No surprises here, as the team trims its roster to the required 15 with three 2-ways as the preseason comes to a close. Garrett Temple beat out Dowtin for the final roster spot on the main club, as the team seems to appreciate his veteran presence in the locker room.
For Mouhamadou Gueye and Justise Winslow, they are very likely to be 905-bound. Gueye has had an impressive preseason in which he has rebounded the ball brilliantly, cut and finished well, gotten to the free throw line, and won his minutes. He is raw, but he should be an impressive contributor to the 905. His only other year in the G League was last year playing with the Texas Legends.
Winslow will likely not be in the G League for very long. He will be there to prove to NBA teams that he’s once again ready to contribute at that level, and he’ll likely be one of the first call-ups. The Raptors do not have priority in calling up either player, as neither is on a 2-way contract.
Jeff Dowtin jr. will no longer be a Raptor. The 905 do not hold his contract rights. He has been impressive whenever he’s gotten on the court, whether under Nick Nurse or Darko Rajakovic, but the team simply doesn’t seem to have had him in their plans. He had few minutes in preseason, playing in only one game and totaling fewer minutes than anyone else on the roster. (Not that it matters, but he, of course, put together the best advanced stats on the team in those minutes.) He is a very strong defender, solid driver and finisher, and nifty passer. He has a strong midrange game, even if his 3-point jumper has never taken a leap.
Dowin may well go on to contribute for another NBA team, much like a series of players before him whom the Raptors have let go — such as Yuta Watanabe, Oshae Brissett, Gary Payton II, and others. He is a talented player and very much an NBA talent. He will never be a star, but he could go on to find a home in a rotation somewhere else. The Raptors were just not the right team for him.
