The banged-up Toronto Raptors are planning to sign G League Memphis Hustle forward Freddie Gillespie to a 10-day contract, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Blake Murphy.
Gillespie, 23, averaged a double-double in his rookie season with the Hustle, averaging 10.5 points and 10.3 rebounds in 15 regular-season games.
According to the NBA’s CBA, the Raptors were required to add a 14th player to their roster by Thursday, and the Baylor product is just that.
The move also comes at a time where the Raptors have playing time available just because of the sheer lack of healthy bodies on the roster.
In their past two games – a win against the Washington Wizards and a loss against the Los Angeles Lakers – the Raptors have only had nine available players for coach Nick Nurse to work with.
Injuries to stars Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet, as well as some of their reserve players, have left the team short-handed.
But the available minutes have afforded some of the Raptors’ younger players more playing time, and guys like Gary Trent Jr. and Malachi Flynn are making the most of it.
Toronto fans will be hoping that Gillespie can do the same and impress management enough to stick around with the team long-term.
The Raptors currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 20-31, two games back of the Chicago Bulls for the last spot in the play-in tournament.
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