In spite of Kawhi Leonard trade limbo, the Toronto Raptors have been making attempts (albeit to a modest talent-level degree) to round out their roster with training camp fast approaching.
It was revealed that big man and recently-crowned NBA champion Trey Jemison III inked a two-way deal with the Raps, while former Bucks swingman Andre Jackson Jr. was also announced as a new addition, looking to make it to the final roster in October. Both gentlemen definitely give off Raptors-esque qualities and look like prototypical front office signings.
Jemison addresses Toronto's need for size and depth at the center position, while Jackson Jr. is high-energy and a tenacious defender, but severely lacks any sense of real offensive production. I don't want to sell the two new faces before they even get the ground running on their Raptors journeys, but you can definitely argue that other overlooked free agents could've been the smarter plays here.
Need a particular name to look at? Look no further than the Los Angeles Clippers' latest sneaky two-way deal pickup: Jalen Pickett.
Raptors missed out on a sneaky free agent target in Jalen Pickett
The 26-year-old guard has been a member of the Denver Nuggets since 2023, where they selected the former Penn State product with the 32nd pick in that year's draft. Pickett never quite took off to "household name" status, if you will, but for any hardcore watchers or the die-hard Nuggets faithful — the 6-foot-2 guard definitely showed glimpses of promise.
Back in January 2026, Pickett posted his NBA career-high in a gutsy 125-124 OT win over the Philadelphia 76ers (a healthy lineup at that), with 29 points on 11-for-20 shooting, including a whopping 7-for-11 from three. In fact, that month of January would prove to be Pickett's best stretch of basketball in his career, with an uptick in playing time to an average of 26.0 minutes, posting 8.5 points (on 43.0% from the field, 40.3% from deep), 4.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.
However, the Nuggets would ultimately decline Pickett's $2.4 million team option in late June, making him an unrestricted free agent for the next NBA team to snag. While looking at some more intriguing role player targets and veteran options for the Raptors to pick up, many of those dreams got immediately shut down as free agency got underway. Toronto ultimately setted for a vet pickup of their own in Kyle Anderson (a very Raptors-centric player), but there still lied a couple quiet names falling under the radar, and Jalen Pickett was certainly one of them.
Pickett would get picked up, just not by the Toronto Raptors, as he recently signed a two-way contract to join the Los Angeles Clippers. Mind you, the Clips recently stole one of Toronto's 2026 summer league standouts in Jamarion Sharp as well, which only adds to LA's sting for the Raptors.
Where Pickett may lack in size and defensive intangibles, he can make up for it with his bully ball style of play and quality shooting efficiency (particularly in the three-point department, with a career-percentage of 38.7 percent).
He's not exactly a high-volume offensive player, just in general or from beyond the arc, but he's got strong mechanics and room to evolve into a more important rotation piece (imagine a Collin Gillespie-type rise). Toronto may already have the backup guard options set with Jamal Shead, Alijah Martin, and recent draftee Jaden Bradley, but I'd argue the guard spots can use additional depth and skill diversity, and Pickett could've helped add a new layer in that regard.
It would've been a great storyline to see Pickett unlock his potential with the Raptors, as the development staff looked to refine his skills and traits to fit Toronto's vision, either on the main roster or as a two-way player. But alas, he will now have a shot to raise his NBA stock as a member of the Clips — a team the Raptors already have a close eye on with the Kawhi Leonard trade drama still unfolding.
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