The Toronto Raptors’ two-way spots were in flux for much of the offseason.
Second-round pick Jaden Bradley occupied one for a short stint, but was eventually converted to a standard NBA deal — albeit with a second-round pick exception that allowed the Raptors to sign him for less than the veteran minimum.
Chucky Hepburn was set to continue as a two-way before sustaining a hamstring injury during the preseason and subsequently getting waived.
So the Raptors ended up filling two of their three spots with Malachi Smith and Nate Bittle — who seemed destined for one since Summer League — while leaving the last one vacant for now.
Here is a last-minute preview of the Raptors’ two-way pair.
Nate Bittle
Have to start with Bittle.
The seven-footer stirred up tremendous excitement in the Raptors-sphere with his Summer League performance. Enough that, despite being unable to participate in training camp or the pre-season because of a foot injury, he stayed on everyone’s radar.
He clearly made a strong impression on the Raptors organization, too, as they converted him to a two-way contract on Saturday despite the poorly timed absence. Meanwhile, they waived seven-foot-five reigning G League Defensive Player of the Year Jamarion Sharp, who appears 905-bound after they traded for his rights on Tuesday.
When it comes to his game, Bittle appeals to Toronto fans for obvious reasons. He shot 44% from deep and blocked 2.8 shots per game over the minuscule four-game sample. The floor-spacing rim-protector that was promised.
Over a larger, five-year sample with Oregon, Bittle shot 33% on over three attempts per game (after he started shooting 3s his sophomore year). Not quite the same home-run efficiency, but enough of a prior base to indicate it wasn’t a fluke either. The 23-year-old also averaged 1.5 blocks per game in college and led the Big Ten with 75 blocks in 2024-25.
The problem with some players who fit into this archetype is that they don’t fulfill enough of the other big-man responsibilities, i.e. rebounding, defence outside of hunting blocks, screening, rolling, efficient rim finishing, and more to make the 3s and swats worthwhile (ahem — Myles Turner).
Bittle’s college rebounding rates were just short of Big Ten products Derik Queen and Jalen Smith. If he was able to grab boards at a similar frequency against comparable competition, it stands to reason that skill could translate. Queen’s offensive rebounding rate was below average as a rookie, but his defensive rebounding rate was in the 77th percentile. Smith was above average on the offensive glass and well above average defensively last season.
And while he doesn’t have the athleticism to cover significant swaths of ground, he was consistent with his wherewithal and decision-making defensively in Summer League. Bittle seems to know how to wield his size.
His screens effectively carved out space, and while he popped more often than he rolled, his composure and pacing when moving towards the rim and catching were solid. Bittle even went above and beyond the big-man qualifications by executing savvy passing reads out of delay action.
Now, he won’t be game-ready for at least one month, per Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. Bittle’s listed as out for Game 1 on Wednesday with a right foot avulsion. But when he is good to go, he should see plenty of time with the 905 and potentially some minutes with the Raptors, too, depending on his performance and their health.
Malachi Smith
Bittle has the profile of a reliable depth big. Smith, on the other hand, has already proven himself in a limited NBA sample.
After averaging 16 points and seven assists during the regular season with the Long Island Nets in 2025-26, Smith got his first NBA opportunity in his third G League season. The 26-year-old proceeded to average 8.3 points on over 60% true shooting (43.5% from 3) over 15 games with Brooklyn to close out the season. He added 3.4 boards and 3.3 assists.
Smith certainly looked like a bucket-getter in the Raptors’ final preseason game as he drilled triples and drove the rim en route to a team-high 24 points. He had two particularly impressive drives: one a screen reject and in-and-out dribble all the way to the cup, and another eurostep through traffic to draw a foul from Paul Reed.
It’s also worth noting that he’s a career 40% shooter on 341 attempts in the G League.
So, Smith should essentially fill the AJ Lawson role: filling it up with 905 and potentially sparking the Raptors with some quick-punch scoring if needed. Lawson is now playing with Saski Baskonia of Spain’s League ACB. He is no longer eligible for a two-way contract after completing four years of NBA service time. It’s likely no NBA team wanted to give him a standard deal, and it’s also likely he’s getting paid more in Spain than an Exhibit-10 contract would have here.
One area where Smith seems to lag is defensively. This could be a sticking point given the Raptors’ organizational philosophies. From what I’ve seen, he can be disorganized off the ball and middling at the point of attack. But also keeping in mind the emphasis the org. places here, there could be room for improvement. Lawson’s defence, particularly on the ball, improved greatly over his two years in the system. Noah Lewis is taking over from Drew Jones as the 905’s head coach, but it’s a safe bet that defence will still be a focus.