Nate Bittle out for Raptors opener vs. Bulls with right foot injury
Nate Bittle, a 7-0 rookie center out of Oregon, is out for Wednesday's season opener against the Bulls with a right foot injury. His estimated return is October 28. The Raptors converted him to a two-way contract on October 17, per Blake Murphy.
By the Raptors Nightly Desk · updated 23 h ago01The story of the nightA preseason spent on the injury reportBittle's first NBA fall has been a string of leg issues on his right side.
Bittle's first NBA fall has been a string of leg issues on his right side. He was day-to-day with a right knee on September 6, then a right lower leg on September 10, then a right foot on October 3. He was cleared on October 17, popped back up as day-to-day the same day, and was downgraded to out on October 20. He did not log a minute in four preseason games: a loss to Miami on October 3, a win over New York on October 13, and losses to New York and Detroit on October 15 and 16.
02Two-way deal and the road backOn October 17, the Raptors converted Bittle to a two-way contract and waived five players, as reported by Blake Murphy.
On October 17, the Raptors converted Bittle to a two-way contract and waived five players, as reported by Blake Murphy. That keeps the 23-year-old, 215-pound center in the organization while he works through the foot problem. The current estimate puts his return at October 28, which would mean missing the opener against the Bulls and the first days of the regular season. There is no number next to his name yet and no last-season line to lean on, so his role will be defined once he gets on the floor.
