Mo Bamba makes Raptors debut vs. Magic

The newest member of the Toronto Raptors is taking the floor.

Utah Jazz center Mo Bamba poses for a portrait during the Media Day. | Utah Jazz via Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors have a new centre and his name is Mo Bamba.

Bamba made his Raptors debut in the second quarter of the team's game against the Orlando Magic, which ironically enough was the team that drafted him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

Bamba has been a journeyman since being traded by the Orlando Magic nearly three years ago. But now his NBA journey is taking him to Toronto.

New Orleans Pelicans center Mo Bamba dribbles against Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Bamba checks in for Raptors

Bomba is expected to give the Raptors some much-needed size as they look to get some rebounding help with Jakob Poeltl out with a back injury for at least another week.

Bamba signed a non-guaranteed contract that becomes fully guaranteed if he is still on the roster after Jan. 10. For now, he's auditioning with the team to try to stick around for the rest of the regular season.

Bamba spent the first part of the basketball season in the G League with the Salt Lake City Stars, the affiliate of the Utah Jazz. Sportsnet insider Michael Grange wrote about Mo Bamba earlier this month and believed he was a potential target for the Raptors all this time.

"Most of the Raptors front office were in Orlando over the weekend watching the Raptors 905, Toronto's affiliate team at the NBA G League's Winter Showcase. The 905 lost in the Final — snapping a record 16-game win streak — to the Utah Jazz’s G League affiliate, but not all was lost as the Raptors got a front-row look at Mo Bamba, the enigmatic, though talented centre who was the 6th player taken in the 2018 draft by the Orlando Magic. And Bamba looked great," Grange wrote.

"He helped Salt Lake City to the Cup title by contributing 16.5 points on 68 per cent shooting while grabbing 15 rebounds (four offensive), dishing three assists and blocking two shots across the Semifinal and Final. He hit all of his free throws and two threes on three attempts. He’s shooting 40 per cent from distance for the season in the G League."

The Raptors hope Bamba can be what they're looking for as they get some depth at the center position behind Poeltl and Sandro Mamukelashvili, who is starting for the Raptors against the Magic.

Fans can watch Mo Bamba's Raptors debut on TSN Sports or stream it on NBA League Pass.