Collin Murray-Boyles has been sorely missed in the Raptors' lineup.
We haven't seen the rookie suit up for Toronto since February 25, when the Raptors faced off against the Spurs. In that game, CMB was tasked with guarding superstar Victor Wembanyama at times, and he did so commendably.
Since then, CMB's longstanding thumb issue — beginning in mid-December, then reemerging in January and February — has clearly influenced how Toronto has managed him. He’s been inactive for all of March thus far (an eight-game absence in total) to fully recover and manage the injury, just as the Raptors gear up to close out the regular season and head into the postseason chaos — with a bit of favor on their side.
As Toronto prepares for a season-high tying five-game road stretch — starting with the Bulls and then hitting the West Coast to face the Nuggets, Suns, Jazz, and Clippers — there's a promising update for Raptors Nation regarding the status and availability of the team’s highly touted rookie.
Collin Murray-Boyles is progressing toward his return to the Raptors
According to Raptors beat reporter Josh Lewenberg on X, Collin Murray-Boyles was recently seen participating in a practice session, where team personnel continue to monitor his injured thumb and assess his availability for Toronto's upcoming tilt against Chicago on March 18. Lewenberg also noted that Murray-Boyles was among the last players in the gym after practice, taking extra time to get some shot reps up. Raptors staff member Alex McKechnie (Vice President of Player Health and Performance) observed closely, and afterward, they reportedly had a lengthy conversation.
At the time of writing, Murray-Boyles' status for the Bulls game is listed as "doubtful," but according to Darko Rajakovic — based on the intel from Josh Lewenberg — the Raptors head coach expects a CMB return at some point during this upcoming road trip.
Thinking about the implications of Murray-Boyles’ hopeful return, he has largely been the Raptors' most trusted backup big and has even stepped into the starting role during Jakob Poeltl’s injury adversity. Now that Poeltl is back and looking healthy — much to the delight of Raptors fans — CMB has instead been sidelined, and that role has temporarily gone to Sandro Mamukelashvili, with mixed results.
Mamu is certainly capable of seeing some minutes at the center spot, but he's much better utilized as a stretch four rather than a true five. He definitely won't match the physicality and defensive versatility that CMB brings to the table.
That said, it’s pretty remarkable how the 20-year-old, roughly 6-foot-7 Collin Murray-Boyles, has stepped up as a tough small-ball five option, holding his own against some of the NBA’s most formidable matchups. He isn't afraid to get physical, scrappy and outplay his expectations, but with his thumb injury at risk of flaring up again, that's been a bit of a challenge.
That's why Raptors fans should be hoping this much-needed rest has helped CMB get back on track and ready to contribute once more. Collin Murray-Boyles has all the qualities to become a key part of this Raptors core, not just for now but also for their promising future. However, staying healthy and minimizing the risk of injury will be crucial pieces of that puzzle.