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Darko Rajakovic Explains His Plan for Rookie Allen Graves
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- Darko Rajakovic Explains His Plan for Rookie Allen Graves
(Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)
A few missed jumpers have not changed how the Toronto Raptors feel about forward Allen Graves, the 19th overall pick in this year's draft, and his head coach wants him to keep letting it fly.
A Rough Start With a Green Light
Graves played his first game at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 13, in a 148-98 win over the New York Knicks, and he finished with five points on 1-of-7 shooting and 1-of-6 from three while picking up four fouls.
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Head coach Darko Rajakovic was asked about the rookie on Wednesday, and he did not back off one bit.
"I don't care if the shot is gonna fall or not. He's a great shooter," Rajakovic said, according to a transcription of his comments , and he added that he promised Graves that morning he would sit him on the bench the first time he passed up an open shot.
Graves then got the start in the preseason finale on Friday in Detroit, a 129-125 loss to the Pistons with forward Kawhi Leonard and forward Scottie Barnes sitting out.
He shot 4-of-13 and missed all five of his threes, but he also had nine points and eight rebounds, with seven of those boards coming on the offensive glass, which leaves him at 1-of-11 from deep across his two preseason games.
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Rebounding Can Be His Way In
The shooting numbers are not pretty, but I think Rajakovic is right to care more about the decisions than the results this early.
Graves is a player who does a little bit of everything, and the work he did on the offensive glass in Detroit is exactly the effort that earns a rookie trust from his coach before the shots start to fall.
General managers also gave him the second-most votes for the biggest steal of the 2026 draft in their yearly survey.
He was one of the young Raptors who drew strong praise from league executives , and it looks like the league sees the same upside Toronto saw on draft night.
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A rookie who chases rebounds and makes the right reads will get minutes before a shooter who hides from his misses, and Rajakovic's promise lets Graves play his game without second-guessing every shot.
What Comes Next Before the Bulls Arrive
The Raptors open the regular season at home against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, Oct. 21, before heading to Washington to face the Wizards on Friday.
Leonard sat out the finale but is expected to play in the opener , according to CBS Sports, and he already looked sharp in his Raptors debut during the blowout of the Knicks.
The roster took shape on Saturday, when the team waived five players and moved center Nate Bittle to a two-way deal .
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With Leonard back and the top of the rotation set, steady minutes for Graves could be hard to find early, and blogTO wrote that, like most rookies, he will likely see time with the G League team once its season begins in early November.
I think Rajakovic's promise will mean more than any shot Graves makes this month, because a rookie who keeps shooting with confidence and keeps winning the offensive glass can force his way into the playoff rotation by spring.
