Raptors Free Agency: 3 Players the team should sign after forward walks away

No. 1: JT Thor

Team USA was favored by 40 points against South Sudan in a pre-Olympics tune-up game this past weekend, and yet they found themselves down by 16 points at halftime as South Sudan came to play and shot the lights out. Guards Carlik Jones and Mariol Shayok drove the offense and the game was close late after Team USA came all the way back.

With South Sudan down two points and the clock ticking down to 20 seconds, a South Sudan forward calmly stepped back and shot a 3-pointer with the hand of LeBron James in his face, draining it to put Sudan up by a point. That player? JT Thor.

Thor, a 6'10" forward drafted 37th in the 2021 NBA Draft, has not been able to get his rooting in the NBA through three years of bouncing between the G League and the Charlotte Hornets. An excellent athlete, that hasn't translated to consistent defensive impact, and on offense he is prone to clanked jumpers more than anything else.

Yet in the G League Thor's athleticism translated to a much larger impact, and he is playing confidently with the South Sudan national team. Cut by the Hornets, Thor is now a free agent and eligible for a two-way contract. If the Raptors want to move on from D.J. Carton or elevate Branden Carlson to a full contract they could sign Thor to a deal, or they could even bring in Thor on a training camp deal with a chance to compete for the final roster spot.

The likelihood that the Raptors find a diamond in the rough with Thor is slim, but he has the tools to be an impactful player, and the Raptors can be patient to see if they can tap into that potential.