Finding their mojo: What Shead's rookie season says about Raptors
The Toronto Raptors opened the season with five rookies on the roster, four of whom will finish the year in the top 10 on the team in minutes played. That's not exactly out of the ordinary for a rebuilding club, but the play of those debutants and the general promise of Toronto's rookie class is unique.
The Raptors appear to have found four future rotation players in Jamal Shead, Ja'Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Jamison Battle (plus G-League big man Ulrich Chomche, who might have the highest ceiling of them all) despite entering a weak 2024 draft without control of their own picks.
That could prove hugely beneficial as Toronto looks to build a contending team in the coming years, with a stable of good players on cheap contracts vital in the age of aprons. The presence of the most impressive of those rookies is what should give Raptors fans hope that their once celebrated front office got its groove back.
The story begins with the 2024 draft-day transaction that landed Shead, with Toronto leveraging Sacramento's desire to dodge the luxury tax. The Kings wanted to get off of Davion Mitchell and Sasha Vezenkov's contracts, and the Raptors were happy to help. For their efforts, the Raptors received the 45th pick in the 2024 draft (Shead) and a 2025 second-round pick (via Portland) in addition to Mitchell and Vezenkov. Meanwhile, Toronto merely shipped out Jalen McDaniels, a below-replacement-level player who had no place in the team's rebuild.
For what it's worth, that 2025 Blazers pick is on track to land 39th in this June's draft, meaning the Raptors acquired Shead and an even better pick (in a superior draft) than the one used to select him.
Vezenkov was waived (allowing the Bulgarian to head back to Europe), while Mitchell was flipped to Miami ahead of this year's trade deadline in a deal that netted Toronto a 2026 second-rounder (via the Lakers). Essentially, over the span of eight months, the Raptors turned Jalen McDaniels into Jamal Shead, two second-rounders, and cash.
It's the type of fleecing and subsequent development story that had become so familiar to the Raptors' front office a decade ago. Back then, the Raptors were in the midst of a seven-year playoff run that ultimately culminated in a 2019 championship, all while the team churned out young talent and consistently found diamonds in the rough.
It's reminiscent of the 2015 trade that sent Greivis Vasquez to Milwaukee while landing Toronto second-rounder Norman Powell and a 2017 first-rounder that turned into OG Anunoby. However, Shead's undersized stature, valiant compete level, No. 23 jersey, and general character have Raptors fans thinking of another developmental gem from that era, Fred VanVleet.
The chances Shead turns into an All-Star or the type of player who earns a Finals MVP vote, as VanVleet did, are slim. But he has the makings of a solid two-way guard and key contributor for years to come, which would be an incredible result for both Shead and the organization given his draft position.
Shead's a sneaky great athlete, and he plays with a force on both ends that betrays his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame. He's a high-IQ guard who ranks fourth league-wide in bench assists, and he's averaged 10.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.5 steals since the beginning of March. That quarter-season sample coincided with a soft schedule that often saw Toronto battling fellow tankers, but head coach Darko Rajakovic saw enough from Shead to determine it wasn't just the product of a Mickey Mouse March.
"I've seen a lot of growth and a lot of leadership potential from him," Rajakovic told reporters before the Raptors' final home game of the season.
What does that leadership look like? "He can sing really well, so he keeps the atmosphere light," Rajakovic joked about a player who's becoming a fan favorite on and off the court. (One recurring pregame gag sees Shead pretending to be surprised and confused when the camera cuts to him during the Canadian anthem).
"All jokes aside, the way he competes sets the tone for everybody," Rajakovic said. "The way he goes about his business, always showing up on time, putting in extra work - all those qualities of a leader, he's got them already at a young age."
Leadership alone won't help the Raptors win games, and Shead will have to improve as a shooter before he can even dream about reaching the heights VanVleet did in Toronto, but his combination of steady two-way play and professionalism have already made the move to acquire him a home run.
Critics will fairly point out that the difference between acquiring Shead and the scouting-and-development run the Raptors went on last decade is that Toronto used to pull such rabbits out of its hat while winning 50 games, not losing 50. In addition, the team's current roster-building strategy is far from a sure bet to return the Raptors to relevance.
But for a front office that had seemingly lost its mojo, Shead represents so much more than just a promising rookie or reserve guard of the future. He represents the type of shrewd decision-making and asset management that can restore the Raptors to glory. The type this franchise used to hang its hat on.
Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.