Grading Every Toronto Raptors Player Heading into 2015 NBA All-Star Break
A 35-17 record and 14-game death grip on the Atlantic Division should be enough of a reason for fans of the Toronto Raptors to rejoice.
The team is on pace to win over 50 games and repeat as division champions for the first time in franchise history. Things could not be going any better, at least on the surface.
As the Raptors continue to hold down a top seed in the Eastern Conference, expectations over their chances for postseason glory continue to rise.
Coach Dwane Casey is making adjustments along the way as he finds the right combination of players with the appropriate allocation of minutes. It doesn't reek of desperation, but it's a sign that this team isn't a finished product.
The defense is in need of repair, turnovers need to be held in check and certain individuals need to either step up or step aside.
The following grades best reflect how each Raptor has performed thus far as we approach the unofficial halfway point of the season. Their statistics and on-the-floor contributions were both taken into account.
The End of the Bench
1 of 11
Bruno Caboclo
2014-15 statistics: 4 games, 4.0 minutes, 2.0 points, 33.3 FG%, 0.5 rebounds, 0.3 blocks, 0.3 turnovers, 9.2 PER
Bruno Caboclo is a playful interviewer with a contagious smile. That's pretty much all anyone knows about the 19-year-old Brazilian.
He wasn't selected with the No. 20 pick in the 2014 NBA draft with the intention of becoming an integral part of the rotation in year one. As ESPN's Fran Fraschilla declared on draft night, Caboclo is still "two years away from being two years away."
He's immensely popular for a player with just 16 minutes of action under his belt. Unless the Raptors are up big on the scoreboard with him active on the bench, the chances of Caboclo seeing the floor are as slim as his 6'9" figure.
That won't stop fans from echoing his name throughout the Air Canada Centre, though.
Grade: *shoulder shrug*
Lucas "Bebe" Nogueira
2014-15 statistics: 5 games, 1.2 points, 28.6 FG%, 2.0 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.4 turnovers, 6.0 PER
Lucas Nogueira's friendship with Caboclo resembles that of Troy and Abed from the Community television series. Nogueira brings the goofy while Caboclo needs to be egged on to let his personality shine through.
They're bosom buddies finding common ground through their Brazilian roots. They've helped each other adapt to their new surroundings seamlessly while continuing to grow as basketball players.
Learning and improving through practice is all Nogueira can strive to do this season. He's just as much a project as Caboclo, albeit with less upside.
Grade: A+ for hair
Greg Stiemsma
2014-15 statistics: 11 games, 4.3 minutes, 1.1 points, 83.3 FG%, 1.0 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.1 steals, 0.4 turnovers, 11.8 PER
Greg Stiemsma was the 15th and final addition to the roster on Sept. 4. His size at the 5 spot offered more value than bringing in another backcourt player like hopefuls Jordan Hamilton and Will Cherry.
As the only other true center behind Jonas Valanciunas on the team, one would think Stiemsma could carve out a role for himself as a backup.
Nope.
He hasn't been a disaster when he's played, but with just 47 minutes of evidence to go on, how could anyone know what he's capable of providing?
Grade: D
Landry Fields
2014-15 statistics: 17 games, 11.3 minutes, 2.5 points, 51.4 FG%, 1.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 turnovers, 11.1 PER
The Landry Fields hate has died down considerably. Maybe it has something to do with his $8.5 million contract coming off the books at the end of the season.
Most of the ill-will came from his preposterous contract (three years, $20 million) and his inability to stay healthy. There were never any personal gripes to have with Fields, mainly because he's always conducted himself in a professional manner.
He started at small forward for six games in December as the team went 5-1. Casey has plugged him into the starting lineup in the past because his presence doesn't disrupt the offense. He never looks for his own shot, putting more of his energy towards the defensive end.
Fields' expiring contract could fetch an asset or two before the Feb. 19 trade deadline if Masai Ujiri wants to explore any small deals.
Grade: D+
Chuck Hayes
2014-15 statistics: 19 games, 9.3 minutes, 1.8 points, 50.0 FG%, 1.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.2 blocks, 0.4 turnovers, 9.1 PER
Every locker room in the NBA needs a Chuck Hayes. He's a steady hand who offers a calming presence over a young Raptors squad.
He'll go to bat for any of his teammates, as evident by his coming to the aid of James Johnson after he was knocked to the floor by Andre Drummond against the Detroit Pistons.
His low center of gravity makes him especially effective against larger forwards and centers when they play with their back to the basket. Hayes' defense against Marc Gasol was a huge reason why the Raptors emerged with a 96-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 19.
His name is only called upon in those types of situations, though. There's not enough diversity to his game where he can be utilized regularly.
Grade: C+
Tyler Hansbrough
2 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 46 games, 13.2 minutes, 2.9 points, 47.2 FG%, 3.3 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.2 blocks, 0.3 turnovers, 11.4 PER
Tyler Hansbrough remains the same player he's always been throughout his six-year NBA career: tough as nails, a motivated rebounder and aggressive to a fault.
Just don't put too much faith in him to score around the basket. According to Basketball-Reference.com, he's missed 24 of his 50 attempts by the rim.
He doesn't have the finesse necessary to convert buckets off the pick-and-roll. Moving without the basketball is far easier than being asked to convert a play.
Hansbrough's defensive rating (98.0) and net rating (13.3) lead the Raptors. He's holding opposing 4s to 8.6 points and a PER of 3.8 per-48 minutes, but those numbers rise to 19.5 and 16.3 when he's manning the 5 spot, per 82games.com.
Playing center isn't the ideal situation, but it's one he'll have to get used to if he hopes to remain in the fold.
Grade: C+
James Johnson
3 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 43 games, 20.3 minutes, 8.0 points, 61.0 FG%, 21.9 3P%, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.0 blocks, 1.1 turnovers, 18.4 PER
Welcome back to relevancy, James Johnson.
He was the odd man out after Casey tweaked his starting lineup by shuffling around Terrence Ross and Greivis Vasquez. A hamstring injury cost him a couple of games in between, but it was revisions in the rotation and DeMar DeRozan's return from injury that primarily kept Johnson on the sidelines.
Never fear, though. After two strong showings as a starter against the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs this month, Johnson shouldn't have to worry about his playing time fluctuating anymore.
He scored 36 points on a combined 15-of-17 shooting as Toronto knocked off two Western Conference powerhouses in a matter of days.
“With J.J. out there, he’s going to be just as aggressive as me and Kyle,” DeRozan said after the Spurs game on Feb. 8, per Eric Koreen of the National Post.
“He does a lot of things that make up for … not being a three-point shooter. He knows when to cut. He knows when to go for offensive rebounds. He kind of stays out of the way, picks and chooses his spots. I think it makes up for everything else.”
Whether Johnson remains a starter moving forward remains to be seen. His poor outside shooting could be a hindrance for a lineup that doesn't have much of a perimeter game to support. It's not an issue yet, but it could be in the weeks to come.
Grade: A
Patrick Patterson
4 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 52 games, 26.5 minutes, 8.7 points, 47.6 FG%, 5.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.5 blocks, 0.6 turnovers, 16.2 PER
Patrick Patterson is 15th in the NBA and first amongst power forwards in three-point shooting at 41.3 percent. A little over half of his offense (50.6) comes from behind the arc, per NBA.com.
He's a perimeter-oriented 4, although he's made more of an effort over the last 15 games to expand his repertoire to more than just long range bombs. Only 43.2 percent of his points have been threes during that time.
It's difficult to turn away from what works when you're so proficient at shooting the basketball. At the very least, Patterson has the basketball IQ to take smart shots and avoid being trigger-happy.
His evolution as a rebounder has been quite remarkable. He already has as many double-digit rebounding games (3) since Jan. 19 as he did all of last season.
There's only so much he can do down low at 6'9" and 235 pounds, but through effort alone, Patterson has left his mark when it matters most.
Grade: B
Greivis Vasquez
5 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 52 games, 22.9 minutes, 9.6 points, 40.6 FG%, 35.6 3P%, 2.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.4 turnovers, 12.9 PER
Here's hoping the experiment of starting Vasquez at shooting guard is over for good.
According to 82games.com, opposing 2's are shooting 50 percent from the field against him. A Lowry-Vasquez-DeRozan-Amir-Valanciunas lineup also possessed a net rating of -8.4.
His shooting numbers are down across the board and his man-to-man defense is as ghastly as ever, but you wouldn't know that by the way he conducts himself on the court. Vasquez exudes confidence, playing as if he's on another level than he actually is.
There's nothing wrong with that. It only becomes an issue, though, when he plays outside of his limits and try to do too much with the basketball.
Vasquez finds himself doing that far too often. He'll try and shoot himself out of slumps, playing within himself and not for the greater good.
He's better than what we're seeing. That's what makes this so frustrating.
Grade: C-
Amir Johnson
6 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 49 games, 26.6 minutes, 10.0 points, 59.7 FG%, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.9 blocks, 1.6 turnovers, 16.1 PER
Every bruise, bump and dive to the hardwood brings Raptors fans one step closer to a massive panic attack as it pertains to Johnson.
The reckless abandonment he puts his body through for the betterment of the team is quite admirable, but it's only a matter of time before it catches up with him.
He labored earlier in the season with his ankles acting up, but that's become less noticeable over the last little while. It's hard to imagine him being near 100 percent, so he could be hiding the pain for all we know.
His numbers hover around where they've been for the last three seasons. That should come as no surprise as he's never been one for flashy stat sheets.
Steven LeBron of RaptorsHQ.com notes that Johnson's mileage may be held against him when the season is over and discussions over a new contract are held:
"Here's another thing to consider: Amir will be 28 when he hits free agency this summer but will have played ten seasons in the league. He's always struggling with various ailments, and while he plays through most of them, some nights it appears he has a lot of trouble even jumping and competing for rebounds. In this way, he reminds me a lot of Joakim Noah in Chicago, an impactful player who is always injured or playing hurt.
Those are a lot of things to consider. I'd like Amir back, but if Masai finds another option on the market (younger and cheaper, or more expensive but more reliable), I would be okay with that too.
"
Ujiri won't impair team chemistry by dealing a glue guy like Johnson before the trade deadline. All bets are off this summer, though.
Grade: B+
Terrence Ross
7 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 52 games, 25.9 minutes, 10.5 points, 41.6 FG%, 36.9 3P%, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.3 blocks, 0.9 turnovers, 11.5 PER
Terrence Ross' 2014-15 campaign is the definition of discouraging.
He has yet to take any significant strides as both an offensive and defensive weapon in his third year in the league. It's one of the main reasons why he lost his spot in the starting lineup on Jan. 19.
"We're not giving up on him," Casey told Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.
"He's a young man. All those [young] players, like I've always said, they're going to be up and down. We've just got to help him any way we can."
There's not a lot to be optimistic about. His 0.9 free throw attempts are unacceptable for a player with his athleticism. Perhaps he doesn't have it in him to be more aggressive.
Ross seems fairly content with standing behind the arc and being strictly a shooter. He's attempted 247 shots from 24 feet and beyond, per NBA.com. That's more than twice the amount of shots he's taken from eight feet or less (108).
He's a ghost more often than not. It makes you wonder when the coaches will reach their breaking point with the young swingman.
Grade: D+
Jonas Valanciunas
8 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 51 games, 26.4 minutes, 12.2 points, 56.1 FG%, 8.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.4 steals, 1.2 blocks, 1.3 turnovers, 20.4 PER
Unlike Ross, Valanciunas is heading in a more positive direction with his development and any immediate payoff it could bring.
Casey prefers using smaller lineups to combat what opposing teams are throwing out on the floor. Valanciunas is rendered useless when that occurs, causing many of his supporters to shoot steam from their ears.
Jeff Blair of Sportsnet.ca believes Casey should take the opposite approach and force the opposition to change their schemes and not vice-versa:
"It is true that the NBA has become less of a big man’s game, that it is the hybrid “big man” (think LeBron James) that is the calling card of successful NBA teams as much as it is the plundering, space-eating centre. But it is time for Casey to see if Valanciunas can force other teams to adapt to the Raptors, as opposed to what now seems to be a willingness to let the Raptors opponents determine who is on the court – or at least try to strike some kind of balance.
"
Maybe then Valanciunas could see more action in the fourth quarter of games. His 5.4 minutes during that period are 10th on the team.
He still leaves a lot to be desired defensively, allowing opposing centers to shoot 52 percent. The Raptors' defensive rating improves from 106.6 to 101.9 when he heads to the bench. He's the rim protector many hoped he'd be in year three.
His offense isn't cause for concern. Valanciunas can sometimes get caught up when an extra defender comes, but he's learning on the fly and reacting better in those types of situations.
Grade: B
Lou Williams
9 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 52 games, 24.4 minutes, 14.9 points, 39.3 FG%, 32.7 3P%, 1.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.2 turnovers, 19.2 PER
Lou Williams never met a shot he didn't like.
No. 23 is as advertised: a scorer. He'll fake opponents out of their shoes, create contact and get to the charity stripe. Opposing coaches need to do a better job of watching film and telling their players to stay down when defending the crafty guard.
He's fourth amongst bench scorers with 14.9 points, putting him right in the thick of things for NBA Sixth Man of the Year. His NBA Player of the Week win on Nov. 24 may give him a slight edge in the race for the award.
It's hard to knock him for being a subpar defender because, frankly, that's not what Ujiri brought him here to do. His scoring has taken a second unit that finished 27th in points in 2013-14 and elevated it to fifth overall with 39.9, per Hoopsstats.com.
This love affair with giving him the basketball as the clock winds down at the end of a quarter needs to stop. It's been done to death.
What's worse is that Williams will occasionally dribble out the clock and settle for a contested three-pointer. It won't stop until the coaches recognize that its usefulness is running on empty.
Grade: B+
DeMar DeRozan
10 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 31 games, 33.4 minutes, 18.2 points, 39.6 FG%, 20.0 3P%, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.2 blocks, 2.1 turnovers, 16.0 PER
It was disheartening watching DeRozan go down with the first major injury of his career on Nov. 29.
Never before had he been absent for more than five games in a season. He's already missed 21 before All-Star Weekend.
The Raptors were fortunate enough to have Kyle Lowry pick up the slack while he was hurt, but it was clear that his return was sorely needed. Batman was missing his Robin.
Prior to him getting hurt, his struggles shooting the basketball were conveniently masked by the team beginning the season on such a hot streak. His scoring was on the decline and he was missing shots that he would normally nail.
Even his trademark pullup was failing him as he hit just 30.8 percent of those jumpers.
Things aren't getting any better now that he's healthy. He's shooting 39.2 percent from the field and 13.2 percent from three-point range in his 10 outings.
There are few players in the NBA who can get to the free-throw line quite like he can, though. His 7.3 attempts are sixth overall, per ESPN.com.
He deserves the benefit of the doubt after missing so much time. That excuse eventually wears out its welcome, so it would behoove him to find his shooting stroke as soon as possible.
Grade: B-
Kyle Lowry
11 of 11
2014-15 statistics: 52 games, 35.1 minutes, 18.8 points, 42.3 FG%, 33.1 3P%, 4.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.2 blocks, 2.5 turnovers, 20.5 PER
The Raptors would not be where they are today if not for Lowry.
He shouldered the load when DeRozan was injured, averaging 21.8 points and 8.7 assists during that 21-game stretch. The team was a respectable 12-9 with Lowry taking on even more responsibility.
That run took its toll on him, though. His numbers have dropped to 14.5 points on 40.2 percent shooting, including 6.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds in his last 10 games.
He's fatigued. Even the mightiest warriors need to step back and take a deep breath once in a while. The upcoming All-Star break should do wonders for a player who's in desperate need of some rest and relaxation.
He'll still get his moment in the spotlight as he's introduced as an All-Star starter in Madison Square Garden. It will be a glorious moment for Raptors fans who made an incredible push on social media to get their fearless point guard voted in.
There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Lowry deserves the honor. He's the best player on a contending team who competes with the heart and desire of someone hungering for a championship.
"All I care about is winning," Lowry told Ian Thomsen of NBA.com.
"I don't care about anything else but winning. That's how I've been all my life."
Grade: A
Christopher Walder is considered by many to be the "songbird of his generation" and the greatest center to have never played professional, collegiate, high school, house league or pickup basketball. His work has been published on Bleacher Report, SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, FanSided and several other online outlets. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports.
All statistics, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of NBA.com/stats and Basketball-Reference.com.
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