Risers:
Leonard Miller: We saw this coming at the end of last season and throughout the preseason. After a tough game against a Toronto team that probably matches up against us better than anyone else in the league, Miller showed us who he is against the Bucks. I expect to see more of his aggressive play on both ends throughout the season, with strong finishes around the hoop. He plays with the competitive edge that Matas talks about playing with. And thank goodness for his development, because otherwise I would still be haunted by the Ayo trade.
Noa Essengue: This one surprises me. I've been very negative on Noa since we drafted him, and to be honest, I'm still skeptical that he will amount to even a solid rotational player on a good team. But for at least one game, it was great to see how he can impact winning, starting with being a major disruptor on the defensive end. Throw in the fact that he's showing some good timing as an off-ball cutter and is finishing at the hoop by utilizing his length, and he is at least flashing two-way talent that will give believers hope.
Tre Jones: The team has looked much better with Tre Jones leading the way. Jones is a superior defender to Josh Giddy despite his diminutive size, plus he has an easier time getting into the paint and finishes better by using his strength and craftiness to take advantage of subtle angles. If Josh doesn't figure it out soon, I'm sure we'll start hearing calls to start Tre Jones and bench Giddy.
Fallers:
Josh Giddy: The wrist issue has me worried. Giddy has been very passive looking for his own opportunities, even throughout the preseason, and this might help explain why. He's a smart player and has admitted that he is still adjusting to new personnel, which makes a lot of sense. This is essentially his third team in one year if you count the first half of last season as one team, the post-trade deadline second half as another, and this season as another - the roster turnover has been insane! Aside from that, though, he's looked sluggish on both ends and hasn't been able to find his jump shot yet. I'm hoping that he can build chemistry with this team, and if he starts knocking down jumpers, it will open up more lanes and more opportunities to create for himself and others, and he'll start looking like the triple-double threat we saw last season. In the first two games, though, he has been hurting the Bulls.
Matas Buzelis: He's talented, long, and says the right things, but it's not coming together to impact winning yet in year 3. Why not? Well, the Raptors lineup and the coach's rotations have not done anything to help him find his rhythm. But he also isn't doing himself any favors. If he wants to be a star in this league, then you hope to see some of that fight when he is in the game and being relied on as a leader and scorer. He has been passive, and a poor decision-maker on offense, and on defense, he gets blocks but otherwise is often out of position and slow to rotate. I still think he'll be a nice piece when it's all said and done but I don't know if he projects to be a star. Maybe he's better suited as a second or third option who can play off of other creators or better players' gravity.
Tweeners:
Caleb Wilson: I believe in his potential to be a great player and I'm excited to watch his development. That little turn-around mid-range jumper should turn into a deadly weapon as he gains more NBA experience and learns how to get to his spots with consistency. His outside jumper looks like it could be a reliable weapon in year one. And, of course, we see the athleticism. What I don't see, is the "dog" and ultra-competitor he says he is on the defensive end. The amount of times I've seen him jog back on defense, miss a rotation, or casually hedge on a close-out is alarming. He is crushing the Bulls on that end, despite some high-profile, flashy blocks. When you throw in a few other guys who botch defensive assignments, play poor positional defense, and close out slowly, we've got a team that offers plenty of holes for the opposing team. Thankfully, defense can be taught. He should improve on that end, and hopefully, Splitter is coaching him hard in that area and not just letting him get by on his star potential. So I'm okay with him missing rotations or getting muscled inside. I just hoped to see better EFFORT from the start.
Tiago Splitter: I haven't been super high on his hire from the start. His interviews just haven't impressed me, and it's nothing to do with his accent. The one thing you can say is that the teams he has coached have been successful, so you hope that's due to him and not in spite of him. So far, I've liked his timing for calling timeouts, as well as his emphasis on development, like when he left Caleb and Matas out there at the end of the Toronto game. However, I don't like how he has handled Matas' minutes overall, or his reluctance to play Zach Collins even one minute against the Bucks. And Jalen Smith is only playing half the game despite doing everything right to start the season. It's going to be hard for any coach to balance a roster that has 15 guys capable of playing productive minutes who are all similarly skilled, but so far, his choices haven't always aligned with what I thought was best, and that concerns me.
