Toronto Raptors: 3 takeaways from 2017-18 season opener

1. Delon Wright might be the answer at backup point guard

The Raptors traded Cory Joseph to the Indiana Pacers this offseason for the rights to Emir Preldzic.

Joseph was one of the better backup point guards in the league. He had a solid year last season posting 13.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per 36 minutes. Many around the league, myself included, thought this may have been poor move considering the Raptors title-contention goals. Delon Wright has always been an intriguing prospect, but the first game showed he could be much more.

Wright had 13 points and 5 assists against the Bulls, but the most important stat was his zero turnovers. Wright is an explosive athlete, and now his basketball-IQ has caught up to the rest of his game. Just as impressive as his five dimes were the hockey-assists he racked up. He deferred to his teammates and attacked selectively, but effectively. He finished 5-of-5 from the free-throw line and gave all of the Bulls inexperienced guards fits.

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If Wright’s awesome advanced statistics hold up over his career — his career offensive rating of 112 and defensive rating of 106 — he would progress at the rate of a player capable of taking on a much bigger role. At 6-5, Wright is the perfect hybrid guard for today’s style of play. He can space the floor (career-34.1 percent from 3-point range) well enough to justify putting him on the floor with DeRozan. Wright could end up being the “3-and-D” player the Raptors have been searching for all along.