3 non-Jeff Dowtin players who could have filled Raptors’ final roster spot

1. Hamidou Diallo

The Raptors could have used their final roster spot on a player that has a higher offensive ceiling than Dowtin. Diallo is still looking for his next employer, which is very puzzling for a player who is still very young and looking at his best basketball years in the windshield.

Diallo averaged 10.3 points per game on 52% shooting with the Pistons in parts of the last three seasons. While some of that production is undoubtedly the result of Diallo playing on some terrible Detroit teams, part of those numbers is due to his terrific finishing ability.

The Toronto Raptors could have used Hamidou Diallo.

Diallo is yet another wing who can’t shoot, but Dowtin’s inability to be a knockdown shooter was not a hindrance in the Raptors’ decision to bring him back. A pestilent defender who can rip the rim off the backboard, Diallo’s two-way potential is fairly obvious.

The Raptors could eventually find a way to acquire Diallo, as they moved some players around to bring on a player with a very similar skillset in Josh Jackson last preseason. While Jackson eventually lost out, the Raptors could still bring Diallo to the active roster with a trade or two, freeing up space.