3 position battles Toronto Raptors must watch in the second half
By Mike Luciano
2. DJ Wilson vs…anyone?
The Raptors signed Wilson to a third 10-day contract on Monday, a sign that the Raptors could look to the former first-round pick to fill their final roster spot. While it is just a 10-day deal, the Raptors wouldn’t have brought Wilson back if they didn’t feel he could contribute in some meaningful fashion.
Wilson averaged 7.5 points per game in very limited action throughout his handful of games in Toronto. At 6-10 with some solid open-court athleticism and shot-blocking potential, Wilson could be promising enough to get some run in the next few weeks.
Will the Toronto Raptors find a role for DJ Wilson?
Wilson’s return coincides with a stretch in which Anunoby is hurt, Khem Birch is playing some of the worst basketball in his Raptors tenure, and the team as a whole lost two blowouts before they made things right against Brooklyn. That might be enough to convince Nick Nurse to give Wilson a try.
While it remains to be seen just how much he has progressed from his early days, it’s clear that Wilson has the skills needed to be a bench player on a fringe playoff team. If the need arises where Wilson can get some playing time, Nurse should not hesitate to throw him in.