Three(3) positive takeaways from the Raptors’ latest loss that give hope for the future as Nikola Jokic continues to rewrite history books

The Toronto Raptors might’ve lost to the defending champion, Denver Nuggets, but their gutsy performance proved their rebuild is headed in the right direction.

The Toronto Raptors have been dealt a bad hand in the latter half of the season, losing both Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl to respective hand injuries. The string of misfortunes continued going into Toronto’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets on March 11, as they lost key starters Gary Trent Jr. and Immanuel Quickley. For a Raptors team that has been struggling as of late, facing off with the defending champion Nuggets at full strength looked like another blowout loss was imminent.

But to everyone’s surprise, the Toronto Raptors managed to keep the Denver game within reach, even leading by 22 points at one point in the second quarter. Nevertheless, you can never count out a game Denver Nuggets team with champion spirit, as they fought back after halftime to win the game 125-119. It was a tough loss for a Raptors unit with fighting spirit in their own right, however, the loss was far from soul-crushing as it highlighted three key positives for Toronto’s future.

3. Gradey Dick showed massive strides in playmaking abilities with new career-high

It was a stellar night for young Gradey Dick in the Raptors-Nuggets matchup, as he took it upon himself to dish out a new career-high seven assists. Dick did not show murky court IQ either, as he only committed one turnover for the whole game, showing his ability to be a playmaker has the potential to be another crafty tool in his arsenal.

Gradey Dick’s rookie campaign started very topsy-turvy, as the Raptors were still figuring out what direction to take the team in. Dick was far from a pivotal piece in the Raptors rotation, but now with the team fully committed to going young, the rookie is taking every opportunity to showcase his well-rounded skills as a versatile player.

Gradey Dick has more to his game than just three-point shooting, as he showcased a career-high seven assists against the Nuggets.

With significant NBA minutes being latched under Dick’s belt as of late, these small steps forward in his progression by finding his teammates on the right play shows Gradey is poised to be a fundamental component of the Raptors young core for years to come. For a guy coming out of Kansas with rave reviews on his shooting ability, he’s shown to be more than just a shooter and it looks like the Raptors front office made the right call selecting Dick.

2. Efficient night from Kelly Olynyk proved Raptors front office made the right call on contract extension

How about that K.O. man? The Canadian big man is proving to be more than effective in a starting role, given the injury absence of regular starter, Jakob Poeltl. Olynyk arguably had his best offensive game on the Raptors thus far, posting a stat line of 24 points on 69% field goal efficiency, going two of four on three-point shots, and recording six rebounds.

Flourishing in any role, Kelly Olynyk is the perfect seasoned vet to have on a rebuilding Raptors squad.

Many were curious to see Toronto make a ‘buyer’ type move at the recent trade deadline to acquire Kelly Olynyk from Utah. It soon became evident that the Raptors front office had a vision to bring in the Canadian to be their backup big for the future. Toronto was so committed to Kelly Olynyk, that the two parties agreed on an early two-year contract extension worth US $26.25M, as opposed to waiting in the off-season.

The Toronto Raptors may be in the midst of a rebuild focused on their young core, however, it never hurts to have a wily veteran like Kelly Olynyk on the roster. Olynyk is an impactful player and brings hustle every time he’s on the court, and his ability to pass the ball for his size is worth every penny. For Toronto’s front office to lock in on retaining K.O. for the foreseeable future, it certainly wasn’t a foolish move by any stretch.

1. RJ Barrett has blossomed into a fundamental young piece for the Toronto Raptors

RJ Barrett is a stud, no question about it. He is on track to become the greatest Canadian to ever lace up as a member of the Toronto Raptors, and he’s barely a full season into his homecoming. Barrett certainly has his flaws, such as a significant drop off in free throw percentage as of late, but the Canadian is far from the ‘toxic asset’ he was once labeled not too long ago.

RJ Barrett has turned his career around on the Toronto Raptors, changing the narratives of being a ‘toxic asset’.

In the March 11 matchup against Denver, Barrett led the team with a near triple-double of 26 points, seven rebounds, and a new career-high of nine assists. And those free-throw woes mentioned earlier? Not much of an issue on this night as Barrett shot a perfect five-of-five on his free throws. Gradey Dick might’ve raised some eyebrows with his unleashed playmaking skills, but Barrett’s equally as unselfish play style is another key takeaway to get Raptors fans excited for the future.

Barrett can certainly score at will in a flash, he’s shown that with his ability to seemingly score 20+ points a night with ease. But many other facets of Barrett’s game make him a valuable building block for the Raptors young core, including his willingness to chase rebounds and find the open man.

The keys to Toronto’s future seem to still be in the hands of Scottie Barnes, but for the Raptors’ franchise player to have a supporting cast featuring RJ Barrett, the “Maple Mamba” can certainly take some of the offensive load off of Barnes’ shoulders while also creating for others in the process.