Raptors 905 announced Friday that they have acquired Shevon Thompson from the Lakeland Magic in exchange for the returning player rights to Scott Suggs.
With a roster thinned out by the losses of Kyle Wiltjer and Edy Tavares and the FIBA participation of Kaza Keane and Kennedy Meeks, the 905 had an open roster spot even after signing a pair of players out of the player pool Wednesday.
Thompson transferred from Harcum to George Mason after two seasons and turned in two solid campaigns there. He went undrafted in 2016 after averaging 11.2 points, 11 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 56.5 percent over his George Mason career. He was selected in the second round of the 2016 D-League draft and appeared in 17 games for the Erie Bayhawks, averaging 12.1 points and 7.5 rebounds. A 7-foot center from Jamaica, Thompson had yet to play for Lakeland this season.
Suggs was selected by the 905 in the 2015 expansion draft and owns the team’s single-season record for points in a season. His 2015-16 campaign saw him win the D-League Sportsmanship Award and earn an All-Star nod. He spent last season playing in Spain and is currently playing in Italy. This represents a pretty low cost for the 905 to add some depth considering their rights to Suggs expire at the end of this season.
Here’s how the 905 depth chart looks after the fortification:
PG: (Lorenzo Brown), Chris Flemmings
SG: Aaron Best, Kethan Savage, (Negus Webster-Chan)
SF: Davion Berry, (Roger Moute a Bidias)
PF: (Alfonzo McKinnie), Richard Amardi, Kuran Iverson, (Malcolm Miller)
C: (Bruno Caboclo), Andre Washington, Shevon Thompson
NBA: Alfonzo McKinnie, Bruno Caboclo, Lorenzo Brown
FIBA: Kaza Keane, Kennedy Meeks
Injured: Malcolm Miller, Negus Webster-Chan, Roger Moute a Bidias
The Raptors also announced Friday that they have recalled Alfonzo McKinnie and Bruno Caboclo from the 905. McKinnie had only been sent down for practice earlier in the day, while Caboclo’s addition is the usual up-and-down that occurs when both teams are at home. Both players could be active against the Knicks with Norman Powell doubtful and Serge Ibaka questionable. The team will also recall Lorenzo Brown, who was present at shootaround, at some point. Brown’s a different case than McKinnie and Caboclo, as he’s now using up clock on the 45 days he can spend on an NBA roster this season, a necessary move to solidify the team’s point guard depth with Delon Wright out with a dislocated shoulder.
All three players have been playing well for the 3-2 905, who are in action again Saturday at 2 p.m. With the Raptors at home again Sunday, you could conceivably see all three players assigned after tonight’s game and then recalled Sunday.
