Raptors news: 905 players called up, patience with Nick Nurse waning?

The Toronto Raptors chose to switch their rotation up slightly in the days following the trade deadline. Jakob Poeltl was inserted into the starting lineup to great effect at the expense of Gary Trent Jr, veteran Will Barton was added via the buyout market, and both Christian Koloko and Dalano Banton have been excommunicated.

Both of them are lighting things up with Raptors 905 in the G League. Banton looks more aggressive than he ever does, and Koloko is showing glimpses of being a high-end two-way center that can eventually be a backup to Poeltl.

With Raptors 905 trying to beef up their postseason desirability and potential, it would have made sense to leave both of them down in the minor leagues as they try to work on tapping into their long-term potential. Instead, Toronto is bringing both of them back to the big league club.

Both Koloko and Banton have been recalled from Raptors 905 despite the fact that Toronto does not take on the Denver Nuggets until Tuesday. Perhaps the Raptors pulled them away from their Mississauga stay to get an extended look against NBA bodies.

More Raptors news

• The Raptors beat was hot with takes in the last few days. Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun opined that the Raptors have been a “mess” under Nick Nurse for multiple years and is wondering if a coaching change could be in order. Nurse will likely be back for next season, but the team might decide to get involved if they keep losing.
• Eric Koreen of The Athletic defended the acquisition of a non-shooter in Poeltl, saying he “fits with a lot of what the Raptors are trying to do.” At the same time, he said that the offense “doesn’t work,” citing the lack of half-court creativity, poor ball movement, and substandard efficiency on jump shots.

NBA news

• The Raptors’ climb up the Atlantic standings got even tougher, as the New York Knicks managed to hold off the Los Angeles Lakers 112-108 on the road. Potential trade chip RJ Barrett and Julius Randle combined for 63 points in the victory for Tim Thibodeau’s team.
• Former NBA center and No. 6 overall pick Felton Spencer passed away at the age of 55. Picked by the Minnesota Timberwolves after a standout college career, Spencer eventually became a starting center on Jerry Sloan’s standout Utah Jazz teams in the mid-1990s. Spencer would end up playing 12 seasons in the NBA.