Oshae Brissett

Raptors To Bring Oshae Brissett To Camp

Free agent forward Oshae Brissett has yet to sign a new deal yet, but the Raptors intend to bring him to training camp next week, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Brissett was on a two-way contract with Toronto in 2019/20 and the team issued him a qualifying offer at season’s end, making him a restricted free agent. As Murphy explains, it’s not clear whether Brissett will accept that QO (putting him on another two-way deal) or work out a new standard contract with the club, but the expectation is that he’ll be sticking around.

As a rookie in 2019/20, Brissett appeared in 19 games for the Raptors, playing mostly garbage-time minutes. The former Syracuse standout averaged 1.9 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 7.1 minutes per contest. In 30 G League games for the Raptors 905, he bumped those numbers to 14.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 27.8 MPG.

With Brissett back in the mix, the Raptors – who will also reportedly add Henry Ellenson, Yuta Watanabe, and Alize Johnson to their training camp roster – project to have a full 20-man squad.

All-Star Brandon Ingram, Others Receive Qualifying Offers

Pelicans All-Star forward Brandon Ingram has become a restricted free agent after New Orleans extended him his $9.48MM qualifying offer, Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports tweets.

The No. 2 pick by the Lakers in 2016, Ingram was one of the key players moved in the mega-blockbuster summer 2019 trade that sent Anthony Davis from the Pelicans to Los Angeles. He was voted the Most Improved Player and received his first All-Star berth during his inaugural season with the Pelicans in 2019/20. He is widely considered one of the best free agents among the 2020 class.

The Pelicans also issued a qualifying offer to two-way player Zylan Cheatham, Smith noted in a separate tweet. The 6’5″ forward out of San Diego State and Arizona State saw his first NBA action in three games for New Orleans during this past season.

Listed below are a few more updates on two-way players being issued qualifying offers across the NBA. These offers are one-year, two-way deals with a $50K guarantee. While these players are free to accept their QOs, most will probably seek a standard contract with their current team or an offer sheet with a new club, if possible.

  • Two-way Raptors small forward Oshae Brissett was tendered a qualifying offer, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets. The 6’7″ 21-year-old out of Syracuse appeared in 19 games for Toronto, and is now a two-way restricted free agent.
  • Timberwolves two-way players Kelan Martin and Jordan McLaughlin were both extended qualifying offers by Minnesota, making them two-way restricted free agents, per Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Martin, a 6’5″ small forward out of Butler, appeared in 31 games with the Timberwolves, averaging 6.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG. McLaughlin, a 5’11” point guard out of USC, averaged 7.6 PPG and 4.2 APG across 30 games for Minnesota. He also exhibited a solid three-point stroke, knocking down 38.2% of his 2.5 three-point attempts.
  • The Knicks have made two-way point guard Jared Harper a qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent, per Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
  • 6’5″ Jazz two-way forward Jarrell Brantley has been given a qualifying offer by the Jazz, effectively making him a restricted free agent, per Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Brantley appeared in nine games for Utah.

Raptors’ Brissett Leaves NBA Campus To Undergo Knee Procedure

Rookie forward Oshae Brissett has become the second Raptors player to leave the NBA’s Walt Disney World campus for health reasons. The team announced today in a press release that Brissett is returning to Toronto to undergo a medical procedure to clean out loose bodies in his right knee.

Earlier this month, veteran Raptors wing Patrick McCaw left Orlando in order to seek treatment for a reoccurrence of a benign mass on the back of his left knee. Like McCaw, Brissett has been ruled out indefinitely, with no indication of if or when he’ll return to the Disney campus. Toronto is ineligible to sign a free agent to replace either player.

One of Toronto’s two-way players, Brissett appeared in 19 NBA games during his first professional season in 2019/20. Playing primarily garbage-time minutes, he averaged 1.9 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 7.1 MPG. The 22-year-old saw more frequent action for the Raptors 905, recording 14.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 30 G League contests (27.8 MPG).

Brissett will be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason, so it’s possible he has played his final game as a Raptor.

Raptors Convert Oshae Brissett To Two-Way Contract

The Raptors have set their roster for the start of the regular season, announcing today in a press release that they’ve converted Oshae Brissett‘s Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way deal.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario – the home of the Raptors’ G League affiliate –  Brissett played two seasons at Syracuse before forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility and entering the 2019 draft. Although he wasn’t selected in June, he quickly caught on with the Clippers for Summer League, then signed with the Raptors later in July.

The 6’8″ forward, who averaged 13.7 PPG and 8.2 RPG in his two seasons at Syracuse, will be eligible to spend up to 45 days in the NBA on his two-way contract, but figures to play primarily for the Raptors 905.

Toronto now has 15 players on standard contracts and one on a two-way contract. Chris Boucher, Malcolm Miller, and Dewan Hernandez don’t have fully guaranteed salaries, but all three players are poised to make the 15-man roster to start the season. The team could also add another two-way player later today, though there’s no rush to do so before opening night.

Raptors Waive Cameron Payne, Devin Robinson

The Raptors have cut a pair of training camp invitees, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic, who tweets that the team has placed point guard Cameron Payne and small forward Devin Robinson on waivers.

Payne, who was competing to be Toronto’s third point guard, had a partial guarantee of $150K, so the Raptors will be on the hook for that money, which will count against their cap. Robinson, who appeared to be in the running for a two-way contract, had a non-guaranteed deal.

After waiving Matt Morgan on Friday, the Raptors are now carrying 17 players, including 12 on fully guaranteed contracts. Dewan Hernandez and Chris Boucher appear likely to earn regular-season roster spots, leaving Malcolm Miller and Isaiah Taylor battling for the 15th spot, Murphy tweets. Oshae Brissett‘s contract will likely be converted into a two-way deal.

As Murphy notes (via Twitter), the Raptors’ preference may be to retain Miller, cutting Taylor and then re-signing him to fill the other two-way contract slot after he clears waivers. However, it’s not clear if Taylor would be on board with that plan — or if he’d go unclaimed on waivers.

The Raptors don’t have to make their final decisions today since Miller and Taylor both have partial guarantees. Keeping both players until Monday’s roster deadline won’t result in any extra dead money on the club’s cap.

Raptors Notes: Lowry, Brissett, Miller, McCaw

A one-year contract extension for Kyle Lowry was always the outcome that made the most sense for the Raptors, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic, who points out that Lowry’s new deal leaves the team’s cap sheet relatively clean for the 2021 offseason, which is expected to feature a star-studded class of free agents.

Toronto’s new agreement with Lowry also signals that – as expected – the club has no immediate plans to tear down its core and launch a full-fledged rebuild following Kawhi Leonard‘s departure. As Murphy writes, exhibiting the ability to remain competitive without a superstar player has worked out well for teams like the Nets and Clippers in recent years — both those franchises made huge free agent splashes this summer in part because they’d built solid cores for their newly-signed stars to complement.

With Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Fred VanVleet among the Raptors veterans still unsigned beyond 2019/20, Lowry’s short-term extension is just one part of the puzzle for the franchise. Still, it provides a strong hint that president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri wants to maintain a winning culture as Toronto begins a new era.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

  • Danny Leroux of The Athletic and Dan Devine of The Ringer both make the case that Lowry’s one-year extension is a win-win for both the team and the veteran point guard.
  • Oshae Brissett and Malcolm Miller were among the players who looked good in the Raptors’ preseason win over Houston in Tokyo this morning, writes Blake Murphy of The Athletic. Murphy believes Brissett is a favorite to claim one of Toronto’s open two-way contract slots. Miller, who isn’t eligible for a two-way deal, will have a trickier path to a spot on the regular season roster, unless the Raptors decide they’re comfortable with Patrick McCaw and Terence Davis as third point guards and opt not to hang onto Cameron Payne or Isaiah Taylor.
  • Over the weekend, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star suggested that McCaw – who signed a two-year, $8MM contract with the Raptors this summer – is among those in the running for a spot in the starting lineup. However, Murphy notes that the ex-Warrior still didn’t look aggressive or especially comfortable on the offensive end in today’s game, playing 21 minutes without taking a single field goal attempt.

Raptors Notes: Ujiri, Camp Battles, T. Davis, Lowry

Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri reportedly drew interest from the Wizards this spring when Washington was in the market for a new head of basketball operations, and will likely continue to be targeted by teams making front office changes.

However, speaking to Frank Isola of The Athletic last weekend about his job status, Ujiri made it clear he intends to remain in Toronto at least through the end of his current contract in 2021, if not longer.

“The most important thing is that when you sign a contract you’re obligated to serve it,” Ujiri said. “I signed the contract and I have time left on that contract and I will serve the time. This place has been unbelievable to me. It’s been just a blessing.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Raptors Sign Oshae Brissett To Exhibit 10 Deal

JULY 23: The signing is official, the team confirmed in an email.

JULY 20: The Raptors have signed undrafted rookie forward Oshae Brissett, a Toronto native, to an Exhibit 10 deal, reports Blake Murphy of The Athletic. Brissett attended a pre-draft workout with the defending champions back on June 11 before playing with the Clippers during summer league.

Brissett, 21, played two seasons at Syracuse before forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility and entering the 2019 NBA Draft. While at Syracuse, the 6’8″ Canadian averaged 13.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.3 RPG. Brissett’s numbers fell off a little as a sophomore, but he was named to the ACC All-Freshman team alongside fellow rookie and No. 4 overall pick De’Andre Hunter in 2018.

Brissett is the second undrafted free agent to reach a deal with the Raptors this summer after former Ole Miss guard Terence Davis signed a two-year contract earlier this month. However, Brissett appears less likely than Davis to make the 15-man roster and will probably end up as an affiliate player for the Raptors 905.

Southeast Draft Notes: Hornets, Heat, Magic, Hawks

The Hornets have looked into the possibility of moving up in the draft from their current spot in the lottery at No. 12, tweets Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Bonnell acknowledges that it may be difficult for Charlotte to put together the sort of trade capital necessary to make a deal happen, but says GM Mitch Kupchak is active.

Meanwhile, the Hornets will continue to explore their draft options by bringing in six more prospects for workouts tomorrow, according to the team. Marques Bolden (Duke), Tacko Fall (UCF), Jaylen Hoard (Wake Forest), Jalen Hudson (Florida), and Luka Asceric (Mega Bemax) are among the players set to participate.

Here are a few more draft-related items from around the Southeast:

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Wade, Raptors, Workouts

The Celtics own three of the first 22 selections in the NBA draft and we reported last month that the team was expected to shop at least one of those picks. It appears that Boston has begun making calls with Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders connecting Houston as a potential trade partner for the franchise.

Boston has interest in Clint Capela, though the big man is not the organization’s top priority. As we wait to see if Capela is shipped to Boston or if Danny Ainge‘s squad unloads a first-rounder elsewhere, let’s take a look at some draft notes from the Atlantic Division: