Well, there isn't a huge sample size left for the Toronto Raptors to endure, but it's still something for Cole Swider to dip his hands into.
The Raptors signed Swider to a 10-day deal back on March 26, after he spent a successful two-team stint in the G League, where his effective shooting ability was on full display.
During his six games with the Raptors under his 10-day contract, Swider has recorded an average of 6.5 points, shooting 34.9% from the field and 29.0% from beyond the arc, along with 2.3 rebounds in just over 17 minutes of playing time per game.
The numbers don't stand out remarkably, but Swider's effort has done enough to impress the Raptors' brass to earn him a contract that keeps him in town for the remainder of the season.
Cole Swider signs rest-of-season contract to remain with Raptors
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic had this to say about Swider in a pre-game media scrum before their matchup with the Detroit Pistons on April 4, as referenced in a TSN article: "He's really trying at the end of the season to pick up on our schemes and what we're trying to do offensively and defensively."
Rajakovic would go on to add: "I think he's actually taking good shots, that he's not forcing, that he's taking good shots. I have absolute trust in him that he's going to knock down those shots for us."
I don't think anyone expects Swider to be a game-changer or a pivotal piece for the Raptors, but as a bottom-end rotation player to finish out the 2024-25 regular season? Why not give the 6-foot-8 forward a chance to keep proving himself? It could set him up to stick around through training camp and, hopefully, into the 2025-26 season.
That's really what Swider is fighting for in this final stretch, although a bit of improvement in his shooting efficiency would be welcome, too. We'll see what the 25-year-old can do as the season comes to a close.