RAPTORS MAILBAG: Most ready rookie, grading the front office

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NBA training camps are about to get underway, with the Toronto Raptors reporting on Sept. 30 for medicals and media day before heading to Montreal for practices and an exhibition game.

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So, it’s a fine time for a Raptors/NBA mailbag. This season we’ll have these 1-2 times a month and Part 2 will be coming later this week. Thanks as always for participating.

From Andrew Woodcock: “Which rookie has the best chance to make an impact with the big club this year?”

RW: With Ulrich Chomche a long-term project, the options are (in order of how high they were drafted) Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo and Jamal Shead. Walter is the youngest, with the highest ceiling, but I think both Mogbo and Shead are more likely to contribute more right away. Shead is already NBA-ready defensively and can shoot the three and run an offence. I think he’ll surprise. He’d be my pick except for the team’s lack of quality up front and the addition of Davion Mitchell, who has a higher pedigree. That opens the door for Mogbo, one of the draft’s high risers and a late bloomer, to really surprise. Shead probably makes the quickest impact, but by the end of the year I think Mogbo will be the choice.

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From EP, @Pipstake: “Raps are devoid of size at PF, how do you see this being addressed. I don’t consider Scottie a PF.”

RW: Somewhat agree. Barnes can be a power forward — he’s an excellent rebounder, strong and can easily operate there on offence — but I’d like him best as a small forward. And RJ Barrett is a beast on offence as a shooting guard. But a starting group which includes Immanuel Quickley, Barrett, Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl leaves no good option at power forward, so I think Barnes has to start there until a better solution is found. Maybe that’s Mogbo eventually, or perhaps Mogbo does too many Scottie-lite things for them to make sense on the court a lot together. Time will tell. Kelly Olynyk-Poeltl is not viable in today’s NBA. Coach Darko Rajakovic clearly isn’t a fan of Chris Boucher. They also will want to find time for Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter, plus showcase Bruce Brown, so I think Barnes is the power forward this season and Barrett will play a lot at forward too.

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From B,Viddy and APCHoops: “The timing of the NBA’s decision on Christian Koloko (bloodclot issues) seemed to line up with the start of September. Can we expect to hear anything this week?”

RW: This was answered not long after the question was received. Koloko is joining the Los Angeles Lakers, which is a great development for him, but not so much for the Raptors, as I wrote last week. With Mogbo and Chomche on board, the need to bring back Koloko was significantly lessened. He is ahead of those guys right now (once he gets back in game shape, given he already has played in the NBA), but Mogbo is a lot more skilled (though not as big) and Chomche is even rawer, but with the biggest upside of the three.

From Ed Helinski: “What kind of job did Raptors management do in acquiring players this off-season? What letter grade do you give?”

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RW: Has to be an A-minus, even though Brown wasn’t dealt yet. The deal with the desperate-for-cap-flexibility Kings was a heist (with another second-round pick still on the way next year) with everything aligning in Toronto’s favour. All the players I liked more than Walter were off the board and he has solid two-way potential. Mogbo seems like a worthy bet, Shead was a steal at that point and Chomche an intriguing play. Toronto has upgraded the bench substantially, but still needs more high-end talent.

From Patrick Connors: “Does Davion Mitchell become our 6th man? Will Jamal Shead become a rotation player before Ja’Kobe Walter?”

RW: Answered some of this above, but yes, Mitchell probably is the sixth man (assuming Gradey Dick starts and doesn’t come off the bench early while they try to raise Brown’s value). Either that or seventh man with Kelly Olynyk likely being the first big man off the bench. Yes to Shead joining rotation first. Walter probably gets some Raptors 905 seasoning and, as his former head coach at Baylor, Scott Drew, told me, still needs time to fill out (just as Dick did) now that he’ll be going up against grown men.

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