Newbies make case for spot on the Raptors
Siakam, Van-Vleet provide energy in pre-season victory over the Warriors
Some take-aways from Saturday’s pre-season game in Vancouver, a 97-93 win for the Toronto Raptors over the Golden State Warriors.
The Raptors young crop may be the most exciting they have ever put together.
No, not every kid had a standout game in his opener. As expected there were nerves, but each seemed to have a moment or in some cases a handful of moments where you shook your head and said, ‘I think the Raptors may have something here.’
Personally, the standouts were Pascal Siakam and Fred Van-Vleet, two guys with legitimate shots, for different reasons, to stick with this team when the regular season begins.
Siakam’s energy was obvious. Teammate Jared Sullinger said he was probably playing too fast because of the nerves but he too sees good things in the young big man’s future.
Siakam’s opportunity is likely the biggest role there for the taking for any rookie.
Someone has to fill in behind Jonas Valanciunas and while it’s always possible the team goes small and fills that void with a combination of vets, Siakam has the opportunity to open some eyes with his play.
His energy and his athleticism give him that shot.
Fellow rookie Jakob Poeltl looked somewhat lost in his first game but he too received praise from his head coach and the feeling is he too will settle down in time and let his skill set show. It just didn’t happen that first time out of the gate.
Van-Vleet is a steady, but certainly not flashy hand at the point guard position and of all the first year Raptors he seems most likely at this point to break camp with the team.
His opportunity may not be as long term as the young man who winds up playing the backup centre minutes. Delon Wright is waiting in the wings recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in the Summer League in Vegas. His return is expected sometime in late December.
Wright made a big impression late in the season last year and through his play in the D-League. The team has also invested a firstround pick in him. Van-Vleet on the other hand is an undrafted free agent signing.
The other newcomer getting plenty of attention from both the coaching staff and the Raptors’ vets early on is Drew Crawford, the son of NBA referee Danny Crawford.
At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds he’s well accustomed to playing the hard-line defensive style head coach Dwane Casey likes. It didn’t hurt his chances that in Saturday’s game he was a plus-14, a stat Casey brought to everyone’s attention in his post-game scrum.
The problem for Crawford is there is not an easy opening on the roster to slide into.
But there is no question he is getting attention.
It’s early in the process and opinions may change, but the young guns to watch right now start with Van-Vleet, Siakam, Poeltl and one with a little more experience under his belt in Crawford.