Jamal Shead’s Next Step
The following is part of Raptors Republic’s series of pieces previewing the season for the Toronto Raptors. You can find all the pieces in the series here.
With the starters already covered, our third bench spotlight for the season preview shifts to the backup point guard role: Jamal Shead.
The sophomore proved to be one of the Raptors’ most durable players last season, leading the team with 75 games played—ten more than runner-up Scottie Barnes. He stepped into the starting lineup 11 times amid Toronto’s injury-plagued campaign, and in those opportunities, he showed flashes of being more than just a steady reserve. Shead averaged just over 10 points and nearly 7 assists in 27.3 minutes across those starts, highlighted by a career-high 12-assist outing in a win over Brooklyn on April 6 and a 17-point performance in a blowout loss against San Antonio on March 23.
On the year, Shead posted averages of 19.6 minutes, 7.1 points, 4.2 assists, and 0.8 steals while shooting 40.5% from the floor and 32.3% from three. Solid, but unspectacular. What set him apart was his defensive intensity—something not fully captured by his 1.1 defensive win shares. When locked in, Shead smothered ball-handlers, disrupted sets, and gave Toronto a defensive edge at the point of attack. His second calling card is his playmaking. A true pass-first point guard—something increasingly rare in today’s NBA—Shead thrives as a floor general, though his tendency to thread risky passes sometimes led to turnovers.
Looking forward, his biggest developmental step is efficiency. Last season’s league averages sat at 46.7% from the field, 36.7% from three, and 78% at the line. Shead has work to do in all three areas. A realistic next step would be bumping his production to around 9 points and 5 assists per game off the bench, while tightening up his decision-making and committing to consistent defensive effort. Too often, his intensity on that end came in bursts rather than over full stretches.
Summer League offered a glimpse of both his upside and lingering concerns. In five games, Shead averaged 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.6 steals in 25.3 minutes, helping Toronto reach the semifinals. But efficiency again lagged—39.3% shooting from the field, 23.8% from deep, and 3.4 turnovers per game underscored the need for refinement.
Heading into the new season, Shead appears locked in as the opening night backup behind Immanuel Quickley. His competition is minimal, with Alijah Martin and Chucky Hepburn on two-way contracts. That said, young players can’t afford to coast—Shead will need to prove he can not only hold down the role but also emerge as a key member of the Raptors’ bench unit, potentially logging the most minutes among reserves.
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