Here are my ideas and strategy for the potential lineup, depth chart, and final roster spots for the Toronto Raptors going into the 2022 season, now that they are heading into training camp.
This takes some points from the main ideas I previously noted in "Raptors 2022 offseason lineup changes", which I wrote shortly after the end of the season. They did follow a few of my ideas from that article already, including resigning Boucher, drafting a versatile and athletic center, and signing Champagnie to an NBA deal for now at least. And there have been some rumblings about Achiuwa having an increased role or even possibly starting as I had also crazily suggested.
Notes
- Make Achiuwa a starter and move Trent to the bench
- Give Hernangomez the 14th spot as I always thought he would make team
- Give Jackson the 15th spot over Champagnie as he is athletic and versatile
- Move Champagnie down to a 2W spot and Dowtin to Raptors 905 contract
- Make Flynn the backup PG because of good shooting and assists/turnover
- Play Koloko a lot as a main bench player in the first half of the season
Extras
- I wonder if Achiuwa's role should eventually be a 3-and-D small forward
- I wonder if Banton's role should eventually be a playmaking shooting guard
- Play the bench players much more this year and develop the young guys
- They likely can't, but try to keep Trent on bench always so he can get 6th man
- If Trent starts, the bench in my second lineup is a HUGE switchable lineup
- Thaddeus Young could be a possible small ball center over Koloko sometimes
Roster
- Tier 1 - Siakam, Barnes, Anunoby, VanVleet
- Tier 2 - Trent, Achiuwa, Koloko, Porter, Boucher
- Tier 3 - Flynn, Banton, Young, Jackson, Hernangomez
- Tier 4 - Champagnie, Birch, Harper
Lineup 1
- PG - VanVleet - Flynn - Banton
- SG - Anunoby - Trent - Jackson
- SF - Barnes - Porter - Young
- PF - Siakam - Boucher - Hernangomez
- C - Achiuwa - Koloko - Birch
- 2W - Champagnie - Harper
Lineup 2
- PG - VanVleet - Banton - Flynn
- SG - Trent - Porter - Jackson
- SF - Anunoby - Achiuwa - Young
- PF - Barnes - Boucher - Hernangomez
- C - Siakam - Koloko - Birch
- 2W - Champagnie - Harper
We'll now see if Nurse and company makes any of the other suggestions this year in either this article or my previous one, including moving Trent to the bench, playing Koloko a lot, and playing Flynn more this year than last year. Of course Flynn will be in a battle with Banton and it could go either way. I could also see a trade happening like Birch, Flynn, and a second round pick for Cam Reddish. A smaller trade like that would open up a roster spot to keep both Jackson and Champagnie on the roster, and Dowtin as a 3rd point guard behind Banton.
I also like the signings of Porter, Hernangomez, and Jackson, and that they didn't commit to two years like they have previously with players of their ilk. Porter is worth the two years of course. I find it particularly interesting that they have added a ton of versatile and athletic height since trading Lowry at the start of the previous season. Achiuwa, Barnes, Banton, and Young came the previous season. And now they kept Young and Boucher this offseason and potentially add Koloko, Porter, Hernangomez, and Jackson to make 6 tall and versatile signings to their main roster this offseason. That would leave VanVleet, Flynn, and Trent as the only remaining guys under 6'7" and they now have much more height overall than just a couple of seasons ago.