The All-Star break is right around the corner and while the Toronto Raptors won’t be featured at the main event on Sunday, there will be representation during the weekend’s festivities.
Aside from sophomore Gradey Dick taking part in Saturday’s Rising Stars showcase — although that’s no certainty as he deals with a neck contusion — Canada’s A.J. Lawson will also be in San Francisco for the NBA G League’s Up Next game, representing Raptors 905. The Brampton, Ont. native was one of 28 players chosen to participate in the event at 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT on Feb. 16.
“Super excited,” Lawson said of the selection on the day it was announced, and right after dropping 30 points on 6-of-10 shooting from distance in a 122-112 home win over the Birmingham Squadron. “I’m super blessed … I just can’t wait to go.”
The 24-year-old signed a two-way deal with the Raptors in December, and while NBA time has been limited to just four games, he’s made an impact with the 905. Lawson is averaging a team-high 19.4 points during 17 regular season appearances with 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals on 46.0/39.2/64.8 per cent shooting splits.
Despite a slender six-foot-six, 179-pound frame, the guard has been fearless in getting to the basket.
“I’m just being aggressive, I feel like my athleticism is going to carry me forward a little bit,” Lawson explained when asked about his propensity to play above the rim and chase highlight reel finishes.
(on a side note: If you’re interested in a deeper dive into Lawson’s game, Coty Wiles will be breaking down film of the 905 standout on the Raptors’ Republic YouTube channel in the coming days.)
Lawson, like the humble Canadian he is, credited his teammates for much of his success. Head coach Drew Jones echoed that sentiment, saying that “whenever a guy gets an individual accolade, I think it’s always representative of what we do as a team.”
And speaking of the 905, they’ve done an about-face since being given a clean slate. Going from a 5-11 record during the Tip-Off tournament portion of the schedule to now 11-6 during the regular season, good for joint-second in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, look up at the big club and the outlook’s been pretty different. The Raptors are 16-37, 13th in the East and just sold off a handful of contributing veterans at the trade deadline. Those moves not only left more minutes for rookies Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo and recently converted Jamison Battle — all of whom spent time with the 905 this year — but also left Toronto with an open roster spot. Maybe even two should they waive P.J. Tucker.
Could two-ways like Lawson, Ulrich Chomche and now Orlando Robinson, or even a few of the other 905 regulars get some minutes NBA minutes with the Raptors?
Although Lawson has been a dynamic offensive engine for the Mississauga squad, Toronto isn’t exactly in need of that. What the Raps do require is defensive versatility, size and an interior presence. Especially after they shipped off Kelly Olynyk to New Orleans and while Jakob Poeltl battles a lingering hip injury. And with all due respect to Lawson, he doesn’t quite check those boxes.
So, who else from the 905 could step in and step up for the Raptors through the final third of the campaign? Let’s take a look.
Jared Rhoden
The Raptors have been fans of the guard’s game going back to the summer. They signed the 25-year-old to an Exhibit 10 deal for training camp and waived him with the intention of Rhoden making his way to the 905 roster.
Plans changed, however, when Charlotte buzzed in and claimed him off waivers on a two-way deal. But once the Hornets waived Rhoden at the end of November, the Raptors wasted no time bringing him back into the fold.
And since re-joining the organization, the guard has been an undeniable contributor. Rhoden has averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals through 16 games on 50.8/45.7/57.1 per cent shooting splits. He ranks third on the 905 for scoring, rebounding, blocks and field goal attempts. Rhoden is also second on the team in two-point attempts per game and sixth in assists.
His impact isn’t limited to the offensive end either as he takes complete advantage of his six-foot-six, 210-pound frame. Rhoden’s 0.6 defensive win shares rank second on the 905, while his individual defensive rating is third, only behind Chomche and Mogbo.
The Seton Hall product has also stepped up while the likes of Battle and Mogbo are with the big club. In two games without the rookie pairing, Rhoden has averaged 19.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, two steals and a block while nailing 54 per cent of his triples.
Whether it’s with Toronto or another team, expect Rhoden to garner interest at the NBA level down the closing stretch of the season.
Frank Kaminsky
For those who haven’t watched a ton of 905 hoops this season, yes this is Wisconsin Badgers legend “Frank the Tank,” and yes, he’s still hooping.
The 31-year-old hasn’t played in the NBA since a cup of coffee with the Rockets in 2023. And although he did sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the Suns last season, Kaminsky was waived after training camp.
He joined the 905 in December for the conclusion of the Tip-Off tournament and has since played every regular season game for them while looking for a path back to the big leagues. Through 17 appearances he’s averaged 13.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 37.2 per cent from distance on more than four attempts.
The logic behind the former lottery pick seeing time with the Raptors is simple. The 7-footer would add much-needed size (and spacing) that’s sorely needed at the centre spot.
While Toronto did slot Robinson into Battle’s two-way slot, he doesn’t get a fresh 50 NBA games to work with. Prior to signing his three-year NBA deal, the Raptors’ rookie marksman dressed for 39 games, actually played in 35 and eight of those were for less than 10 minutes each. All that to say, Robinson was given a prorated 19 games to work with and he’s already used up two over the weekend. So, even if he played every game moving forward, there’d still be 10 games the Raptors would presumably be without a backup centre. There’s also the caveat that Toronto collectively gets 90 games for its three two-way slots unless that 15th roster spot is filled. So far, they’ve used up just over 40 altogether (huge shoutout to Raptors/905 guru Blake Murphy for helping me make sense of all the convoluted details).
Going back to Kaminsky, if Toronto is looking for roster continuity, he would not only provide height like Robinson but also fill Olynyk’s shoes pretty snugly. Like Captain Canada, the 7-footer operates primarily out of mid/high post looks to create on offence and is comfortable stepping out and letting it fly from beyond the arc. However, also like Olynyk, he’s not a stout defender or rebounder. When engaged and using his six-foot-11 wingspan, Kaminsky can rack up some blocks but that’s about it. Still, there’s enough there given the Raptors’ lack of depth at centre to at least consider giving him a look.
Ulrich Chomche
The youngest player in the NBA has come a long way these past couple of months. Before long, he won’t even hold that distinction anymore as a new crop of rookies join the league! And Chomche has grown tremendously (not in size, he was already a giant) since joining the Raptors organization as the 57th overall pick.
While the 19-year-old was already a stout defender — averaging 2.9 blocks per game during the regular season, third-most in the G League — his confidence on that end has leveled up. He now routinely steps out of the painted area to challenge shiftier/speedier players. While he’s not immune to getting blown by, Chomche’s gotten better at utilizing his six-foot-10 frame and albatross-like seven-foot-four wingspan, not just around the rim but also on the perimeter.
Another positive development is how much more he’s communicating defensively. Again, the uptick in confidence is palpable. At the start of the year, I would’ve described Chomche as more of a shadow, and not just because of how he’d be following opponents everywhere. Now he’s barking out orders from the backline (not often, but enough to notice) and has established himself as an interior presence in more ways than one.
The Cameroonian youngster has played all 17 regular season contests for the 905 thus far and leads the squad with a 109 defensive rating and defensive win shares all while maintaining an astronomical 10.9 per cent block rate.
He’s taken steps forward on offence as well. Simply put, Chomche’s doing more and has participated more often at that end of the floor since the end of the Tip-Off tournament. His average field goal attempts (5.2) have gone up and there’s been a near-three-point bump in scoring to 8.0 per game. Meanwhile, his offensive rating has jumped up by six points and is over the 100 points per 100 possessions mark now (11th on the team). Not eye-popping stuff but the increased activity is both noticed and welcomed.
All that to say, while Chomche is more involved on offence, it’s not beyond the usual cleaning-up of misses or catching passes from the dunker’s spot — aside from the occasional push shot around five feet of the basket — and not nearly to a point of meaningful impact at that end (like his defence).
Which is why I’m not convinced there needs to be a push for NBA minutes just yet. The odd stint or two, sure. But his G League experience is going exactly as intended. He’s been a “sponge” as coach Jones described it, soaking up knowledge with each rep and squeezing out every last drip of learning he’s collected. No need to rush.
“Thank you” 10-day hopefuls
Think of this like the Kobi Simmons or Justise Winslow signings last season. Very much a “we appreciate your service” gesture. It’s also a way for me to highlight other players who have been important to the 905 this year.
Starting with Kennedy Chandler. The guard has been a steadying presence for Mississauga’s squad, averaging 10.8 points, 5.6 assists and 1.4 steals while knocking down 37 per cent of his triples in 22.6 minutes a game. Doing all that despite a constantly shifting role.
He began the year in a starting backcourt pairing with DJ Carton (who was let go not long after). Then he was the lead ball-handler for a handful of games but eventually took a back seat while the Raptors looked to get Shead and Walter more reps. Now he’s the team’s go-to guard off the bench, manning the second unit for all but one of his 17 regular season appearances. Jones explained the move as letting Chandler play his natural style while Evan Gilyard can take on the play-making burdens of the starting unit.
Despite the switch up, and playing nearly eight fewer minutes per game, Chandler leads the team in assists and steals. And when he’s not setting up others, the diminutive guard has been a relentless scorer with no fear of getting to the cup. Despite a five-foot-11 frame, he squeezes between defenders to find all sorts of shot angles and is lightning-fast in transition (my favourite part to watch). His impact is clear, ranking fifth on the team for both offensive and defensive rating, and third in win shares.
There’s also a nice narrative to Chandler getting a 10-day as he and Dick were teammates in high school. The two led a “super team” in Wichita, Kan. at Sunrise Christian Academy that some considered the best high school squad of 2021. Chandler was a consensus five-star recruit back then and one of the top point guards in his class. An NBA reunion for the duo could be fun.
Another player worth mentioning is Quincey Guerrier. Like Chandler, his role has shifted quite a bit with the in-and-out nature of the Raptors’ rookies. He went from averaging the second-most minutes (31.9) on the 905 through the Tip-Off tournament, to playing half as much time during the regular season. But the Montreal native has been reliable no matter the hand he’s been dealt.
Through 13 games, Guerrier has averaged 8.1 points, and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 37.5 per cent from distance. Jones has routinely described the 25-year-old as a “leader” for the team and he’s about as plug-and-play as it gets on the wing.
While Lawson and Eugene Omoruyi (who already signed a 10-day with Toronto in January) have been shown some love by the organization, I wouldn’t mind the longest-tenured Canadian on the 905 being treated similarly.
