Jamison Battle is making it hard for the Raptors to keep treating him like a side piece.
Toronto came into this season with the sense that the 25-year-old could grow into a bigger job on a roster that was supposed to be moving into a new phase. Battle had already built a reputation as one of the team’s most eager and dangerous shooters, and that kind of gravity matters even more when expectations are rising around the Kawhi Leonard reunion. With the injuries piling up and Kawhi still out, Battle hasn’t just stayed relevant - he’s become the Raptors’ most dependable and efficient threat from deep.
The numbers back it up. Alijah Martin technically owns the best 3-point percentage on the roster at 53.3 percent, but that comes on just 15 attempts, with eight makes.
It’s a tiny sample, and it doesn’t carry the same weight. Battle has taken 49 threes and knocked down 21 of them, which puts him at a team-best 42.9 percent.
That’s the kind of volume Toronto can actually trust. Immanuel Quickley is next at 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, going 21-for-63, while Ja’Kobe Walter has made 21 threes too, but on 64 attempts, for a 32.8 percent clip.
Those were the names that looked like the clearest signs of life from long range before the season, and Battle has separated himself from the pack. He backed that up last night against the Grizzlies, when he poured in 14 points in the third quarter and went a perfect 4-for-4 from three.
It wasn’t some one-off flash, either. He’s already shown he can catch fire, like he did in that sudden burst against the Lakers not long ago.
That’s what makes this stretch so interesting. Battle wasn’t even a lock to climb this quickly.
He was part of the conversation for more minutes and a steadier role, but it wasn’t guaranteed that he’d force the issue this soon. Now the Raptors may not have much choice.
He’s making a real case to be handed the green light and trusted as a full-time deep threat.
At the moment, Battle is playing about 18.2 minutes per game, and that figure could rise as Toronto keeps dealing with injuries and reshuffling the rotation. There’s also a case for shifting some of Ja’Kobe Walter’s 29.6 minutes per night toward Battle if Walter keeps struggling in the role he was expected to fill. Battle is already producing in the exact area Toronto needs help.
And when Kawhi is back and the roster is whole again, Battle still looks like someone Toronto should keep in the mix with its top pieces. Lineups with Scottie Barnes, CMB, Kawhi, Battle, and one of IQ, RJ, or Poeltl make sense on paper. When the offense stalls, Battle has shown he can be the guy who steadies it.
In Other News...
Former Raptor Gary Trent Jr. Is Suddenly At Center Of NBA Scrutiny
Gary Trent Jr. has found himself back in the spotlight for reasons that go well beyond his play on the floor. The former Raptors wing, now with the Milwaukee Bucks, is reportedly at the center of an NBA investigation into whether his four-year contract was used in a way that could amount to salary cap circumvention, a development that has put the deal under a microscope across the league.
For Toronto fans who watched Trent during his time with the Raptors, the scrutiny adds another strange chapter to a career that has already taken an unusual turn. The reported questions around the contract have only grown louder because of his declining performance and the way the deal progressed, and if the league determines something improper happened, the Bucks could be looking at serious penalties, including draft pick forfeitures and suspensions. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors May Have Found A Cheap Frontcourt Upgrade Worth Watching
Kyle Filipowski has started to look like the kind of frontcourt swing piece the Raptors tend to keep an eye on when theyre hunting for value. The Jazz big man has seen his playing time climb lately, and the appeal is obvious for Toronto: a young, affordable player with enough skill to potentially fit into a roster that is still sorting out its long-term shape up front.
For the Raptors, the attraction goes beyond just adding another body to the rotation. Filipowskis contract status makes him a realistic name to monitor, and his blend of size and versatility gives Toronto a possible cheap upgrade without having to chase a splashier move. The question now is whether Utah would actually entertain the kind of trade package Toronto could put together, and how far the Raptors would be willing to go to make the deal happen. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Weigh A Blockbuster Frontcourt Move As Kawhi Plans Return
Kawhi Leonard has finished treatment for the left knee swelling that had kept him on the shelf and is now beginning the return-to-play process with the Raptors, a welcome development for a team that has been waiting to see what its full frontcourt picture might look like. His progress comes at a time when Toronto is also being linked to a much larger roster idea, one that would reshape the middle of the lineup rather than simply tweak it.
Domantas Sabonis has emerged as a name to watch after recently changing agents, and the Raptors have expressed interest in the Sacramento Kings big man as they look for ways to strengthen the roster. No deal has been announced, but the possibility alone gives Toronto a lot to sort through, especially with Leonard working his way back and the front office weighing whether to stay patient or chase a bigger swing. [Read more 🡒]