Run down the expected Toronto Raptors rotation and the names come fast and furious.

Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet.

Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.

OG Anunoby and Norm Powell and new guys such as Matt Thomas and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Stanley Johnson.

And then coach Nick Nurse is wrapping up a post-practice scrum at Laval University and he tosses out a name as someone perhaps unexpectedly among the regulars who’ll start the season.

Patrick McCaw.

The 23-year-old guard, something of an NBA good-luck charm after championships in each of his three seasons, is being counted on to be a regular in the rotation right off the bat.

“Pat, to me, is part of the group,” the coach said. “He is part of the eight guys I would say: Don’t be surprised if he runs out there as a starter.”

That’s a big step up for McCaw, who has to put behind him a disappointing 2018-19 season.

He appeared in only 26 games with Toronto after being signed in early January and averaged fewer than 14 minutes and 2.7 points per game. His playoff run was even more disappointing, and marred by the tragic death of his brother during the Eastern Conference final. McCaw appeared in only 11 of 24 playoff games — he did make a monstrous three-pointer at a key juncture of Game 1 of the NBA Finals against Golden State — and averaged fewer than five minutes.

But he showed enough, and holds enough promise, that Nurse is counting on him.

“He plays, he’s got speed, guys love playing with him, he can direct-line drive it,” the coach said. “His shooting looks like it has improved a lot, but you never really know until the lights come on with that stuff.

“To me, I feel good about throwing him out there as a starter, so that’s a pretty high spot for him to be in, I would say.”

McCaw signed a three-year deal worth about $4 million U.S. per season after he was waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He began last season in a bit of a contract dispute with the Warriors, unwilling to accept a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, and signed with the Cavs in large part just to restart his career.

The native of St. Louis sees this coming season as a chance to really fit in.

“I think for me, I’m getting more comfortable,” he said early in training camp. “I’ve formed a better relationship with a lot of the players. It feels like a different year for me, only because I’m sort of a new guy as well.

“I’m just excited to see what this season holds for us, and our mindset is still the same: Go out there and compete and play at the highest level.”

There’s definitely a role for McCaw to seize if he’s up to it. While his shot needs some work, he’s a disruptive defender who can guard two or three positions. He’s quick and long and can sneak into passing lanes out of nowhere. A three-guard rotation of him, Lowry and VanVleet would check off a lot of boxes for Nurse, who greatly appreciates positional versatility.

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McCaw played primarily as a point guard in Thursday’s intrasquad scrimmage in Quebec and didn’t look out of place. The fact that he’s of the same generation as several other young Raptors still finding their way allows him to fit in well, too.

He just seems more at ease than he was in the first six months of his Raptors tenure.

“We’re all around the same age, so when we’re practising and playing five-on-five, guys are competing, talking a little smack and making it fun to go out there and play,” he said. “It’ll be exciting to see what the young guys bring, and I’m excited to help and contribute to their success as well.”

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