Projecting the Raptors' rotation for the 2023-24 season
The Toronto Raptors aren’t exactly shaping up to be a championship contender this coming season.
Fresh off a season where the team finished 41-41 and 10th in the Eastern Conference, most are projecting a regression for Toronto this upcoming year.
The Raptors have a new coach in first-time team lead Darko Rajaković, but lost All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet and didn’t exactly make any major waves in free agency.
On the court, the most exciting newcomer is Gradey Dick, who the team picked at 13th overall in this year’s draft, while the team also added Dennis Schroder, Jalen McDaniels, and Garrett Temple as veteran additions with notable NBA experience.
Using past years’ rotations and some reasonable guesses, here’s what Toronto’s rotations — assuming everyone’s healthy and available — will probably look like for most games next season, sorted in order from most to least minutes:
The starters
- Pascal Siakam, F
- Scottie Barnes, F
- O.G. Anunoby G/F
- Jakob Poeltl, C
- Dennis Schroder, G
Toronto’s projected starting lineup seems a little bit wonky, but it’s hard to find an NBA team in this era that isn’t.
Dennis Schroder is the most experienced natural point guard on the team, while Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl are obvious starters on the team as well.
Assuming Rajaković runs a similar rotation to Nick Nurse last season (albeit likely with a lower volume of minutes for his starters, this group of five seems like the standard assumption to be the opening night lineup, with O.G. Anunoby claiming the final starting spot.
The bench
6. Gary Trent Jr., G
7. Gradey Dick, G/F
8. Precious Achiuwa, C/F
9. Chris Boucher, F
10. Jalen McDaniels, F
Gary Trent Jr. was a regular piece of the team’s starting lineup during his first two-and-a-half seasons with the team, but that all changed with the acquisition of Jakob Poeltl. Trent was relegated to the bench for much of the team’s second half of the season, and projects to be a possible Sixth Man of the Year candidate this season.
Dick — like most first-round picks — should see plenty of run time in Toronto, as he learns the ins and outs of the NBA game. Precious Achiuwa and Chris Boucher both averaged 20 minutes a night last year, while Jalen McDaniels, meanwhile, will have to earn his minutes but should still have plenty of time on the floor with the Raptors.
The rest of them
11. Otto Porter Jr., G/F
12. Christian Koloko, C
13. Garrett Temple, F
14. Malachi Flynn, G
15. Thaddeus Young, F
Otto Porter Jr. played just eight games for the Raptors last year after suffering a toe injury but was projected to be a key bench piece for the team after being a regular contributor during the Golden State Warriors’ 2022 title run.
If he’s healthy, he could move up the rotation, though he’s struggled with injuries throughout his career.
Christian Koloko still seems to have some growth on the offensive side of his game to be played higher up in the lineup, while Garrett Temple’s signing seems to be as clear of a back-of-the-rotation-vet type move as possible.
Malachi Flynn seems like this could be his final season with the Raptors unless he makes a big jump forward, while as long as he’s on the roster, the Raptors will likely give a little bit of floor time to 35-year-old Thaddeus Young, though not likely in too many big-game situations.
The fighters
While the Raptors’ top 15 roster spots seem accounted for, there are still six more guys fighting to be included on this team.
Markquis Nowell, Jeff Dowtin Jr., Mouhamadou Gueye, Javon Freeman-Liberty, Ron Harper Jr., and Kevin Obanor are all on a combination of training camp deals and two-way contracts as they look to make their mark throughout the organization next year.
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