5 things to know for the Toronto Raptors' 2024-25 season

The Toronto Raptors open a new NBA season on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena.

Here are five things to know ahead of the Raptors' home opener:

3 decades

It's the Raptors' 30th anniversary and the team has plans to celebrate all season long, including bringing back their purple jerseys from the mid-1990s. Toronto will also honor former players, including Hall of Famer Vince Carter.

He will be the first player to have his Raptors jersey retired on Nov. 2 at a ceremony at Scotiabank Arena.

Depth chart

The Raptors lacked depth early last season, with essentially one player coming off the bench – shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. – and then-rookie swingman Gradey Dick sometimes coming on. This short bench was clearly visible with a net rating of -4.4 over the course of the season, tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the third-worst rating in the NBA.

Net rating is an advanced statistic that shows how much better or worse a team is performing per possession.

However, a series of trades and four draft picks transformed the roster and significantly improved Toronto's depth.

Point guard Davion Mitchell, power forward Ochai Agbaji and center Chris Boucher from Montreal will lead the reserves to start the season. All three have extensive NBA experience and have averaged more than 17 minutes per game in their careers. They will be joined in the second unit by center Kelly Olynyk (back) from Kamloops, B.C., and small forward Bruce Brown (arthroscopic knee surgery) once healthy for a robust veteran bench that can handle big minutes.

Ja'Kobe Walter, Toronto's 19th overall pick in last summer's draft, will likely be Dick's backup at two guard once he recovers from a sprained shoulder.

commuter

Walter was the highest of Toronto's four picks selected in the 2024 NBA Draft in late June. Power forward Jonathan Mogbo (31st), point guard Jamal Shead (45th) and center Ulrich Chomche (57th) were also selected.

Although all four will see some NBA playing time this season – particularly Shead, whose tenacious defense was a highlight of the Raptors' preseason – they will also be regulars with the G-League's Raptors 905 in nearby Mississauga, Ontario.

Tournament during the season

The Raptors are in Group B for the second annual NBA tournament this season. They belong to the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons.

Toronto's so-called Cup Nights begin Nov. 12 in Milwaukee and continue when the Raptors host Detroit on Nov. 15. Their third game of the tournament will be on November 29th in Miami and their group stage will conclude on December 3rd when Indiana visits Scotiabank Arena.

A financial incentive has been added to this season's NBA Cup playoffs, with players on the winning team earning $514,971 each, while $205,988 will go to each player on the runner-up team. Players who lost in the semifinals will receive $102,994 each and players who lose in the quarterfinals will receive $51,497.

Conviction of Porter

Former Toronto reserve Jontay Porter will be sentenced to prison on Dec. 18 after pleading guilty to federal conspiracy charges over the summer.

Porter, 24, was banned from the NBA after admitting he helped bettors by intentionally underperforming in games. The public prosecutor's office estimates that he could face a prison sentence of between almost three and a half and a little more than four years.