One of the more relevant storylines from the Toronto Raptors' summer league ventures in Las Vegas was the battle between Jamarion Sharp and Nate Bittle. Both players came into summer league with a great opportunity to earn a roster spot with the Raptors, given the team's desperate need for center play behind Jakob Poeltl. The majority of the fan base was split on who deserved that potential backup center role with Toronto, but it seems like the Raptors weren’t very split.
With Sharp signing a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Clippers and Bittle being held out of the team's final game in Vegas, fans are connecting the dots that Bittle will likely receive a deal. The logic many fans have come to is that if the Raptors wanted Sharp, they would’ve offered him a deal. And if the front office felt like Bittle and him were competing for a spot, Bittle would’ve played against Denver in their summer league finale.
It’s unclear whether Bittle will get a standard roster spot or a two-way deal, but the general consensus now is he will be with Toronto in some capacity at training camp.
Through most of the summer league process, I leaned in favor of Sharp over Bittle because of the monster potential any 7-foot-5 center prospect is going to have. However, I now find myself rather happy with what appears to be a decision to move forward with Bittle, as he seems like a much better fit and can provide more of an immediate boost.
Picking Bittle over Sharp would be the right decision for the Raptors
Through his four summer league appearances, Bittle averaged 9.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 50 percent from the field. Where I think Bittle can bring the most value to the Raptors next season is as a floor spacer and passer, particularly in the short roll. Bittle averaged 2.3 assists per game in Vegas, and through his playmaking, we really saw the maturity he plays with. Every pass was calculated, crisp, and precise. His ability to have the ball as the roller and make a swing pass to the corner could be a real weapon for the Raptors next season.
Speaking of weapons, his outside stroke could help replenish some of the frontcourt spacing the Raptors lost with the departure of Sandro Mamukelashvili. Bittle shot 43.8 percent from three on four attempts per game. Having a guy who, as a 7-footer, is automatically a threat in the pick-and-roll be able to also pop out for a three when setting a screen is a luxury Toronto’s offense doesn’t currently have.
The feel he has for the game is something you can’t teach and is probably the biggest difference between him and Sharp as prospects. While Sharp’s upside may be higher in the eyes of most, Bittle is more polished and projects better as an impact player for the Raptors from day one of the 2026-27 season.
So while initially the Raptors losing their 7-foot-5 summer league headline stealer to the Clippers of all teams felt like a misstep, it may actually be for the best. Toronto needs to get Jakob Poeltl reinforcements at the center spot, and Nate Bittle’s play in summer league suggests he is the right player to be those reinforcements.
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