:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57101219/479961639.0.jpg)
As first reported by Blake Murphy — and then announced officially — the Toronto Raptors have signed 25-year-old, 6’4” guard Davion Berry to an Exhibit 10 contract.
Signing Berry to this kind of deal means if the Raptors waive him, and Berry goes to the G-League and spends at least 60 days with the 905, he gets $50,000 guaranteed. The signing comes after the Raptors waived Andy Rautins, Kyle Wiltjer, and Kennedy Meeks. Keep in mind that Meeks was also signed to an Exhibit 10 contract, meaning he may also join Berry in the G-League.
Adding Berry to the 905 will definitely help Jerry Stackhouse’s rotation after almost every key player has signed overseas. Berry also knows the Raptors system after playing with the Raptors in Summer League two years ago, and playing with the 905 in the 2015-16 season after they acquired him in a trade on deadline day.
When Berry was with the 905 he played in 10 games while starting six of those, and averaging 33.5 minutes a game. Berry averaged 17.9 points, 3.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals while shooting 55.7% from the field and 51.4% from three.
After a solid 2015-16 season in the then D-League, Berry was rewarded with deals in Greece with Kolossos Rodu of the Greek League and in Germany with the Walter Tigers Tubingen of the German BBL.
For the 905, Berry will be able to run the point or play off the ball, and knock down threes, similar to Brady Heslip’s role of last season. That said, there’s no guarantee that Berry will be waived as there are technically still two roster spots available for the Raptors. He may be a late addition to Raptors training camp, but Berry will presumably try to win one of those if the Raptors feel they need more guard depth on the roster.
Even if he is waived, adding Berry strengthens the 905 roster, and gives us more of an outlook as to what shape the team will take. The 905 will get more players on October 21st, the day of the G-League draft. But for now a core of Berry, Brown, Malcolm Miller is a strong start.