5 Raptors With Questionable Roles Going Into The Season

The Toronto Raptors roster is all but settled, with a handful of players looking to carve out more definitive roles.

Jan 11, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Alijah Martin (55) brings the ball up the floor against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the Toronto Raptors approaching training camp, it appears that the roster is for the most part settled. Once the deal for Kawhi Leonard was processed, it left the Raptors with an odd number of roster spots.

It seems more than likely that the Raptors will likely roll with a 14-man roster as we near opening night on Wednesday, October 21st. Toronto has very little wiggle room when it comes to the first apron, which is likely part of the reason for offering Jaden Bradley a standard contract.

The Raptors’ rotation is for the most part solidified heading into the season. Whether they decide to slow-roll Allen Graves in or utilize Jamison Battle are rotational questions that will be more clear in the coming weeks. It’s the end of rotation players on this Raptors squad that are on the outside looking in, waiting for their chance at meaningful impact minutes.

Here’s a look at the players that have questions around their role heading into the 2026-2027 campaign.

PG Jaden Bradley

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots against Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the second half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 50th overall pick in the NBA draft was converted from a two-way contract to a four-year deal as he now holds the 14th spot on the Raptors 15-man roster. The key to more playing time for Bradley will be his aggressiveness on the defensive end. If he can bring the same energy as an on-ball defender as Jamal Shead does, he could see more depth minutes where the opportunities present themselves.

SG Alijah Martin

Jan 14, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Alijah Martin (55) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The front office liked what they saw in Alijah Martin’s rookie campaign as they offered him a two-year, $4.75 million standard contract back in July. Much like Bradley, Martin will be vying for minutes at the end of the Raptors’ rotation. There’s only so much playing time that can be handed out to six-foot-two guards off the bench, which will make minutes even tighter between Martin and Bradley. What Alijah Martin has going for him is a year under his belt, and trust with Coach Darko. If he can stay tenacious on defence and force turnovers like he did in limited action last year, we could see a more defined role materialize for Martin.

C/PF Trayce Jackson-Davis

Feb 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) looks on against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Raptors elected to pick up the team option for Trayce Jackson-Davis as they seem to be comfortable with him as their third-string center. While he has not played much since being acquired from the Golden State Warriors, it seems as if the Raptors believe that Jackson-Davis has something to offer as a depth big. If and when Jakob Poeltl misses time, it’s still unclear where Jackson-Davis would slide into the rotation. With this being the last year of his deal, he could be used as a piece in a trade, so keep an eye on Jackson-Davis when trade talks heat up.

C Trey Jemison III (two-way)

Jun 2, 2026; San Antonio, TX, USA; New York Knicks forward Trey Jemison III (50) runs during practice on media day for the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Speaking of the Raptors’ depth at the center position, Trey Jemison III provides more size and height than Trayce Jackson-Davis does. We’ll likely see the Raptors call up Jemison if injuries plague any of their bigs.

Jemison has already had a cup of coffee with several teams including the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. There’s no telling what kind of role he’ll have with the Raptors, since he couldn't carve one out with his former teams. In the same breath, it doesn’t hurt to take a two-way flyer on Jemison as insurance, who will spend most of his time with the 905 squad.

SG Malachi Smith (two-way)

Apr 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets Malachi Smith (18) dribbles against Toronto Raptors Immanuel Quickley (5) during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In a subsequent move that followed the Jaden Bradley deal, Malachi Smith scooped up the final two-way contract, rounding out those roster spots with Trey Jemison III and Chucky Hepburn. Smith finds himself way down the pecking order of guards, behind Alijah Martin, Jaden Bradley and likely Chucky Hepburn.

His upside is his scoring ability to score. While his opportunities were limited last year with the Brooklyn Nets, he did manage to put up 8.3 points per game off of 48.5% shooting and 43.5% from beyond the arc. If the Raptors elect to promote a player with more offensive upside, that may be the window of opportunity for Smith.

Sign up for our free newsletter, which will bring all Toronto Raptors On SI stories every weekday to your email.