Toronto Raptors’ Rookie Class Season Preview

Previewing the Toronto Raptors’ replenished cupboard.

The Toronto Raptors saw an opportunity to restock their cupboard last summer, adding five players from the current draft class, picking Ja’Kobe Walter 20th, Jonathan Mogbo 31st, Jamal Shead 45th, Ulrich Chomche 57th, and picking up Branden Carlson from the UDFA. Walter, Mogbo, and Shead got standard contracts, while Chomche and Carlson slotted into the 2-Way Contract roster spots.

Based on the current Raptors’ roster construct, it’s not clear whether any of Walter, Mogbo, or Shead could sneak into the team’s rotation (more on that later). However, with the team going through a “transition period,” I won’t be surprised if at least one of them makes it as the 8th or 9th player on their rotation. Regardless, a Raptors 905 NBA G League stint is a high possibility for these three rooks, joining Chomche and Carlson for a few games here and there, if not longer.

Blank slate with Jonathan Mogbo

Out of the three Raptors rookies on a standard contract, Jonathan Mogbo is likely the one who will spend most of his time with the Raptors 905. He’ll turn 23 before the Raptors play their first game, but he’s currently “positionless” in a bad way.

As-is, Mogbo should project as a small ball 5 that will come in, outwork his opponents and electrify the crowd in short bursts. His athleticism, strength, physical tools, defensive aptitude as a rim protector, and ability to play tough-nosed defence can easily make him a fan favourite if he sticks to the archetype.

Unfortunately, we live in the NBA age where these archetypes have to give something more than dump-off or lob options in the half-court setting.

Mogbo’s lack of shooting and shooting development is worrisome, but looking at him playing in the summer league and early in the preseason, it’s alarming that he’s not even looking at the rim whenever he’s got the ball outside of the paint area. While Mogbo’s shown that he can provide some hub utility in the half-court offense, showcasing good reads and reaction on making the right plays, he’ll need to be respected as a threat to score for him to break into the team’s rotation.

There’s also the intriguing part of turning Mogbo into a wing, as Raptors GM Bobby Webster called him during his post-draft interview. His handle and on-ball balance should already be at least on par, if not better than OG Anunoby. It remains to be seen whether he can hang defensively against big wings that like to face up. Still, he projects to be someone who could potentially be capable of switching and guarding wings, given his physical tools.

Mogbo’s path to minutes with the main club isn’t clear, as the Raptors would need to address the future of Chris Boucher, Bruce Brown, and Jakob Poeltl this season to get some clarity on Mogbo’s path to playing time.

Nevertheless, Mogbo’s a clear project as a rookie, regardless of whether he’s a small ball big or a wing. He’ll need reps either way, and he won’t get better just by sitting on the bench and playing in garbage minutes. Perhaps the best path for him is to start in the NBA G League and work on his game. Once the dust settles, he may get an opportunity as a deep-end rotation player.

Ja’Kobe Walter might get his shot sooner than later

The Raptors need to surround Scottie Barnes with shooters, and they got one of the best shooters in this past draft in Ja’Kobe Walter. While his offensive role overlaps a little bit with Gradey Dick, his shot profile (especially his self-creation) and aggressiveness in hunting shots separate him from Gradey. However, the two should be able to play together, given their size and length. Hopefully, they’ve put on 15lbs of muscle this past summer.

During the Vegas Summer League, Walter showed flashes of what he could do — from his shooting, shot creation, playmaking, defense, and going after 50/50 balls. Walter should be playable already despite looking rough around the edges — especially on a team that’s not expected to go on a deep playoff run. Being a mid-1st round pick plus his shooting should earn him a spot on coach Rajakovic’s backend rotation. He could earn an extended look if some of his teammates miss time due to injuries — and that’s a very likely possibility, as Bruce Brown is expected to miss several games to start the season.

A Raptors 905 stint is possible if the logjam in the backcourt doesn’t get resolved by the time Bruce Brown returns from his injury. However, a strong showing could help solidify his spot in the rotation. There’s nothing that could expedite an assignment with the Raptors 905 than looking “too green” for the NBA, like what happened to Gradey Dick last season, so hopefully, the Raptors’ coaching staff are much more prepared this time, and got Walter into the “Gradey Dick strength and conditioning program” before he got injured.

Speaking of injury, Walter sprained his AC joint in his right shoulder during their informal workouts before the training camp, and he’s expected to miss the entire training camp. Hopefully, he can recover on time for the season-opening in the next couple of weeks.

It might be hard not to play Jamal Shead

Jamal Shead is the fourth point guard on the Raptors’ depth chart if you count Davion Mitchell and Scottie Barnes as a point guard. Last season, Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes took the lion’s share of point duties once coach Rajakovic’s point god (Dennis Schroder) got traded to a contender. The current roster construct puts Shead in a tight spot where he might be unable to crack coach Rajakovic’s rotation despite possibly being the 3rd best point on the team.

Unless your dad’s one of the best to lace up, minutes won’t be a guarantee for a second-round pick like Shead. He would need to double, heck, triple-down on what got him this far: a defensive pest.

Shead’s motor, intensity, and toughness on the defensive end of the floor, and with the ability to do all of that the entire length of the floor, makes him an intriguing prospect, especially for a team where “winning plays” on the defensive end were more of a myth or theory last season.

Shead brings more than defense to the table — he’s a solid point guard that can set the table, manufacture offense, and has stage presence to hit much-needed shots. Unfortunately, his perimeter shot is a work in progress. It will likely put him on the outside looking in on coach Rajakovic’s rotation.

It won’t be a surprise from this corner if Shead starts the season with the Raptors 905 as the team’s starting point guard, as the Raptors have a glut of guards that will also need minutes. If that happens, expect him to be shuttling back and forth between the main club and the farm team, perhaps, until the Raptors have sorted out the Bruce Brown and Davion Mitchell situation.

Shead will be fun to watch at the NBA G League level — we already predicted that he’s an “NBA G League MVP season waiting to happen” on our Draft Day Diary reaction last summer. More importantly, his leadership and point guard play will benefit the likes of Ulrich Chomche and Brandon Carlson, both players who are Raptors 905-bound.

The Raptors’ fanbase has drawn comparisons to Raptors legend Fred VanVleet, and if Shead can discover his shooting like Fred Sr. did after the baby, watch out; he might put the league on notice.