Toronto Raptors Media Availability | March 16, 2024

Toronto Raptors Media Availability | March 16, 2024

Has there been any updates on uh Chris uh Chris is in in rehab uh partial tear everything that we reported the first time it’s going to take uh I’m not sure anywhere between six to eight weeks uh so we we’ll continue to monitor our F’s progression how are you running

Practices with so few bodies like what how is it change it’s uh it’s it’s been a challenge uh but uh we’re really trying to break down into smaller groups to work on the parts of the offense parts of the defense we’re using our coaches as well to help with uh you know you

Know running playing some defense so guys can get some uh defensive looks that our opponents are doing uh it’s been a challenge but we’re finding ways I I coached in g- League before so I put my g- league head mentality on and and go from there last night when we talked about

Evaluating players who are playing out of position yes you talked about their own personal met metric but how does it fit into a team aspect if they’re guys play in spots that the play I mean that that’s the hard part like you’re trying to Envision how they would fit when

Whole team is uh available and ready and healthy but at the same time this is an opportunity I I’ll give you example for whole year Grady is playing out of corners and he really worked a lot playing a quarters and to M mastering how to play there how to create shots how to

Cut but last couple of games he’s just forced to be uh more playing above the break as well and that’s new for him so now he’s adding that to to his workouts and and another layer to to his game to learn how to play in those situations it’s it’s a constant opportunity to

Expand bux and continue to grow and a guy with like oai who’s guarding power forwards all week on a whole trip but that’s probably not his position when he’s an NBA on a regular full NBA roster correct but at the same time it gives us opportunity and gives him opportunity to

Learn how to guard some of those guys and at the same time when the opportunity present itself we already have uh enough information what he’s capable to do and also areas where where he can continue to grow when you look at one number stood out in that box last night was- 32 or

Something so you look at his minutes in film today saw like how much of that was account kind of falling learning experience I mean uh plus minus uh it’s always like you know who’s on it’s a big number to to to read through uh because it’s like

Who’s on the court for them who’s on the court for us um I don’t pay too much attention to that but yes it catches your your your attention for sure uh when I watch the film uh for there are situations that he could do better of executing our coverages or having more

Clarity of how to guard certain guys there uh but at the same time that’s opportunity for him to learn like to get into those situations and to be able to to guard oneon-one against banko or France fagner or uh Joe Engles it’s it’s a great opportunity for him to go

Against some uh very experienced veterans in this league and uh to learn you know so it’s going to be very good opportunity tomorrow night to going but to see the same guys and and make improvements the um I mean obviously defense is as physical as it was maybe a

Certain number of years ago but does it still matter to you know be like what how much been his technique and how much it to be 10% stronger um it does start with with his physical improvements getting stronger and and uh his body maturing you know

He’s 20 years old and uh that body is going to fill up on its own especially with uh um with the work that he’s going to put in this summer I’m sure when he shows up in training camp his body is going to look different but uh you can

Never underestimate the importance of technique of Kno how you know uh getting to know the league getting to know Tendencies of the guys and the best way to do that is being on the court and really experiencing and understanding that Joe Eng is strong left-and driver

And you know now when you have that information how you going to use that to your advantage of to to limit his strengths so they go hand to hand I know that you sat down um to do some one-on-one meetings with the guys um I think Brady mentioned it like maybe a

Couple weeks back that he his week was coming up um have you been able to have that meeting with him and was there any players that you kind of pointed to him to to to analyze and to pick from Yes uh we we met with all the all the players

All the players are aware of of their uh program and what they need to to work on and uh to be very specific with their work on and uh as it comes to to Grady um you know you can find a lot of different players around the league that

Uh okay from this guy you can take that from the other guy you can’t take how you’re playing into dhos from the third guy you know there is not one specific player that you want to mold player because he’s unique you know every every player is unique and they’re different

It’s just like finding the right balance of different guys around the league that you can learn from you know it might be a point Garden League that he needs to learn how to finish around the rim with uh maybe uh you know Finding better angles and finishing and using the glass

So it’s multiple players offensively and defensively that that he needs to take a look at and then just in terms of oai um kind of like what was that meeting like and what are you kind of looking for him in terms of go um for for sh the most

Important thing is that he continues to to improve defensively uh and his a catch and shoot uh three-point shot um you know he has very good field to cut and to move without the ball and I think he’s going to be pretty good with offensive rebounding crashing the glass uh but

Like spot up shots and then defense taking it to another level is the main thing with with him thank you guys thanks for watching the Toronto rappers YouTube channel check out our latest video And subscribe for more in a [Applause] wide

Coach address the media following Saturday’s practice.
00:00 – Darko Rajakovic
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