Raptors Discuss Gradey Dick's Development & Next Steps

Gradey Dick seems to be coming along.

It hadn’t been the first half of the season anyone would have hoped for from the No. 13 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. When the Toronto Raptors selected him this past summer, there was an expectation he’d be able to contribute shooting off the bench The team last season had been bereft of three-point shooters and Dick was supposed to help fix that.

But maybe counting on a 20-year-old rookie to step in and contribute wasn’t such a great idea.

Dick struggled mightily over the first half of the year. It got so alarming that Toronto had to pause his season, setting him up with a two-week strength and conditioning program before getting him back on the court.

That, however, appears to have helped and since his return from the G League, the Raptors have been impressed with the first-year lottery pick.

“You can feel the way he’s moving on the court, the way he’s starting to not look like a teenager out there, but actually transform into a man, which is a normal thing for 20-year-old,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said following practice Thursday.

Dick was maybe a little greener than anyone expected. The game appeared too fast for him during his first NBA minutes and it was clear he was overwhelmed by the speed and size of the players at the highest level. He was rushing and making too many mistakes.

Toronto’s goal for the second half of the season is to let Dick reset with more opportunities. A change in directive with a rebuilding roster means Dick will have a chance to learn from his mistakes without so much pressure on wins and losses.

As for what specifically the hope is, Toronto wants to see Dick look more comfortable as his playing time increases.

“First of all, defensively to be able to stay in front of the ball, to continue to develop those habits, off the ball as well,” Rajaković said. “Understanding the spacing on the court, understanding the personnel of NBA players, that’s just learning process for him.

“On the offensive end, it’s about proper spacing, getting his shots, not forcing things, allowing the game to come to him, playing without the ball and a lot of pace, and cutting, that has to be the baseline for him.”

It’s coming — slowly. Dick has played at least 10 minutes in four of Toronto’s last six games including each of the last two. He was 2-for-2 from three-point range with four assists in an impressive showing against the Miami Heat a week ago and then chipped in an 11-point effort with three made three-pointers against the Utah Jazz last Saturday.

“I think he’s improved physically,” Rajaković said. “I think the plan that we had with our strength, conditioning, and performance team is getting good results.”

The Raptors are going to need that moving forward. It’s clear this pivot into a rebuild is about Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett. Those three are the building blocks for whatever Toronto’s future entails. The question will be is Dick good enough to join them?