Raptors’ Darko Rajakovic reveals offseason areas of focus for Gradey Dick
Gradey Dick experienced the typical rookie ups and downs this season with the Toronto Raptors, but coach Darko Rajakovic believed the 13th pick finished off the year strongly.
Dick spent much of the first half of the season with the Raptors 905 in the G League. The organization believed it was best that Dick saw consistent playing time with the 905 to get him up to speed to contribute nightly in the NBA.
He eventually joined the rotation on Jan. 20 and remained with Toronto for the duration of the season as the Raptors prioritized playing time for him. The results were mixed, but Rajakovic saw improvement from Dick as the season progressed.
The kid has an amazing mentality to bring it every day and every night. He is putting a lot of work in. He is very detail-oriented. He is always asking for more information on what he can do better and how he can execute better. I think that he improved quite a bit on the defensive end. My overall assessment of Grady is that he did an outstanding job in Year 1 and that he has a lot more work to do going into the future. He needs to work on his body, get stronger and gain more experience — all of that.
Dick finished the year averaging 8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 36.5% shooting from 3-point range in 60 games. He made 17 starts and became the third teenager in franchise history to do so on Nov. 15 (19 years, 360 days).
He put up his best stretch to close out the season, averaging 13.5 points and 2.7 rebounds over his last 15 games. He scored in double figures in seven straight games in that span, including a career-high 24 points and four rebounds on April 10.
Dick showed glimpses of the type of production he can provide nightly in the future. The organization has been impressed with his work ethic and ability on the court and will look to tap into his potential further next year and beyond.
Note: Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Nets Wire contributed to this story
