The Toronto Raptors may have to shell out if they want to retain one of their top bench producers.
Forward Sandro Mamukelashvili is set to decline his $2.8 million player option for the 2026-27 season and become a free agent, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday.
Mamukelashvili, 27, enjoyed a productive campaign as the Raptors' sixth man, averaging 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists — all career highs — while shooting 52.3 per cent from the field and 38.9 per cent from three-point range.
He joined the Raptors as a free agent last summer and played the most he has over his five-year career, suiting up in 80 games and averaging 21.9 minutes per night.
The Georgian international also got his first taste of playoff basketball, appearing in all seven of the Raptors' first-round games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging five points, five rebounds and one assist.
Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round in 2021, Mamukelashvili has 278 NBA games under his belt, split between the Bucks, Spurs and Raptors.
