Raptors: The 3 non-guaranteed players who should make the roster

2. PF Ishmail Wainright

It should surprise no one that the NFL’s Buffalo Bills gave Wainright a shot to make the roster as a tight end out of college, as his 6-5 frame is accentuated by a nearly 250-pound body that can be used to beat up on perimeter players while holding his own against larger bigs. His Summer League play has some very bright moments.

Wainright made 33% of his 3-pointers, and with 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game in just under 23 minutes of action per contest, he had some nice moments in Vegas. His play with the Ugandan national team showed that his offense can be developed well in the right hands.

Ishmail Wainright could be a valuable defensive stopper.

When compared with a player like Bonga, another offensively deficient player leaning on his ability to get stops, Wainright might be the older of the two, but considering the fact he can handle himself in the paint and has shown in Summer League games that his offensive game is starting to expand, he’s worth taking on.

Wainright has had to bounce around Europe in preparation for his first NBA gig, and he appears to have made enough improvements to his game to warrant some NBA action. I’d be very surprised if the Raptors choose to turn down a switchblade like Wainright before the season starts.