The One Player Raptors Can’t Afford to Lose This Offseason

The Toronto Raptors have some decisions to make this offseason after falling short in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games.

The team has nearly two months to figure out what it will do for free agency, specifically when it comes to big man Sandro Mamukelashvili, who had a brilliant year with the Raptors, posting career-highs in nearly every statistical category.

Stat	2024-25 With Spurs	2025-26 With Raptors
Points	6.3	11.2
Rebounds	3.1	4.9
Assists	0.8	1.9
Blocks	0.3	0.5
Steals	0.4	0.8
3-Point Percentage	37.3	38.9
Minutes	11.2	21.9
Games Played	61 (0 starts)	80 (13 starts)

Sandro Mamukelashvili Wants to Stay With Raptors

Toronto Raptors forward Sandro Mamukelashvili drives as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder tries to defend. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Mamukelashvili signed a two-year, $5.26 million contract last summer, but he can opt out and become a free agent, which he will almost certainly do since other teams would be willing to give him a raise.

“I think a lot of people don’t know that last year I got offered a lot more money to be on other teams, but to me, the main priority since I’m a basketball player, a competitor, is that I want to win, I want to be part of something. So I think this summer will be the same thing, kind of understanding where I fit the best and what role I can play, and hopefully, it’s going to be here,” Mamukelashvili said.

“I really want to be back. I love Toronto. I love the people, I love the organization, and Coach Darko (Rajakovic), I think he was a guy who gave me a chance to go out there and be myself, and as I said, there’s so much more I can do, and better I can get. I think the main thing is kind of understanding that I belong here and be an NBA player, an NBA rotational guy, and I want to have the best possible way to go out there and get better.”

Why Mamu's Return to Toronto is Unlikely

The Raptors do not hold Mamukelashvili's Bird rights, which opens the door for other teams to offer more. Teams would be willing to pay Mamukelashvili possibly 3-4 times more than what the Raptors offered him last summer.

While Mamukelashvili wants to be on a team that can compete like the Raptors, money talks. There are other situations around the league that are conducive to what Mamukelashvili is looking for while also allowing him to make far more money.

Now that he has proven that he can be part of a playoff rotation in the NBA, other teams should be willing to pay him a lot of money. Teams like the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets could benefit from frontcourt upgrades, so he should have plenty of suitors this offseason.

Mamukelashvili turns 27 later this month, presenting an opportunity to make the largest amount of money in a single contract in his NBA career this summer.

The Raptors have so much money tied to their core and are eyeing a possible RJ Barrett extension, so Mamukelashvili could be on the wrong side of Toronto's plans moving forward.

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