The Toronto Raptors have apparently liked what they’ve seen from Orlando Robinson across the span of his two 10-day contracts, and are bringing the big man back on a more permanent basis.
The Raptors signed Robinson to a two-way contract on Friday according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. The moves comes after Toronto converted Jamison Battle to a standard NBA deal earlier in the day, opening up one of the team’s three two-way spots.
Robinson, 24, averaged 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 11.1 minutes over seven games while with the team as a 10-day. He started the season splitting time between the Sacramento Kings and their G League affiliate in Stockton, but missed the entire pre-season and the start of the regular season with an MCL sprain. Robinson played for the Miami Heat for his first two seasons in the league, averaging 3.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 10.9 minutes across 67 games including 8 starts.
The third-year centre fills a void on the roster after the Raptors dealt Canadian big man Kelly Olynyk to the Pelicans on Wednesday as part of the return for Brandon Ingram.
During his brief stint so far with the Raptors, the seven-footer has shown some strong instincts as a help defender, using his size and length to both deter drives and disrupt shots at the rim. Offensively, he has scored with both power moves and hook shots on post ups, and is able to provide some of the playmaking that the Raptors’ scheme asks of its big men.
“No, I got that, I can make plays like that,” Robinson told Sportsnet before the Raptors’ game against the Pelicans at the end of his first 10-day. “Especially I played a lot like that in college. I got double teamed all the time so I kind of had to develop skills – I mean I had the skills to pass – but I really had to get good at creating for myself and also my teammates.”
The Heat used him in a similar fashion at times – holding the ball and executing dribble-handoffs or making passing reads either in delay action or from the elbow.
Robinson will be eligible to play roughly 18 games for the Raptors as a two-way, and figures to also get minutes with the 905.
It stands to reason that the Raptors will give Robinson ample run as they continue to evaluate if the young centre will factor into their future plans. He will certainly have to be effective as a backline defender and facilitator if he is going to stick.
