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The Toronto Raptors defeated the Sacramento Kings in the first game of their 2023-24 preseason schedule.
Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. led Toronto with 22 points and three steals during the 21 minutes he played off the bench. He hit seven of his 12 attempts from the field and three of his six shots from the 3-point line. Forwards OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes combined for 29 points in the NBA Canada Series win. Sacramento forward Sasha Vezenkov scored a team-leading 12 points for the Kings.
The Raptors will take on the Cairns Taipans of Australia's National Basketball League, the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards as they continue through the rest of their preseason matchups. Toronto fell to the Bulls in a 115-98 loss at Scotiabank Arena during last year's preseason run despite 18 points and nine rebounds from forward Pascal Siakam. The Raptors would earn an overall record of 3-2 in their 2022-23 preseason schedule, taking two wins over the Boston Celtics and one over the Utah Jazz while losing to the Bulls and Houston Rockets.
Which Raptors players will have the most to prove to solidify their spot in Toronto's rotation during the 2023-24 NBA season?
Jalen McDaniels
The Raptors signed McDaniels to a two-year, $9.3 million contract after he split time with the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers during the 2022-23 season. The former San Diego State forward averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game during the 80 games and 24 starts he played in last year. His season was highlighted by a 24-point, 11-rebound and 3-steal performance in a 5-point Sixers win over the Atlanta Hawks in April.
“Jalen is a hard-working, defensive-minded player who we believe has tremendous potential for growth,” Raptors Vice-Chairman and President Masai Ujiri said in a July release. “He brings versatility to both ends of the floor, and we're excited to see him develop as a member of the Raptors.”
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The Raptors ended the 2022-23 regular season with a defensive rating, or “the number of points allowed per 100 possessions by a team,” of 113.1, according to NBA.com. The figure put them on par with the Minnesota Timberwolves at about 11th place in the league.
McDaniels highlighted why he felt Toronto was a good fit for him during his introductory press conference in July.
“I felt like it was a good fit for me,” McDaniels said, via a July video from the Raptors. “They have a lot of guys like myself — long, athletic, very versatile, can bring different things to the table on the court. I feel like I just it their playing style and fit with the guys on the team as well…
“It feels good just to be wanted by the organization and actually gonna be here. I'm just excited to be here. Just gonna play hard and do my thing out there.”
Siakam, Anunoby and Barnes will all be under contract for the Raptors heading into the 2023-24 season, according to sports salaries and contracts website Spotrac. Siakam earned his second All-Star selection after he averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game last year. Forward Chris Boucher, who re-signed with Toronto on a 3-year contract in 2022, will also be under contract for the Raptors next season. They added Kansas guard Gradey Dick via the 2023 NBA Draft. He averaged 16 points, six rebounds and 2.3 assists per game during the four games he suited up for in the 2023 NBA Summer League.
McDaniels must carve out his role with the Raptors during this year's preseason to solidify his spot in Toronto's rotation. If he can, the Raptors will have another talented forward to rely on as they work through their 2023-24 regular season schedule and look for their first spot in the NBA Playoffs since the 2021-22 season.
