Raptors Takeaways: Wholesome Quickley in command

Deliver on the true video games.

The Toronto Raptors completed their pre-season schedule with a radical 116-112 win over the Brooklyn Nets Friday evening. The sport solely bought tight when the benches had been emptied within the fourth quarter, however in any other case, the competition was firmly underneath Toronto’s management.

The Raptors ended up 3-2 in video games that don’t matter, and in the event that they didn’t precisely emerge wholesome, the damage parade at the very least slowed. RJ Barrett (shoulder) stays uncertain for the opener on Wednesday and there are questions round Kelly Olynyk (again). In the meantime, rookie Ja’Kobe Walter (shoulder) has but to hit the ground, similar for Bruce Brown (knee). However aside from a bruised knee suffered by Chris Boucher within the second half — however not earlier than he logged 10 factors in 11 minutes — the Raptors had been in any other case unscathed in opposition to the Nets.

Some questions need to be answered earlier than rosters are set on Monday. Essentially the most urgent are do the Raptors wish to choose up the assure on Bruno Fernando’s contract to offer them some centre depth, or do they discover a spot for the likes of Jahmi’us Ramsey? They will additionally simply depart the roster spot open to get them flexibility for any strikes or signings they may wish to make sooner or later.

As nicely, there’s nonetheless time for level guard Davion Mitchell to signal an extension to his rookie deal (the deadline is 6 p.m. ET on Monday), however the almost certainly state of affairs there’s a show ’em yr because the Raptors nonetheless have his rights subsequent summer season as a restricted free agent. Larger image, we’re lastly on the verge of video games that depend.

Some takeaways.

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Immanuel Quickley makes first look

In his first stay motion of the pre-season, the Raptors’ $175-million level guard appeared… actually good. Maybe most significantly, what appeared finest was his playmaking.

There are by no means going to be any questions on Quickley’s capturing: He’s going to make a excessive quantity of threes at or close to the 40 per cent threshold. That effectivity may dip a bit bit if he pushes his makes an attempt as much as practically 10 per recreation — which the Raptors would love — however the betting is that Quickley shoots nicely sufficient in sufficient completely different contexts that his accuracy seemingly gained’t undergo.

No, the query round Quickley is how lengthy it can take him to turn out to be a grasp NBA level guard. He identified the opposite day that previous to taking part in a number of his minutes with the New York Knicks as a capturing guard, he’d been “some extent guard his complete life.” However not an NBA level guard. It’s a giant job. He appeared the half on Friday. He completed with 10 assists and appeared in full command as he pushed the ball in transition and located teammates; slowed down in transition and located teammates; labored pick-and-roll and located teammates and punched gaps to attract the defence earlier than discovering teammates.

Quickley wasn’t orchestrating open appears to be like out of skinny air in Steve Nash fashion, however he was constantly hitting the open man on the proper time, which is a superb place for level guard to begin.

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Bench choices present promise

It solely is smart that as your starters return, your bench ought to get stronger, with everybody getting pushed down a notch. For the Raptors, having Quickley again means Mitchell — who has been beginning at level — can be part of Barnes on the bench unit that knits collectively on the finish of the primary quarter and the beginning of the second. And when Quickley has his relaxation, he can be part of Barnes to assist get by the early moments of the second quarter.

However the bonus is that — as was the case Friday evening — rookie Jamal Shead is out there to terrorize opponents on defence in no matter moments he will get. With Mitchell and Barnes on the ground collectively, Shead’s ball-handling duties are secondary. His tasks are to seek out open area on offence and trigger as a lot havoc as doable defensively.

It was all on show late within the first quarter as Barnes pushed in transition and Shead lower by the lane for a dunk — that is one space the place the Fred VanVleet comparisons should be put apart — after which Shead and Mitchell hounded the ball for 90 ft earlier than the Nets turned it over and fouled Chris Boucher on the following quick break. Boucher made each.

‘Barnes + bench’ configurations haven’t been too fruitful both final season or early on this pre-season as a result of, with so many accidents, there hasn’t been sufficient expertise for Barnes to work with. Barnes+Mitchell+Shead appears to be like promising, or at the very least very, very entertaining.

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Ochai Agbaji‘s capturing wants work

You possibly can’t ask for a greater alternative to determine your self as an NBA participant than Agbaji has had with the Raptors. He’s seen common minutes in each scenario since he was acquired on the commerce deadline final season for Utah. He’s been given a really particular function — be the primary selection to protect the opposite staff’s finest wing — and loads of alternatives to show himself succesful, by no means extra so than throughout this pre-season with Barrett out for all however 14 minutes.

And Agbaji’s executed his half. He comes throughout as an exquisite individual to have in your staff and in your group and from all accounts he’s not afraid of onerous work. He’s a decided defender and on offense can fill lanes and lower and set screens. He is aware of the best way to play the sport.

However in the event you’re going to stay within the NBA as a six-foot-five wing defender, you want to have the ability to shoot. Agbaji, it appears, can’t. He got here into this recreation connecting on simply two threes in 10 probabilities after which was 1-of-6 to complete the pre-season at 3-of-16, or 19 per cent. In Summer season League it was 14 per cent and final season in Toronto it was 21 per cent.

What’s worse is the three-point appears to be like he will get that he hasn’t transformed. Nobody is dashing out to run him off the road. Time and time once more he’s bought the basketball equal of a batting follow fastball — ft set, cross on track, no defender inside 10 ft — and over and over, the outcome is identical. Chances are high he’s urgent a bit, and Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic has gone out of his strategy to emphasize that he’s measured on his defensive contributions first. However you’ll be able to’t go 0-for on wide-open three-point appears to be like at his place and discover common NBA minutes.

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Gradey Dick able to be dependable contributor

It’s been enjoyable to look at the second-year wing’s progress within the area of 12 months. He appeared largely eager however overwhelmed in pre-season a yr in the past and just a few weeks later performed his method out of Rajakovic’s rotation earlier than grinding to seek out his method again in in the course of the second half of final season.

However after a protracted summer season of labor — a number of it underneath the watchful eye of Raptors assistant Ivo Simovic — Dick is wanting like he generally is a dependable contributor as a 20-year-old. His 27-point splash in opposition to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday was eye-catching, however maybe extra important is his progress as a defender. In a sequence of performs late within the second quarter in opposition to Brooklyn, Dick slid to assist on Dennis Schroder, taking away a lay-up with a blocked shot on his former teammate, broke up a backdoor play resulting in a turnover, and held his floor on one other Nets drive, main to a different turnover.

An enormous a part of being a dependable NBA defender is desirous to do the job, and Dick definitely passes that check most nights.