The Toronto Raptors are having one of their most successful seasons as a franchise so far, and there are a ton of moving parts that have propelled them to the position they’re in. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are having All-Star campaigns. Rookie OG Anunoby appears to be a player they can keep around for the long haul. Their bench unit is one of the best in basketball, something a fellow Def Pen writer recently touched on. They are excellent on both ends of the court, ranking fourth in the NBA in both offensive and defensive rating. In an Eastern Conference that is becoming more confusing and down-right stupid as the days go by, the Raptors have an opportunity to do something they’ve never done before; make it to the NBA Finals.

But let’s step back a bit. The Raptors right now are in a position that doesn’t seem to have the same inevitable taste of losing in the playoffs that they’ve had in years past. If they want to maintain this new-found identity, they need to build a roster that can keep up with their line for success. Anunoby is having an excellent rookie season. Fred VanVleet, Norman Powell, and Delon Wright all have potential to be players the Raptors will want to keep around for the future. At the very least, they’re assets that can help them down the road in acquiring other talent or picks. But what truly makes the Raptors future interesting is two young, frontcourt players.

Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl.

Siakam and Poeltl are 23 and 22 years old, respectively, and headline the Raptors frontcourt off the bench. Both are only in their second year, but they’ve shown signs that it may be sooner rather than later when deciding if Jonas Valancuinas and Serge Ibaka should continue to start for this team in the coming seasons. This would be at least a year or two down the road, as Ibaka just signed a big deal over the summer that extends through the middle of his prime and Valancuinas is (somehow) just 25 years old. But the younger duo could make front offices decision about keeping the team’s third (Ibaka) and fourth (Valancuinas) highest paid players around a little bit easier when their deals expire at the end of the 2020 season. Poeltl and Siakam aren’t ready to take over just yet, but they’re on the right path.

The two complement each other well. Poeltl is the more interior presence. The seven-footer plays stiff defense, blocks shots, and is an incredibly efficient finisher around the rim.

Siakam, on the other hand, is a lengthier, hyperactive forward who can help stretch the floor. The Cameroon native’s shot isn’t there just yet (more on that atrocity coming up), but he’s comfortable bringing the ball up the court and has quick feet for someone who is 6-foot-9.

Let’s start with the man from Austria. Poeltl is averaging 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game this season with an effective field goal percentage of 65.8, the highest mark on the team. He shoots almost exclusively from inside the painted area but he is one of the most streamlined scorers in the league from that area. Take a look at his shot chart for this season:

He lives and breathes within three feet of the basket, but not necessarily by design. If he wants to post up and score, he has a few moves that can help him do that. But where he really thrives is during penetration from his teammates. He has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. He does a great job of creating just enough separation from the collapsing defender(s) so that he can pop open for easy layups:

Simultaneously, Poeltl is an excellent rebounder, especially in traffic. He leads Toronto in contested rebound percentage at 61.7 percent, almost 15 percent higher than the next best Raptor, Jonas Valancuinas. He does this despite having an average wingspan, just 7-foot-1, for his height. His instincts for the sport when around the rim are beyond his years and it wreaks havoc on defenses. Because of his touch at the tin, he has a great finishing on putbacks:

Poeltl ranks in the 88.8 percentile on putback opportunities, averaging 1.38 points per possession with an insane 72.3 field goal percentage.

When he’s put into pick-and-roll situations, he continues to show off his undiscussed high basketball IQ and great finishing ability:

Poeltl is an incredibly instinctive basketball player on both sides of the ball. He doesn’t do anything fancy, he just understands the fundamentals down to a T and exploits defenses in the simplest ways possible. His athleticism won’t jump out at you, but he’s always calm. He’s an excellent rim protector despite his previously mentioned physical shortcomings. He stays in front of ball handlers with swiftness and is disciplined when shots go up; his 52.7 block percentage rivals Joel Embiid (52.9 percent) and is one of the best in the league:

His counterpart, Siakam, has a different set of skills.

Let’s get the negatives out of the way first. Siakam is a terrible shooter. Like, atrocious at shooting a basketball. His 56.4 free throw percentage is concerning (although it’s not much higher than Poeltl’s 51.5 percent), but what’s really having a negative impact on his game is his continuous three-point shooting. Among players who have played in at least 25 games and shot more than 50 threes, Siakam’s percentage is second worst behind only Sam Dekker. Siakam has attempted 87 threes this season and made only 14. For you math wizards out there, that’s 16.1 percent. Any normal player would try to limit those shots, but this isn’t the normal NBA anymore. Siakam has a solid set of skills, but he will need that three-ball to develop along with the rest of his game. So, for now, keep chucking ’em up there big fella. But please… convert on your shot more often than dad-bod fraternity bros at the local college bar. Take a look at his shot chart for this season:

Like Poeltl, Siakam is efficient in the painted area, but not much else. He can hit shots from the top of the key but is absolutely dreadful from practically every other area.

Enough of that, though, let’s move onto the positives, starting with how Siakam is a spectacular athlete.

He has a high motor and the determination to stay in plays. Watch here as he recovers to help out on a play he has no business being involved in, especially with his team up 20 points:

His on-ball defense is also impressive. Siakam has quick, shifty feet. While he overplays at times (most guys his age do), he oozes potential to become a multi-positional defender:

His high motor works great for him as an off-ball player. He loves to cut and move within the offense and wait for his shots to create themselves. He averages 1.33 points per possession with a field goal percentage of 71.4 on cuts. Not only that, but he’s crafty with the ball in his hands. Since he is more than comfortable handling the ball and tall enough to see over defenses, he can act as almost a secondary point guard:

And here he is waiting for the defense to open so he himself can feast:

Siakam, like Poeltl, has solid instincts around the basket. His athleticism makes him a dangerous cutter and lob-recipient, and his finishing numbers at the rim are way up this season compared to last. He still needs to develop that three-point shot, but only in year two of being an NBA player, he’s off to bright start with not much pressure to perform in that area.

Siakam and Poeltl aren’t ready to take over for the Raptors just yet, but they are well on their way. They work together in ways similar to Ibaka/Valancuinas, and learning from them will only benefit their development. If Toronto can keep them together for the future, those are two positions they won’t have too much to worry about.

The post The Toronto Raptors Future Frontcourt is Already Here appeared first on Def Pen.