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The Six Report · Morning

Raptors Trim the Roster as the Preseason Clock Runs Out

Nate Bittle goes two-way, five players are waived, and Toronto closes camp with one more loss before Chicago.

Trayce Jackson-Davis23 pts on 4-5 FG and 15-16 FT in the preseason finale loss at Detroit
By the Raptors Nightly Desk · Sunday, October 18

Toronto's preseason ended the way much of it played out: competitive, then short. The roster now reflects that, with five players cut loose and one more on a two-way deal before the lights come on for real.

Trayce Jackson-Davis of the Raptors
Trayce Jackson-Davis. Photo: The Hoosier from Bloomington, IN, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Roster Comes Into Focus

On October 17, the Raptors converted Nate Bittle to a two-way contract and waived five players — Tyreke Key, Tyson Degenhart, Jalen Celestine, Nimari Burnett and Jamarion Sharp — per a report from Blake Murphy. All five had been auditioning for depth spots through camp; none survive to the regular season. Bittle, who missed camp in a walking boot, gets his two-way look instead.

A Finale Without the Starters

Toronto closed its preseason slate the previous night, October 16, falling 125-129 at Detroit with Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl all held out. Malachi Smith scored 24 off the bench and Jackson-Davis added 23 on 15-of-16 shooting from the line. Allen Graves grabbed eight rebounds in 23 minutes. Starters and bench nearly split the scoring, 71 points to 54.

Five Days to Chicago

The 0-0 Raptors open the regular season October 21 against the Bulls, with games at Washington on October 23 and at Minnesota on October 25 to follow. Payroll sits at $202.5 million, past the $200.4 million tax threshold. Bittle, now on his new deal, is working back from a right foot issue with an expected return date of October 21 — the opener itself.

Who did the Raptors waive this week?

Toronto waived Tyreke Key, Tyson Degenhart, Jalen Celestine, Nimari Burnett and Jamarion Sharp on October 17, converting Nate Bittle to a two-way contract in the same move.

When do the Raptors play their first regular-season game?

Toronto opens the season October 21 at home against the Chicago Bulls.

By the Raptors Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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