Opportunity is a fleeting train. Some arrive well ahead of schedule because of the chances they take, while others watch life pass them by as moment after moment slips away. There’s a broad spectrum in between for why things work out for one person and why they don’t for another, but what remains constant is the ticking clock — the time that can never be bought back.
Selected with the 20th pick in the 2015 NBA draft, Delon Wright was projected for backup point guard minutes after the departures of Lou Williams through free agency and Greivis Vasquez via trade. All that changed when the San Antonio Spurs nabbed their opportunity to sign a Raptors target that summer, LaMarcus Aldridge. Heading into the ’16-17 season, Wright knew he would need to pick up some early momentum and build towards displacing Cory Joseph in the rotation, but a labral tear in his right shoulder during Summer League action ruled him out for four months.
The injury gave the Raptors a need to address, and Fred VanVleet an opportunity. From being on the outside looking in as someone who would be the fourth point guard on the roster, the undrafted guard out of Wichita State now had the inside track. VanVleet had an impressive enough resumé and Summer League to earn a partially-guaranteed contract. A composed floor general unafraid of the moment? That’s any coach’s dream.
“They see what I do and they see what I contribute and it’s not the big things,” VanVleet said back then. “It’s the little things that I do to control a game that you really have to know the game to see, the nuances and how I contribute to winning. That’s been reassuring for me — because I always feel like I’m doing the right thing and doing good — but to have somebody in their role and their job say ‘We see it and we like it.’ ”
With the relatively favorable commute between Mississauga and Toronto, VanVleet dominated the G-League on the west side while serving as the senior club’s insurance policy on the east side. Garbage time in November December became, in the words of DeMar DeRozan, prove ’em time by January.
VanVleet had made it to Dwane Casey’s good books, and as Joseph’s struggles persisted, February would provide a breakthrough moment. Joseph was benched on the road against Orlando and Brooklyn, and in his new primary backup role, VanVleet didn’t disappoint. Over a total of 43 minutes, he tallied 25 points, seven assists and six boards.
The benching lit a fire under Joseph as he quickly returned to form, but it’s possible the spark got through to Wright as well. After warming up for his return with a couple of impressive showings in the G-League himself, Wright earned 27 regular season appearances the rest of the way at 16 minutes per. His play organically leads to Shaun Livingston comparisons — the trademark shiftiness, suffocating length, and inebriating athleticism — traits that embody all that is modern day basketball.
All, minus a smooth shooting stroke of course.
Wright has just 43 three-point attempts to his name over two regular seasons, and though he’s tickled the twine at a 34.9 percent clip, the lack of volume and fluidity to his jumper indicate a lack of comfort. As with most set-shot shooters, momentum does more harm than good:
He learns quickly here, as the next time he steps into the pull-up jumper, he takes an extra split-second to arrest that momentum, making all the difference.
While VanVleet doesn’t have much of a sample size to offer either with his 29 career attempts from long-distance, the eye test shows a higher degree of confidence. Heck, when the best shooter on the team is willing to give up an open look for you, there’s likely good reason for it.
Lowry has made no secret of his affinity for VanVleet, already claiming that the point guard out of Illinois is better than he was at the same stage in his career. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the toughness with which VanVleet plays along with the similar mannerisms in arresting defender’s movements with his hip/torso off a pick have left an indelible impression on the all-star.
What happens after VanVleet gets himself in good position off a screen is an area he’ll want to improve coming into this season.
VanVleet shot just 34.5 percent at the basket last season, well below the league average of 56.8. Like Lowry, he has a tendency to look for contact on the drive first, taking away from his concentration in making the layup. The big men of the NBA are as athletic as they come, and it may just be a matter of adjusting and gaining more experience and confidence against the biggest trees in the forest.
Size is the clearest advantage Wright has over VanVleet, and Dwane Casey revealed in training camp that the 6’5” guard can fill minutes at the wing position. Wright showed signs of this when he caused problems for both Jeremy Lamb and Nicolas Batum to help fuel a spectacular comeback victory over the Hornets before the all-star break, and that gave Casey the confidence to turn to him as the small forward next to Lowry and Joseph for spot minutes during a crucial Game 6 victory on the road in Milwaukee. On a roster with uncertainties such as OG Anunoby and Bruno Caboclo at the three, his flexibility is vital. It could lead to both Wright and VanVleet sharing the court together, and the history of previous Raptors lineups that cater to ball handling indicate potential success for them together.
It took an improbable Summer League injury to Wright to bring VanVleet into the fold, but he still needed to make the most of it. Though Wright may be just two years and 54 games into his career, he’s already working on borrowed time. At 25 and two years older than VanVleet, the chance he’s been waiting for is finally here, and his to throw away. Where both go from here will be unmistakably intertwined, as they try to outdo each other in isolation, but excel in association.
