Coming into the season, there were many questions being raised about how the Raptors would handle the centre position this year. Thus far, Jakob Poeltl has held onto the starting job, but he only played 10 minutes in the teams 129-99 win over the Orlando Magic. Meanwhile, backup centre Trayce Jackson-Davis logged 20 minutes off the bench.
Jackson-Davis also recorded 6 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks, while Poeltl had just 2 points, 2 rebounds and no blocks. These numbers are just from one game, and certainly don’t mean that Jackson-Davis is the better centre. However, this performance makes it hard to ignore what TJD brings to the table.
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined, there are more minutes up for grabs than usual. Once Leonard is back in the fold, the Raptors will likely have to adjust their centre rotation once more.
TJD Gives Toronto Another Option at Centre
TJD brought energy on the glass, and in the paint to help the Raptors maintain their lead over the Magic yesterday. With mobility and contesting shots being two of his strengths, he gives head coach Darko Rajakovic another option at the centre position to try and matchup with opposing teams.
Jakob Poeltl is also a solid interior presence. He is an experience player who adds a lot of value to an offense as a screener and a passer. It is likely that going forward, the Raptors will consider how their team profiles with and without Kawhi Leonard as they look to optimize their centre rotation.
The Debate Isn’t Necessarily About Replacing Poeltl
It is perfectly reasonable for the Raptors to consider whether TJD deserves a larger role in the rotation going forward. However, it will also be important for the team to make sure that Poeltl is not being fully replaced.
Toronto would benefit greatly from being flexible at the centre position. Wednesday’s performance from TJD was very encouraging, but the real test will be if he can continue to string together quality performances as the season goes on.
Before the season started, there was a good amount of debate about whether the Raptors might try and get Collin Murray-Boyles some minutes at the centre position against certain opponents. If TJD continues to produce at this level, that scenario becomes significantly less likely. But that does not change the fact that the Raptors are trying to experiment with their centre rotation to avoid being too reliant on one style of play at the position.
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