The Raptors are about to begin regular season action on Oct. 25th against the Minnesota Timberwolves after a 4-0 preseason which included wins against the Sacramento Kings, Cairns Taipans (Australian basketball team), Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.
With a perfect preseason behind them and the many positives that came from it, here are five bold predictions for the Raptors heading into the 2023-24 season.
Gradey Dick is a Rookie of the Year finalist
Expectations are high for the Raptors’ coveted first round pick from this year’s NBA Draft.
Gradey Dick, the former Kansas Jayhawks’ sharpshooter, is anticipated to fill a massive void in the Raptors offence from last season: three-point shooting. The 19-year-old shot 40.6 per cent from three last season in college, leading the Jayhawks in three-pointers made.
His shooting touch is crucial for the Raptors’ success and has the capabilities of earning him Rookie of the Year votes.
Obviously, the field is daunting, as highly anticipated superstar Victor Wembanyama towers over the competition, but lights out shooting goes a long way in the modern NBA and could surprise many basketball fans, especially those down south.
Dennis Schröder looks like his prime Hawks self
Dennis Schröder is coming off an impressive summer leading the German national team to the 2023 FIBA World Cup Championship with 19.1 points and 6.1 assists per game in the tournament.
The Raptors are hoping that Schröder’s dominance on the international stage this past summer can rejuvenate him to the player he once was in Atlanta. As a member of the Hawks, Schröder racked up a career-high 19.4 points per game in the 2017-18 season and a career-high 6.3 assists the season prior.
Since leaving the Hawks, the 30-year-old has seen a decline in his statistics. Last season with the Lakers, the point guard only averaged 12.6 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and only shot 41.6 per cent from the field a year ago.
Stepping out of the shadow of LeBron James and Anthony Davis may be what Schröder needs as he’s anticipated to have an increased role on offense this season.
Schröder is expected to handle the ball more than he did with the Lakers, which should allow him to showcase his playmaking abilities and rack up his assist totals. In the absence of former Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet, expect Schröder to be involved in the pick-and-roll with centre Jakob Poetl, reminiscence of his days in Atlanta with Dwight Howard.
From a scoring perspective, Schröder is one of the fastest players in the league and should blow past defenders en route to attacking the glass. With the threat of attacking the rim at any second, expect off-ball defenders to be shaded closer towards the net which will open passing lanes to Toronto’s three-point shooters, providing another element in the German’s repertoire.
Malachi Flynn becomes a consistent option off the bench
Malachi Flynn has had a slow start to his NBA career. Since getting drafted by the Raptors in 2020, the Washington State-native has only averaged 5.5 points and 1.9 assists per game in 144 games played in Nick Nurse’s system over three seasons. The inconsistent playing time under Nurse has attributed to a career-low field goal percentage of 36 per cent last season.
Good news for Flynn, the hire of new head coach Darko Rajakovic means that the first-round pick once again has the opportunity to prove his value to the team and earn consistent minutes.
When playing consistently, the 25-year-old has shown his potential. In the last five games of his rookie season where he earned quality minutes, Flynn averaged 19 points per game, including a career-high 27-point performance against the Indiana Pacers.
Clearly the skill and potential are there, and with both Nick Nurse and all-star point guard Fred VanVleet gone, it will be up to Flynn to jump on the opportunity to become a reliable and preferred option for Rajakovic off the bench.
O.G. Anunoby is named an All-Star
O.G. Anunoby has never been an NBA All-Star but is probably deserving of it.
The 26-year-old was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2022-23 showcasing his defensive capabilities tallying a league-leading 1.9 steals among qualified players.
Offensively, the former Indiana Hoosier scored 16.8 points per game and five rebounds per game last season showing his grit on both sides of the ball.
This season, expect no different as the London, U.K.-native’s numbers are likely to increase as the Raptors’ look for a more balanced attack especially as all-star VanVleet is no longer in Toronto. Especially if Dick can knock down key shots, his shooting threat will space the floor and give Anunoby and others more space to operate, especially in isolation.
Anunoby’s isolation frequency of 6.2 per cent was among the lowest in the NBA last season. If he can get into more one-on-one situations and use his power and size to dominate defenders, Anunoby will surely be in the conversation of being among the league’s best at the 2024 All-Star Game in Indianapolis.
The Raptors finish top five in the Eastern Conference
Last season, the Raptors finished in ninth place in the East with an even 41-41 record.
Despite their positioning, they only finished six games back of the fifth-place New York Knicks and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Raptors elevated into the top five this time around.
Among the contenders in the East, it is clear that the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics got better – but then that’s it.
The Philadelphia 76ers – third place in the East last year – are going through their own circus with the fiasco that surrounds James Harden and his desires to leave Philly.
Similarly, the Brooklyn Nets went through their own rollercoaster last season as many of their wins a year ago came with a disgruntled Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on their roster – two players that have since been traded. The Nets’ win total is expected to decline with the two future Hall of Famers no longer in Brooklyn.
In Cleveland, the Cavaliers are a good but young team and could go through ups and downs this year leaving the door open for Toronto to sneak into the top third of the East standings.
Obviously, the Raptors will need to play well to earn a top five spot in the East but given the weaker conference that the Raptors find themselves in, it is not out of the realm of possibility that they propel up the standings.
For more information on the Toronto Raptors, head to raptors.com.