Attention, Raptors fanatics and armchair analysts! Every year, players and fans alike come together to take advantage of the unique opportunity NBA 2K presents us, to feel slighted by low ratings and petition the developers of the game we all know and (some) love on behalf of our favourite players.
Today we’ll dissect, scrutinize, and perhaps even mock the supposedly ‘accurate’ ratings of our beloved Raptors. Let’s rate the raters; are their decisions an accurate depiction of what we’ve seen so far in the NBA season? We’ll give accuracy ratings today for the 2K24 ratings of each player that’s seen real minutes (10+ per game) for the Raptors this season, grading the developers like they grade the players, and also include what the ratings of each player should be.
(Important ratings note, the worst Raptor player on 2K24 is Markquis Nowell at 67 overall, so ratings can’t get much lower than that)
Let’s dig in!
#1. Pascal Siakam – 2K24 Overall: 86
Although easily the highest rated Raptor, Spicy P has had a rough start to the year. His points per game have nearly been cut in half, his rebounds and assists are down, and he’s doing all of this less efficiently than in any other season of his career.
When I first saw his 86 overall rating earlier in the season, I was ready to write this article with a passionate defense of our one and only all-NBA player. After only seven games, I just can’t do it… and I sadly have to do the opposite.
His outside scoring and inside scoring ratings, 85 and 87 respectively, are just too high for a player shooting 33% from three and 41% from the field (all stats as of November 8). Although he is one of the more versatile defenders in the league, by opponent field goal percentage he’s one of the 6 worst defenders on the team from every shooting range. His playmaking and rebounding statistics are down, making a 74 and 63 in those categories reasonable on the part of the developers. His overall rating could even be lower, but all-star players get the benefit of the doubt that they’ll bounce back sooner than later. Which leads me to our first rating…
Accuracy Rating: 86
Correct Rating: 84
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#2. Scottie Barnes – 2K24 Overall: 83
Although this might be the least accurate rating of any Raptors player, somehow I can’t even bring myself to be that mad about it. As a self-admitted (and now ashamed) Scottie Barnes doubter, how can I blame the 2K developers for underestimating the second-year star?
Even the biggest fanatics couldn’t have predicted that Scottie would take over the team lead in scoring (at 22.6 ppg), with almost six points per game more than any other player. And doing this while averaging 10 rebounds and 6 assists, on 51.3% from the field and 42.1% (!!!) from three? If this keeps up, Barnes might be a 90 overall by season’s end.
Oh and let’s not forget he’s both one of the best and most versatile defenders on the team, capable of guarding 1-5 efficiently. All-in-all, point-forward Scottie Barnes deserved a way higher rating, and much more respect from people like me.
Accuracy Rating: 63
Correct Rating: 88
#3. OG Anunoby – 2K24 Overall: 82
There have been no surprises from what we’ve seen from OG this season. Always an elite-level defender with an accurate shot, his numbers are almost identical to those of the 2022-23 campaign. What Anunoby has done is increase his efficiency, shooting over 42% from three point range.
OG Anunoby is one of few players in the league that could start on any team, fit perfectly, and add value. Don’t be surprised if we see a bidding war for his shooting and defense at the trade deadline.
As for his 2K rating, it’s hard to argue it should be higher when he only has one elite attribute, and is just average-good at everything else. He should be rated closely to players like Marcus Smart and Herb Jones, and he is. No complaints here!
Accuracy Rating: 97
Correct Rating: 82
#4. Jakob Poeltl – 2K24 Overall: 81
His numbers may be underwhelming but make no mistake, Jakob Poeltl is one of the Raptors’ most valuable players and a very good center in today’s NBA. No, he doesn’t stretch the floor or rack up blocks like a Myles Turner or Anthony Davis (or Jokic). He’s not a great passer like Jokic or rebounder like Sabonis (or Jokic, man he’s pretty good eh?), but what he does for the Raptors should not go overlooked.
Poeltl is a presence in the paint and on the glass, a good finisher around the rim, and can play solid defense on the league’s best centers. According to Cleaning The Glass‘ On/Off stats – how well a team performs with a player on vs off the court – Poeltl increases the Raptors point differential by 3.3 points per 100 possessions this year, which is a nine win increase over an 82 game season.
He has no superstar-like qualities, but he deserved better from his 2K24 rating.
Accuracy Rating: 83
Correct Rating: 83
#5. Gary Trent Jr. – 2K24 Overall: 79
For being perhaps the only player on the roster who’s only focus is scoring, Gary Trent Jr. has not been holding up his end of the bargain. He’s been coming off the bench for the Raptors so far this season, and whether its that throwing him off or something else, something must be wrong.
His field goal attempts are down, his three point attempts are down, and he’s having the worst efficiency season of his career (excluding his first season when he played 7.4 minutes per game for 15 games). Whatever the problem is, he better figure it out soon before he plays his way out of head coach Darko Rajakovic’s rotation.
Total stats for Trent Jr. this year: 9.6ppg, 2.0rpg, 0.9apg. That speaks for itself.
Accuracy Rating: 73
Correct Rating: 76
#6. Dennis Schroder – 2K24 Overall: 77
Dennis Schroder has been better this season than I think any Raptors fan could have asked for. Splitting point guard duties with Scottie Barnes, Schroder has been excellent, taking on the role of true distributor for the first time in his career. He’s averaged about 17 points and 9 assists per game, shot the ball well, and done everything else that’s been asked of him.
Statistically the most accurate comparison for him this year is, believe it or not, Fred VanVleet… but he’s almost $30 million cheaper. Given that Freddie is rated 83 on 2K24, Dennis deserves a bump.
Accuracy Rating: 75
Correct Rating: 80
#7. Chris Boucher – 2K24 Overall: 77
He found himself out of the rotation in the opening game of the season but since then Chris Boucher has… gotten to play a little bit? In his 14 minutes per game, there’s not much to say for Boucher here other than he’s attacked the glass in the time he’s been on the court, averaging 13 rebounds per 36 minutes.
Not unlike a young Pascal Siakam, every time Boucher comes off the bench you can expect him to give energy and run the floor. But overall, we don’t have much of a sample size to judge his 2K24 rating.
Accuracy Rating: 85
Correct Rating: 76
#8. Precious Achiuwa – 2K24 Overall: 76
This may sound pretty similar to the guy right above him, but there’s not a whole lot to talk about other than rebounding for Precious Achiuwa either. He’s been fairly inefficient this season so far, and needs to get his field goal percentage up if he wants to keep his backup center role in Darko’s rotation.
I hoped for more from Precious this year, especially after seeing flashes of him as a confident, attacking, versatile, rim-protecting young big man last year. I’ll stay patient for him to get some of that confidence back, but for now he’s just another backup center in the NBA.
Accuracy Rating: 83
Correct Rating: 77
#9. Gradey Dick – 2K24 Overall: 72
We’ve seen glimpses (okay fine, just one glimpse) of 6’8 rookie Gradey Dick as a sharpshooting combo guard. In a loss to Philadelphia on October 28th, Gradey went 4/6 from three point range and played 28 minutes looking like a quality NBA player. In his 78 other minutes this year, he’s 1/15 from three, and is a weak link on defense when he plays. According to advanced stats like Box Plus-Minus and VORP, he’s the Raptors worst player and it’s not all that close.
More games like he had against Philly would get his rating up, but right now he’s where he should be.
Accuracy Rating: 95
Correct Rating: 72
#10. Malachi Flynn – 2K24 Overall: 72
There was a time when I believed in Malachi Flynn. When I looked at the Raptors’ ability to take undersized, lowly regarded point guards and turn them into contributors (see: Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet), and thought maybe Flynn could turn himself into a quality role player in this league.
That time has passed. His three point percentage is up so far this season, and he’s a decent playmaker, but every single year he’s played, the Raptors are worse when he’s on the floor. He’s a -43 when on the court this year, and with Scottie playing the role of point guard alongside Schroder, there’s no real spot for him in this rotation.
Accuracy Rating: 87
Correct Rating: 73
