Raptors Make Roster Move With Trio of Rookies

Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Jamal Shead are heading to Mississauga.

The Toronto Raptors have assigned all three rookies to the Raptors 905 who will play their first home game of the season Friday evening against the Long Island Nets. They’ll be joined by rookie second-round pick Ulrich Chomche who continues to develop with the 905 early this year.

This had always been part of the plan for Toronto’s rookies who had been thrust into regular rotation minutes to start the year with the Raptors due to a slew of injuries to the big club. Mogbo and Shead have each seen regular playing time while Walter has spent much of the year sidelined with a pair of AC joint injuries.

“We are one team, and they need to understand that,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said Thursday of the Raptors 905. “We spent a lot of time during the summer together, coaching staffs, players, we work together, and we're really one team.”

Mogbo and Shead are likely to be back up with the club when Toronto opens a four-game road trip starting in Cleveland on Sunday night. The Raptors may elect to keep Walter with the 905 to get him more developmental opportunities early this year.

Once Toronto gets back to full strength this year, all three rookies will likely see an extended stretch with the 905. The Raptors have a track record of letting their rookies get G League reps.

The entire Raptors roster is expected to be in attendance for the 905’s home opener, Rajaković said Thursday.