that regard. It would be nice to see the team utilize the regular season to integrate a more complex offense, letting Jonas Valanciunas help carry the load as well as creating more catch and shoot opportunities for players like DeMarre Carroll and Terrence Ross.
Michael Holian: Well, it’d be nice NOT to see a 5th straight decline in Assist Ratio, as only 15 percent of the Raps’ possessions (28th ranked) ended with an assist last season. Also on my wish list would be an improvement in the team’s Pace number, which came in at a 29th-ranked 95.3 possessions per game. Cleveland, in comparison, finished just above Toronto at 95.5, but a factor that helped separate the two clubs was the Cavs knocking on the door of the top 10 in the aforementioned category of Assist Ratio at the same time. We can’t expect a giant leap, but we can ask for baby steps.
Spencer Redmond: It starts with DeRozan, although he tied his career high in assists per game, and had his highest AST% total last season, there is still room for DeRozan to get better in that area. There is at least 1-2 times per game where DeRozan takes a suboptimal shot, and could have easily tried to create a better shot for someone else. He’s a great scorer, and a great player, but could be even better at both with better ball movement.
Alex Gres: The Raptors biggest need is to shoot more three pointers. In order to do that, they need to either further develop their own players or add a shooter or two in a trade. Their percentage was among the league’s best, but the shots attempted far below that. Shooting more at a similar clip may bump up the team’s assist numbers (catch and shoot) and possibly increase their pace. While it may appear that there’s no need to fix what isn’t broken (top 5 yet again), the playoffs have shown that they need to have another element in order to thrive in that high-pressure environment.
Tim Chisholm: I’d like to see the team employ Sullinger, Patterson, and maybe even Bebe in the high-post acting as a facilitator, if for no other reason than the Raptors have some good passers up front and it could give them a wrinkle to go to when the dribble-drive and pick-and-roll are being well covered. To be honest, it’s mostly just an aesthetic style of basketball I like. So sue me.
Shyam Baskaran: Ball movement. You rightly point out that our limited assist total held us back last year, and it didn’t help in many of the offensive sets to close out games last year when isolations run for Lowry or DeRozan didn’t necessarily result in the best shots. Sure, those guys can bail us out on many nights, but I’d like to see more of an “open man” offense as opposed to an iso offense. I trust Lowry to carry that out, but DeMar will have to refrain from playing hero-ball as he did on many nights early last year (in spite of the offensive efficiency progress I think he’ll make this year). I love our backcourt to death, but they’re not the only answers on offense.
William Lou: Like everyone else, I’d like to see Valanciunas involved more in the offense, but that’s probably unrealistic given how much DeRozan and Lowry covet the ball. In lieu of that, I just hope to see more aggression in transition. The Raptors ranked 24th last season in percent of transition plays last season and with a younger team this year, they should look to run more often.
Kiyan Sobhani: More ball movement, and more touches for Jonas. We can chose to accept the notion that the Raptors can live with an iso-heavy scheme because they have the numbers to back it, but on the other end of the stick, the team was that much more fun to watch when the ball was zipping around the perimeter after a nice dribble-penetration. Some of the stagnant offense was laborious to watch in the post-season, particularly against Indiana. There’s too many intelligent players on this roster to resort to those low-assist performances. A more diverse offensive blueprint is welcome.
Cooper Smither: Small, innovative wrinkles to already existing sets and plays. They already post up DeRozan an above-average amount for a typical 2-guard, experimenting with Lowry creating on the block as well would be interesting. Trying similar things as the Clippers do with their guards running “snug” pick and rolls out of the low post wouldn’t be difficult to add but would freshen up the offense a tiny bit. Other than that, they’ve already showed more off-ball movement in the preseason. They are running more split-cuts above post entries to dissuade defenders from digging down, which was much needed, but just a commitment to off-ball movement for the entire year would be great. Additionally, continued variety for ways to get Jonas post touches.
Cameron Dorrett: The Raptors often feel like a high-octane offense, but the reality is only Utah had a slower pace last season. Do you need a fast pace to set a good offense? Cleveland doesn’t think so – but it’d be fun to watch them run a little more this season – here’s looking at you Terrence.
Warren Kosoy: I wouldn’t mind seeing the team playing with more pace. The half court offense is predictable, and much harder to depend on in the real games. The team is very talented, but when facing a team like the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, the only way this team won was from hitting a high percentage of long jumpers. I also wish Valanciunas was used in the high post more as he develops his range. It would be nice to have that option in the half court offense.
4. The Raptors 905 experiment was an unquestionable success last year. Have the successes of the 905 products increased your interest in the team for their second season?
Tim Chisholm: In watching them? Haha, no. I’m perfectly happy hearing about their play, checking in every once in a while, but D-League basketball is some ugly basketball, and when there is so much good ball to be had in the real league, I’ll stick with the big boy’s club for now, thank you.
William Lou: Blake does an incredible job covering the 905, and I’ll take fans behind the scenes: most of his 905 recaps are punched out with Blake hunched over in a Tim Hortons on Hurontario at around midnight. Just keep that picture in mind when Blake details the progress in Bruno Caboclo’s dribble-drive game, and when you hit the Patreon page.
Alex Gres: Absolutely. With the continued success of the main team, the pressure to see results on the Bruno front was significantly reduced. This will apply to Poetl and Siakam as well this season, as they quietly get game practice in preparation for a main team role down the line. Meanwhile, us die-hards can witness that progress first hand.
Shyam Baskaran: How could your interest not go up after the year we had last year and the talent pool we have this year? With Siakam, Poeltl, Wright, etc. all with a chance at making trips down to the 905 and with new coach Jerry Stackhouse at the helm, I’m psyched not only for the development opportunity for the players, but also our performance in the DLeague! Okay, maybe not entirely with the second part…but it’s obvious we’re doing something right in developing these players, and with more “on the cusp” players on the roster this year than last, I would only imagine this yields even better results.
Michael Holian: Absolutely. I’d even go as far to say that the success of the 905 has helped speed up the process of the D-League not only gaining more notoriety, but also achieving direct affiliation across the board. Not that anyone living outside of Canada particularly cared about how many boards Bebe pulled down or if Bruno was progressing, but the eight remaining organizations that aren’t receiving the same benefits as the rest of the NBA might look at the 905 as a fresh reminder that they need to compile their resources and follow suit. And after seeing Powell and Delon Wright capitalize on the chance to hone their craft, Season 2 holds plenty of intrigue that’s worth getting amped up for.
Cooper Smither: It’s probably raised hope to an unreasonably high expectation, seeing productive NBA minutes come so soon from 905 alumni. But just being able to tune in to see progression and (hopefully) dominance of inferior competition is something to keep an eye on. Also, there is definitely a sense given of how the team possibly projects how the players will be used with the big club, so seeing management’s vision for the prospects is interesting as well. Lastly, Bruno. Just be something, Bruno.
Warren Kosoy: t’s always nice to see the younger guys getting a chance at consistent minutes. I think the biggest benefit is having these players playing the same system as the Raptors team, so there are a multitude of players that are actively playing, who can have a better shot at filling in and not looking lost. I am excited to see if another young players takes the big leap forward this year from consistent ball handling and usage, like we saw with Norm Powell last year.
Barry Taylor: Nick and I have seriously been considering buying court side seats to a game. This is probably our best chance to sit court side at a game and the 905 are pretty fun. We’ll definitely be wearing suits and renting a limo if this happens. Go big or go home.
Anthony Doyle: I didn’t get a chance to watch many 905 games last year, but I’m definitely interested in the program, especially with the way it’s accelerated the development of the young guys at the end of the Raptors bench. It can’t be exaggerated how important the time with the 905 was towards Norman Powell’s ability to step in and be an impact player late in the season, and it’ll be interesting to watch how much time Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam spend with the junior club, and how it helps them grow.
Cameron Dorrett: Do my tickets to their November 20th game against Long Island answer this? Will Sim Bhullar break a backboard? Will Brady Heslip literally set the Hersey Centre on fire? Yeah I’m pumped.
Blake Murphy: Not sure it’s possible for my interest to get higher than last year. It’s been awesome, and is a huge addition to the organization. Once again this year, I got you.
Spencer Redmond: Absolutely! I didn’t live in Toronto last year, but I would love to go to a few games this season, and follow the prospects a little closer to see what the Raptors have developing in their system.
Tamberlyn Richardson: I’m not sure I’ll watch all their games, but yes I’m interested. If Siakam ends up staying with the varsity squad I’ll probably watch fewer games. I’m curious to see what Bruno does this season. And of course there is the Stackhouse factor. I wonder what effect he’ll have on the team.
5. Norman Powell was the primary beneficiary, playing his way into the rotation and into a role in at least one playoff series. Is there a rotation spot for him this year? Is he a Most Improved Player candidate?
Cameron Dorrett: It’s questions like these that make me appreciate just how deep this Raptors team is – but also how hard it will be for Powell to get minutes without an injured teammate. Casey likes him too much to let him sit at the end of the bench – but I just don’t see him getting the run necessary to take a crack at Most Improved.
Cooper Smither: I think he can easily have a spot in the rotation on a consistent basis. There’s already been a lot of talk about his functional height/size due to his incredible wingspan, his strong lower half and and incredible drive defensively to pair up with his fundamentally sound positioning. It’s the perfect time to be that type of player in the NBA because of the increased functionality of wings to play in small ball lineups. He can play next to Joseph and Ross and at worst just keep the defense honest against penetration and increase pressure on opposing ball handlers. He’ll find minutes no doubt. MIP is tough because players that have a larger, more defined starting role have him edged out most likely. On a different team maybe, but not a conference final contender with an all-star backcourt.
Anthony Doyle: Norm’s breakout last season was one of the most surprising parts of the Raptors’ year, and it’s hard to see him being out of the rotation. I’m not completely sold on him being able to sustain the 3-point shooting we saw late in the season, but with his defensive impact and ball handling ability, he’s definitely going to see some time on the court. I think, though, that it’d be smart to take a step back and see that he needs time yet to completely grow into his role at the NBA level, and not expect too much immediately. If his shooting continues where he left off at the end of the year, he can definitely be a MIP candidate though.
Michael Holian: After witnessing last season’s progression, it’s hard to fathom a scenario where Powell wasn’t a lock for a rotation spot coming into training camp. On the other hand, Casey isn’t always on the same page. Norm’s versatility is extensive — at the two, at the three, when the Raps go with a conventional lineup, or when they go small. But most of all, his aggressive defense, along with a jump shot (and 3-ball) that’s improving when many thought it would be a constant struggle, suggests a player who was once thought of as a long-term project has an odds-on chance at playing an integral role in the present.
Tamberlyn Richardson: Powell definitely gets consistent playing time, but barring an injury I doubt he gets enough minutes. Numerous players will get more PT based on circumstance:
- Lottery teams: Booker (Suns), Russell (LAL), Jokic (Den).
- Teams on rise:
- Wolves: Wiggins, KAT, & Dieng
- Take your pick on Utah- Hayward, Gobert and my go to for the past few seasons Favors
- Increased roles:
- Antetokounmpo – playing point and likely trails only Westbrook in triple-doubles.
- Adams (possibly Oladipo) will play a bigger part of the KD-less Thunder.
I can’t imagine Powell gets comparable minutes. However, I do think Cory Joseph could have a shot, especially if he increases his 3 point makes and assists.
William Lou: I doubt Powell gets enough touches to be in contention for MIP, but he definitely has enough game to play his way into the rotation. He’s exactly the kind of player you want playing beside Lowry, in that he makes great cuts, he’s willing to run the floor, and he can drill catch-and-shoot threes.
Blake Murphy: He’ll be battling Terrence Ross for the role of first wing off the bench, and that’s a timeshare that could change multiple times throughout the year. Powell was a revelation in his rookie season and could bring effective, versatile defense to the second unit or as a fill-in with the starters. But Ross’ shooting holds a great deal of importance, and Powell’s still proving himself to opponents in that regard. It seems as if Powell may have to claw to increase his role again this year, probably precluding him from any award consideration, if it were coming based on performance. There’s still plenty to be excited about with Powell, and he’s surely up to the task of #ProvingEm again.
Warren Kosoy: Norm is a really good player and a definite rotation player. However, unless something happens to Lowry or Demar, Norm will likely play off the ball and be a low usage player, who’s value will mainly come on the defensive end. He will be a good player, but there’s almost no chance he wins MIP. C.J McCollum was in a similar spot as Norm two years ago, and the increased role and usage was the main reason he won MIP. This isn’t the right team for Norm to win that, but he would certainly be capable of it on a worse team.
Kiyan Sobhani: I have him as an x-factor. The leap he makes this season will directly correlate with how much the Raptors can improve from last season. His projected leap is a new signing on its own.
Tim Chisholm: Is there a rotation spot? Yes, but it won’t be huge without injuries opening up minutes for him. As I wrote in my player preview, Powell is playing behind DeRozan, Carroll, Ross, and Joseph, a package of players that the club has invested a TON of money in. Powell will get minutes, but he isn’t going to be a featured player, which should surely take him out of consideration for any season awards.
Barry Taylor: It was a small sample size last season but what a sample it was. He’s definitely got to be an early bench option for Casey to at least start the year. His play is worthy of the minutes and he embodies everything the franchise and fans love about the Raptors. Chip on the shoulder, proving doubters wrong, We the North.
Shyam Baskaran: As of opening night, I don’t see how this guy isn’t a rotation player. If Terrence Ross continues any sort of silliness mid-season, I actually think there’s a decent shot he can eclipse Ross as the primary shooting guard or small forward off the bench. The most-improved player candidacy is unlikely, especially given the inherent unpredictability in predicting that award (that and 6th man are probably the hardest to forecast at the beginning of the season). But, heck, why not? The dude almost has comparable speed and athleticism to Russell Westbrook (yes, seriously) – if he can somehow develop a consistent jumper, continue his defensive prowess, and given his experience in last year’s playoffs, the sky is legitimately the limit.
Alex Gres: Most Improved may be a bit of a stretch, as Powell just isn’t likely to see enough minutes and make the needed impact to get in on the discussion. Still, he should be a part of the rotation, especially since the Raptors may opt to go smaller for longer stints this year without a dominant backup center.
Spencer Redmond: Norman’s defense will keep him in any Casey lineup. The second unit could go small with Ross at the three, Powell at the two, or even Powell playing with some sort of smaller starting unit, shifting DeRozan to the three and Carroll to the four. Powell is a versatile player and with his production last season, there is definitely a chance he get more minutes this year, and potentially is a great candidate for MIP.
