Gradey Dick is willing to do whatever the Toronto Raptors need him to do.
Dick had a great season as a rookie last season as the Raptors were hit hard by injuries in March and April. Entering his sophomore NBA campaign, Dick has no intention of lobbying coach Darko Rajakovic or anyone else for a starting role. He wants to earn his place.
“I’m going to do my best to be where the team needs me to be,” Dick said before the start of Raptors training camp. “It’s not me pushing my agenda. It’s really a role I need to take on, and if I need to start in that role, I’ll give it my all.
“Actually, my biggest goal for this season is to win. Winning solves a lot of things. “When we win, whether it’s a good play or a bad play, we forget a lot of things.”
Toronto selected Dick with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft after a year with the Kansas Jayhawks. The swingman slots in behind Gary Trent Jr. on the Raptors’ depth chart at shooting guard to begin the 2023-24 season.
Rajakovic used Dick sparingly through October, November and December. He also spent time with Toronto’s G League team, the Raptors 905, as he got used to the rigorous NBA schedule.
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The Raptors did not re-sign Trent when his contract expired in the offseason, which opened the door for Dick to become a starter. Dick said he feels a lot less stressed now that he’s had a season as a professional basketball player.
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“When you first go to camp, it’s a different feeling to have a season without having to worry about going somewhere else, worrying about being late, or having the stress of being a rookie,” he said.
Dick’s season was split into two, with a conditioning period to add muscle and build cardio in late December and early January. The 20-year-old continued his fitness program in the offseason.
“I always want to try and get better,” Dick said. “It’s been about being consistent, not just on the court, but in the weight room, my nutrition, everything that allows me to be where I want to be and where I want to be this season.”
Rajakovic noted last week at Raptors training camp in Montreal that Dick put on 15 pounds on his 6-foot-7 frame in the offseason. The coach, also in his second year, said he expects Dick to guard multiple positions and be more physical.
“Last year when he came in he could barely dunk the ball and now he’s playing above the rim a little easier and not shying away from contact on both offense and defense,” Razakovic told reporters Thursday. “I think it will help his overall game. He will feel confident in his body that he can do things.”
With season-ending injuries to All-Star forward Scottie Barnes (broken finger) and starting center Jakob Poeltl (torn finger ligaments), Dick’s playing time increased dramatically in the spring. Fellow swingman RJ Barrett from Mississauga, Ont., also missed time to mourn the death of his brother in March, while point guard Immanuel Quickley took time off after the death of his uncle.
Ultimately, Dick averaged 8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.1 points in 21.1 minutes per game last season. Those numbers were boosted by his performance, where he averaged 30.9 minutes, 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game over 22 games since March 1.
Entering the 2024-25 season, it seemed like Dick might have to split time with 2024 first-round draft pick Ja’Kobe Walter, veteran Bruce Brown, and even Barrett if he moved from small forward to two guard.
However, all three were injured.
Walter missed training camp with a sprained right shoulder, Brown underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee before training camp began, and Barrett suffered a shoulder strain in the second quarter of Sunday’s 125-98 preseason win over the Washington Wizards. I left the game with bruises.
“The biggest piece of advice (veteran Garrett) Temple gave me was that preparation is key in an 82-game season,” Dick said before training camp began. “Especially in our season, you never know what’s going to happen. A lot happened during (last) season.”
The Raptors travel to Washington, D.C. on Friday for their second preseason game.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
