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The Toronto Raptors have had a fairly smooth start to the 2018-19 season. The Raptors had the task of integrating a new star player in Kawhi Leonard. They had to adjust to a change, in their head coach, switching from Dwane Casey to his former assistant Nick Nurse. Nick Nurse also brought further adjustments to the offense he introduced to the Raptors roster last year under Dwane Casey.
LeBron James is playing out west, for the Los Angeles Lakers. This season could be great for the Toronto Raptors. They are currently the NBA's best team sporting a win-loss record of 23-8. Flaws have shown up in the Raptors style of play. They include an inconsistent bench, inconsistent performances from Kyle Lowry, their three-point shooting is off, and they cannot rebind at the defensive end of the basketball court.
Inconsistencies can be corrected over time. Players will shoot or play better. However, one flaw is a direct result of the philosophical style and system the Raptors new head coach wants the players to implement.
It centers around the center position. Toronto’s management and coaching staff have convinced themselves that they are a better defensive team with Jonas Valanciunas and Serge Ibaka playing apart.
This belief or philosophy is costing the Raptors defensive possessions. Last week they were ranked in the bottom three of the NB in defensive rebounding. The Raptors last 6 games (up to Sunday, December 9th, 2018) have seen them give up 79 offensive rebounds. Serge Ibaka 's natural position is at power forward. He is undersized playing as a center. Pascal Siakam is not yet muscular or strong enough to battle bigger power forwards under the boards.
Valanciunas has been sitting on the bench waiting for Nick Nurse to call his number. This has been an issue, for years. Under head coach Dwane Casey, Valanciunas would be left out of games in the fourth quarter deemed too slow and a liability defensively.
The time has come for Nurse to put his money where his mouth is. The Raptors are armed with a plethora of good perimeter defenders. There is no excuse for not devising a defensive scheme allowing Valanciunas to stay on the floor. However, in a loss to the Nuggets last week, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets recorded 15 offensive rebounds against the Raptors, but Valanciunas did not start.
If the Raptors truly want to be a defensive powerhouse, then Nurse needs to recognize the defensive resource he is squandering on his bench. There have been rumors for several seasons that the Raptors may try to trade Valanciunas, but here are three reasons they will not:
Valanciunas’s age and salary
One consideration for why the Toronto Raptors are playing Serge Ibaka ahead of Jonas Valanciunas is salary. Ibaka makes over $21 million a year. Valanciunas makes $16.5 million.
Serge Ibaka was brought to Toronto before the trade deadline during the 2016-17 season. He then re-signed, with Toronto, in the summer of 2017. Ibaka, was essentially ineffective, during the Raptors playoff run last spring, after game 1, of the first round series against the Wizards.
While much is made of how ineffective Valanciunas is defensively, Ibaka’s disappearance last spring was shocking and disappointing. However, at $21 million a year and three years older than Valanciunas, it would be harder to move an ineffective role player like Ibaka with a huge price tag.
Nurse’s decision to start Ibaka, in a smaller lineup, allows him to out quick bigger centers, on offense. He can pull those defenders away, from the basket, with his ability to stretch the floor and shoot, from behind the three-point arc. If Ibaka cannot be traded the Raptors need him producing, as he is, right now. Ibaka producing could raise his trade value.
For his part, Valanciunas is willing to do what helps the team. Valanciunas stated:
“Doesn’t matter if I’m first unit, second unit. Same thing for Serge. I’m starting with Pascal or Serge or OG at the four. Different people, same mindset. Probably that is our advantage and that is our strength".
Nick Nurse needs to better recognize match ups where Valanciunas’ size can help the team. Team president MasaiUjiri and general manager Bobby Webster need to be careful that Valanciunas doesn’t tire of the constant role changes and doubt about his game.
Both Ibaka and Valanciunas are out of contract, at the end of the 2019-2020 season. Kawhi Leonard may possibly be gone after this season. Lowry is under contract only to 2020. The Raptors may want a productive player at center, like Valanciunas, who will still be in his prime to ease the roster transition that’s sure to come soon.
Valanciunas is a fan favorite
Jonas Valanciunas was drafted by the Toronto Raptors in 2011. Since then, he has become perhaps the most consistent playoff performer the team has employed the last five years. In 43 playoff games, he has averaged 12.7 points per game and 9.4 rebounds. He has surpassed Antonio Davis as the Raptors’ playoff leader in double-doubles.
Valanciunas sits 5th all time, in games played, 3rd, in blocked shots, 2nd, in rebounds and he is 7th all time, in minutes played and points scored for Toronto. It would be hard to sell a trade of Valanciunas to the fan base in Toronto.
Jonas Valanciunas is 26 years old and just entering his prime. He is physical around the basket when rebounding. He can score multiple ways, in the post, with mid-range jump shots, and he has added a three-point shot to his arsenal.
After this summer's trade of DeMar DeRozan, Valanciunas is the longest-serving Raptors' player on the current roster. He has also been a huge factor in the team's success the last five seasons.
Productivity
The current role coming off of the Raptors bench has not eroded his production. In an average of 22 plus minutes per game, last season, Valanciunas averaged 12.7 points per game. His scoring average is slightly higher this year averaging 18 plus minutes a game and 12.8 points per game.
Two seasons ago in nearly 26 minutes of playing time, per game, Valanciunas averaged 12 points per game. His rebounding is down from last year slightly at 7.2 per game, from 8.6 per game, last year.
His recent games tell the tale of his continued production and value to the Raptors. Last week, in a win over the 76ers, Valanciunas recorded 26 points and 8 rebounds. In 26 minutes in last Friday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Valanciunas scored 24 points and hauled in 8 rebounds. These are starter type results.
For the moment, the Raptors depth at the five spot, will be tested. Valanciunas suffered a dislocated thumb on his left hand. The injury occurred Wednesday in the Raptors dominant victory over the Golden State Warriors. It was a non-call hack-a -Shaq attack style play, a hand swipe, by a defending Draymond Green, to knock the ball away from Valanciunas.
Valanciunas required surgery and will be out of the Raptors line up for four weeks. Greg Monroe will be the beneficiary because of Valanciunas' injury. However, once he has recovered from this injury expect Valanciunas to be a Toronto Raptor for years to come.
