Report: Raptors to sign Rawle Alkins to training camp deal

According to SI’s Jeremy Woo’s sources, the Raptors have reportedly dipped into the 2018 NBA Draft class to offer Rawle Alkins a training camp deal for next season. Here’s what we have to go on right now:

Rawle, at 20 years old, is a 6’5”, 220 pound guard from Brooklyn, NY, who has two years of NCAA ball under his belt at Arizona. In his sophomore year, he played in 23 games (with 21 starts), with averages of 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, while shooting 43 percent from the field, and 36 percent from three (on 4.0 attempts per game). While this isn’t exactly a flashy turning of events (like picking Giannis’ brother, or something), Alkins was ranked as a top 60 prospect. CBS had him at 57, Basketball Insiders at 48, and sure, why not, NBA Draft dot com says he could have gone as high as 40 (forty!). The short version here is: Alkins has decent size, and could be something of a 3-and-D player, the kind of profile that always gets a chance.

Who knows why Alkins fell out of the Draft, or what the Raptors will do with him now that he’s apparently joining the team. We’ve seen a plethora of players come through Toronto on training camp deals. Some go to the 905, some sit on the end of the Raptors bench, and some get cut before it’s there time to shine in the NBA. All I feel safely in predicting now is that we’ll see Alkins join the Raptors’ Summer League team in July, and, as the name of the deal suggests, we’ll see him in the fall during training camp.

This is the kind of deal that really adds to the quiet around the Raptors at the draft. They didn’t make a huge franchise-changing deal, they didn’t move Norman Powell’s contract, they didn’t even buy a second round pick. In one sense — due to boredom — it was a disappointing night for Toronto.

But we would be wise not to dismiss this out of hand. As you’ll recall, the Raptors signed Fred VanVleet as an undrafted free agent back in 2016. He too fell out of the draft despite being a player with some talent — there were just a few too many questions as to his ultimate utility in the NBA. Now, of course, FVV is a mainstay on the roster. Could we say the same for Alkins? We don’t know that yet — but maybe this could be something too.

Anyway, here’s a Rawle Alkins highlight package to tide you all over until we see him in action.

And, as per usual, here’s friend of the site Mitch Robson’s take:

“Really liked him last year, though he kind of checked out mentally with the scandal around Arizona this past season. He’s a pitbull of a defender with an NBA ready body who can play with relentless energy. Also a vicious finisher, who should be able to slash and cut to get his buckets right away. Shooting is hit-and-miss skill, and he isn’t quite an initiator, e.g. he doesn’t do too well with the ball in his hands.”

There you have it!