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Raptors assign Bennett, Wright, and Caboclo to D-League

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The Toronto Raptors have assigned Anthony Bennett, Delon Wright, and Bruno Caboclo to Raptors 950 of the D-League, the team announced.

It’s been a while since the Raptors assigned anyone, as both senior and junior clubs have been on extended road trips, making logistics difficult. The shuttle from London to Sioux Falls is much longer than the one from Toronto to Mississauga, after all.

With both teams finally home for a spell, the Raptors can resume Caboclo’s development with the 905 while also getting Bennett and Wright some extended playing time. The 905 are only home for one game before heading back on the road until Jan. 27, so it’s possible this is the only time a non-Caboclo player will be assigned during the Raptors’ seven-game home-stand. The benefit of a close affiliate is lost some when the D-League team is out of town, and general manager Dan Tolzman told Raptors Republic recently that the organization had only really plotted out their assignment strategy as far as the team’s London trip.

In any case, it’s a good chance for Bennett and Wright. Bennett hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since Dec. 22 and played just five minutes in a D-League game on New Year’s Eve due to a back issue, so this will be his first opportunity to play actual basketball in nearly a month. He initially asked for his first assignment, but he hasn’t played enough minutes to really get a feel for his development. This will be a nice chance for me, then, too. Wright saw garbage minutes three times in the last two weeks, but in total he’s played just six minutes since being recalled on Jan. 2. In 10 D-League games, he’s averaged 17.9 points and seven assists with a 61.9 true-shooting percentage and a 21.2 player efficiency rating. He’s looked too advanced for that level on offense, but his defense has surprisingly been a bit of an issue, especially in the pick-and-roll. There’s always room for growth, it turns out.

Cabcolo, by the way, is averaging 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 17 D-League games. He’s shooting 36.3 percent from the floor, 28.7 percent on threes, and getting to the line 2.9 times per-game. The most important number? 549. That’s the number of minutes he’s played, blowing away the most he’d played at any level prior. His play has been up-and-down as expected, but zooming out, he’s coming along. Even if he occasionally looks however long from being however far away, he’s made big strides since the start of the season. He’s not even close to the same guy, particularly on defense. It’s been encouraging, so don’t lose patience.

The 905 host the Westchester Knicks tonight. We’ll have a recap after the game, though I’m off tonight, so I won’t be tuning in until tomorrow morning.