9:38am: The Raptors have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Williams to a 10-day contract.
8:47am: The Raptors have agreed to sign G League center Malik Williams to a 10-day contract, agent Brian Jungreis tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Williams, 25, went undrafted out of Louisville in 2022, then spent his first professional season in Poland before joining the Sioux Falls Skyforce – Miami’s NBAGL affiliate – for the 2023/24 campaign.
In 42 total Showcase Cup and regular season games for the Skyforce, Williams has averaged 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in just 21.5 minutes per contest. Sioux Falls is scheduled to face the Oklahoma City Blue in the Western Conference semifinals of the G League playoffs this week, but will be down a key piece of its frontcourt for that matchup, with Williams headed to Toronto.
The Raptors opened up a spot on their standard 15-man roster on Tuesday night when Kobi Simmons‘ 10-day contract expired. It appears that Simmons, who averaged 5.0 PPG and 3.0 APG in four appearances (16.8 MPG) with Toronto, won’t be getting another contract from the club — unless he’s brought back at the end of the season after Williams’ 10-day deal expires.
As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca points out (via Twitter), with point guard Immanuel Quickley back in the lineup, it makes more sense for the Raptors to use their final roster spot on a big man, given that Kelly Olynyk is the only center who is healthy and available.
Williams will earn $64,343 over the course of his 10 days with the Raptors. Assuming he officially signs on Wednesday, the deal will run through next Friday, April 12, covering six of Toronto’s seven remaining games.