That wave of summertime sadness (shout out Lana Del Rey) might be settling in for some as August approaches, but the Raptors still have plenty of time to evaluate their crop of talent before October rolls around.
However, as I’ve noted in a few of my previous pieces, the Toronto Raptors are very much in a position heading into the 2025-26 campaign where their roster is essentially nearing full capacity ... and the salary books are beginning to look pretty hefty, too.
And so, it became apparent that Toronto had an imminent decision to make regarding their internal roster — particularly concerning Jamison Battle, AJ Lawson, and Colin Castleton. It would be foolish to think that Toronto would abandon ship on the sharpshooting Battle, which meant Lawson and Castleton would be pitted against each other to stay in the pecking order.
Unfortunately for Castleton, it was reported earlier today that the Raptors opted to waive him.
Raptors waive reserve center Colin Castleton
Colin Castleton was a last-minute, non-guaranteed addition to the Raptors roster in late March. The 25-year-old former Michigan and Florida player appeared in a total of 11 games for the organization, earning four starting roles during that stint as well. Castleton's stats with the Raptors are as follows: 7.2 points on 50% field goal shooting, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, in an average of 26.2 minutes played per appearance.
Castleton was part of the impressive Raptors' squad for the 2025 Summer League, but the 6-foot-10 big had a less-than-impactful campaign in Sin City. In his five games, Castleton averaged 2.6 points on 33% shooting and 4.0 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game.
I think it's pretty safe to assume that Castleton's subpar performance in Vegas played a significant role in the Raptors' decision to waive him, especially since his competition, AJ Lawson, looked like a million bucks.
The Raptors have opened one roster spot following the deal, and it remains to be seen whether Toronto will explore internally to secure Lawson or look elsewhere to fill the vacancy.