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Bruno Caboclo: Toronto Raptors Rookie Sent Down to the D-League

By Kevin Nimmock

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. No? Well, for Toronto Raptors rookie Bruno Caboclo, today’s news of being called down to the NBA D-League must remind him of the first time he was sent down on Dec. 25, 2014. Caboclo will be in uniform for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants as they take on the Grand Rapids Drive.

Caboclo’s first trip to the D-League didn’t go well for himself or the Raptors. He stayed in Fort Wayne for three games, managing only to score in his first outing. In that game, he shot 5-14 from the field, mustering only 1-5 from 3-point range. In his other two appearances, he received just spare minutes. He was then promptly shipped back to Toronto, where head coach Dwane Casey hasn’t let him play much.

In theory, sending Caboclo down should be a very positive thing for the young Brazilian. He was drafted with the 20th pick last year, a decision Raptors GM Masai Ujiri received criticism and confused looks for. He was dubbed raw, ill-prepared and many years away from being NBA-ready. Ujiri and Casey both stood behind Caboclo, giving him a fair chance. His athleticism and physical tools are undeniable. He has real potential to be a solid contributor in the NBA.

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He has played four games for the Raptors, showing his inexperience and occasionally, his phenomenal potential. His first NBA basket was a half-court alley-oop from Lou Williams, which may be the most impressive first basket of any player in recent memory. He needs to hone his skills, and learn how to defend and play offence against NBA-caliber players. He needs to learn what shots to take, when to cut to the hoop, and when to look for passes. This will come with time, but he requires in-game practice.

So, why didn’t the D-League work the first time? It’s more of a structural problem than anything. The Raptors don’t have their own affiliate team, like some other NBA teams. Instead, they share the Mad Ants with 12 other franchises, which means that they get very little sway over who gets time on the court and who gets to develop what skill. So, the priority in Fort Wayne isn’t to develop future contributors for the Raptors or any other team in particular. Instead, the priority is to win.

The Mad Ants are the defending D-League champions and are currently leading their division with a 20-13 record. The players who are playing the best at any given time get the chance to grace the floor. Struggling players, or players who will make mistakes as they figure things out, don’t get many chances to play. This is a significant problem and there really isn’t a solution in sight. The Raps need their own D-League team, but that development is years away.

Ujiri must have intel that Caboclo will get playing time in Fort Wayne. Or, he must have decided that even sparse minutes will be better than the inactivity he currently experiences in Toronto. If things go as planned for Caboclo and the Raptors, the rookie will become a valuable part of the Mad Ants rotation, contributing a handful of baskets and rebounds per game, and learning how to play defence.

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