If you weren’t already on the Mamu train, his performance in Monday’s Canada Series preseason game against the Denver Nuggets was likely enough to convince some people who weren’t yet familiar with one of the Raptors' latest additions to buy into his stocks now.
Toronto ultimately fell short with a final score of 112-108 against the Nuggets. Still, there were many highlights for this revamped Raptors team, along with a few lows. Without a doubt, Sandro Mamukelashvili's masterful work was one of the biggest takeaways.
After hearing that the Raptors signed Mamukelashvili in free agency to a very team-friendly deal — a two-year contract worth $5.5 million — I saw it as Toronto likely striking gold on a valuable backup big man. Mamukelashvili had shown in flashes during his time with San Antonio that he can produce effectively even in limited minutes. Additionally, he looked great during this past summer's EuroBasket tournament representing his native Georgia, which gave me further reason to believe he could be a huge boost for the Raptors.
And during the Vancouver showcase on Monday night, the big fella Mamu delivered exactly that.
Sandro Mamukelashvili balled out in Raptors' preseason battle vs. Nuggets
Mamukelashvili actually led the Raptors on Monday night for most minutes played in the rotation (22:40 of playing time), where he used every bit of that on-court run to show what he's capable of. Mamukelashvili racked up 15 points, on 75% field goal shooting, 60% from three, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. He showed aggression and hustle, which are certainly attributes that the Raptors organization appreciates, and his ability to stretch the floor was more than apparent.
I'm aware it's probably not wise to overthink or expect too much after just one game, especially since it was a preseason showcase too. Still, it's worth recognizing what Mamukelashvili has already shown. During Media Day, Mamu made it clear that he's got a win-at-all-costs, play-hard mentality that will surely resonate with Raptors fans.
Building on that, it's definitely a positive development to see Toronto find a strong replacement for former fan-favorite and bench spark Chris Boucher. Mamukelashvili is not a Boucher clone per se, but I believe he will step into that role left behind, bringing his own flair to stand out. In addition, I see a path in which the Raptors could employ a Rockets-esque or Cavaliers-like playbook of running two bigs at the same time on the court, with a potential lineup of Mamukelashvili and Poeltl in the frontcourt.
Mamu is certainly no Jakob Poeltl when it comes to defense, but he still has size on his side even though he's not the most physically imposing NBA big. Plus, the threat he poses from beyond the arc is something the Raptors can definitely take advantage of, and coach Rajakovic can explore where he fits best.
It's safe to say Toronto got themselves a real one in Sandro Mamukelashvili.