Raptors Make Sneaky Good Signing...

The Toronto Raptors have made a sneaky good signing as Bobby Webster's been putting together the final pieces to this roster heading into training camp and of course preseason. And one question that a lot of Raptors fans have had is about the center position, who specifically is going to be backing up Jakob Hürtel to get consistent run at that backup seed position. And now there is another player involved, thrown out there in the mix for this role and has a lot better chance of actually making the roster than a guy like Colin Castleton did before he ended up getting away. So we're going to break down this recent signing, how it impacts all the training camp battles are going to be happening, and frankly, why this acquisition of Olivier Sarr is one that could actually have an impact and give him a chance at making the final team's roster. So lots of stuff to break down out here in this video. Before we do, folks, again, you guys have been supporting the channel a ton. Even though news has been a little bit more dry as of late. I appreciate all the support we can get out there on the channel. So if you want to join the community we're building here and you're a part of the over 53% of our viewers that haven't hit the subscribe button just yet, make sure you guys hit that subscribe button. We're delivering all the latest updates regarding this Toronto Raptors team. But let's dive into the news because we have a signing. We have a signing coming out of the center position for the Toronto Raptors. As Blake Murphy revealed, the Raptors have signed Olivier Sarr to an Exhibit 10 contract for Sarr, per our source. So a camp deal and an elevated G League salary if he ends up getting waived and goes to the 905. So who the heck is Olivier Sarr? Who is he as a basketball player? What are we looking like in terms of, you know, his potential impact out here on this team? Well, he's a guy that has had some actual NBA stints and specifically during his rookie season showed a lot of potential in terms of what he could actually provide out there on the basketball court. So in his rookie year, you know, at age 22 years old, averaged in a small sample size in a bad Oklahoma City Thunder team at that time, but 19 minutes per night, seven points per game, 4.2 rebounds, one assist, 0.3 steals. And you see the three point shooting in 1.3 attempts per night. So again, not as high sample size, you know, 22 games, 1.3 attempts per night, but shot 45% from the three point strike. So, you know, again, 22 games, he really proved that he at least is a guy that should be in the conversations as an NBA player. Now, over the past couple of seasons, Oklahoma City has very much improved, of course, winning the NBA championship this year. So there was a lot less opportunities for a guy like Olivier Sarr to actually get some run. But he's a very interesting archetype basketball player. So I've seen him listed from different heights, different places you look. But from the official NBA website, it has him listed as 6'10 and 240 pounds, and he's about 25 years old, born in 1999. So a guy that is also the brother of number two pick Alex Sarr for the Washington Wizards just a couple of years ago. So he's a player that you might look at these stats, oh, he's regressed, he's a guy that's moving in the wrong direction. Well, the real, you know, the real factor to this is, OKC was really good, there was a lot of opportunities for him to get to play. Whereas in the G League, you see his improvement shown a different way, you know, out there for the past few seasons, you know, the 23-24 season, he gets small sample size as well for the squad. But in his final season out there in the G League, 23-24, so not last season, but average 14 points per game, 13.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per night. So he can block some shots. He also shot 33% of the three point line, I get different volumes, different sample size stuff in his career out there in the G League, end up shooting 40% of the three point straight. So a guy that is a seven footer that blocks shots that knocks down the three point ball and can legitimately play that center position, you know, on a Raptors team that definitely could be using some more depth in those areas. If there are some question marks about how NBA ready Oler Ashamche is going to be in his second season. I mean, during the summer league, he definitely looked very, very improved from where he was pre-injury, even, you know, over the course of his status over the G League last year for the Raptors 905, but Ashamche in the final game, especially looked very lost out there in the Raptors summer league against the Sacramento Kings. So Sar is definitely going to be more polished, you know, has NBA experience, has been on a championship winning team. He is a guy that definitely can come in and have an impact. And you look at Raptors depth chart right now, and for a team that's trying to be competitive, trying to be good next season, you see that center depth. And of course, we have Sandro Maamutelishvili, who is a guy that, you know, we're hopeful can really just be a consistent, you know, backup five for the squad who's 6'11 himself knocks down the three point ball. You had 37% clip last season, three points, six points, three rebounds per night last year. You know, Maamut is a guy that also is fairly young as well. He is the, I don't want to say shoe in, but the favorite to be that backup center for this team next year. But of course, you know, you do have Shamshay, who's the wildcard and now Sar, who I think in a different system, if he really shows out during training camp, if he shows, uh, you know, during preseason, some opportunities to really be, you know, an elite two way center prospect. I mean, that is a guy that you don't want to give up on. And there are some, uh, you know, for that final roster spots guys on his 10 deals, you know, on non-guaranteed contracts, the battle right now is really between those guys at the bottom right. AJ Lawson, David Roddy, as well as Olivier Sar now at this point for that final roster spot. Then of course, there's the opportunity that Bobby Webster looks at this like, Hey, none of these guys are super valuable and stuff, but so we're just going to keep the open roster and keep that extra bit of buffer below the tax bracket. So you know, who's going to get that final roster spot because we look at the stats on all these dudes, right? In terms of who they have, AJ Lawson is my favorite to get that position. I know it's less of a positional fit, positional need, right? You look at the Raptors roster, you have RJ Barrett, Scotty Barnes, Ochaibachi, Grady Dick, Kobe Walter, Jamison Battle, and Elijah Martin now and Chuckie Hepburn, all that can play that wing position for this team. So and then the fourth spots like Ingram, CMB, uh, they can play down a peg as well if needed. So AJ Lawson plays in the most competitive position for this Raptors group right now, of course, but nine points for game 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists. I think a lot of people would argue he's our best player on this Raptors summer league team over the course of the summer. So a player that 25 years old himself, Canadian, I think he should be the favorite. He has earned an opportunity to be on this roster and make this team. So I think AJ Lawson should still be the favorite, but a dark horse that not a lot of people are talking about because he didn't play in the summer league for the Toronto Raptors is David Roddy, who has had a pretty significant career himself, is only 24 years old, has had some big moments out there in the past, but is a very undersized power forward, but stocky, plays defense, plays that modern Toronto Raptors style that we saw this team really execute out there over the course of summer league. So you know, a guy that will be trading camp battles and stuff, who's ever worked at the 100s, whoever's played the most attempts, whoever has the most opportunities, though that's probably the guy that Bobby Webster is going to draft just given the trajectory and how this team is looking. But of course, the center position is that position of need. So that's where the realistic possibility of Sarr coming in and actually getting this roster spot makes it all the more likely, because, you know, a three point shooting center in the modern NBA that block shots, that's athletic, that has size, that has length, that has, you know, the Raptors have had a history of bringing in brothers of bigger name stars, whether it's the Adidas' brother, Alex Alcantara, you know, Michael Porter Jr.'s brother, Jonte Porter, have they all worked out? Definitely not. But Sarr, I mean, Alex Sarr isn't that elite of a player, but does have some high potential. You know, Olivier Sarr is a player that I don't mind the Raptors taking a flyer on. But of course, the very likely possibility is this team ended up selecting him, waiving him, and then he's going to be a member of the Raptors 905 and then, you know, basically fill that Colin Castleton spot. The Raptors end up waiving Castleton after a really brutal summer league for him. So, you know, Sarr is that dude that a lot of Raptors fans are looking at right now and saying, hey, that could be that role in the Raptors 905 to fit that position. But if he presses in summer league, I would not be shocked, just given the positional need to actually make this team. So I think it's a good signing for the Raptors. Let me know what you guys think about all of this in the comment section down below. If you guys have a thing for Sarr, subscribe to the channel if you guys haven't already. Anyways, I'm signing out. Cheers.