Raptors squad faces shake up late in season, waiving two players to navigate roster

The finish line is right within reach for the Toronto Raptors, but even late in the 2024-25 season, they still had some roster business to address.

Reports from several credentialed Raptors media members suggested that a roster move was imminent, with recently signed 10-day player Cole Swider’s status up in the air.

Well, on the afternoon of April 10, Raptors Nation would get its answer, with Swider actually being one of the players waived in the process. However, another Raptors player would be cut in a largely surprising move, to say the least—I, for one, was a bit shocked to see him go.

Joining Swider on the waiver list is center Orlando Robinson, who has been a significant contributor during the Raptors' second half of the season. He has stepped up as the starting center on various nights while also playing a crucial role off the bench.

Raptors waive Cole Swider and Orlando Robinson

ORob isn't some breakout talent waiting to blossom into a star, but for a guy who needed a bit of run to show what he's worth, he did a pretty decent job for Toronto, considering the low expectations. That hustle and unselfishness largely earned him a deal to stick around with the Raptors after his two 10-day contracts concluded.

Blake Murphy of Sportsnet took to X to break down the details of this transaction, shedding light on how these moves have impacted the Raptors' roster flexibility:

As it stands, both Swider and Robinson have been cut from their contracts. However, as Murphy notes, there’s a good chance that one or both may return to the team under different terms—possibly through non-guaranteed summer league or training camp deals, as another Raptors insider, Josh Lewenberg, referenced on X.

I think a lot of Raptors fans could see the writing on the wall regarding Swider's tenure in Toronto. He didn't really impress much in his 8-game sample size, averaging these numbers: 7.4 points on 37.9% field goal efficiency, 35.7% from three, and 3.1 rebounds.

Swider was touted for his sharpshooting capabilities, but of course, it would be tough to break out to such a degree in a condensed amount of time.

Robinson, however, I feel, might deserve a second look, to be quite honest. Again, I'm not holding out some delusional hope that he'll be spectacular, but as a third-string center and end-of-the-bench guy, he's not a bad choice to keep around town.

In 35 appearances for the Raptors this season, Robinson is averaging 8.1 points on 44.7% shooting from the field, 34.0% from three, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game in just over 20 minutes of playing time.

He could clean up his shooting around the basket a bit; mid-40% efficiency for a big isn’t the greatest. However, ORob's got some vision in his game, along with some playmaking abilities in his bag.

We should have an answer soon about the Raptors' roster decision. In the meantime, if this is truly the last we see of Swider and Robinson, let’s give a nod to both for their contributions in the limited roles they played.