Raptors 905 announced Wednesday that they have added Roger Moute a Bidias as a FIBA replacement player.
The 905 are down Kaza Keane and Aaron Best for at least the next three games as they suit up for Canada in FIBA qualifiers. During the last round of qualification, the 905 lost Keane and Kennedy Meeks, and then-replacement player Kuran Iverson wound up sticking with the team. (Chris Flemmings was also added as a replacement player but subsequently waived.)
Moute a Bidias was invited to training camp as a local tryout player, cracking the opening-day roster. A knee strain kept him sidelined until late November, at which point the 905 opted to waive him instead of Iverson with a post-FIBA roster crunch coming. Presumably now healthy, the 905 could get a look at a player they were interested enough in to keep on the roster while rehabbing for a month of the season. The brother of Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Moute a Bidias is coming off of four seasons at Cal where he showed potential as a long, versatile defender in a minor role. He has not been playing professionally since being waived by the 905.
The 905 still technically have a spot open for another replacement player, but with Alfonzo McKinnie and Malachi Richardson on assignment and the G League trade deadline taking place tomorrow, they may opt to keep it open to see what shakes out over the next 24 hours.
Moute a Bidias will have a chance to make his G League debut later tonight when the 905 host Erie at Hershey Centre. The 905 are in action again on Saturday in Westchester and then Sunday at the Air Canada Centre.
In other news, Lorenzo Brown remains out with a left ankle sprain for Wednesday’s game. Brown suffered the injury on Feb. 12, and while it’s not believed to be serious, he was in a walking boot as a precaution. There’s little sense to rush him back with two more off days coming ahead of a back-to-back and with the parent club Raptors potentially needing him down the stretch.
