Watch: Precious Achiuwa Discusses the Impact of Losing Goran Dragic

Toronto Raptors big Precious Achiuwa talks about how Goran Dragic helped the team with his veteran leadership

It's easy to dismiss the loss of Goran Dragic for the Toronto Raptors as no big deal.

The 35-year-old point guard had fallen out of Toronto's rotation, having played just once since the fourth game of the season, and his future with the team was always precious at best. But on a team with so few veterans and such little NBA experience, Dragic was an important voice for the Raptors.

"Just losing that veteran experience, veteran leadership, and someone that you could go and ask questions to, he’s basically seen everything, it’s big," said Raptors big Precious Achiuwa who played with Dragic in Miami. "I know it’s not just myself that goes to him for questions and stuff like that. I always ask him what does he see during the course of the game and then he tells me ‘hey, do this, don’t do this, or approach it this way.’"

It's those little things, that advice Dragic helped with behind the scenes that made him an important player to have around. He helped coach up Scottie Barnes, helping the rookie improve his handles, and giving him tips on how to run an offense.

"Even in practice and film sessions, he’s saying stuff, he’s like ‘hey, this probably wouldn’t work, we should probably do it this way,’" Achiuwa added. "It’s stuff like that that’s not seen to the people on the outside but us players we see that, especially myself. I go to him and ask him a lot of questions and he tells me what he sees and his feel for the game."

Unfortunately for the Raptors, Dragic's brief Toronto tenure is expected to have come to an end. He's reportedly returned to Slovenia to deal with a personal matter and is expected to stay there until the Raptors either trade him or buy him out presumably around the February NBA trade deadline.

Further to this comment from the Raptors GM Bobby Webster on Goran Dragic, my understanding is this is a long-term play. Nothing is locked, but Dragic will likely remain in Slovenia attending to family matters and training until trade deadline and/our buyout market heats up: pic.twitter.com/bCaxxh0v6X

— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) November 28, 2021

Further Reading

What's next for Chris Boucher?

Raptors lose 'a really good dude' in Goran Dragic as they await the trade deadline

Scottie Barnes continues to show growth as Raptors fall to Celtics