Raptors Discuss Next Steps for Gradey Dick as His Game Continues to Expand

The Toronto Raptors are seeing Gradey Dick develop into a multi-faceted offensive weapon who can score off the dribble and attack inside this season

Oct 15, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick (1) shoots against Boston Celtics forward Xavier Tillman (26) during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images / Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Derrick White knew he was defending a shooter.

The Boston Celtics All-Defensive guard switched onto Gradey Dick as the Toronto Raptors sniper began sprinting around the three-point line looking for the ball early in the first quarter Tuesday night. Had Dick been someone else, White would have gone under the screen from Jakob Poeltl that White knew was coming. But against Dick, going under a screen is a bad idea.

Poeltl connected with White’s right shoulder as Dick whizzed around the Raptors’ big man, catching the ball out of the handoff. The space from Poeltl’s screen allowed Dick to curl inside the three-point line where Celtics center Al Horford was retreating in drop coverage.

Dick took two hard dribbles around the screen then stopped, picked up his dribble, and pulled the trigger on a picture-perfect 14-foot jumper.

Bucket.

Toronto’s second-year guard nailed three of his eight three-pointers against the Boston Celtics in the Raptors preseason victory Tuesday, but more impressive than his outside stroke was Dick’s 9-for-13 shooting inside the arc.

“I believe that Gradey is much more offensively than just a spot-up shooter,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said following Dick’s 27-point showing. “Everything that’s coming off cuts and drives, slip-outs, that needs to be developed. Also, his one-on-one game, drives, and it’s going to come.”

Dick has a lot of growth to do before he’s a force cutting to the hoop, but the 20-year-old looked comfortable attacking the hoop on Tuesday, finishing five of his seven attempts inside the restricted area, including one over Boston’s 7-foot-1 center Luke Kornet.

“I feel like he's got a quicker first step,” said Raptors wing Ochai Agbaji who spent the summer working out with Dick in Kansas. “For him, shooting the ball as well as he does, it's going to help him out a lot.”

Toronto is hoping Dick can expand his game out from behind the knockdown corner three-point shooter he was last season into someone who can play above-the-break and finish with strength when opposing teams get overzealous trying to take away his three-point stroke.

“I still have a long, long way to go,” Dick acknowledged. “But at the same time, the improvements that I've been trying to make, like in the weight room, with my weight and my strength, yeah, and kind of core strength to hold my ground when I'm trying to look for, fouls and and-1s like that. So yeah, great.”

Dick shot just 30.9% on pull-up jumpers and 60% inside the restricted area last year. With offseason development, added strength, and more repetitions, Toronto expects both of those numbers to look quite a bit better this season.