Allen Graves’ first night in a Raptors uniform gave Darko Rajakovic exactly the kind of edge he wants to see.
The rookie forward missed Toronto’s first two preseason games, then finally got on the floor and made his presence felt in 15 minutes. Graves finished with 5 points, 3 rebounds and 1 steal, while also collecting four personal fouls. The box score was modest, but the part that stood out was his willingness to fire from deep and keep hunting plays on the defensive end.
Rajakovic came away impressed.
“I thought that he had a great game, and it was great that he was aggressive on defense,” Rajakovic said in the postgame media availability. “And I actually loved all the fouls that he picked up tonight.”
That tracks with what made Graves interesting in the first place. He built his reputation in college as a disruptive defender and an analytics darling, and that kind of profile fits neatly with the Raptors’ usual emphasis on toughness and versatility. Even with that, there are still questions about how his speed and athleticism will translate against NBA players.
At times against Knicks reserves, he did look a step slow when trying to hold his ground on drives. But it was also his first game, and that adjustment period doesn’t happen overnight. More importantly, his coach liked the way he competed.
Offensively, the 3-point shot is the swing skill. Toronto lost Sandro Mamukelashvili in free agency, and while Collin Murray-Boyles went 2-for-2 from deep against the Knicks, the Raptors are going to need as much shooting as they can find. If Graves starts knocking down those looks, he becomes a much more useful piece.
For now, though, the bigger picture is still the bigger picture. Graves is 20, he’s new, and Toronto is trying to compete for the Eastern Conference crown. That makes his path more of a development project than an immediate solution.
He also appears to be sitting behind a deep group in the rotation, with Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and Jamison Battle all seemingly ahead of him. Battle, in particular, brings more experience and has already established himself as a reliable outside shooter.
Even so, Graves should keep getting chances. If he keeps playing with that kind of physicality and fearlessness on defense, he’ll have the one trait that tends to travel well with Rajakovic and his staff.
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