The Raptors returned to the playoffs, pushed the Cavaliers to seven games, and watched Scottie Barnes take his offense to the next level. Despite those successes, the Raptors still have lots of work to do. The most glaring issue is their lack of 3-point shooting and spacing on offense. So, naturally, improving the 3-point shooting with new additions and through internal improvements should be one of the organization’s offseason priorities.
While the need for better shooting is legitimate, the Raptors must also improve in one other area: rebounding.
Toronto was not a great rebounding team this season
The Raptors finished the regular season 24th in rebounds, 23rd in defensive rebounds, and 21st in offensive rebounds per game. Only one playoff team, the Lakers, averaged fewer rebounds per game than the Raptors. They also weren’t great on the boards in the playoffs.
Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, and Collin Murray-Boyles all averaged at least five rebounds per game in the regular season, but most of those were defensive rebounds.
Defensive rebounds are huge for a team that relies as much on its defense as the Raptors because they allow them to close out possessions and push the pace in transition. However, the Raptors also averaged one of the lowest numbers of field-goal attempts per game this season. Unless they can vastly improve their offense, that might not change much next season, which makes offensive rebounding one of the most valuable assets they can find to maximize every trip down the floor.
NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported that the Bulls, Hornets, Lakers, and Raptors “are all clubs known to be looking for center upgrades.” Given Jakob Poeltl’s massive contract and Sandro Mamukelashvili’s looming free agency, upgrading the center rotation won’t be easy for the Raptors. One name they have been connected to is the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson. He averaged 8.8 rebounds in under 20 minutes for the Knicks in the regular season, including 4.2 offensive boards per game.
Given Collin Murray-Boyles’s quick rise to building block status and defensive menace, the Raptors will probably want to play him and Barnes together for quite a bit. They could form one of the best defensive duos in the NBA, but also give up size compared to some other frontcourts in the league. So, the Raptors also need good rebounders at the guard and wing spots to make that lineup work without a disadvantage on the boards—although Barnes and Murray-Boyles are such good rebounders that disadvantage probably isn’t the right word here.
