The Raptors may be staring at another offseason squeeze, and this time the name to watch is Jamal Shead.
That’s the concern Michael Granger raised while looking ahead at Toronto’s payroll if the Kawhi Leonard trade goes through as planned. The math gets tight fast. Granger pointed out that the Raptors would have seven players making around $182 million, and that figure does not include RJ Barrett, who is due for a big extension or unrestricted free agency after this upcoming season.
That leaves a real question hanging over Shead, the second-round find who became a useful piece in Toronto’s rotation and then flashed even more in the playoffs.
“Will they have enough, for example, to sign Shead, the culture-setting, third-year guard who was such a find for them in the second round of the 2024 draft?”
Granger’s answer was cautious. “You would like to think so, but in the ‘apron era’ where superstars are taking pay cuts and teams are trading Finals MVPs, the Raptors’ top-heavy payroll could create problems,” Grange wrote. “Shead-who will be a restricted free agent after 2026-27-might have to go elsewhere to get paid what he is worth.”
Restricted free agency at least gives Toronto the right to match an outside offer, but that doesn’t guarantee the Raptors will have the financial room to do it. As Grange put it, “they might not have the means to do it.”
It’s the same basic danger that comes with losing a productive player after he’s shown his value. The Raptors didn’t let Sandro Mamukelashvili walk because he was a disappointment.
He was one of their more reliable reserves and 3-point shooters in the regular season. But once he turned in a career year, the market pushed his price beyond what Toronto could realistically handle, especially with several expensive contracts already on the books, the need for depth, and concerns about his playoff defense.
Shead’s case is different, but the risk feels familiar.
He wasn’t a high-volume scorer and he still doesn’t have a dependable 3-point shot. Those issues were there all season.
But he gave the Raptors exactly the kind of edge they value. If Shead were 6’8”, he’d be Raptors culture in a person: a tough, gritty defender who banks on his ability to make offensive players uncomfortable and force mistakes rather than any big-time shot-making.
Even without that ideal size and length, he fit. When Immanuel Quickley was out with an injury in the playoffs, Shead started four games and averaged 32 minutes per game, tied with Ja’Kobe Walter for the third-most behind Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett.
He also delivered in the moments that mattered. Shead had at least four assists in six of the seven games, finished with five steals in the Raptors’ first win of the series, and scored 14 points in a big Game 7. His most memorable sequence came in Game 4, when he forced Donovan Mitchell into an eight-second violation with less than a minute left to help Toronto close it out.
That kind of postseason showing can change a player’s market in a hurry. If another team comes calling after 2026-27, Toronto may find itself in the same uncomfortable spot again: valuing a player highly, wanting to keep him, and still not being able to match the number. And after what Shead just showed, he could be even better by the time his third NBA season rolls around.
In Other News...
Clippers Fans Suddenly Have A Real Reason To Worry About Kawhi
Kawhi Leonards potential return to Toronto has quickly become one of the most intriguing twists of the offseason, with the Raptors agreeing to bring back the former Finals MVP in a deal that would send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft compensation to the Clippers. It is the kind of move that instantly changes the conversation around a franchise, especially for a fan base that already knows exactly what Leonard can mean when the stakes rise.
For now, though, the reunion is sitting in limbo while the NBA reviews Leonards salary cap situation. Even with the uncertainty hanging over the transaction, there is still a sense around the deal that both sides expect it to eventually get across the finish line, which is why Torontos interest in Leonard has not cooled despite the delay. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors May Need Summer League To Solve A Problem Fast
If the Kawhi Leonard trade is completed and he signs the expected extension, the Raptors will be staring at a much tighter financial picture than they are used to. That kind of squeeze makes the margins around the roster even smaller, which is why Summer League suddenly matters a lot more than usual. Toronto is trying to build around a projected starting group of Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Leonard, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl, but the bigger question is how the rest of the team gets filled in without much room to spend.
The concern goes beyond just finding bodies. The Raptors already look thin in the middle, and the injury risk attached to several key pieces only raises the stakes for getting the back end of the roster right. So while Summer League often serves as a development stop, it may also be one of the few real chances Toronto has to identify affordable young players who can handle actual minutes when the season starts. [Read more 🡒]