Toronto Raptors’ two-way Jared Rhoden underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder and will be out for four to six months, the team announced on Tuesday.
The third-year wing was in the midst of a career-best stretch at the NBA level when he appeared to injure the shoulder in the third quarter of the Raptors’ final home game against the Charlotte Hornets. Rhoden was attempting to box out Taj Gibson when his arm was pulled awkwardly and he recoiled in pain grabbing at his right shoulder. While he was clearly labouring and favouring the shoulder, Rhoden continued to play 14 of the game’s final 17 minutes, going a perfect four-for-four from the field in the fourth for 10 points and finishing with a team-high 23.
Rhoden, 25, averaged 11.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.9 steals in 21.5 minutes over 10 games with the Raptors – all career-highs – and made his first two career starts. This included a career-high 25 point-12 rebound performance against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 12 for his first NBA double-double and a G League career-high 40 points against the 76ers affiliate, the Delaware Bluecoats, on March 29.
Despite these explosive scoring performances, it’s the defensive side of the floor where Rhoden stands out most. He referred to defence as his “main calling card” after setting that career-high in points against the 76ers.
“I just think my main focus is really on defence,” said Rhoden. “Just showcasing that I can guard the point guard, switch onto four-men and just be a physical defender out there. Giving Quickley, Scottie and all those guys breaks when they need them. You know that’s my job, that’s my role. And I’m ready to do all the intangible things.”
Head coach Darko Rajaković noticed Rhoden’s defensive acumen.
“He’s showing he’s got very long arms; he’s doing a really good job on ball being really disruptive, comes up with winning possessions for us,” said Rajaković after the same 76ers game.
With the 905, Rhoden averaged 19.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals, while often guarding opposing team’s best players and showing the ability to defend multiple positions.
As Rhoden was given a two-year two-way deal, he is set to be back with the Raptors organization next season. Given the recovery time indicated, he will miss Summer League, and potentially even the start of training camp and the pre-season if the process ends up being on the longer end. This is an unfortunate setback for a player who has shown promise in multiple areas on the floor. But Rhoden still should be ready to play sometime in October at the latest where he will be a leader for the 905 and a potential depth contributor for the Raptors.
