- The Toronto Raptors went 41-41 last season and missed the postseason after losing the 9-10 play-in game at home to the Chicago Bulls
- Nick Nurse was fired as head coach and replaced by Darko Rajakovic
- The Raptors will have a new starting lineup in 2023-24 since Fred VanVleet signed with the Houston Rockets in free agency
The Toronto Raptors were a mediocre team last season. They went 41-41 in the regular season despite having two All-Stars in Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam.
The Raptors faced the Chicago Bulls in the 9-10 play-in game at home and lost. The loss eliminated Toronto from postseason contention.
Nick Nurse, who guided the Raptors to the 2019 championship, was fired as head coach. He was replaced by Darko Rajakovic, who has been an assistant coach in the NBA since 2014-15.
Toronto will have a new starting lineup next season since VanVleet is gone. Let’s take a look at who Rajakovic will likely begin games with.
Point Guards
Starter: Dennis Schroder
Reserve: Malachi Flynn
Dennis Schroder played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season. He averaged 12.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 41.5% from the field, 32.9% from beyond the arc, and 85.7% from the free-throw line.
The Lakers made it all the way to the 2023 Western Conference Finals, where they got swept by the Denver Nuggets. Schroder averaged 7.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in the 2023 postseason versus the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Nuggets.
The Raptors signed Schroder to a two-year, $25.4 million contract in free agency this offseason. The veteran guard has career averages of 14.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists with the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Lakers, Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets.
Shooting Guards
Starter: OG Anunoby
Reserves: Gary Trent Jr., Gradey Dick
OG Anunoby averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists last season for the Raptors while shooting 47.6% from the field, 38.7% from beyond the arc and 83.8% from the free-throw line. Toronto drafted Anunoby with the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He signed a four-year, $72 million rookie contract extension in December 2020 and is eligible to sign a four-year, $116 million extension with the Raptors right now.
Anunoby has career averages of 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He won the 2019 championship with the Raptors over the Warriors in six games. The New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies have been heavily linked to Anunoby, who left Klutch Sports Group for CAA.
However, the Raptors are not “seriously” listening to trade offers for Anunoby, according to NBA reporter Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Koreen, who covers the Raptors, believes there are two scenarios in which Toronto could trade Anunoby and one of them involves Pascal Siakam, who has one year left on his contract and is seeking a maximum extension.
“If Siakam signs the max extension the Raptors can offer him, he would make about $45.5 million in the second season of that contract, 2025-26,” Koreen wrote. “Let’s also assume Scottie Barnes signs a maximum rookie extension, starting at 25 percent of the cap, next summer, with that contract beginning in 2025-26. If the cap goes up by 10 percent every year, Barnes’ contract would start around $41.1 million.”
Small Forwards
Starter: Scottie Barnes
Reserve: Jalen McDaniels
Scottie Barnes appeared in 77 games for the Raptors last season. He averaged 15.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 45.6% from the field, 28.1% from beyond the arc, and 77.2% from the free-throw line.
The Raptors drafted Barnes with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Florida State. Barnes, who won the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year Award, has career averages of 15.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
With Fred VanVleet gone, Barnes is primed to be the number one option on offense for the Raptors in 2023-24, especially since the player we’re going to talk about next could be traded.
Power Forwards
Starter: Pascal Siakam
Reserves: Thaddeus Young, Chris Boucher
Several teams have shown interest in pursuing Pascal Siakam via trade over the past few months, but the external market has been tempered due to the fact that it’s been made clear Siakam would not extend with a team that trades for him, according to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Siakam can sign for 30% of the salary cap either now via extension or next offseason as a free agent with the Raptors or any other team.
The Raptors are eligible to sign Siakam to a maximum contract extension of four years and at least $192 million. Thus far, there have been no substantive conversations surrounding an extension. And for Siakam’s part, the swingman has never requested to be traded.
Siakam averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists last season while shooting 48.0% from the floor, 32.4% from 3, and 77.4% from the free-throw line. He’s one of the best players in the NBA.
A Douala native, Siakam has career averages of 17.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He won the 2019 championship and the 2018-19 Most Improved Player of the Year Award. It will be fascinating to see if Siakam gets traded.
Centers
Starter: Jakob Poeltl
Reserve: Precious Achiuwa
Jakob Poeltl played for the San Antonio Spurs and Raptors last season. He averaged 12.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 72 games while shooting 62.9% from the field and 59.2% from the free-throw line.
The Raptors re-signed Poeltl to a four-year, $78 million contract this offseason. The deal includes $2 million of incentives, bringing the maximum value to $80 million.
Poeltl has career averages of 8.1 points, 6.5 boards, and 1.6 assists with the Spurs and Raptors.
