The Raptors enter the new season having replaced their backup point with one of championship pedigree, added a third stringer capable of playing (and defending) multiple positions, and have had their starter undergo a physical transformation that’ll make you swoon. Suffice to say, the PG is the Raptors deepest position.
The focus here has been that of defense. Unceremoniously shuffling out Greivis Vasquez was an early offseason sign that the Raptors wanted to revamp their defense identity, and that was only the first step. Getting rid of Vasquez and replacing him with a mannequin would already have been a significant upgrade, Masai Ujiri went a step further and solidified the position through the draft.
The senior from Utah was picked with the 20th selection in the draft and it immediately became clear what Ujiri was attempting to do. The 6’5” guard has proven to be a strong defender who can also run the show, and his four years of college experience makes him ideal to contribute in a meaningful capacity, while still learning the NBA ropes. Though he’ll likely see limited minutes playing both the on and off guard positions, Wright’s mere presence and length on the court should afford Dwane Casey a defense less prone to penetration, and more apt to a disciplined offensive approach. At the very least, unlike Vasquez, he won’t be taking away shots from more capable scorers and is able to stay on the court in crunch time without presenting glaring defensive mismatches. The Raptors haven’t been three-deep at the point for years, and this is a position they found themselves needing many a time last season when Vasquez was struggling making Lou Williams the de facto point guard simply because there was no on else.
Make no mistake, Wright is the icing on the cake when it comes to point guard signings, the key acquisition here is Canadian Cory Joseph, a move that drew attention around the league due to the money involved. The narrative here is that Joseph comes from the Spurs system bringing along with him great habits, intelligence, and playmaking, and is a player on the cusp of graduating from being a bench player to a starter, but for the opportunity. The reality is that unlike players like Reggie Jackson and Eric Bledsoe, there are still doubts whether Joseph projects out to be a starting caliber point guard. However, that doesn’t preclude him from being a potentially great fit with the Raptors.
Structured playmaking is what Cory Joseph is all about, and the Raptors of last season sorely lacked that. In the clutch, they were either in full-on iso mode with Lou Williams, or laboured to create shots through predictable approaches. Joseph is a patient enough man and a good enough player that in a structured offense, he’ll deliver the ball where it needs to be delivered as per instruction. That’s what made him an asset in San Antonio, and it’s imperative that that approach continue in Toronto to some degree. At the same time, he’s sure to get more freedom in Toronto and we’ll likely see glimpses of his game that we haven’t seen before.
How successfully Cory Joseph integrates into the team is heavily dependent on the style of play Dwane Casey has in mind, and the lineup formats that he envisions. It’s very difficult to see Joseph playing with an all-bench unit since the second unit is very thin, so a mish-mash of starters and subs is the more likely (and traditional) option. If he’s playing running plays with DeMarre Carroll and Patrick Patterson, he’ll look a lot better than if he’s asked to do the same with Bismack Biyombo and Terrence Ross.
Joseph improved his three-point percentage from 31.6% to 36.4%, which was a pretty big reason he got the contract he got. Along with Ross, and assuming he’ll play with Carroll and Patterson, the Raptors could have four good shooters on the court as part of the pseudo-bench unit, with three of them being good defenders. That’s a scenario that wasn’t there last season, and lends itself to a very fast style of play, which Joseph will be asked to quarterback. If Norman Powell turns out to be half-decent, you suddenly can see the bench being able to score.
Variety is the spice of life, and completing this triumvirate is Kyle Lowry. There’s a general agreement that an in-form and healthy Kyle Lowry is arguably a top 5 NBA point guard (Westbrook, Curry, Paul, Wall). The flip side of the argument is that he’s shown that level of form for half a season which just isn’t a big enough sample size. For the purposes of this post, though, we won’t try to argue either way.
What the leaner Kyle Lowry that’s been gracing the pages of Instagram means for the Raptors, nobody quite knows. You would assume that he’s going to be quicker, faster, and more well-conditioned, and perhaps that translates to having fresher legs for a longer part of the season. Or it could mean he’s more prone to injury, or less prone to injury – I don’t really know how his body will react, and how in turn he’ll react to his body reacting. It’s an X-factor that we’ll have to keep a close eye on right from day one.
Last year he was in God-mode till mid-December when a culmination of poor form, fatigue, and nagging injury caught up to him, and suddenly the shots that were swishing were hitting front rim. The lesson here is that one has to pace themselves. His shooting percentage dropped to 37% from 45% in the new year while his minutes remained the same – 34.5. Despite clearly being out of form, Dwane Casey didn’t think that he could afford to rest Lowry, and once the injuries hit and the playoffs came, his poor management of the player caught up to him and Lowry was even worse in the post-season. The added depth at the position should mean Lowry playing around 3-4 less minutes a game, and averaging around 30 or so. Even if he plays 3 minutes less next season, that’s a 10% drop in playing time which will both keep him healthy and better prepared for the playoffs.
The three point guards all offer something different. Lowry is about individual shot-creation and play-making, Joseph is about running set offenses, and Wright is about defense and situational playmaking using his big frame. All three are good pick ‘n roll players that can score themselves, with Wright obviously being the least of the threat. They’re good ball-handlers, strong defenders, and though Lowry is prone to gamble, at least on paper they shouldn’t be allowing easy penetration into the lane, and at the same time will be a constant threat to press opposing guards.
That’s a good starting point for whatever Dwane Casey would like to do on either end.
Quick hits to round-off the discussion:
Biggest Strength: Defense. As already stated, the defense that these three can collectively play at the position could be a hallmark and driver for this team.
Biggest Weakness: Playmaking under pressure in the clutch. When the possession breaks down and you’re being hounded, Kyle Lowry has a tendency to go solo instead of making a play for someone. Corey Joseph tended to pass out in those situations and let one of the other Spurs make a play. Delon Wright is a rookie.
What I like: There’s variety at the position allowing Casey to mix-and-match lineups depending on the style he wants to play.
What I don’t like: There’s variety at the position allowing Casey to mix-and-match lineups depending on the style he wants to play.
Unfortunate prediction: Dwane Casey won’t trust Delon Wright to play in situations where he would be an asset.
Bold prediction: By the end of the season, nobody will talk about Cory Joseph’s contract.
X-Factor: Can Dwane Casey create a sense of predictability in the rotations for the players, and give all three a clear idea of what their role is, and when they’ll play.
