QUEBEC CITY — The end of every NBA practice is almost always the same: nearly every player on the roster spreads out to various baskets and engages in some kind of three-point shooting drill, or game, from various spots on the floor.
The intensity varies, but the intent never does: try to get better at one of the sport’s most critical skills.
The scene at the end of the second day of the Toronto Raptors training camp at Laval University in Quebec City wasn’t much different, but the hope is that the Raptors get a better return on their investment as they head into the 2026-27 season, because, for all their efforts, the Raptors have remained stubbornly below average as a team when it comes to knocking down threes.
Over the past three seasons under head coach Darko Rajakovic they have finished 21st, 23rd, and 27th in three-point percentage and 26th, 29th and 26th in makes. Even last season, when they connected on 35.4 per cent of their threes — their best mark under Rajakovic — they were still 0.6 per cent below league average of 36 percent. In 2024-25, they were 1.2 per cent below at 34.8 per cent.
“In our meeting today with the team, we were watching our offensive principles and how we want to play, and that was one of the big emphasis for us,” said Rajakovic. “Last season, we were taking 32 or 33 threes per game, and definitely our goal has to be a higher number and higher percentage this year.“
There is plenty of reason to believe the Raptors will be an even better team overall than they were when they won 46 games, earned the fifth seed and nearly toppled the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round last season. Adding Kawhi Leonard to the roster is a big reason for that.
The presence of the two-time Defensive Player of the Year and one of the NBA’s most effective steal machines should only help a defensive scheme that relies heavily on causing disruption and forcing turnovers.
But the Raptors were fifth in defensive rating a year ago. There is only so high they can go. The biggest area they have to improve is an offense that was almost exactly league average in offensive efficiency, and better three-point shooting would help that cause.
Leonard — a career 39.1 per cent three-point shooter — should help the Raptors perimeter game, too. In particular, Leonard’s knack for connecting on pull-up threes — a category where the Raptors were last in total makes (1.5 per game) and 28th in percentage (29.8) should shore up a Raptors weakness.
But will it be enough?
The departure of Brandon Ingram (traded to the Clippers) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (signed by the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency) means the Raptors are without 270 made threes, shot attempts that the pair converted at highly respectable 38.5 per cent.
Ever the optimist, Rajakovic started listing most of the players that project to be in his rotation as why he believes the Raptors shooting can take a jump this season:
“Kawhi, (Immanuel) Quickley, RJ (Barrett), Jamison Battle, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead … everybody except Jak (non-shooting centre Jakob Poeltl),” he said.
Driving a lot of those opportunities will be Scottie Barnes, who has shot just 30.1 per cent from three for his career, but whose ability to collapse defences with his driving and find open teammates as a six-foot-eight, do-it-all forward is part of why he’s emerged as one of the most versatile players in the league.
“I think I find people wide open (but) I got to make some shots myself too,” said Barnes, who has shown some streaky three-point shooting ability, such as when he shot 38 per cent in the playoffs last season. “So be willing to take them, and I got to make them as well. I think that helps out a big time. You know, I miss a couple; I start going to the rim, but I just got to take them, be confident."
The Raptors have had some individual success stories when it comes to their three-point shooting improving.
Third-year wing Ja’Kobe Walter shot 40.9 per cent from three last season after shooting 34.9 per cent as a rookie and 34.1 per cent in lone college season at Baylor.
And an in-house solution could end up being third year forward Jamison Battle, who has always been able to shoot — 40.7 per cent for his career — but has worked tirelessly at other parts of his game to earn enough playing time to make his shooting ability relevant in the Raptors context.
But perhaps the best example of three-point shooting being a skill that can be developed over time is Leonard, who shot just 25 per cent from three in his two college seasons at San Diego State, found some early success as pro spotting up in the corners for the San Antonio Spurs (where 95 per cent of his three-point attempts were assisted), but has turned himself into one of the most versatile shooters in the sport as his career has evolved. Last season 43 per cent of his threes were self-created, which makes his 38.7 per cent success rate on a career-high 6.8 attempts per game that much more impressive.
“The NBA style of play has transitioned over the years, and last year I just wanted to try and shoot 10 or more threes. I shot a great percentage off the dribble (37.9 per cent, which was sixth best among players with at least 200 attempts), so I just wanted to raise it up and see if I could keep a high percentage and just try to be effective and help my team win games,” said Leonard. “And hopefully I could continue up here and raise my percentage and attempts as well as possible.”
The Raptors offense would welcome that, and any other contributions also.
Three-point Grange:
Pablo found out (some more): In the latest episode of journalist Pablo Torre’s podcast, which sparked the NBA’s investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers alleged cap circumvention scheme over the past year, it was revealed that wireless provider Boingo wired a total of $1.9 million to companies affiliated with Leonard in August of 2022, ostensibly for a one-hour personal appearance at a US military base. Does Leonard pay any attention as the various revelations involving his finances have come out? Not so much: “I don't follow it. I don’t know what to think of it all really,” said Leonard, who had to pay a $700,000 fine following the NBA investigation for his role. “I'm not entertained by it. Like I said before, the NBA did their job, the PA did their job. … I don't know what he (Torre) is talking about, so it’s hard for me to (comment). “
Always be ramping: Leonard has yet to participate in the live scrimmage portion of the Raptors' practices. The team is being careful to ease him up to speed slowly since he was unable to participate in full-contact play over the summer before the trade to Toronto was finalized and he got his contract extension. “I’m there pretty much,” Leonard said of his game readiness. “I’ve been going up and down (full-court) today and yesterday, but it’s more of a minutes restriction, in a sense. But coming soon I’ll be fully active."
We get to watch: The Raptors will hold their annual open practice on campus at Laval University on Thursday night, an event that typically includes an intrasquad scrimmage. On Saturday, they host the Miami Heat here in Quebec City to start their exhibition schedule.
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