The Toronto Raptors have four of their five starting spots filled up heading into the 2015-16 NBA season. Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, DeMarre Carroll, and Jonas Valanciunas are all virtual locks to start next season but the power forward spot does not have a locked in starter. With Amir Johnson having left in free agency to go to the Boston Celtics there will be a competition for the starting power forward role and Morgan Campbell of the Toronto Star believes it's Patrick Patterson's spot to lose.
Patterson and Johnson were very good friends so he reportedly was upset to see him go but he understood that it was his time and he also realizes that it provides a great opportunity for him. Patterson knows the starting four spot is open but he also knows it won't just be handed to him.
"Realistically, that's the one role that's not filled yet, I see it as it's mine to lose . . . But it's all about what coach (Dwane) Casey wants, what (general manager) Masai (Ujiri) sees, and who works hard and who earns it," said Patterson.
Patterson is a stretch four and at 6 foot-9 he is more of a new age power forward as he doesn't do much work in the post. Patterson has reportedly said though that his focus this offseason has been on improving his low-post scoring.
The other options besides Patterson to start at power forward are newly signed Luis Scola, James Johnson or Bismack Biyombo. Another option coach Casey has is to start with a small lineup and put Carroll at power forward while inserting either Terrance Ross or Cory Joseph into the starting lineup. The latter option is the least likely of the two but Casey has said this offseason that he plans to go small at the end of games and more often than he has in the past. Casey also has said that when the Raptors go small Patterson is an option to play center.
Patterson is now 26 years old and entering his sixth season in the NBA and his second with the Raptors. Last season Patterson averaged 8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 37 percent from three. Patterson was a very big part of the Raptors team last season coming off the bench and stretching the defense and it appears his role will only grow next season. Patterson seems like he is ready to take the starting spot and run with it.
