You can take the players out of Toronto, but that doesn’t mean Raptors fans stop keeping tabs on them. From fan favourites to guys who were only here for a short time, there are plenty of familiar faces around the NBA worth checking in on.
I can’t get to every former Raptor in one article, but there are some names that stand out. DeMar DeRozan is in Denver, Fred VanVleet is back on the floor in Houston, and Pascal Siakam has his running mate back in Indiana. Here’s how some of the most familiar former Raptors have started the new season.
DeMar DeRozan – Denver Nuggets
There was plenty of speculation this offseason about DeMar DeRozan making one last run with the Raptors, but a reunion in Toronto never came together. Instead, DeRozan landed on the Denver Nuggets, where he’s taking on a different role than we’re used to seeing from him.
For the first time in his career outside of his rookie season, DeRozan is coming off the bench. His last regular-season appearance as a reserve came on April 14, 2010, during his first year with Toronto. Even at 37, though, DeRozan can still get buckets with the best of them.
Through Denver’s first three games, he’s averaging 15.3 points per game, the third-highest mark on the team behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. If he keeps putting up numbers like that in a reserve role, don’t be surprised if he finds himself in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation. It would have been fun to see him back in Toronto, but he’s already giving Denver plenty of reasons to like the fit.
Fred VanVleet – Houston Rockets
First things first, it’s just good to see Freddy back on the court. VanVleet missed all of last season after suffering an ACL injury, so getting back into game action is a big step on its own. He’s played in three of Houston’s first four games, sitting out one for rest. I wouldn’t expect him to play every night right away, especially when the Rockets have back-to-backs on the schedule.
Through those games, Vanvleet is averaging 8.3 points, seven assists and three rebounds in 30 minutes. The scoring hasn’t really been there yet, and he’s taking fewer than nine shots per game. That’s unusual for a guy who has averaged at least 12 attempts in each of the last six seasons.
Some rust is to be expected after missing an entire year. He’s also getting used to playing alongside Kevin Durant, a pairing Rockets fans were excited to see last season before the injury news came. I expect Freddy to look more comfortable as the games pile up, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him become more aggressive looking for his own shot. For now, just getting him back out there is a positive.
Norman Powell – Chicago Bulls
Stormin’ Norman is on another new team once again. After putting together the best season of his career in Miami and earning his first All-Star selection, Powell is now with the Chicago Bulls. Chicago is the fifth team of his career, which is a pretty long list for a guy who Raptors fans will always remember fondly.
Powell has picked up where he left off in the scoring department, averaging 19.5 points through four games to go with three rebounds and 1.8 assists. The one issue? He’s shooting just 36.5 percent from the field.
That’s not ideal, but it’s still early, and joining a new team takes some getting used to. Powell has always been able to score, whether he’s attacking the basket or getting hot from beyond the arc. The Bulls are a young team, and he could end up being one of its main options on offence. After the season he just had, I wouldn’t count him out from putting together another big year.
OG Anunoby – New York Knicks
It’s been a rough opening week for OG Anunoby and the New York Knicks. After winning the championship last season, New York has stumbled out of the gate at 0-3, and Anunoby hasn’t quite found his shooting touch.
He’s averaging 17.3 points through the first three games, but he’s shooting just 41.2 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three. Those are both below the standards we’ve come to expect from him, especially from beyond the arc.
It’s far too early to hit the panic button. The Knicks have too much talent to stay down for long, and OG has shown throughout his career that he can impact games on both ends of the floor. Maybe this is just a bit of a championship hangover to start the season. Either way, both Anunoby and New York have plenty of time to turn things around.
Pascal Siakam – Indiana Pacers
One of the biggest positives for Pascal Siakam this season is having Tyrese Haliburton back beside him. The two helped lead the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals in 2025 before Haliburton suffered an injury in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder that kept him out for the entire following season.
With his running mate back, Siakam has picked up right where he left off. He’s averaging 23.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and four assists, giving Indiana a reliable scoring option as the team looks to make another run in the East.
The most encouraging part might be his three-point shooting. Siakam is knocking down 44.4 percent of his attempts from deep on 4.4 attempts per game. If he can keep shooting at that level, it’ll make him even tougher to defend and give Indiana another weapon to work with.
Of course, keeping that percentage up over a full season is a tall order. However, with Spicy P playing this well and Hali back in the picture, the Pacers have reason to believe they can get back into the conversation for a deep playoff run.
Sandro Mamukelashvili – Los Angeles Lakers
Mamu quickly became a fan favourite in Toronto last season, and it’s easy to understand why. He brought energy off the bench, made the most of his opportunities and averaged 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds while helping the Raptors win 46 games and get back to the playoffs.
It was tough to see him leave, but it was nice to see him earn a bigger payday with the Los Angeles Lakers. So far, he’s averaging seven points and four rebounds, and there should be room for those numbers to climb as he gets more comfortable in his new surroundings.
Playing alongside Luka Doncic should give Mamu plenty of opportunities to make an impact. Doncic has a knack for finding big men in good spots, and with him and Austin Reaves drawing defensive attention, Mamu could find himself with open looks from beyond the arc. He showed in Toronto that he can be more than just a depth piece, and it’ll be interesting to see how much of a role he can carve out in Los Angeles.
Gradey Dick – Los Angeles Clippers
A change of scenery might be exactly what Gradey Dick needed. Things weren’t looking great for him in Toronto toward the end of last season, when his role in the rotation had pretty much disappeared. Now he’s with the Los Angeles Clippers, and at least the early shooting numbers are looking good.
Dick is averaging eight points and 3.7 rebounds through three games, shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. Those percentages look fantastic, but he’s also taking just 4.7 shots per game, a career low.
So, let’s not get carried away just yet. It’s a small sample, and we’ll need to see him take more shots before we know how much his shooting has really improved. Still, it’s good to see him getting minutes and knocking down the looks he’s getting. The Raps drafted him expecting a reliable shooter, and maybe a fresh start in Los Angeles will help him get back to that.
Precious Achiuwa – Sacramento Kings
Precious Achiuwa had the best season of his career last year in Sacramento. With Domantas Sabonis missing much of the season, Achiuwa got a bigger opportunity and ran with it, averaging 10.1 points and 6.7 rebounds.
With Sabonis back, you might have expected Precious to take a step back. So far, that hasn’t happened. Through three games, Achiuwa is averaging 13.1 points and seven rebounds while shooting 56.3 percent from the field on more than 10 attempts per game. That’s a pretty encouraging start for someone who could have easily seen his minutes drop with Sabonis healthy.
It’s only three games, so we’ll see whether he can keep it up. Regardless, it’s good to see Precious continuing to develop instead of simply settling back into a smaller role.
Jonathan Mogbo – Sacramento Kings
Jonathan Mogbo is still working to find his footing in the NBA. The Raptors saw him as a bit of a Swiss Army knife when they drafted him, someone who could do a little bit of everything, but he’s still trying to turn those tools into a consistent role at the next level.
Since joining the Sacramento Kings, Mogbo has appeared in two of the Kings’ first three games, averaging 3.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 13 minutes per game. Those numbers aren’t going to jump off the page, but opportunities have been limited with so many young players competing for minutes. For now, he looks to be near the back of the rotation, which means he’ll have to make the most of whatever time he gets.
Dennis Schroder – Charlotte Hornets
Dennis Schroder spent just half a season in Toronto during the 2023-24 campaign, but he’s continued to make his way around the league since then. Now with Charlotte, the veteran guard is playing for the 12th team of his NBA career.
At 33, Schroder is still showing he can be a useful contributor, and he has a chance to be an important veteran presence on a young Hornets roster. Through the first four games, he’s averaging 14 points, four rebounds and 4.5 assists.
Those are solid numbers for a player who can help steady an offence and give younger teammates someone to learn from. Charlotte has plenty of development ahead, and Schroder’s experience could be just as valuable as his production.
Davion Mitchell – Miami Heat
Davion Mitchell might not be getting much attention right now, but he’s been one of the few bright spots for Miami. The Heat have stumbled out of the gate and are 0-4, leaving plenty of questions about how quickly this group can figure things out.
Mitchell, at least, has looked good. He’s averaging a career-high 18 points and seven assists through four games. He’s never averaged double-digit points over a full season, so I’d expect that scoring number to come down eventually, but it’s still a great start.
The assists are what could actually continue to increase. Playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo gives Mitchell two big-time options to work with, and he should have plenty of chances to set them up. Miami has a lot to sort out, but it’s nice to see at least that Mitchell is doing his part.
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