Could Sandro Mamukelashvili be the Raptors secret weapon?

The Toronto Raptors signed big man Sandro Mamukelashvili to a two-year contract. But what can they expect from him?

Mamukelashvili, affectionately known as ‘Mamu,’ is entering his fifth season in the NBA, having played for the Milwaukee Bucks and most recently the San Antonio Spurs.

Mamu is a dribble, pass, and shoot player, which aligns with Darko Rajakovic’s ideal build for that position. And while he is an undersized big (standing at 6-foot-9 without shoes), he’s developed into a potent three-point shooter, knocking down 37% of his threes for the Spurs last season.

What makes Mamu intriguing is how the Raptors can utilize him in pick-and-roll scenarios, where his reliability as a pick-and-pop threat can make them wholly more versatile. His ability to attack closeouts and make decisions with the ball only heightens that ability. Mamu has also shown a knack for cutting into openings and moving without the ball, which is an important skill to have in the Raptors’ offensive system.

Generally, the question with Mamu comes on the defensive end where he’s not a rim protector or force by any means. In theory, his length can be used as a weapon off of the ball, but he often falls asleep on rotations and can lose track of his man, making him an ineffective defender generally. That said, the Raptors might have the defensive infrastructure to clean up for Mamu’s deficiencies on that end with Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Jonathan Mogbo, and Collin Murray-Boyles all pairing well with the Georgian big man. In that sense, you can argue the Raptors have added some lineup versatility by bringing on Mamu.

Still, Mamu only averaged 11 minutes last season for the Spurs. There’s a reason he went for the contract he did.

But there’s an opportunity for Mamu to fill a void for the Raptors with a skillset that the Raptors desperately need from his position.

I broke down Mamu’s in detail for the Raptors Republic YouTube Channel below.

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