Raptors set 16-man roster for season opener against Bulls
The team's roster features star forwards Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard, with ten players returning from last season's playoff squad.
TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have set their 16-man roster for Wednesday's season opener against the visiting Chicago Bulls.
The team revealed the group on Monday, headlined by star forwards Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard.
The projected starting five also includes RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl.
READ MORE: Raptors look for progress in pre-season test against Clippers without Leonard
READ MORE: Kawhi Leonard sits out Raptors pre-season opener, likely to miss Vancouver game
Barnes is entering his sixth season with the Raptors, coming off a year where he was an All-Star and made the All-Defensive second team.
He was the only player in the NBA last season with at least 100 steals (114) and 100 blocks (116).
Leonard rejoined the franchise this summer after a months-long trade saga, signing a two-year, $115 million extension through the 2028-29 season.
The 36-year-old averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals on 62.9 per cent true shooting in 65 games last season, finishing seventh in MVP voting and earning an All-NBA second-team selection.
Ten of the 16 players are returning from last year's team, which finished fifth in the Eastern Conference and pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to a Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs.
Only three players have 10 or more years of NBA experience: Leonard, Poeltl and Kyle Anderson.
Leonard, with 14 years, is the longest-serving player on the roster.
The reserves feature young players like third-year guards Jamal Shead and Ja'Kobe Walter and sophomore forward Collin Murray-Boyles.
All but six players on the Opening Night roster have five or fewer years of experience.
Rookie first-round pick Allen Graves, selected 19th overall, is also on the roster.
Rookies Jaden Bradley and Allen Graves are on standard contracts.
Centre Nate Bittle and guard Malachi Smith are on two-way contracts.
Bittle, an undrafted player from Oregon, has resumed on-court work after missing the preseason with a foot injury.
The coaching staff behind fourth-year head coach Darko Rajakovic includes Pat Delaney, Jama Mahlalela and former Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas.
The rest of the coaching staff includes Ivo Simovic, Vin Bhavnani, Eric Khoury, Jim Sann, Mery Andreade, Matt Vest and Jeremy Castleberry, who returns alongside Leonard.
Barrett is entering the final year of his contract without an extension.
The Raptors host the Chicago Bulls at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night.
With files from Sportsnet and Raptors Republic