With Kawhi Leonard’s departure last offseason, OG Anunoby stepped into a starting spot for the Toronto Raptors. In 69 games (68 starts) last season, he averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game over just shy of 30 minutes per contest.
Those stats, career-highs for Anunoby, don’t leap off the page. But he shot more (8.2 field goal attempts per game), and shot better (50.5 percent from the floor). Most notably, he made a career-best 39 percent from beyond the arc.
With the departures of Serge Ibaka and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson this offseason, the Raptors lost around 46 minutes and 22 points per game from last year’s frontcourt. Ibaka averaged 15.4 points per game and 12.2 field goal attempts per game (both fourth on the team).
In 11 playoff games last season, Anunoby posted numbers close to his regular season averages (10.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals). He also converted 41.5 percent from 3-point range, with two double-doubles.
Anunoby may see a bit more time at power forward when Pascal Siakim is off the floor, as Raptors coach Nick Nurse tries out lineup combinations. In any case, 30-35 minutes per game feels like a lock. Per-36 minutes last year, Anunoby averaged 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals. Not coincidentally, Anunoby’s Basketball Reference projection for the coming season is close to that (13.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game).
Via Fantasy Pros, Anunoby’s average ADP at this late stage comes in at 114. With multi-category production, and upside with the ball lined up to be in his hands more, that’s steal/sleeper territory.
