The Toronto Raptors roster is nearly complete as the much-anticipated 2018-19 season approaches.
The team has a deep pool of potential starters and an even deeper bench rotation in place, centred around newcomer Kawhi Leonard and the near-complete cast of characters returning from last season’s 59-win roster.
The team traded centre Jakob Poeltl as part of the Leonard-DeMar DeRozan deal, and earlier this summer chose not to re-sign free agent centre Lucas Nogueira.
Regardless of whether or not first-year head coach Nick Nurse plans to utilize Serge Ibaka at centre or not, those departures leave a minor void at the centre position, one that team president Masai Ujiri and his front office are looking to fill via free agency, where they have up to $5.3 million available via the mid-level exception.
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A report over the weekend linked the team to veteran big man Greg Monroe, but on Monday a report from Hoops Hype‘s Alex Kennedy indicated that the Raps are casting a wider net in their big man search, working out Thomas Robinson and Christian Wood, among others.
Robinson was a former Kansas standout who was drafted fifth overall in 2012 by the Sacramento Kings. Traded to the Houston Rockets in his rookie year after 51 games, he’s struggled to find success in his NBA career thus far, appearing for six teams in five seasons.
A strong finisher at the rim and determined rebounder — Robinson has averaged 12.9 rebounds per 36 minutes — he spent last season playing in Russia for BC Khimki where he averaged 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds.
Forward Thomas Robinson @Trobinson0 is one of the top scorers and rebounders in @EuroLeague he had 19pts & 10 rebs in last night win! pic.twitter.com/aQOZBO5PAg
— Swish Cultures (@swishcultures) October 22, 2017
Christian Wood didn’t come out of college with the same hype as Robinson, going undrafted after two seasons at UNLV.
Listed at 6-foot-11 and 220 pounds, Wood is a physical player who has had a cup of coffee in the NBA, appearing in 30 games between 2015-17.
Wood has found tremendous success in the NBA’s G League, where he’s averaged 20.6 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks over the past three seasons. Last season playing for Delaware, he averaged 23.3 points on 54 per cent shooting to go along with 10.4 boards and 1.8 blocks per game.
He parlayed that success to this year’s Summer League in Las Vegas, where he destroyed rims and picked up First Team honours in the process:
Christian Wood @Chriswood_5 was a Dunkaholic all Summer League on his way to being named All-NBA First Team in Vegas #NBASummerLeague pic.twitter.com/SGjhuEekvL
— Draft Lead (@DraftLead) July 22, 2018
Whether or not Robinson, Wood, or any players the Raptors scout in August are signed outright or invited to training camp, expect another big body to join the team and occupy a role coming off the bench by the time next season begins.
