The Toronto Raptors don’t have to keep waiting for their offense to stumble into something better. With Scottie Barnes sidelined, Thursday night offered a pretty clear hint of a different path: give Collin Murray-Boyles more responsibility and let him function in that Barnes-style point-forward role.
In Toronto’s 11-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the possessions that stood out most were the ones where Murray-Boyles had the ball, attacked off the dribble, and created for others. He finished with 14 points, four assists, and five blocks, going 5-of-9 from the field and 1-of-1 from three.
That kind of production is easy to miss because Murray-Boyles has already made his name early in his NBA career on the defensive end. But the offensive side is there, and it’s becoming harder to ignore.
As his three-point shot becomes more comfortable, defenses are closing in tighter, which only strengthens the case for Darko Rajakovic to put the ball in his hands more often. He makes fast reads and knows how to punish a defense once he has it.
If Barnes is still out Sunday against the New York Knicks, Rajakovic should test Murray-Boyles in that role.
No one is saying Murray-Boyles can simply replace what Barnes brings. Barnes is a top-15 player in the league, and that level of production is not something Toronto can just duplicate.
But there are real overlaps in their offensive games. Murray-Boyles has feel as a frontcourt player, can pass, rolls well, and drives the ball effectively.
That gives the Raptors a chance to run some of the same actions they usually use for Barnes and maybe take some pressure off RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
The early numbers are encouraging, too. Toronto’s offense is 11.9 points better per 100 possessions with Murray-Boyles on the floor than when he sits, according to Databallr. That doesn’t prove everything, but it does point to a player who can already move the offense in the right direction, and that influence could grow if he’s given more of the keys.
Murray-Boyles’ build makes him a tough cover in a way that can really stress a defense. He can take a catch, put the ball on the floor once, and beat slower bigs to the rim.
If a wing gets switched onto him, he can use his strength and physicality to back them down. And if the defense sends help, he has the passing touch and awareness to find the open man for a clean catch-and-shoot look or a cut to the basket.
That was on display against Philadelphia, especially when he worked out of the short roll and fired skip passes to the corner. Those are the kinds of plays that can help Toronto get cleaner shots if he’s used more as a creator.
At the moment, the Barrett- and Quickley-led offense has a very low ceiling. So why not try something different? Putting Murray-Boyles in Barnes’ role could also help Quickley, who looks best when he’s moving off others and working away from the ball.
Keeping Murray-Boyles boxed into post touches or a simple screener role wastes what makes him useful. This doesn’t even have to be about turning him into a scorer. If Toronto lets him operate as a frontcourt hub and decision-maker, it could unlock more of the offense and lead to better results while the stars are out.
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