For many casual NBA fans, he is Bo Cruz, the star of Adam Sandler’s Netflix hit “Hustle.”
For Raptors fans, he’s your new backup four.
Juancho Hernangomez is close to reaching a one-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Free agent F Juancho Hernangomez is finalizing a one-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 26, 2022
This is believed to be a partially guaranteed deal, reports Josh Lewenberg of TSN. The Raptors have 12 guaranteed contracts for next season, and they are expected to sign second-round pick Christian Koloko to make that 13. Hermangomez makes five partial guarantees fighting in training camp for the remaining two roster spots (all of this barring a Kevin Durant trade, which is a longshot but on the table).
Raptors camp roster, as it stands now:
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) July 26, 2022
Guaranteed (12): Siakam, VanVleet, Trent, Anunoby, Boucher, Young, Barnes, Birch, Porter, Achiuwa, Flynn, Svi
Partially guaranteed (5): Banton, Brooks, Wilson, Champagnie, Hernangomez
2W: Harper, Dowtin
Still unsigned: Koloko
Hernangomez bounced around last season between the Celtics, Spurs, and Jazz (and was traded from Minnesota to Memphis last August, then to Boston before training camp). He never seriously cracked the rotation in Boston, San Antonio is developing young players, but in the Jazz’s player-movement system Hernangomez found a bit of a comfort level and played respectably well, averaging 6.2 points a game and even starting nine games.
Hernangomez — who appears most comfortable as a stretch four — should fit in well with the Raptors’ system of a lot of interchangeable, long, athletic, switchable players who can play 2-4 (or sometimes the 5). However, the challenge is finding minutes among Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Thaddeus Young, Chris Boucher, Otto Porter and everyone else in that mix.
Still, Hernagomez is getting a shot.
