Late in the 2024-25 season, the Raptors had to make some decisions regarding their roster. They chose to reward guard Jared Rhoden with a two-way contract, keeping him in the city for the foreseeable future.
The 25-year-old Rhoden battled for a roster spot prior to the start of the 2024-25 regular season, but he was waived just before season tipoff.
Clearly, the Raptors franchise saw something in Rhoden that warranted giving him a second chance, and he proved to be decently effective in his small sample size of games with Toronto. His positive efforts even sparked discussions about keeping Rhoden around as a long-term developmental piece for the Raptors (and Raptors 905) moving forward.
Rhoden averaged the following numbers on the Raptors during the 2024-25 season: 11.4 points on a solid 50.6% shooting from the field, 32.4% from three, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in just over 21 and a half minutes per game across 10 appearances, including two starts.
While Rhoden proved to be a serviceable late-season addition for Toronto, recent injury news surrounding the ex-Seton Hall product casts doubt on his future with the Raptors.
Jared Rhoden undergoes surgery, out for extended period
On April 22, Raptors insider Josh Lewenberg would reveal in an X post: "Jared Rhoden underwent surgery this week to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Recovery & rehab time is estimated at 4-6 months. Tough break for a player who showed promise at the G League & NBA level this season. He’ll miss most of the team’s summer development program."
Injuries can strike at the most unfortunate times, but they don't always spell the end of a player's future with a team.
However, when it comes to a guy who isn’t part of the core group and was likely trying to make his case for a longer stay in Toronto, hearing that Rhoden will be out for "4-6 months" puts a serious damper on his chances to prove he's a worthwhile investment to the front office.
Of course, there’s a chance Toronto might consider Rhoden’s string of bad luck and keep him around while he’s inactive.
Nevertheless, given the seriousness of his injury—shoulder injuries are always a concern in basketball—and the length of his recovery time, I would think that it's almost certain that Rhoden will be cut before the start of the 2025-26 regular season.
If that’s the case, the bright side is that Rhoden has shown enough with the Raptors to prove he can be a solid signing as a bottom-end rotation player or a third-string guard/wing scorer. But, whether that role stays in Toronto remains to be seen.