Before I go further, I don’t think Mo Bamba is necessarily some elite game-changer at the center spot who will magically fix the Raptors’ issues. But he’s an option nonetheless, and Toronto must have seen some value and purpose in signing him to the one-year deal announced last week.
Bamba poetically made his Raptors debut on December 29 against his former Orlando Magic squad, logging just four minutes on the court and recording only one stat to his name: a block. Not exactly a comprehensive test, but a small glimpse into Bamba’s potential contributions for Toronto as a solid shot-blocker and paint presence.
Going into the final 2025 game for Toronto on New Year’s Eve against Denver, I thought Bamba might carve out a larger role for the Raptors going forward. With Toronto as clear favorites heading in, it seemed like a good opportunity to give Bamba extended minutes — especially since Denver only had Jonas Valanciunas and DaRon Holmes as their true bigs available.
Alas, Mo Bamba received a DNP – Coach’s Decision at the game's end, despite Darko Rajakovic going deep into his roster and running an 11-man rotation. During the Nuggets game, after Gradey Dick was subbed in and committed a costly turnover, he was quickly taken off in favor of Jamison Battle —whose own minutes are always uncertain — playing just six minutes against Denver. Additionally, across the rotation, the usually reliable Sandro Mamukelashvili struggled with his shot, as did Ja'Kobe Walter, and even Jamal Shead.
Mo Bamba unused vs. Nuggets that could've been his proper Raptors trial run
In my post-Nuggets game review, I highlighted how the bench overall didn’t have many key contributors stepping up, which didn’t do much to justify their minutes staying secure. The coaching staff seemed to recognize this to some extent by pulling Dick out of the game, but there could’ve been additional minutes distributed more evenly across the floor to give Bamba a solid run. On top of that, Jonas Valanciunas was having a pretty strong game until he went down with an untimely calf strain. Toronto could’ve really used someone like Bamba on the floor during that stretch, providing an extra punch as the former Raptors center was sidelined for the rest of the game.
Just look at what Denver got from DaRon Holmes in light of Valanciunas’ absence. This is a guy who’s only appeared in four games for Denver this season, after missing all of last year with an Achilles tear. He made the most of his opportunity, posting a career-high 22 minutes, tallying 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting, including 2-for-3 from three, along with three Rrebounds, one assist, and a block.
I get that the game was tighter than Toronto probably hoped, especially considering the depleted star power on Denver’s side. But even with that in mind, there were plenty of moments during the game — and even beforehand — that justified giving Bamba more run.
Heck, even if he was just on the floor as a bigger presence down the stretch — grabbing rebounds, clogging the paint, and preventing Denver from attacking inside, or even helping the team set better plays, so the stars could find higher-percentage shots. With all due respect to CMB, but late in the game, when he was out there, his inexperience and rookie hurdles were clear. He didn't need to be taking those three-pointers at that point in the game.
Sure, we can't blow Bamba’s G League contributions out of proportion and assume he can replicate that exact level of play at the NBA level, but I hope he gets a fair shot. Just like Toronto experimented with guys like Collin Castleton and Orlando Robinson last year, though, of course, this year's circumstances are a different story.