The 2024-2025 NBA season is fast approaching, with training camp starting in less than two weeks. The Raptors will hold their training camp in Montreal from October 1-5. Then, Toronto will kick off its preseason schedule against the Washington Wizards on October 6 in Montreal. For the Raptors, the 2024-2025 season will be one of growing pains and ups and downs. Focusing on the high points of the Raptors season, let’s predict who will be the MVP, MIP, DPOY, ROTY, and Sixth Man of the Year this season for Toronto.
Predicting Raptors Roster Award Winners For 2024-2025 Season
Most Valuable Player – Scottie Barnes
There wasn’t much debate about who the Raptors MVP award should go to, with Scottie Barnes being the obvious choice. With Toronto moving on from Pascal Siakam, Barnes became the focal point for Toronto’s offense. He took that challenge head-on, improving his numbers across the board. While Barnes is still growing as a leader, he showed last season that he is willing to do whatever it takes to win on both ends of the court. That’s why it was no surprise that the Raptors completely fell apart once Barnes went down with an injury last season. They won just three of their last 22 games, and Barnes missed all of them.
Defesnive Player Of The Year – Jakob Poeltl
This award was more difficult to give out with a couple of names in the running, but Jakob Poeltl takes it. You can make the case that Barnes should also be taking home this award, but he is too inconsistent to dethrone Poeltl as the Raptors DPOY. Poeltl brings much-needed rim protection to the Raptors as a solid shot blocker. However, more importantly, Poeltl brings the size needed to match up with the league’s giants, and he does so every night. He is also the Raptors only real rim deterrent, making teams second-guess their drives when he is around.
Most Improved Player – Immanuel Quickley
This award is a toss-up between a few players, all of whom have great cases for MIP. However, Immanuel Quickley will take it home. Last season with the Raptors, Quickley showed rapid improvement as a playmaker and a passer, averaging 6.8 assists with Toronto, a 4.3 per game increase compared to his numbers with the Knicks in 2023-24. Quickley also increased his three-point shooting volume with no drop-off in efficiency. Now, with an entire offseason and training camp to prepare for the starting role, Quickley should have another jump in him.
Rookie Of The Year – Ja’Kobs Walter
The Raptors will have four rookies competing for this award next season, with Ja’Kobe Walter taking home the trophy. Ulrich Chomce is on a two-way contract and incredibly raw, and he will spend most of his season in the G League. That leaves Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Jamal Shead. With the Raptors trading for Davion Mitchell, a backup point guard, Shead might not get any minutes with the main roster. Leaving just Mogbo and Walter, Mogbo, as a small-ball five, might not see the floor much with the Raptors frontcourt depth. However, with his three-point shooting and positional versatility, Walter should have a role from day one.
Sixth Man Of The Year – Kelly Olynyk
This was the most challenging award to decide because of the uncertainty surrounding the Raptors’ bench rotation. It is unclear who the fifth starter will be for Toronto, and it is also unclear if Bruce Brown will close out the season with the Raptors. With all these factors, the Raptors sixth man award goes to Kelly Olynyk. He provides spacing and passing at the five spots and was solid with the team last season. The Raptors extended Olynyk last season and seem to have zero interest in trading him. Olynyk is also the only veteran backup big the Raptors have on the roster and should be a lock to get significant minutes.
