Report: Oshae Brissett leaving Orlando Bubble for minor knee procedure

The Toronto Raptors have announced that rookie forward Oshae Brissett has “loose bodies” in his right knee, and as a result, he’s leaving the NBA Bubble in Orlando. He’ll return to Toronto for minor knee surgery to correct the issue.

No timetable has been given yet for Brissett’s return; the Raptors will update us as necessary.

What does Oshae Brissett’s Injury Mean for the Toronto Raptors?

You’ll excuse the subhead (gotta squeeze that SEO juice!), but rest assured, the absence of the 16th man on the Raptors roster means absolutely nothing. Under “normal” circumstances (“what’s normal,” you may ask, and there’s never been a worse time to answer that question than the summer of 2020) Brissett wouldn’t even be on the playoff roster, which would typically stand at 15. But since the Bubble allowed teams to carry 17 players on the roster, the Raptors brought both of their two-way contracts (Brissett and Paul Watson Jr.) to Orlando. Barring a catastrophic string of injuries or a widespread COVID-19 outbreak, it seemed unlikely Brissett would have been active for the playoff run at all.

For the Raptors, this means they now carry the regular-size roster of 15 players (Patrick McCaw previously left the Bubble with a knee issue), and they can’t add anyone else to the team at this point. They’re allowed to dress up to 13 players each game, which means at least two players will be inactive; Dewan Hernandez and Malcolm Miller got the honour in Game 1, and, barring any further injuries, they seem likely to continue in those roles at least for the remainder Round 1.

As for Brissett, we of course wish Oshae a speedy recovery. The Toronto native appeared in 19 games in his rookie season, averaging 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.1 minutes; he showed particular promise around New Year’s, where he was pressed into duty as injuries mounted. Over five games between December 28 and January 7, Brissett averaged 5.4 points on 45% shooting, and 3.6 boards, in 15 minutes, with a career-high 12 points against Portland on January 7. He still needs a little time in the Raptors Player Development Incubator, but with his size and athleticism, Brissett is full of potential.

As Doug Smith notes above, one positive side of this injury is that Brissett will have the opportunity to spend more time with his daughter, who was born shortly before the Raptors left for Florida in June.