Toronto Raptors: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2018-19

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 9: Some of the 2nd unit, from left, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet (23), Toronto Raptors forward CJ Miles (0), Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43) and Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (42) line up for the anthem. Toronto Raptors vs Houston Rockets in 1st half action of NBA regular season play at Air Canada Centre. Toronto Star/Rick Madonik (Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Fred VanVleet

Breaking out is hard to do when one of the NBA’s best point guards is blocking a spot in the starting lineup.

Yet Fred VanVleet could be on the verge of becoming one of the best sixth men in the NBA.

The former Wichita State point guard has been in the league for two seasons but hasn’t started a single game (in the regular season). That hasn’t prevented him from leading one of the best benches in all of basketball.

VanVleet averaged 8.6 points and 3.2 assists per game last season, exclusively coming off the bench. He also sported a plus/minus rating of +352 for the season, best of any non-starter in the NBA.

The Raptors backup earned his position as a Sixth Man of the Year finalist.

This year, he’s out to win the award outright.

Lowry is signed for the next two years, but so is VanVleet, who received a nice little raise this summer for his extraordinary efforts last year.

Depending on how things shake out in Toronto this year, it’s possible Lowry will be passing the torch to VanVleet in the very near future — he best be ready to receive it.

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