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Delon Wright has shoulder surgery – Raptors must backfill

By Brian Boake

May 15, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) poses for a photo with Toronto Raptors guard Delon Wright (55) at the end of game seven of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors won 116-89. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
May 15, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) poses for a photo with Toronto Raptors guard Delon Wright (55) at the end of game seven of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors won 116-89. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Training camp hasn’t even begun, and the Raptors are down a man we were all hoping would be ready to break out.

Our eye was caught with the depressing news about Delon Wright. The Toronto Raptors’ second-year point guard was injured in a Summer League game. He has undergone surgery to repair a labrum tear in his right shoulder, and will be lost to the team for at least four months.

Assuming the time estimate is accurate, Delon won’t be back until early December, after which he’ll need a rehab assignment with the Raptors 905. We won’t see Delon with the big team before 2017.

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The timing of Fred VanVleet signing a Raptors contract couldn’t be any better; he’s the obvious beneficiary. The Raptors can’t begin a new season with only two healthy point guards (Kyle Lowry and Cory Joseph), so Fred gets penciled onto the depth chart as the third PG.

Apr 12, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Delon Wright (55) takes a shot over Philadelphia 76ers guard Ish Smith (1) in the second half of the Raptors 122-98 win at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Delon Wright (55) takes a shot over Philadelphia 76ers guard Ish Smith (1) in the second half of the Raptors 122-98 win at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

General Manager Masai Ujiri doesn’t consider his work done; put another way, Fred isn’t making the roster without a fight.  [20-second timeout: While there may be some who think Norman Powell can play the point, that would be a move tried only in an emergency. Norman should emerge as DeMar DeRozan’s backup at shooting guard. Leave him there.]

The first question to be answered is whether Masai needs to add another NBA-grade talent. There a case to be made; after all, Delon is one, and he’s gone for months. However, there are financial issues which may render the Raptors without the needed cap space to add another player. The Raptors are over the cap, and have only the Bi-Annual Exception available, should they choose to use it.

The remaining (i.e., unsigned) free-agent point guards are an uninspiring collection. I suspect Masai will be just as happy to find another VanVleet. There are a bunch of undrafted players who would probably jump at the chance to sign a non-guaranteed deal. The link I’ve provided was published on June 24, and contains two players the Raptors have inked, VanVleet and Jarrod Uthoff. Is LSU’s Tim Quarterman, or Thomas Walkup, out of Stephen F. Austin, worthy of a training camp invitation? I don’t know, but Masai’s scouts will have an opinion.

The roster page for the 905 D-League team is in sad shape. Jesse Mermuys is listed as coach, but he’s been gone for months. I don’t if Shannon Scott or Davion Berry will get some minutes at camp, assuming they are still part of our organization.

The Raptors aren’t quaking in fear because of Delon’s injury, but they will need to take out some insurance. Let’s hope we don’t read of a twisted ankle or some such from Lowry or Joseph. Then we’d be in scramble mode.

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