Raptors convert two-way Jamison Battle to standard NBA deal
In their first bit of post-trade deadline business, the Toronto Raptors are reportedly converting two-way forward Jamison Battle to a standard three-year NBA contract, the team announced on Friday.
The 23-year-old completes an undrafted success story with Toronto, going from an Exhibit 10 in Jul. 2024 to a two-way deal entering the season and now a full long-term contract at the top level.
Battle quickly played through a majority of his 50 NBA games — the limit for two-way players — as he already racked up 35 appearances with the Raptors thus far. Through that span, he’s averaged 5.4 points and 1.8 assists while shooting a rookie-leading 41.7 per cent from beyond the arc.
Where Battle has really impressed is at the G League level.
Through 11 regular season games with the 905, he averaged 12.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists while connecting on a torrid 55.6 per cent of his triples (second in the G) on nearly five attempts per game. His ability to space the floor and knock down looks from distance is clearly NBA calibre.
But it’s the extra stuff that’s been a pleasant addition and appears to be a focus for the Ohio State product.
“I think defensively, (that’s) the biggest thing for me, that’s what I’ve been trying to work on,” Battle said when asked about his priorities with the 905 (right after dropping 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 from downtown against Birmingham). “I think these last two weeks, I felt the most confident I’ve ever felt defensively.”
When I asked where that confidence came from, his explanation was simple: Getting reps with the 905 and an understanding that his 6-foot-7, 220-pound frame provides him with the “intangibles” necessary to compete at a higher level on that end of the floor.
“Now it’s just about doing other things,” Battle continued. “Other things that impact the game, whether it’s rebounding, whether it’s getting steals, whether it’s playing defence on good players. So, I’ve got to keep building, keep improving.”
Battle’s strong play with the 905 and Raptors not only rewards him with an NBA deal but also longer-term. He’s now set to be on Toronto’s roster for at least two more seasons beyond 2024-25 as the team made use of its savings from their mid-level exception to give him those extra years. According to Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy, by inking Battle for the next two seasons and not longer, the Raptors also maintain his restricted free-agency status come the end of his deal.
In a corresponding move, with a two-way slot now available, Toronto signed Orlando Robinson to fill that vacant position. The 6-foot-10 big man had already signed two 10-day deals with the team, the second of which expired on Friday. He played seven games throughout those contracts and averaged 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.1 minutes a night.
Toronto is now left with one NBA roster spot, which could turn into two should P.J. Tucker be bought out. The Raptors return to action on Friday night, visiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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