BREAKING NEWS: Raptors Head Coach message to fans after a disappointing defect to Hawks – Hopeful signs

When it comes to scouting and development, the Toronto Raptors were once unrivalled. From 2015 to 2017, the Raptors were practically flawless. They added rotation players with each of their draft picks and signed Fred VanVleet as an undrafted free agent. It was an extraordinary stretch. However, since then, things have not gone as planned. Except for Scottie Barnes’ selection, Toronto has found itself in a slump.  None of their other recent draft picks have panned out, and their league-renowned developmental program has stopped. As a result, the club has lacked depth for far too long. But perhaps there are some grounds to be optimistic.

Gradey Dick, Toronto’s No. 13 pick from last year, has improved recently, while Sunday’s 126-125 loss to the Atlanta Hawks hinted Jontay Porter and Jordan Nwora may also have something to offer Toronto in the long run. For a little period, it appeared that Nwora was Toronto’s hero. He forced a terrible pass from Trae Young, allowing Toronto to lead by a point with seven seconds remaining. Dick found Barnes to give the Raptors a slim lead before Atlanta called a timeout. However, Toronto’s happy ending did not come to fruition.

A missed jumper by Young created an offensive rebound opportunity for Saddiq Bey, who slammed down a reverse dunk to sink the Raptors.
Toronto seemed lost early on, with RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl all out. The Hawks went 12-for-14 in the paint in the first quarter, jumping ahead by as many as 12. They took advantage of Thad Young’s size inside. The bench checked in, and everything changed. Porter helped the Raptors overcome a 10-point hole to take a four-point lead after nine minutes. He hit a catch-and-shoot three off a pass from Dennis Schröder, then Dick found him for another three off an inbound pass. Porter’s playmaking ability was as impressive given his position. He set up an open three for Dick by driving the paint and delivering the kick-out to the corner. He found Dick again in the second, making an extra pass out of the pick-and-roll to set up another corner three. Porter ended with 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in 19 minutes, enough for a plus-14 rating.

His presence in the paint alone slowed Atlanta’s offence, allowing Toronto to lead by nine in the second. It helped that Nwora had his first impact game for Toronto. The Raptors’ fourth-year forward, acquired from the Indiana Pacers in the Pascal Siakam trade, was Toronto’s offensive motor for the majority of the night. Nwora began the second quarter with an excellent, fiercely contested three-pointer above the break, and then demonstrated his solitary game by approaching Garrison Mathews for a layup. He scored a season-high 24 points on the night, including three three-pointers, while also adding nine rebounds and six assists.

Toronto’s bench alone scored 56 points, with Dick contributing 15 on 3-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Nwora found him early in the fourth on a breakaway, then connected with Dick for a corner three as the Raptors clawed back to erase another Hawks advantage. This is not to imply that Porter or Nwora will become the developmental stories that Toronto began to expect in the mid- to late 2010s. They are both older prospects, Porter at 24 and Nwora at 25, but even converting one of them into a rotation player who can join Barnes, Quickley, Barrett, and Dick in the future would be significant for Toronto. If this rebuild is to succeed and the Raptors return to the promised land, it will require a little luck and a lot of hard effort from a couple of these undesired and unknown NBA prospects to develop into players who can contribute on a consistent basis at the top level.

Up Next: Chicago Bulls The Raptors will continue their road trip Tuesday night, travelling to Chicago to face DeMar DeRozan and the Bulls at 8 p.m. ET.