Raptors 905 acquired some reinforcements Wednesday, adding Kuran Iverson and Chris Flemmings from the G League player pool.
The 905 make this move as their roster is woefully thin for the next while. Not only did the 905 lose Kyle Wiltjer during training camp and Edy Tavares in the season’s first week, but Kaza Keane (Canada) and Kennedy Meeks (USA) will miss the next two weeks representing their respective countries in FIBA World Cup qualifiers. With Alfonzo McKinnie recalled to the Toronto Raptors as Norman Powell insurance, the 905 were down to just 10 bodies prior to the moves. Of those, three – Malcolm Miller, Negus Webster-Chan, and Roger Moute a Bidias – have yet to play this year due to injury.
The additions are for depth and additional bodies in practice, but with only seven healthy players as of this writing, it’s a good opportunity for both Iverson and Flemmings to make an impression. The 905 could opt to keep one of them even after Keane and Meeks return, as they had an open roster spot before the FIBA allowance.
Iverson may be a familiar name to college basketball fans. Originally a Memphis recruit, Allen Iverson’s cousin was dismissed after two seasons due to disciplinary reasons, then landed at Rhode Island. He enjoyed a bit more success there, playing an expanded role and even getting on the radar enough to earn some pre-draft workouts this summer, though he ultimately failed to break camp with the G League’s Wisconsin Herd.
A 6-foot-9 power forward, Iverson stands as one of the 905’s only natural bigs at the moment and could be leaned on for rebounding off the bench. He posted a 15.8-percent rebound rate over his two seasons with Rhode Island, and while he didn’t score efficiently in a relatively high-usage role, he flashed some nice passing ability from inside and at the elbow. He should also provide some semblance of rim protection and could see minutes as a small-ball five.
Flemmings was the seventh overall pick in this year’s G League draft, but the Maine Red Claws, who had acquired him on draft night, moved on quickly, cutting him after camp. A 6-foot-5 guard, Flemmings could fit in with the 905’s backcourt rotation and their style of play defensively. He posted solid steal and block rates across four college seasons and brings enough length to play the wing, versatility that should really help with a thinned out depth chart.
After two years at Barton, Flemmings sat out a season to transfer to UNC Wilmington. His numbers stayed fairly steady after the move, and he finished his four-year career averaging 15.5 points on 60.7-percent true shooting. He shot the ball extremely well from outside early in his college time and settled in as a mid-30s shooter at Wilmington, and if that stroke can translate, it’s another area he’ll be able to help the 905 out, especially since he’d be playing primarily off the ball.
Here’s how the 905 depth chart looks:
PG: Lorenzo Brown, Chris Flemmings
SG: Aaron Best, Kethan Savage, (Negus Webster-Chan)
SF: Davion Berry, (Roger Moute a Bidias)
PF: Richard Amardi, Kuran Iverson, (Malcolm Miller)
C: Bruno Caboclo, Andre Washington
NBA: Alfonzo McKinnie
FIBA: Kaza Keane, Kennedy Meeks
Injured: Malcolm Miller, Negus Webster-Chan, Roger Moute a Bidias
