Guard depth helping the Raptors defensively

Any team that faces the Toronto Raptors' second unit this season can expect to have a tough time getting close to the three-point arc.

Depth at the guard position has been an issue for the Raptors since star guard Kyle Lowry was shipped to the Miami Heat in the 2021 offseason. But a series of deals and savvy 2024 draft picks have changed Toronto's entire roster, including renewed depth at the guard positions.

Gradey Dick was selected 13th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and has blossomed into a potential starting scorer for the Raptors. In a trade with the New York Knicks last December, Immanuel Quickley became Toronto's starting point guard, and then on June 27, in a draft-day deal, Davion Mitchell moved from the Sacramento Kings to Toronto as his backup.

Ja'Kobe Walter, who can play one or two guards, went 19th overall in this year's NBA Draft, and Jamal Shead went 45th overall using the pick acquired from the Kings in the Mitchell deal.

This class of young defenders – Mitchell is the oldest at 26 – means the Raptors will be able to put constant pressure on anyone playing on the perimeter.

“That was one of the main reasons I was drafted and it was preached throughout training camp,” said Shead, who flew all over the court on Sunday in Toronto's first preseason game. “(Head coach Darko Rajakovic) just told us to play as hard as we can, put pressure on the ball and try to give 100 percent everywhere.

“So I tried to do it.”

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Shead scored 10 points and combined with Mitchell for nine assists and one turnover, and Quickley (thumb) was ruled out in the Raptors' 125-89 preseason victory over the Washington Wizards at the Bell Center in Montreal.

The 22-year-old Shead, who averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game in his fourth collegiate season in Houston, USA, said it's “pretty exciting” to be able to disrupt another team's attack.

“When I can get the other team to foul me and get an offensive foul, I think that really motivates the crowd and my teammates,” he said.

On Friday night, the Raptors faced the Wizards again, this time in Washington. Although Quickley participated in full practice on Thursday, he was not available for the game. Walter remained on the field with a sprained shoulder.

Star forward Scottie Barnes was scheduled to play against the Wizards on Friday for the first time since March 1 and said the pressure Mitchell and Shead put on the ball would make his job easier as a weaker defender.

“You just get easy blocks if (opponents) miss them,” Barnes said. “It just helps our defense because they protect the ball and push the whole field.

“These guys come to practice every day and you know what to expect from them.”

Rajakovic said Wednesday he likes what he's seen from Shead's team so far in the preseason.

“Competitiveness, winning spirit, dedication, attention to detail, he already has a lot of things,” Rajakovic said after training at the OVO Athletics Center. He has to learn the league, he has to be in elite shape.

“When he does that, I think he's a player who has a great future ahead of him in this league.”

Mitchell averaged 7.4 points, 2.8 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 0.5 steals over three seasons in the NBA, all in Sacramento. As a rotation player, Mitchell only played 32 times for the Kings, but appeared in 227 games.

His career stats improve significantly when looking at 100 possessions: 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals.

Shead said coaching against Mitchell was like sharpening an iron. Because Mitchell is such an intense defender, he prepared the NBA rookie for the speed of the professional game.

“When Davion is guarding you, it's really difficult,” Shead said after the preseason victory in Montreal. “I tried to slow down a bit today, but when he wasn't in front of me, everything opened up.

“I just tried to play as hard as I could, but in the end I ended up running a lot, so speed wasn't really an issue. I think not having Davion in front of me was really the best thing for me today.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.