Gradey Dick gets rise out of social media, but on-court play must grow

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There was a stretch of play recently where Gradey Dick was turning heads.

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Following what appeared to be a choreographed post-match jersey swap Following Toronto’s seventh straight loss Sunday night in Orlando, Dick raised his eyebrows.

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In today’s social media world, the line can easily be blurred, but when an opportunity presents itself, the moment becomes too attractive to pass up.

Dick, whom the Raptors selected with their first-round pick (13th overall) last June, and Anthony Black, whom the Magic selected sixth overall, met at half-court after the 111-96 victory of the Magic, his second in three nights against Toronto. to sweep the three-game season series.

After Dick and Black exchanged jerseys, the Magic tweeted the photo, which was later deleted.

To ensure the funniest photo op, Black agreed to change positions at Dick’s request, moving from Dick’s left side to the right.

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It was easy to see Black doing his best to keep from laughing.

All joking aside, anything that brings some form of levity in the face of so much loss cannot be overestimated, even if some object to it.

These are challenging times for the Raptors to say the least, with the team poised for additional losses with looming visits from Sacramento on Wednesday and the OKC Thunder on Friday before Toronto wraps up its back-to-back series with a date to Washington on Saturday night against a very bad Wizards team.

Considering how Toronto has been ravaged by injuries, a win against the Wizards is far from a sure thing.

Dick had a rough time in both games against the Magic. In Sunday’s loss, he was minus-37 in 27 minutes.

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Dick isn’t known for his ability to break the glass, but his instincts allow him to recover misses that lead to extra possessions and potential second-chance points. On Sunday night, he pulled down no rebounds, while turning the ball over three times and making just four shots in the Raptors’ 111-96 loss.

Two nights earlier, at Scotiabank Arena, Dick’s play was even worse. Ultimately, the minus-32 attached to Dick’s stat line was hard to ignore.

To further illustrate his difficult evening, he made as many mistakes (3) as he did on the field.

The Magic present a tough matchup for the Raptors, who lack size and lack players who can provide a physical presence to guard Paolo Banchero, whose 29 points led Orlando.

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A healthy Scottie Barnes would ideally be used to defend Banchero. Before everyone is traded, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam could easily be given the assignment.

Under no circumstances can Dick defend Banchero nor was he asked to do so in either match, outside of the occasional changeover.

It was telling that Dick was on the bench to start the second half for Jordan Nwora, who has size and showed the ability to score.

Moving forward, he will need to become more of a defensive presence as the Raptors turn the page to next season. For now, he is one of the few options that head coach Darko Rajakovic can turn to when a mid-match move is needed.

In Sunday’s loss, Nwora, acquired from Indiana in the Siakam trade, led the Raptors in scoring with 18 points. After Orlando took a 17-point advantage in the third period, he scored 12 consecutive points for the Raptors.

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Keep in mind that the Raptors started the second half going 3:33 without scoring a basket after allowing the Magic to bury a three-pointer just before intermission to take a 52-47 lead at the break.

Including Friday’s game, Nwora shot a combined 12 of 17 from the field to score 32 points in the two losses to Orlando. On Sunday alone, Nwora went 7 of 9 from the field and recorded seven rebounds in 25 minutes. He had no turnovers and would finish the night with a score of plus-10.

“Opportunities are something you have to seize when the moments come,” Nwora told reporters after the match in Orlando. “Obviously it would be a lot better if they got a few wins, but that’s part of the NBA you have to learn.”

While Nwora’s future in Toronto remains very uncertain, he can cement a spot with improved defense, but Dick is a lock whether he trades jerseys or not.

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On a Raptors team that wants to play in transition, Dick is well suited to play in an up-tempo style.

Dick has started the last five games for the Raptors. In his first three games, Dick averaged 36 minutes, while in his final two minutes he averaged 25.

Although he is known for his perimeter shooting, Dick can be useful on nights when his shot is misfired because he has a good feel for the game, can move away from the ball and normally makes the right read.

At least for the rest of this season, Dick isn’t going to add much strength. When the off-season rolls around, one of the team’s goals will involve Dick and the kid bulking up, a process that requires time and commitment.

After those two tough matchups against Orlando, the way the Kings and Thunder like to play with pace, Dick should feel right at home.

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