The Raptors acquired Stanley Johnson and Rondae-Hollis Jefferson to keep their defensive identity intact. The two have not yet lived up to this standard. In a clip that has now made multiple rounds across the Raptors fanbase, Nick Nurse voiced his displeasure with the pair’s defense thus far.
What surprised many about the quote is that Nurse did not seem concerned about their fit offensively. “Whatever you do on the other end, you are going to get opportunities just because of who you’re on the floor with,” he said.
This ran counter to public expectation: many figured the two to contribute right away defensively while being precarious fits on offense due to their lack of outside shooting.