The Toronto Raptors may have started the season at 1-2, but there's plenty of optimistic takeaways from their first week. They have looked pretty good against the three teams they've faced, all contenders in the Eastern Conference. With Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, and Fred VanVleet leading the way, the team has looked pretty damn good.
It's only been a week, but we can already draw some spicy conclusions on how the season will go for the Raptors. These are based on small sample sizes, and some of them will certainly age like milk. Then again, that's the fun of being an NBA fan, right?
3. Pascal Siakam has ascended to NBA superstardom
Back in 2020, Pascal Siakam inherited the mantle of being the Raptors' alpha after Kawhi Leonard's departure. The young forward was expected to take the leap to being a bona fide star. Siakam made significant strides after Leonard's departure, but fans were left wondering what his true ceiling will be.
This 2022-23 season, it seems like Siakam is determined to barge into the conversation for the top 10 players in the league. The most obvious takeaway from the Raptors' first three games is that the forward has made another big leap in his game. Through three games, Siakam is averaging 27.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and seven assists. This includes a 37-point triple-double in their close loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
There's still a couple of things that Pascal Siakam could do well: his three-point and free-throw shooting has inexplicably cratered. Based on his last few years, though, we could expect his numbers to regress back to the mean. Nonetheless, the Raptors star is well on his way to becoming a true NBA superstar.
2. Raptors look way too top-heavy
This next takeaway was a problem that Raptors fans have noticed since last season. Toronto's current starting five is one of the best in the Eastern Conference. They have two All-Star players in Fred VanVleet and Siakam, and a rising young gun in Scottie Barnes. Gary Trent Jr. and O.G. Anunoby complete this roster. These five form one of the better cores in the East.
However, the Raptors bench has looked absolutely awful to start the year. Christian Koloko has looked good on defense, but the rookie has a ways to go on offense. Dalano Banton still has the same flaws that hindered him last season. Precious Achiuwa has his moments, but he's still ironing out some kinks in his game. Asking for scoring production from Thaddeus Young at this point in his career is just asking for trouble.
Yes, the Raptors have been without Otto Porter Jr and Chris Boucher to start the year. However, it's unlikely that either player moves the needle that much for the bench production. The Raptors need to figure out a way to get consistent production from their bench. If they don't, they'll end up overworking their starters again like last season.
3. Raptors will be a Top 4 team in the Eastern Conference
Despite the lack of bench production, though, the Raptors still figure to be one of the better teams in the NBA. We've already talked about Pascal Siakam's production, but Scottie Barnes and Fred VanVleet have also looked really good to start the year. Barnes is being trusted more and more to run the offense, and he's taken full advantage of this opportunity. He's still the same passing savant that keeps the Raptors offense running.
Fred VanVleet, on the other hand, is settling in nicely to his new role on offense. He's taken a page out of Kyle Lowry's book and is doing well as the tertiary option on offense. He's been setting up the offense with his playmaking, while picking his spots to take over as the scoring option when necessary.
The takeaway from the Raptors' first three games this season should be that this is a damn good team even with all their flaws. They were one bad call away from beating the Nets, and nearly came back from a double-digit deficit against the Heat. As the season goes on, Nick Nurse will figure out a way to improve their bench production.
That's not even mentioning the possibility of the Raptors making a mid-season trade for a star. They certainly have all the assets to acquire good talent for the team, even if you exclude Scottie Barnes. If Masai Ujiri senses a good trade to improve the team, you can bet that he'll do anything to pull that move off. If the stars align right for Toronto, they'll be well in the mix to get some sort of home-court advantage in the playoffs.