"One of the biggest areas of need is Toronto's need for a backup big. Last win against Miami hid the fact that when Jakob Poeltl is out, Toronto is all out of size at the centre position and usually gets dominated on the glass, but with the return of an old fan favourite, Jonas Valanciunas, those troubles could easily be forgotten about."
"Well, for one, Toronto desperately needs a centre outside of Poeltl that is over 6 feet 9 inches, as both Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jonathan Mogbo list at 6'9″. Don't get me wrong, Jonathan Mogbo flashed his potential as a rebounder last year with a triple-double performance against the Charlotte Hornets in a 126-96 win when he put up 17 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists."
"Don't get me wrong, he was the steal of the off-season as signing him for 2 years, $5.5 million was a great move by the front office,but he might serve better as a power forward or even a small forward as he's shown solid handles and deceptive speed. Across five starts, in 31.4 minutes, he's only averaging six rebounds per game,"
Toronto lacks a true backup center with over 6'9" size to replace Jakob Poeltl when he is unavailable, causing rebounding and interior defense issues. Jonathan Mogbo has shown promise as a rebounder, including a triple-double and three career double-doubles, but his size limits his impact. Sandro Mamukelashvili has overdelivered offensively and offers versatility, but his rebounding across five starts (six per game) is insufficient for a backup center role. Jonas Valanciunas would restore size and rebounding, and his return carries a strong nostalgia factor given his status as an underrated former Raptor.
Read at Raptors Republic
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