Author: Munro Stewart

Here's a plan for the Raptors going forward, focused on getting all players who are the best 3PT shooters, deprioritizing great athletic defenders unless they'll shoot great too, and leave passing for the best passers on the team to setup 3PT shooters.

Strategy

TLDR - Shooting Yes, Defense Less, Passing Bests

• Build the team around everyone being a great shooter except for Barnes and Chomche
• So, focus less on defense, with defense being best possible only IF they can shoot great
• Put ball in hands of natural best passers like Barnes/Quickley, Mitchell/Mogbo for now
• So, focus less on everyone needing to pass in future, less turnovers, and 3PT specialists
• Keep PG/SG/SF/PF/C players who can be 40% 3PT shooters, defense 2nd skill hopefully
• Keep PF/C players who can be 35% 3PT shooters, defense 2nd skill important for C

Plan

TLDR - Lose This Year, Trade Poor Shooters, Get Great Shooters

• Lose for 1 year and get high 2025 draft pick
• Trade veterans and all poor shooters for young players/picks who are best shooters
• Play the young players more so you lose this year
• Make everyone take catch and shoot 3s, even Mitchell/Mogbo/Chomche/etc.
• Focus on getting the best young 3PT shooters
• Get best defense you can while having everyone shoot, and only great passers pass
• 2024 Raptors Draft Trade Idea

Shooting - Must Have 1st Skill (Upgrade defense after offense)

• I strongly believe that great shooters now win championships and are best players
• Lowry, Green, Kawhi, Gasol, VanVleet, Powell, Ibaka, Anunoby could all really shoot
• Getting young players for future who are exceptional shooters might be key
• The reason VanVleet was so undervalued was maybe his great 3PT shooting

Defense - Maybe Have 2nd Skill (Management likes too much?)

• Upgrade defense with 3-and-D players only after great offense with all 3PT shooters
• I wonder if team is again making mistake of too much defense, not enough shooting
• Defense is good to have, but not necessary for all players, and not if they can't shoot
• You likely only "need" 3 great defenders out there, one G, one F, and C or small ball C

Passing - Don't Need 3rd Skill (Coaching likes too much?)

• Leave the passing more to your best players, passers, and scorers, like Barnes/Quickley
• Not many players are great at 3 things, focus on shooting first, and defense second
• Focus on other players being great 40% 3PT shooters who take catch-and-shoot 3PTs
• You likely only "need" 2 great passers out there who can also score, one G and one F

Lineup - Current Depth Chart (Preferred Spots With Roster)

• PG - Quickley - Mitchell - Shead
• SG - Barrett - Dick - Temple
• SF - Brown - Walter - Mogbo
• PF - Barnes - Agbaji - Boucher
• C - Poeltl - Olynyk - Fernando
• 2W - Chomche - Battle - Carton

Keep - Keep Until Priceless/Worthless (Olynyk For Salary)

• Scottie Barnes - Want Scottie to be near worst 3PT shooter on team or top 9 players
• Immanuel Quickley - 40% 3PT shooter
• Ulrich Chomche - Potential 35% 3PT shooter big man
• Ja'Kobe Walter - Chance to be 40% 3PT shooter
• Gradey Dick - Chance to be 40% 3PT shooter
• Kelly Olynyk - Good shooter, and passing/veteran/Canadian/salary match are bonuses

Maybe - Keep But Maybe Trade Future (Play Now To ^ Value)

• RJ Barrett - Maybe trade for young 42.5% shooting PG and/or better 2-Way PF/SF 40%
• Davion Mitchell - Might not buy as 40% 3PT shooter, poor rebounder, good passer
• Ochai Agbaji - Might not buy as 40% 3PT shooter, like better at SG than SF, have SGs

No - Get Rid Of Or Trade Soon (Not Future Rotation Pieces)

• Jakob Poeltl - Can't shoot
• Bruce Brown - Not a good enough shooter
• Chris Boucher - Not a good enough shooter
• Bruno Fernando - Can't shoot
• Jamal Shead - Can't shoot, likely won't be 40% 3PT shooter, trade if gains any value
• Jonathan Mogbo - Can't shoot, Scottie's friend and upside like Barnes on the bench

Extra - Specific Player Notes (They're Good, But Shoot/Fit?)

• Agbaji - I like better at SG, and he's expendable with Barrett, Walter, Dick as SG scorers
• Shead - I get he'll push others in practice, but should even 3rd stringers be shooters?
• Poeltl - I get he's great, but I still don't like players who can't shoot at all, even at C
• Mitchell - Great trade, but I'd rather a 40% 3PT shooter who is next Quickley/VanVleet
• Mogbo - Could be awesome, but is playing Barnes and Mogbo together great shooting?
• Barrett - I like better at SG, and playing Barnes or a better 2-Way player/defender at SF

Update - November 19, 2024

• Moved Agbaji from No to Maybe - Has shown the potential to shoot 3PT, which is key
• Moved Mogbo from Maybe to No - Double down on requiring shooting over athletes
• Agbaji - He is the type of player wanted for defense, as long as could shoot 40% 3PT
• Mogbo - I resisted criticizing a recent high draft pick with such high potential initially
• Defense like Agbaji is still highly desired second, but only if they can shoot great first
• Passing like Mogbo is still very desired third, but only if they could shoot good first