CollinMurray-Boyles

Preseason question: How much longer can the Raptors keep CMB out of their starting lineup? Squint, and you might notice a few parallels between Murray-Boyles entering his sophomore season and OG Anunoby ahead of his second year in the league. Both players were almost immediately relied upon as defensive aces in their rookie campaigns, earning valuable playoff experience against the Cleveland Cavaliers and defending some of the best offensive talents the league has ever produced—LeBron for OG, James Harden and Donovan Mitchell for CMB. Like Anunoby, Murray-Boyles’s second season will be met with Kawhi Leonard’s arrival and all that entails. But unlike OG, CMB occupies a slightly different section of the positional spectrum for the Raptors. He is not at risk of getting eclipsed by the soft-spoken superstar; he’ll be augmented by his presence. CMB’s intersection of brute strength, hand-eye coordination, and explosiveness is not dissimilar to how Leonard and Scottie Barnes ply their trade on defense—the mere idea of Murray-Boyles sharing the court with both Leonard and Barnes ought to be nightmare fuel for opposing offenses. At some point, perhaps sooner rather than later, CMB’s defensive synergy with the team’s biggest stars will become too impactful to ignore. For the Raptors, it’s a good problem to have. And it’s a perfect educational environment for a player who has the potential to be the best defender Toronto has ever produced.