The Raptors may still have plenty of preseason questions hanging over the roster, but Jaden Bradley is starting to answer one of them. Through Toronto’s first two preseason games, the rookie point guard has looked like exactly the kind of steady third option the team needs behind Jamal Shead and Immanuel Quickley.
Bradley hasn’t flashed with big scoring nights or landed on highlight reels. What he has done is settle in, stay composed, and play the kind of basketball that coaches trust. For a player taken at No. 50 in the 2026 NBA Draft, that matters.
There were real concerns after a tough Summer League showing, but preseason has given Toronto a much clearer picture. Bradley is not trying to force the action.
Offensively, he’s been patient, letting possessions develop, making the extra pass, and working to extend plays when he can. On the other end, he’s been active and engaged, diving on the floor, battling for rebounds, getting into a stance, and competing defensively.
He looks comfortable. More importantly, he looks like he belongs in the role he’s been asked to fill.
That doesn’t mean the Raptors should expect him to step in and immediately become a rotation staple. It also doesn’t mean he’s going to match the impact Jamal Shead delivered as a rookie.
But Toronto doesn’t need Bradley to be a star. It needs him to survive the minutes when Shead or Quickley sits, and it needs him to provide competent spot duty if the team wants a different look at the point.
Even with some rough edges still showing - including four turnovers against the Clippers on Saturday and limited three-point volume - Bradley has done enough to ease some of the early concern around his draft slot.
Toronto still has larger questions to sort through in preseason. There’s Kawhi Leonard’s fit, Jakob Poeltl’s ability to anchor the middle as the starting five man, and how RJ Barrett handles a different role when Leonard is on the floor. But at point guard, the Raptors appear to have a clear answer across the depth chart.
They have a starter, a backup, and now a third-string lead guard who has already shown he can hold it down.
In Other News...
Jakob Poeltl Just Gave Raptors Fans A Reason To Reconsider The Frontcourt
Jakob Poeltls preseason run against the Clippers gave the Raptors something they can always use a little more of up front: signs of life. In Torontos 114-106 win, Poeltl was active for more than 21 minutes and looked sharper than he had in previous outings, with better movement and effort showing up throughout the night as the team tried to sort out its frontcourt rotation.
The bigger takeaway may be what this kind of performance could mean for the rest of the roster. Torontos coaching staff seems open to exploring how Poeltl fits alongside Collin Murray-Boyles this season, rather than treating the two as a strict either-or choice, and that makes Poeltls return to form more than just a preseason footnote. If he can sustain this level, it could give the Raptors a more functional and flexible look inside. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Just Added A Giant With A Real Shot To Stick
Toronto is taking a fresh look at Jamarion Sharp, the free agent center set to join the Raptors and compete for a two-way contract. The move adds another big body to a preseason group that is already at 21 players, so the front office will have to clear a spot before Sharp can officially settle in with the club.
Sharps path has been a winding one, even by the standards of a player chasing an NBA foothold. He previously landed a two-way deal with the Clippers before getting waived, then spent most of his time in the G League, where his defensive work earned notice and kept him on the radar of teams looking for size and rim protection. [Read more 🡒]
RJ Barretts Early Raptors Role Could Create A Real Offensive Problem
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined for Torontos first two preseason games, RJ Barrett has been asked to do a lot more of the organizing and creation than he likely will once the games count. The expanded on-ball responsibilities mirror the version of Barrett the Raptors leaned on in the playoffs, where he was more than just a finisher and had to help drive the offense. It has given Toronto a useful look at how Barrett handles added control, but it also highlights how different this group can look when the roster is whole.
Barretts current role is built around a heavy share of the action, and that can be a tricky thing to unwind when Leonard returns and reclaims the top offensive spot. If Barrett has gotten used to initiating so much of what Toronto does, the adjustment back to a more complementary role could take some time and affect early-season rhythm. The Raptors need Barrett to stay productive, but they also need the offense to settle into a pecking order that works once the lineup is at full strength. [Read more 🡒]