Through one preseason game, the hype around the Toronto Raptors has slightly stalled. Widely viewed as a potential championship contender, the Raptors were somewhat underwhelming in their first exhibition match, falling 129-105 to the Miami Heat. To be clear, newly acquired seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard wasn’t in the lineup, so the Raptors were obviously missing a key asset on both ends. 

That didn’t stop fans from noticing very little change from last season. Poor shooting and a lack of real direction in half-court offense were glaring issues in 2026, and that remained against the impressive defense led by former DPOY Giannis Antetokounmpo and company. 

At the end of the day, training camp and preseason aren’t entirely to see how the team stacks up with other contenders. It’s to see which pieces work well together, what assets may be missing, and who can prove they deserve a bigger role than anticipated. Focusing on the last aspect, Exhibit 10 contracts were made for exactly this reason: to give players a chance to show a franchise throughout training camp and preseason that they belong on the roster. 

In Saturday night’s contest, only two Raptors on Exhibit 10 deals got playing time: Nimari Burnett and Tyreke Key. Both players got their fair share of opportunities (24 and 16 minutes played, respectively), but one was able to shine above more than just his counterpart. While Burnett totaled just six points on 2-for-10 shooting, including 1-for-8 from three, Key was on another level in Quebec City. Tying for the game-high in scoring with RJ Barrett (15), the 6-foot-2 point guard shot 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-7 from three. 

One Exhibit 10 player who gained some buzz when signed was Andre Jackson Jr. The former No. 36 pick in the 2023 NBA draft didn’t see his team option for this season picked up by the Milwaukee Bucks, and was signed by Toronto as a free agent. After not making an appearance in the Raptors’ lone preseason game thus far, general manager Bobby Webster decided to let the 24-year-old go so the franchise could instead sign Tyson Degenhart. 

The former Boise State Bronco went undrafted in 2025, but signed an Exhibit 10 deal last season before being waived before the start of the regular season. He then went on to compete with the Raptors 905 G League affiliate team. While Jackson Jr. was unable to make the cut for the official roster, he’ll now potentially have the opportunity to play for the 905 and make his way up to the varsity team down the road. With only four preseason games remaining, the core pieces will begin to play more and more minutes, so the opportunities for the Exhibit 10 players to prove their worth are dwindling.