The Raptors could desperately use more bench scoring, and the veteran guard could be the perfect fit.
Heading into the 2026-27 NBA season, the Toronto Raptors are looking to get back to championship contention for the first time since 2019. After acquiring the Finals MVP from the franchise’s first championship, seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard, they should be viewed as one of the top defenses in the league. The two-time DPOY is joined by Scottie Barnes, who just finished fifth in the DPOY voting last season, along with Second-Team All-Rookie selection Collin Murray-Boyles, in the aggressive, physical scheme initiated by head coach Darko Rajakovic.
The defense was pretty spectacular last season, but the Raptors struggled in a couple of areas that led to their first-round playoff exit against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In particular, there were three that came in different forms of consistently scoring the basketball: half-court scoring, fourth-quarter scoring, and bench scoring. The hope is that Leonard will solve the issues in the fourth quarter and half-court, but it’s unknown whether the additions of rookie first-round pick Allen Graves or veteran forward Kyle Anderson will be able to eliminate the final problem. Murray-Boyles and Ja’Kobe Walter should hopefully take significant leaps offensively, but the Raptors still lack a true leader who can go score at any given moment off the bench.
Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (14) and forward/center Collin Murray-Boyles (12) | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Luckily for Toronto, it appears the stars are aligning just before media day. Former All-Star D’Angelo Russell was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, and the veteran guard may be desperate to find a team with the preseason so close. The 11-year veteran has bounced from team to team recently, largely due to his lackluster defense. Russell was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Brooklyn Nets in December of 2024, before signing with the Dallas Mavericks in the following offseason. Last season, he was traded to the Washington Wizards alongside 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis at the midseason deadline, before again being traded to Memphis just under three months ago.
It’s been a rough go over the past few seasons for the former No. 2 pick in the 2015 NBA draft. However, that doesn’t mean he’s incapable of getting back to great basketball. At his best, he averaged 21.1 points per game with the Nets in 81 games played, and while he may never get as many consistent touches again, he can be that No. 1 option off the bench in Toronto. With so many dynamic defenders around him, the Raptors can choose to switch or not to keep him out of defensive actions. General manager Bobby Webster has been deliberate in his desire for exceptional two-way players, but if there’s a scenario where the Raptors can sign Russell to a team-friendly deal, it could be a low-risk, high-reward situation to fill the final standard contract just before training camp.
