Raptors rookie Allen Graves aims to carve out role with shooting and defence
The 19th overall pick from Santa Clara showed promise in Summer League after a standout freshman college season.
TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors are not expecting immediate stardom from rookie forward Allen Graves, but his combination of size, shooting and defensive versatility could earn him a role this season.
Selected 19th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft out of Santa Clara, Graves averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 22.6 minutes per game during his lone college season.
He shot 51.2 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three-point range, adding 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.
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His performance earned him West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year and First Team All-WCC honours.
Graves also scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.
At 6-foot-9, his ability to space the floor, cut, rebound and defend multiple positions gives him several ways to contribute.
"If he can defend, hit open threes, rebound and make smart decisions, Toronto will have plenty to work with," the reporting notes said.
The Raptors will not need him to create every possession, and his off-ball skills could make him a natural fit alongside higher-usage players like Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard.
A realistic goal for the 19th pick would be competing for a rotation role rather than immediately becoming a starter.
"If he earns around 10–15 minutes per game, defends, rebounds and knocks down open threes, that should be considered a successful rookie season," the notes said.
His Summer League performance provided some encouragement, as he averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 50 percent from three over his first four games.
However, Summer League is not the NBA regular season, and the real test will be whether those skills translate against NBA competition.
The three-point shot could determine how quickly Graves earns a role, though NBA defenders close out faster and open shots are harder to find.
His ability to attack those closeouts and make plays off the dribble will also be important to becoming more than a spot-up shooter.
The Raptors may face an important decision on whether to have Graves play limited NBA minutes or spend developmental time with the Raptors 905 of the G League.
"Sometimes, playing 30-plus minutes in the G League can be more valuable for development than playing 10 minutes in the NBA," the notes said.
At the same time, if he proves during training camp that he belongs in the rotation, Toronto should not force him into the G League simply because he is a rookie.
"The realistic expectation for Allen Graves should not be that he immediately becomes a star. It should be that he develops into a reliable NBA player," the notes said.
His size, shooting, rebounding and defensive instincts give him multiple ways to stay on the floor, and the Raptors do not need to rush his development.
"If he earns a rotation role, great. If he spends time with Raptors 905, that should not be viewed as a setback," the notes said.
Graves has the foundation of a modern NBA role player and now must prove he can consistently translate it to the NBA level.
With files from Yahoo Sports and Raptors HQ