The Toronto Raptors are headed toward training camp next month in Quebec City, but one of the biggest holes on the roster is still sitting there in plain sight: who backs up Jakob Poeltl?
That question doesn’t have a clean answer yet, and the Raptors have several candidates who could end up getting those minutes. Some are long shots, some are logical fits, and one looks like the most natural option of the bunch. But as things stand, Toronto still hasn’t settled on a real rotation behind its starting center.
Trayce Jackson-Davis is one name in the mix, and he’s already been brought in for exactly this kind of job. The Raptors dealt for him at the trade deadline in February, sending a message that they wanted another big body in the fold. He barely played after arriving, logging 17 appearances and averaging 5.0 minutes per game, but there was at least one clear flash of what he can do.
In his first game with Toronto on Feb. 8 against the Indiana Pacers, Jackson-Davis posted 10 points and 10 rebounds, including 8 offensive boards, in a 122-104 win. Toronto didn’t get many long looks at him after that, but that debut offered a glimpse of the production he could bring if he carves out a bigger role over a full offseason with the team.
The purest center on the list is Mohamed Jemison. At 6-10, he has the size Toronto may need, and the Raptors signed him to a two-way deal earlier this offseason with the hope that he could push for a roster spot. Jemison is a fourth-year pro from UAB who has bounced around the league early in his career, though he spent the entire 2025-26 season with the New York Knicks and came away with an NBA championship.
That championship background gives him a little extra weight in a crowded battle. He’s the underdog here, no question, but his frame could end up being exactly the kind of tool Toronto wants if he gets a real chance.
Then there’s K.J. Anderson, the veteran who brings a different kind of value.
He’s listed at 6-8, so he’s undersized for the position, but he’s also entering his 13th season and can bend his game to fit what his teammates need. That versatility is part of why he’s still around this late in his career, and it’s also why the Raptors seem interested in what he can offer.
Anderson is probably the least likely of the group to log meaningful center minutes, but he still has a path into the rotation somewhere. Toronto likes players who can shift roles on the fly, and that’s exactly his selling point.
Rookie Collin Graves brings a different kind of intrigue. The 19th overall pick out of Santa Clara this summer, Graves is seen as the natural replacement for Sandro Mamukelashvili, who signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. At 6-9, he matches Mamukelashvili’s size, which makes the comparison easy to see from a roster standpoint.
Graves didn’t play center in college, but his defensive profile suggests he might be able to handle it in the NBA. He still needs to add muscle, though, and that could make life difficult when he runs into bigger bodies. Even so, Toronto may be willing to test him there if it helps stabilize the bench.
Of all the options, Christian Murray-Boyles may be the best fit. He spent plenty of time in that spot as a rookie, and the Raptors had success with him there. He even held his own in their playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers while matched up with Jarrett Allen, who is two inches taller.
Murray-Boyles doesn’t fit every matchup, but he may give Toronto its best answer. His basketball IQ and defensive instincts let him play bigger than he is, and that gives him an edge against traditional big men.
The comparison that comes to mind is Draymond Green, who built a career as a small-ball center. If Murray-Boyles keeps showing that kind of versatility, the Raptors could lean on him there even more.
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