Category: Toronto Raptors Blog

The Toronto Raptors have waived forwards Josh Jackson, D.J. Wilson and Gabe Brown.

Jackson, 6-foot-8, 194 pounds, appeared in four preseason games, averaging 6.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 13.1 minutes. He scored in double figures twice in preseason action, including 13 points at Boston on Oct. 5. Jackson holds career averages of 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 23.1 minutes in 291 games with Phoenix, Memphis, Detroit and Sacramento through five NBA seasons (2017-22).

Wilson, 6-foot-10, 228 pounds, posted averages of 6.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 10.2 minutes in four preseason contests. In five seasons (2017-22), Wilson is averaging 4.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 12.3 minutes in 146 games with Milwaukee, Houston, and Toronto.

Brown, 6-foot-8, 207 pounds, averaged 4.0 points, 1.0 rebounds and 9.6 minutes in four preseason games. He signed with the Raptors as an undrafted free agent in the summer after four seasons at Michigan State (2018-22), where he was selected to the All-Big Ten Third Team as a senior.

Toronto’s roster now stands at the league maximum 15 players, with two two-way players.

Preseason around the league ends tonight. As for the Raptors, here’s the Toronto Star:

There really wasn’t much any of the players fighting for the final Raptors roster spot could have done here Friday night.

It will be the overall body of work — a combination of practices and games and scrimmages — that will determine who’ll end up on the team and who’ll be seeking employment elsewhere, likely on Saturday.

“I think they’re all pretty well aware that they need to have good performances. This one’s probably not any different than any of them,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said before Toronto finished its pre-season with a 137-134 victory over the Boston Celtics in overtime at the Bell Centre.

With Pascal Siakam rested, O.G. Anunoby had a dominant offensive game and led the Raptors with 32 points in 29 minutes. Scottie Barnes was more aggressive than in the first four pre-season games and finished with 25 points.

And the Boston Herald:

On a strange night at a buzzing Bell Centre in Montreal, the Celtics coach got a good test but was probably glad it was just a tune-up. Jayson Tatum was given a rare preseason ejection, Malcolm Brogdon left the game hurt and the Celtics couldn’t overcome O.G. Anunoby’s 32 points and Scottie Barnes’ 25 in a 137-134 overtime loss to the Raptors, though Mazzulla has plenty to process before Tuesday’s opener…

With less than a minute to play in the third quarter, Tatum – who had already been assessed one technical foul earlier in the period – picked up a routine personal foul but picked up his second technical foul and was ejected after appearing to wave off an official sarcastically. That kicked off a confusing sequence in which Williams also got a technical and the Celtics were given another technical for a delay of game because Tatum didn’t leave the floor right away.

Toronto Raptors guard Malachi Flynn has undergone a procedure to correct a fracture to his left cheekbone.

The injury occurred in the third quarter of Sunday’s preseason game in Edmonton vs. Utah. After examination by doctors and clearing concussion protocol, Flynn returned to the game. He underwent additional specialized imagery after his return to Toronto, which revealed a small fracture.

Flynn will wear a face shield upon his return to the court, which is anticipated before the start of the regular season.

The Toronto Raptors have signed forward Josh Jackson.

Jackson, 6-foot-8, 207 pounds, averaged 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 16.3 minutes in 51 games (three starts) last season with Detroit and Sacramento. He shot 40 percent (120-300) from the field and scored in double figures 13 times, highlighted by a season-best 24 points (9-13 FG, 5-7 3PT, 1-1 FT) Jan. 3 at Milwaukee.

A native of San Diego, California, Jackson was picked fourth overall by Phoenix in the 2017 NBA Draft. He holds career averages of 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 23.1 minutes in 291 games (92 starts) with Phoenix, Memphis, Detroit and Sacramento. Through five NBA seasons, he is shooting .416 (1222-2939) from the floor and has recorded nine double-doubles.

Prior to being drafted, Jackson played one season (2016-17) at the University of Kansas, averaging 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 30.8 minutes in 35 games (all starts). For his efforts, Jackson earned All-Big 12 First Team honours and was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

The Toronto Raptors have signed center Christian Koloko to a multi-year contract.

Koloko, 7-foot-1, 230 pounds, was picked 33rd overall by the Raptors in the 2022 NBA Draft. He started in all five games at the NBA 2022 2K23 Summer League averaging 7.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, a team-high 2.2 blocks, 1.8 steals and 22.0 minutes.

During three seasons at the University of Arizona, he averaged 7.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 17.9 minutes in 91 career games (56 starts) with the Wildcats. He shot 59 percent (262-439) from the field and left Arizona ranked fifth in school history with 162 career blocks.

As a junior last season, Koloko posted averages of 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 blocks (led the Pac-12) and 25.4 minutes in 37 games (all starts). He shot .635 (193-288) from the floor, scored 20+ points six times and recorded 10 double-doubles. Koloko was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and was an All-Pac-12 First Team selection. He became the first player in conference history to be named Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player in the same season. Koloko also tied Arizona’s single-season record with 102 total blocks.

A native of Douala, Cameroon, the same hometown as Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Koloko participated in the 2017 Basketball Without Borders Africa and the 2018 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp.

The Toronto Raptors have signed forward Gabe Brown.

Brown, 6-foot-8, 215 pounds, was selected to the All-Big Ten Third Team last season after averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 28.9 minutes in 36 games (all starts) as a senior at Michigan State. He shot .428 (143-334) from the field, including .382 (73-191) from three-point range, and scored in double figures 26 times with three 20-point outings. Brown scored a season-high 24 points (7-17 FG, 6-13 3PT, 4-4 FT) Dec. 29 vs. High Point.

A native of Ypsilanti, Michigan, Brown averaged 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 20.1 minutes in 124 career games (57 starts) during four seasons (2018-22) with the Spartans.

The Toronto Raptors have signed guard Jeff Dowtin Jr. to a two-way contract.

Dowtin, 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, joined the Raptors for the NBA 2K23 Summer League where he averaged 16.0 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 28.1 minutes in four games (all starts). He shot .571 (24-42) from the field, including .364 (4-11) from three-point range.

A native of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Dowtin played in nine NBA games last season for Golden State, Milwaukee and Orlando, averaging 2.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He appeared in 37 regular season games over two years in the NBA G League for the Lakeland Magic and Wisconsin Herd, averaging 15.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.8 minutes played. He helped the Lakeland Magic win the 2021 NBA G League Championship.

Prior to going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft, Dowtin spent his entire college career at the University of Rhode Island where he averaged 13.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 35.6 minutes starting in all 29 games played in his final season.