It’s silly to put too much stock into one game, an exhibition opener at that, but we did get some early intel on the 2025-26 Toronto Raptors from Monday’s loss to Denver.

The game, played in front of a Raptors-friendly crowd in Vancouver that still had plenty off oohs and aahs saved for all-time great Nikola Jokic and Canadian star Jamal Murray — who both oddly looked in mid-season form — provided a first look at the revamped Raptors.

Here are some thoughts:

How did Brandon Ingram’s debut go?

Brandon Ingram’s first game since December had some encouraging signs. He got to the free-throw line seven times (RJ Barrett led the team last season, averaging just over five trips per game) in only 22 minutes, got into the lane and finished well, and basically got any shot he wanted.

He didn’t really complement the other players well yet, though he found Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for three-pointers for his two assists of the game. But, again, it’s early.

Plus, things are going to look a lot different when (a) Jakob Poeltl, the best screen-setter and inside finisher on the team, returns to action and (b) Scottie Barnes goes to what works in his offensive game instead of forcing tougher shots.

Ingram found success cutting, losing defenders several times during the game. Barrett linked up with his fellow Duke product for an easy basket and Sandro Mamukelashvili found him for a layup later.

What was up with Scottie Barnes?

Speaking of which, you likely won’t see Barnes miss all his shots (six in all) again all season and you won’t see him get a three-point attempt blocked, as he did Monday by Bruce Brown of all people.

Barnes thrives when he’s attacking defenders using his size, strength and length advantages, not when he’s pulling up for shots. Barnes shot just 39% on pull-ups last season (including 25.5% on pull-up three-pointers) and 31.7% on them the year before.

But against Denver, it was a pair of pull-ups — only one attempt anywhere close to the rim — and general passiveness. Barnes will never be a big scorer and his team doesn’t require him to be, but he must lean into his strengths because he can wear down opponents pretty easily if he sticks with what works.

We’ll mention again that Poeltl being around as a screener who allows Barnes either to go downhill or feed him for easy buckets goes a long way.

Barnes did at least look like his usual self defensively, keying an aggressive, energetic Raptors group.

Has Gradey Dick improved at all?

Toronto has a lot invested in now-third-year wing Gradey Dick. They were thrilled to see him slip to No. 13 in his draft, believing he was the best shooter in that class, and have talked up his work in the weight room each of the past two summers.

But at some point the likeable former Kansas star is going to have to start producing. It’s one thing to be a below-average NBA defender, which Dick still is, it’s another to be that while also not being effective at the other end.

Good offensive players can get by with mediocre defence. Great ones can even stink at defence and be hidden.

Dick is going to be given every shot imaginable to be the first wing off Rajakovic’s bench, but right now Ochai Agbaji is just miles ahead of him as an NBA player (the other leading option, Ja’Kobe Walter didn’t show a lot in the opener after an eye-opening Summer League in Las Vegas).

How about the summer’s big addition?

Mamukelashvili made a strong first impression. Building off a big summer of international competition for Georgia, Mamukelashvili showed his range with three three-point makes on five attempts, but also made a nice driving bank shot on Jokic, another layup and a dunk.

Mamukelashvili also grabbed six rebounds in his 22 minutes off the bench (head coach Darko Rajakovic elected to stick with his planned rotation, inserting Jonathan Mogbo as a placeholder at starting centre for Poeltl).

Mamukelashvili’s rep is as a talented stretch big man with limited defensive abilities, but against Denver he battled at the other end too and had some intriguing moments.

A savvy pickup by general manager Bobby Webster.

@WolstatSun