The Toronto Raptors have waived Trey Jemison III, who was on a two-way deal, according to Sportsnet's Blake Murphy. He played one preseason game for the Raptors and was okay. Jemison finished with six rebounds, four of them on the offensive glass, in eight minutes. While I didn’t think Jemison III was a legit center option for this team, I was optimistic that, with the Raptors' dire need for big depth, he could bring value. Clearly, Bobby Webster and company didn’t feel the same way, which is completely fine. But my question now is: where do the Raptors go next?
There’s no way this team enters the 2026-27 season with Jakob Poeltl as its only true center and second-year Collin Murray-Boyles handling backup center duties. Even though in Toronto’s most recent preseason game their approach on the glass was pleasantly surprising, this team still needs more size, especially to get through the regular season.
More questions than answers at center
With the Raptors, a few common things come up when people discuss potential roadblocks to this group being a title contender this season. The three biggest concerns are subpar floor spacing, whether their guard play is good enough, and a lack of big-man depth. Of those three, fans should be most concerned about big-man depth, especially after Jemison III was waived.
Immanuel Quickley, Jamal Shead, and Jaden Bradley have looked strong this preseason, and we saw how legit the Raptors' floor spacing looked in Kawhi Leonard’s return.
Now, when it comes to big depth, there are two obvious players that stand out as potential two-way guys: Nate Bittle and Jamarion Sharp. Both spent time with the Raptors in summer league and are on camp deals with Toronto. Both are gigantic human beings who can protect the rim, with Bittle also offering floor-spacing upside.
My question is: are either of these two ready to play 25-30 NBA games this season, and is either a real upgrade over Jemison III? My answer is no for Sharp right now. I think he’s still raw and not physically built enough to even be a spot-minute NBA big. Bittle, I’m a little more optimistic about, but he’s also dealing with injuries right now, so health is a question mark for him.
After waiving Jemison III and Chucky Hepburn, Toronto now has two open two-way spots. In my eyes, one of those spots should see Nimari Burnett rewarded for the gritty winning style of play he brings. But I could see the Raptors using both spots to add a big man, because they'll need more size and support behind Jak if preseason has told us anything.
If they sign two bigs, I think it would be nice to see someone other than Sharp or Bittle earn that final spot. Maybe it’s reuniting with former Raptors 2022 second-round pick Christian Koloko or signing someone else. Either way, the Raptors have needed center depth, and after waiving Jemison III, that need has only skyrocketed.
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