Any team facing the Toronto Raptors’ second unit this season can expect a rough ride as soon as they approach the three-point arc.
Depth at the guard position has been an issue for the Raptors since all-star Kyle Lowry was sent to the Miami Heat in 2021’s off-season. But a series of deals and savvy draft picks in 2024 remade the entire Toronto roster, including renewed depth at the guard positions.
Gradey Dick was selected 13th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and has grown into the Raptors’ presumptive starting shooting guard. A trade with the New York Knicks last December brought Immanuel Quickley over to become Toronto’s go-to point guard, then a draft-day deal on June 27 brought Davion Mitchell from the Sacramento Kings to Toronto as his backup.
Ja’Kobe Walter — who can play the one or two-guard — was taken 19th overall in this summer’s NBA Draft and Jamal Shead was taken 45th overall using a pick acquired from the Kings as part of the Mitchell deal.
That class of young guards — Mitchell is the oldest at 26 — means the Raptors will be able to apply constant pressure on anyone playing the perimeter.
“That was one of the main reasons they drafted me and it was being preached all training camp,” said Shead, who flew all over the court on Sunday in Toronto’s first pre-season game. “(Head coach Darko Rajakovic) just told us to just play as hard as we can ball pressure and just try to give 100 per cent every place.
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Shead had 10 points and combined with Mitchell for nine assists and one turnover with Quickley (thumb) out in the Raptors’ 125-89 pre-season victory over the Washington Wizards at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
The 22-year-old Shead, who averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game in his fourth U.S. collegiate season at Houston, said it’s “pretty exciting” when he can disrupt another team’s offence.
“When I can get the other team to foul me and get an offensive foul, I think that really gets the crowd and my teammates going,” he said.
The Raptors played the Wizards again on Friday night, this time in Washington, D.C. Although Quickley participated in a full practice on Thursday, he was not available for the game. Walter remained out with a sprained shoulder.
All-star forward Scottie Barnes was scheduled to play against the Wizards on Friday for his first in-game action since March 1, said that the pressure Mitchell and Shead bring to the ball would make his job easier as a weakside defender.
“You just get easy blocks if (opponents) get past them,” said Barnes. “It just helps our defence overall with them guarding the ball, pushing that full court.
“Those guys, they come into practice every single day, and you know what to expect out of those guys.”
Rajakovic said on Wednesday that he likes what he’s seen from Shead so far this pre-season.
“Competitiveness, winning spirit, dedication, attention to detail, a lot of stuff he already has,” said Rajakovic after a practice at the OVO Athletic Centre. “He needs to learn the league, he needs to be in elite shape.
“When he does that I think he is a player I think who has a great future in this league.”
Mitchell has averaged 7.4 points, 2.8 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 0.5 steals over his three NBA seasons, all in Sacramento. As a rotation player, Mitchell was only a starter for the Kings 32 times but appeared in 227 games.
His career numbers improve considerably when looked at per 100 possessions: 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals.
Shead said that having to practise against Mitchell has been like iron sharpening iron. Because Mitchell is such an intense defender, it has prepared the NBA rookie for the speed of the professional game.
“When Davion is guarding you, it is really hard,” said Shead after the pre-season win in Montreal. “I tried to slow down a little bit today, but with him not in front of me, everything kind of opened up.
“I was just trying to play as hard as I can, and that just eventually ended up me running a lot, so the speed wasn’t really the problem. I think just not having Davion in front of me was really the best thing for me today.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.