Sports·Preview
Toronto Raptors open a new NBA season Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena. Improved depth is among five things to know about the team.
Series of trades, 4 draft picks remade roster and greatly improved club’s depth
John Chidley-Hill · The Canadian Press
·
The Toronto Raptors open a new NBA season Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena.
Here are five things to know ahead of the Raptors' home opener:
3 decades
It's the Raptors' 30th anniversary and the team has plans to celebrate all season, including bringing back their purple jerseys from the mid-1990s. Toronto will also be honouring former players, including Hall of Famer Vince Carter.
- Vince Carter played only a short time in Canada. His impact on Canadian basketball still goes strong
He'll be the first-ever player to have his Raptors jersey retired in a ceremony at Scotiabank Arena on Nov. 2.
Depth chart
The Raptors lacked depth to start last season with essentially one player coming off the bench — shooting guard Gary Trent Jr.— with then-rookie swingman Gradey Dick sometimes rotating in as well. That short bench was evident with a -4.4 net rating over the season, tied with the San Antonio Spurs for third worst in the NBA.
Net rating is an advanced stat that indicates how much better or worse a team performs on a per-possession basis.
However, a series of trades and four draft picks remade the roster and greatly improved Toronto's depth.
- Canadian RJ Barrett close to return from injury as Raptors prepare for Wednesday's season opener
- Raptors' 1st-round pick Ja'Kobe Walter to miss training camp with sprained right shoulder
Point guard Davion Mitchell, power forward Ochai Agbaji and centre Chris Boucher of Montreal will lead the reserves to start the season. All three have serious NBA experience, averaging more than 17 minutes per game in their careers. They'll be joined on the second unit by centre Kelly Olynyk (back) of Kamloops, B.C., and small forward Bruce Brown (arthroscopic knee surgery) once they're healthy for a robust veteran bench that can handle big minutes.
Ja'Kobe Walter, Toronto's 19th overall pick in this past summer's draft, will presumably be Dick's backup at the two-guard once he's recovered from a sprained shoulder.
Commuters
Walter was the highest of Toronto's four picks selected in the 2024 NBA draft in late June. Power forward Jonathan Mogbo (31st), point guard Jamal Shead (45th) and centre Ulrich Chomche (57th) were also selected.
Although all four will see some NBA minutes this season - especially Shead, whose dogged defence was a highlight of the Raptors' pre-season — they'll also be regulars for the G-League's Raptors 905 in nearby Mississauga, Ont.
In-season tournament
The Raptors are in Group B for the NBA's second-annual in-season tournament. They're grouped with the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons.
Toronto's so-called Cup Nights will begin Nov. 12 in Milwaukee and continue when the Raptors host Detroit on Nov. 15. Their third tournament game will be Nov. 29 in Miami and then their group stage will end Dec. 3 when Indiana visits Scotiabank Arena.
- Raptors cap busy NBA draft with 6 young players through picks, trades; Lakers land Bronny
- Raptors re-sign Barnes, Quickley to reported 9-figure deals
Financial incentive has been added to the NBA Cup playoffs this season, with players on the winning team earning $514,971 US each, while $205,988 goes to each player on the runner-up team. Players who lost in the semifinalswill get $102,994 apiece and players that lose in the quarters will get $51,497.
Porter sentencing
Former Toronto backup centre Jontay Porter will receive face sentencing on Dec. 18 after he pleaded guilty in the summer to a U.S. federal conspiracy crime.
- Federal judge rejects Jontay Porter appeal to resume career in Greece after NBA ban
Porter, 24, was banned from the NBA after admitting that he helped bettors by intentionally underperforming in games. Prosecutors have estimated he could be facing a range from just under 3 1/2 years in prison to a little over four years.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|
About CBC SportsCorrections and clarifications|
Related Stories
- Canadian RJ Barrett close to return from injury as Raptors prepare for Wednesday's season opener
- 'Business continues as usual': Raptors president Masai Ujiri says there are no issues with Edward Rogers
- Raptors' 1st-round pick Ja'Kobe Walter to miss training camp with sprained right shoulder
- Vince Carter played only a short time in Canada. His impact on Canadian basketball still goes strong
- Raptors re-sign Barnes, Quickley to reported 9-figure deals
- Raptors cap busy NBA draft with 6 young players through picks, trades; Lakers land Bronny
- More NBA coverage
Add some “good” to your morning and evening.
Get up to speed on what's happening in sports. Delivered weekdays.