Toronto’s center picture has been one of the bigger Raptors talking points for a while, and it only got louder after Collin Murray-Boyles started looking like more than just a promising young piece. Now, at Media Day, Darko Rajaković put a little more shape around how the team sees him fitting in.
Asked about expanding Murray-Boyles’ offensive role this season, Rajaković pointed to the flashes Toronto saw during his playoff run and said the team already has a plan for him.
“[…] we already have a plan for him that he’s going to be playing position four, position five. We need to use him in some lineups with Jak [Jakob Poeltl] on the court.
He [Collin Murray-Boyles] worked so hard this summer. He put outstanding work.
[…] I think he's ready to make the next step in his career, offensively and defensively,” said Darko Rajakovic.
That’s the interesting part here: this isn’t just about Murray-Boyles taking over one spot or the other. Rajaković’s comments point to something a little more ambitious - getting Murray-Boyles and Jakob Poeltl on the floor together.
That idea brings obvious tradeoffs. Both are non-spacing bigs, so the paint can get crowded in a hurry.
The pairing does fit Toronto’s defense-first identity, and in the right matchup - especially against teams with a similar look - it could make sense. Murray-Boyles has the burst and active hands to hold up against more athletic opponents, while Poeltl’s issues defending in space are a real concern.
For that look to function, Toronto would need shooting around them, and the roster has a few names that could help. Immanuel Quickley stands out as one of the team’s most willing high-volume shooters, and Ja’Kobe Walter could also benefit in that kind of setup.
Scottie Barnes and/or Kawhi Leonard would likely fill another spot, though it’s not the sort of group you’d want to lean on every night. If the Raptors go deeper into the bench, Jamison Battle could be a useful fit as a shooter.
There’s also the possibility of Point Scottie running things, or Jamal Shead handling the point. And if Murray-Boyles keeps growing as a three-point shooter, the whole idea gets a lot more interesting.
The Raptors haven’t really had a chance to see much of this combination yet because of last season’s injuries and the different roles both players were in. There’s still a practical concern too: if Murray-Boyles is asked to bounce between the four and the five against tough competition, the wear and tear could add up quickly. After the injury issues he already dealt with last year, Toronto will have to watch his workload carefully.
For now, the best answer is still the eye test and a real sample of games. The first chance to get that comes Saturday, when the Raptors open preseason play against the Miami Heat.
In Other News...
Brandon Ingram Trade Just Took A Tough Turn For Raptors Fans
Brandon Ingrams next chapter hit an early snag before it even really began, and Raptors fans have reason to take notice. After being dealt from Toronto to the Clippers, Ingram was expected to give Los Angeles a major scoring boost, but the new teams medical staff uncovered a serious issue ahead of training camp, changing the outlook almost immediately.
Ingram had already undergone offseason surgery, and the Clippers have not offered a timetable for when he might return. For Toronto, it is another reminder that the move is already carrying a different kind of risk than the one fans were focused on when the trade first went through, with his availability now in question as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors May Need Jamison Battle For More Than Just Shooting
Jamison Battle already enters the Raptors conversation with a clear selling point: he can really shoot it. After knocking down better than 40 percent from three-point range in both his rookie season and the year that followed, Battle has become one of the most dependable floor-spacing options on a roster that suddenly needs them more than ever after the Brandon Ingram trade and Sandro Mamukelashvilis departure.
The bigger question in Toronto is whether Battle can offer enough beyond the arc to stay in the rotation. Darko Rajakovic pointed to Battles defensive improvement during media day, and that matters on a team looking for every reliable piece it can find, especially with minutes available for players who can space the floor and hold up on the other end. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Is Already Sending A Message About The Clippers Fallout
Kawhi Leonards return to Toronto came with the kind of quiet, pointed message that tends to linger around a team long after the microphones are turned off. On his first media session back with the Raptors, Leonard asked that the conversation stay centered on basketball, even as the NBA investigation into him and the Clippers continued to hang over his offseason. He made clear that the process had been a distraction, but he also sounded energized by the chance to rejoin a familiar setting and get back to competing at the level he expects.
For the Raptors, the appeal is as much about fit as it is about talent. Leonard spoke about wanting to compete at a high level and said Toronto offers the right environment for that, which is exactly the sort of message this franchise wants to hear from a player of his stature. The unresolved backdrop remains obvious, but Leonards immediate priority is to move the focus back to his new-old team and the work ahead. [Read more 🡒]