Raptors Coach Reveals Starting Lineup & Hints as Rotation as Toronto Gets Healthy

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković offers insights into the team’s lineup plans with the full roster finally available for the first time this season

Jan 3, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN: Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic talks to his players during the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors are finally at full strength.

Monday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks will be the first time this season—and the first since March 1 of last year—that Toronto’s core players are all healthy and ready to go. But what will their starting lineup and rotation look like? Head coach Darko Rajaković offered some hints after Sunday’s practice, giving a glimpse of what to expect.

Starters: Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl

This was Toronto’s projected starting lineup heading into the season, and not much has changed to alter that expectation. Quickley, Barrett, Barnes, and Poeltl are all clear-cut starters, leaving Dick as the only spot up for debate.

If the Raptors prioritized putting a stronger defensive unit on the floor, there’s a compelling argument for starting Ochai Agbaji. The third-year Kansas product stands out as a versatile two-way player, combining an impressive 41.5% three-point shooting efficiency with a low-usage offensive role and the ability to defend the opponent's top wing scorer. However, all signs point to Dick securing the starting role. Even Rajaković alluded to this on Sunday, noting that Toronto’s “projected five” only shared four minutes on the court together last season.

Second Unit: Ochai Agbaji, Kelly Olynyk, Bruce Brown, Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter

Here’s where things start to get a little more complicated.

The Raptors appear to be taking a flexible approach with their second unit to ensure younger players get valuable playing time. It seems likely this plan will continue up until the trade deadline, at which point the rotation will likely be tweaked if everyone is still around.

“We will give different players different opportunities at different times,” Rajaković told reporters Sunday. “At some point we'll have some guys sit out a couple of games, and some other somebody else will get opportunity to play. So we can see what it looks like as well.”

Agbaji and Olynyk seem like the first two off the bench and appear locked into regular rotation roles. Brown, meanwhile, has been a staple of the bench unit whenever he’s been healthy, a trend that’s unlikely to change until he’s traded.

The backup point guard spot is trickier. Shead has recently leapfrogged Davion Mitchell in the rotation and seems to be Toronto’s priority as Quickley’s primary backup.

“He’s going to be our future here for a long time. I think it's worthwhile to give him a stretch of games where he can get experience and play in that more like backup role instead of occasionally coming in,” Rajaković said Sunday. “I gotta be thinking, you know, interest of the whole group.”

The 10th man role, though limited, currently belongs to Walter. He’s likely to see only five to 10 minutes per game while also splitting time in the G League. For now, however, Walter has earned his spot with solid performances.

Bench: Davion Mitchell, Chris Boucher, Garrett Temple, Bruno Fernando

Mitchell will likely see situational minutes in matchups where Toronto needs additional defensive support. However, with the Raptors committed to giving Shead consistent backup point guard duties, Mitchell’s role is expected to remain limited.

Boucher, meanwhile, has fallen out of the regular rotation entirely. Unless the Raptors decide to showcase him ahead of the trade deadline, his minutes will likely remain scarce. Temple and Fernando round out the end of the bench, where their contributions are expected to be limited to garbage-time opportunities.

G League: Jonathan Mogbo, Jamison Battle, A.J. Lawson, Ulrich Chomche

Mogbo is the most likely candidate for a call-up should the Raptors face injuries to Poeltl or Olynyk. For now, though, he appears set for an extended stint in the G League. Battle, Lawson, and Chomche are also expected to spend the majority of the season developing in the G League, where they can hone their skills for the future.