The Toronto Raptors have assigned Lucas Nogueira, Delon Wright, and Bruno Caboclo to Raptors 905 of the D-League, the team announced.
All three are expected to play Saturday for the 905’s 2 p.m. tip-off. It’s likely that at least Nogueira and Wright will be recalled for Sunday’s Raptors game, as the 905 will head to Santa Cruz for the D-League showcase some time early next week. Caboclo may or may not travel with the 905 for that two-game event, as plans weren’t firmed up as of Wednesday.
Caboclo’s re-assignment isn’t surprising, nor is the absence of Anthony Bennett, who is dealing with a sore lower back. That left the choice between Nogueira, Wright, and Norman Powell, with the Raptors deeming the third-string center in need of minutes. The team can only assign three players at a time, so one had to stay behind, and Powell’s been the most regular fixture there of late. Instead of playing 30 to 40 minutes Saturday, he’ll practice with the parent club.
Nogueira’s assignment is perhaps most intriguing, as he seemed a bit too advanced for that level in a two-game stint earlier in the year, then had a solid stretch of play when Jonas Valanciunas went down. Since then, Nogueira’s mostly played spot-duty if at all, and his play has been uneven. As with many of these assignments, it’s probably a case of the Raptors wanting him to get extended live-game action to ensure he’s game-ready if called upon.
Wright, meanwhile, is averaging 16.2 points, five rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.4 steals with a 61.8 true shooting percentage in nine games with the D-League.
