The Toronto Raptors season has been far from perfect. Injuries have decimated the team since the opening tip of the season. However, even with the losses stacking up, the players have shown a lot to be excited about. At the top of that list is Gradey Dick’s massive year two leap. Dick is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals while being the third-leading scorer among sophomores. Through the first 26 games of the season, Dick has shown the making of an elite three-level scorer and a potential future All-Star.
Toronto’s Gradey Dick is Shining Like a Future Star
Gradey Dick More Than A Three-Point Shooter
Coming into the NBA, Dick was viewed as a floor spacer and three-point shooter. In his rookie season, this view was accurate, with Dick doing most of his damage from behind the arc. He struggled to score inside the three-point line, shooting an awful 39% from the mid-range and floater range. The game seemed too fast for Dick in his rookie season, with Dick lacking the strength to create his own looks. However, in year two, after adding some muscle and an improved handle, Dick has been much more than a corner three-point shooter.
Dick has been hunting mid-range shots using his improved handle to create the space needed to fire. He also does a great job using his threat as a shooter to get defenders to bite on pump fakes before taking a couple of dribbles to an open pull-up two. With Dick hunting mind range jumpers, it’s good he is so efficient on him, shooting 46.6% on 56 mid-range jumpers. Dick has also been much better on floaters, knocking down 52.6% of his looks from there. With his added muscles and improved handle, Dick can get to more places on the court and better absorb contact.
Rim Struggles
While Dick has improved as an inside-the-arc scorer overall, his rim numbers have taken a hit. Dick is shooting 50% at the rim, down 7.4% from his rookie season. In his rookie season, Dick was pretty much only getting to the rim off of cuts and in transition. This season, he is driving to the rim a lot more Dick is up to 5.2 drives per game compared to just 2.3 in his rookie season, which explains some of the dropoff. Dick is also getting to the line at a much higher rate taking 3.8 FTA per game compared to 0.9 last season, which helps offset his poor finishing numbers.
Improving Defensively
We all knew Dick had another level as an offensive player to reach, but his performance on the defensive end has been auspicious. Like most rookies, Dick was targeted on that end in his first year, with teams going at him like crazy. Teams are still targeting him, but Dick is beginning to hold his own defensively, especially off-ball. Dick is using his wingspan to be a nuance in the passing lanes and is averaging 2.2 deflections, over double his rookie average.
On-ball Dick has had some tremendous defensive stands. In the first Kings game in OT, Gradey had an impressive defensive stop (ninth video) on De’Aaron Fox, forcing a turnover that iced the game for Toronto. Fox is an All-NBA offensive talent, and Dick stood him up in ISO, which is extremely impressive. Gradey has also been more active as a shot-blocker this season, with five blocks already compared to just two last season. At 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and a 34-inch vertical, Dick has the size and bounce to be a solid help-side rim protector. He just has to keep working on it. Dick still needs to work on his screen navigation, but he does a good job of playing hard defense without fouling, which is a tricky thing for young players to learn.
Is Gradey Dick a Future Star?
Dick has an elite shooting touch from behind the arc and the mid-range, a handle that is functional and steadily improving, a knack for getting to the line, and the ability to finish inside. He’s already a complete three-level scorer in year two. Outside of his scoring, Dick has also improved as a rebounder and a playmaker flashing the ability to run pick-and-rolls if needed. He has also improved defensively and has the physical tools and build to continue getting better on that end. Dick’s increased offensive load might just be due to injuries, but he has shown the scoring package of a star and seems to have the all-around game to back it up.
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