Raptors projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
Toronto Raptors starting power forward: Pascal Siakam
The Raptors are probably right to consider Pascal Siakam trades, but every move the front office made this summer — trying hard to re-sign VanVleet, paying Schroder, re-signing Poeltl — suggests a continuing desire to win basketball games. Siakam reportedly wants to stay in Toronto long term, so there's not even immediate pressure on the franchise to strike a deal.
Siakam can still help the Raptors win games. His play style has been the butt of jokes in the past, but for every fruitless spin move there's an impressive pirouetting finish that few 6-foot-9 forwards are capable of. Siakam is a genuine three-level threat, complete with remarkable downhill speed and body control.
Last season was the best of Siakam's career to date. He averaged 24.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on .480/.324/.774 splits in 37.4 minutes. He led the NBA in minutes per game for a second straight season but still appeared in 71 games. Siakam's approach involves a delicate balance between finesse and brute force. He's not the strongest forward, but he works up a lot of momentum driving the lane and understands when to toggle between evasive maneuvers and simple physical finishing at the rim.
His progress as a passer has been particularly impressive. Siakam is a legitimate playmaking hub for the Raptors offense. He can bring the ball up the court, run inverted pick-and-rolls, and leverage his gravity as a slasher to find open teammates on the perimeter. Add in the quality defense, and Siakam is quietly one of the most well-rounded stars in the NBA. The Raptors can't settle for pennies on the dollar, even if Siakam's exit is the right next step.
Primary backup power forward: Chris Boucher
Chris Boucher has been the ultimate Raptors role player since his arrival in 2017. A springy, spindly 6-foot-9 forward out of Oregon, Boucher has been plugged into all sorts of different lineups. He has played center, he has been a standard power forward, and he has spent time as a wing in Nurse's jumbo-sized, 'everybody is 6-foot-8 or taller' lineups.
The numbers remain steadfast every year. Boucher loves to run the floor and make himself available for finishes at the rim. He's an okay shooter from distance with enough fluidity of movement to attack errant closeouts on straight-line drives. He averaged 9.4 points and 5.5 rebounds on .493/.328/.762 splits in 20.0 minutes last season.
Other players who could receive minutes at power forward: Scottie Barnes, O.G. Anunoby, Jalen McDaniels, Otto Porter Jr.