Toronto Raptors starting lineup: Locks, fringe, potential break-ins
Toronto Raptors starting locks
These are the players who are going to be in the starting lineup throughout the season, barring injury. The lineup for opening night feels pretty clear, but the projected starting lineup for the rest of the season has some wiggle room worth exploring.
PG Kyle Lowry
Kyle Lowry has been a lock to start for the Raptors for close to a decade now. He came off the bench 16 times during his first season with the team in 2012-13 and hasn’t done so a single time since. Lowry will turn 35 years old this season and is only signed through the end of the year. He hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down yet, though, averaging a three-year best in points (19.4 per game) and minutes (36.2 per game) last season.
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SG Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet is a more natural fit at point guard, but Lowry’s presence and the desire to get VanVleet on the court as much as possible keeps him at shooting guard another year. VanVleet is coming off a career year, averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. VanVleet was one of the best players in free agency, but he chose to come back to Toronto on a four-year, $85 million deal, which he more than earned.
SF OG Anunoby
Everyone predicted Pascal Siakam would make a gigantic leap in 2019-20, which he did. This year, people are predicting OG Anunoby to make a big leap as well, although maybe not as big of a leap as the one his teammate just made. Anunoby was a starter throughout last season, averaging 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 39.0 percent from three. He’s more known for his defensive game, though, where he finished seventh in the NBA in defensive win shares a year ago.
PF Pascal Siakam
Speaking of Siakam, this is his team now. He took over last season, averaging 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, all career-highs. He also made his first All-Star appearance and made the All-NBA Second Team for the first time in his career. Fans are salivating to see what Siakam has in store for an encore.