The Raptors keep losing players, but they keep winning games
Toronto's developmental machine continues churning out quality NBA players
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The defending champion Toronto Raptors lost Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green to free agency over the summer, then saw starter Kyle Lowry and key reserve Serge Ibaka go down with injury in the same game last Friday. That's half of the players who saw the floor for Toronto in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
But the Raptors just keep winning — a testament to their drafting and player development. Remember, they were the first team to ever win the title without a top-14 draft pick on its roster.
And as four players exited, four more emerged:
Pascal Siakam — drafted 27th overall in 2016
The reigning most improved player in the NBA is making a serious case to go back-to-back. Last season, Siakam leapt from 7.3 to 16.9 points per game. This season, he's all the way up over 27 points per game. Kawhi Leonard's departure opened opportunity for another Raptor to take the reins, and it makes sense that Siakam — the Raptors' second-leading scorer in the playoffs — stepped in to fill the void.
But as Siakam spends more time attracting defensive focus with the ball in his hands, his efficiency has barely changed. The 25-year-old is more comfortable shooting from anywhere on the court, and he's continued to develop the play-making skills necessary to be an NBA alpha dog and deal with double-teams by opposing defences. Yes, it's only been 11 games. If there's similar impact after 82, we can start the conversation about turning that MIP into an MVP. For your consideration:
- Kawhi Leonard, 2018-19: 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game.
- Pascal Siakam, 2019-20: 27.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists per game.
Fred VanVleet — signed as undrafted free agent in 2016
VanVleet has always thrived playing alongside another point guard in Kyle Lowry. They were a common starting combination in games Leonard sat last season, and so it made sense for that to continue with the Finals MVP now in Los Angeles. However, Toronto's decision to forgo a natural third point guard on the roster meant Lowry and VanVleet would have to carry an especially heavy load.
Lowry's thumb injury immediately tested that choice; VanVleet's performance ensured the team is passing with flying colours. He leads the league with 38.5 minutes per game, and he's doing it without giving up any of the controlled frenetic energy that he and Lowry share. To wit, VanVleet's steals and rebounds numbers are nearly identical to Lowry's career averages. The 25-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent who's now firmly proving his worth as a starting guard. Back up the Brinks truck.
Chris Boucher — undrafted in 2017, signed with Raptors in 2018
The Canadian, who's one year older than Siakam and VanVleet, does not lack for confidence. Last season, he was mainly limited to garbage time, where he still managed to jack up 76 shots in 28 games. Most of Boucher's year was spent in the developmental G League, where he earned MVP honours. Now, because of Ibaka's sprained ankle, Boucher's taken over the backup centre role for Toronto. Unsurprisingly, he's shown no fear.
Boucher's breakout came on back-to-back nights at Staples Center in Los Angeles, where his garbage-time heaves turned into crucial crunch-time attempts. The Montrealer also provided an Ibaka-like block, stuffing a dunk attempt at the rim against the Clippers. Boucher is skinny, and at 26 he probably doesn't have much more room to grow into his frame. But he overcomes that weakness with a willingness to fight for loose balls and sky for rebounds. Boucher's energy and effort would make him your favourite fourth-line NHL forward.
Terence Davis II — signed as undrafted free agent in 2019
As VanVleet steps into a featured role, Davis has emerged as a credible back-up. At six-foot-four, Davis provides some size at point guard while not giving much up in terms of ball-handling and initiating on offence. In his breakout against the Clippers, Davis consistently made the right reads out of pick-and-roll set plays, leading to clean attempts at the rim for himself and his teammates.
The 22-year-old Ole Miss product boasts a positive plus/minus in all but two games he's played this season. Before his debut, he had garnered comparison to VanVleet for his path to the NBA, as he rejected some second-round offers in favour of choosing his own team and own situation. It already seems as though he made the right call.
Also…
The Toronto Wolfpack introduced their star acquisition. New Zealand national team mainstay Sonny Bill Williams may be past his prime at 34, but his move to Toronto was met with echoes of David Beckham in MLS and LeBron James with the Lakers. At his first press conference today, Williams shrugged off those references, and said he'd originally planned on staying home for one more year, but the Wolfpack's offer, plus a personal visit from head coach Brian McDermott, convinced him now was the right time. He's reportedly earning $9 million over two years with the Wolfpack, plus an ownership stake. Read more about the signing here.
WATCH | Wolfpack introduce Sonny Bill Williams:
A French soccer legend is coming to Canada. Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was named head coach of the Montreal Impact on Thursday. Henry spent four seasons at the end of his playing career in MLS with the New York Red Bulls, but he's better known for helping lead France to victory at the 1998 World Cup. He retired from national play as France's all-time leading scorer, a title he holds to this day. Henry's coaching career, however, hasn't been quite as smooth. He lasted just 14 months as manager of Monaco in the French league, where he won a measly four games in 20 tries. Montreal is coming off a disappointing season of its own, so the marriage represents a rebuilding opportunity for both parties. Read more about the Impact's splashy hire here.
Sidney Crosby went under the knife. The Penguins captain hasn't played fewer than 75 games since 2013, but that's about to change. Pittsburgh says Crosby will miss at least six weeks after surgery to repair a core muscle injury which he suffered on the weekend. Crosby heads to the IR with 17 points in 17 games, 12 of which were spent without an injured Evgeni Malkin. With Pittsburgh clinging to a wild-card spot, it's now Malkin's turn to take charge. Read more about Crosby's injury and recovery timeline here.
Canadian figure skaters are out to prove they're no fluke. Canada's team was supposed to be decimated by the departures of Kaetlyn Osmond, Patrick Chan, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford. The golden generation was supposed to be done. But a new wave has begun to emerge during this Grand Prix season: men's skater Nam Nguyen won silver at the Skate Canada stop, while ice dance duo Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier took gold on home ice. They'll be back in action at the Rostelecom Cup this weekend, and CBC Sports figure skating analyst Pj Kwong picked both to top the podium. Watch live coverage of the Russia event on CBCSports.ca.
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