G League graduates making their mark
905ers move into rotation with starters sidelined
With a handful of weeks left in the regular season, the importance of the Raptors’ G League team is becoming clear as more players from the 905 are added to the roster and rotation.
The latest came Monday when Toronto announced the signing of forward Mouhamadou Gueye to a two-way contract. The 25-year-old averaged 14 points and nearly nine rebounds in 21 games with the Raptors 905.
It’s not clear if Gueye will be on the bench Tuesday when Toronto hosts the New
Orleans Pelicans (36-25), whose frontcourt of Zion Williamson and former Raptor
Jonas Valanciunas could prove problematic.
What is clear is that the Raptors (23-38) need support for their shrinking front court. After centre Jakob Poeltl left Sunday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets with a dislocated finger on his left hand, another two-way player who has spent time with the 905, Jontay Porter, was called upon to back up Kelly Olynyk.
There’s no timetable for Poeltl’s return. He and Bruce Brown are listed as out for Tuesday's game along with Scottie Barnes, who has been sidelined with a fractured left hand and had surgery Monday.
When Gueye starts playing, he’ll find some familiarity on the court.
“Mo Gueye is my guy,” rookie Gradey Dick said after practice Monday. Dick spent a few weeks earlier in the season with the Raptors 905 playing with Gueye, Porter and Javon Freeman-Liberty.
“He was one of the first guys I met. I feel like off the court we have a good little bond right there, so whenever I see him it’s just great.”
Dick’s time with the Raptors 905 has paid off as he has been shooting the ball at much better clip, making multiple three-pointers in 14 games this season. On Monday, Dick was named one of the nominees for rookie of the month in the Eastern Conference, won by Charlotte’s Brandon Miller.
Gueye’s contract comes just days after the Raptors announced they had converted Freeman-Liberty’s two-way deal into an NBA contract. Freeman-Liberty has been one of the best players in the G League this season, averaging 24 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 35 minutes a game.
Coach Darko Rajakovic pointed to the extended role of bench players on Sunday as an example of how responsibilities change when injuries pile up. Ochai Agbaji, starting in place of Barnes, played 32 minutes. Dick, Jordan Nwora and D.J. Carton (on his second 10-day contract) also got double-digit minutes.
“It’s a lot of guys that got an opportunity last night so it’s constantly evolving with us,” Rajakovic said. “I’m seeing guys being very connected and they really care about each other and really care about our team and our fans, and they want to go out there and compete to their best ability.”
NBA teams are allowed just three two-way players so to make room for Gueye, the Raptors waived Markquis Nowell, the five-footeight point guard who spent the season with the 905 and played one game with the NBA team.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania also reported Monday that Toronto would be signing guard Jahmi’us Ramsey to a 10-day contract. Ramsey was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round in 2020, and has spent this season playing with the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League.