Going back to round one of the NBA Playoffs, when the Atlanta Hawks were eliminated by the New York Knicks, there was something clearly missing for the Hawks: Jock Landale.
In that same round, the Toronto Raptors were eliminated, and a major factor in their elimination was their lack of center depth. Are you seeing the connection here with Landale set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer?
The Australian big man missed the end of the regular season and the entire postseason with an ankle injury but still appeared in 68 games between Atlanta and Memphis. His strong play throughout the regular season should put him as a top target for Bobby Webster and the Raptors front office in free agency.
Jock Landale is a perfect free agent add for the Raptors
This past season, he played 22.1 minutes per game, averaging 10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 stocks (steal + block). Landale also had a career year as a floor spacer, shooting the three-ball at a 38.3 percent clip while attempting over 2.5 threes per game. Landale is a tough inside bruiser who brings the toughness of European basketball to the NBA, in the same way Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic is trying to.
His bruising style could make him the perfect complement to Scottie Barnes in the Raptors frontcourt next season. Speaking of being paired with Barnes, fans have long been pushing for the Raptors to add a true floor spacing five to help open up the floor for their star forward.
Landale could be that.
On top of opening things up for Barnes, he could also do the same for Brandon Ingram, who struggled throughout the postseason mainly due to a lack of room to operate. I understand the Raptors had Sandro Mamukelashvili last season, but he was so limited, especially come playoff time, due to his lack of size.
With Landale, that’s not a worry. At 6-foot-11, he could be some much-needed size while still being able to pick and pop and get hit on the trail the way Mamu was in 2025-26.
From a defensive point of view, Landale is passable and not as good a defender as you expect someone who rebounds and sets screens at the level he does.
Instead, Landale is the type of center you want to pair with a Swiss Army knife defender. And thankfully, the Raptors have two of those in Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles. Both are the type of weakside rim protectors that are needed next to a big man like Landale, as they are more than capable of cleaning things up and covering when he has a lapse.
Jock Landale shouldn’t be an overly expensive option in free agency this summer, and given his unique skill set, which matches exactly what the Raptors need, he should be a top target for them.
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