The NBA trade deadline has passed, and the Toronto Raptors were active in making multiple moves. Their biggest transaction was a blockbuster deal with the New Orleans Pelicans to acquire star forward Brandon Ingram. In exchange, the Raptors sent Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, and two draft picks to New Orleans. Toronto’s front office was determined to find a star to complement Scottie Barnes, which led to the decision to trade for Ingram. With Ingram now on the roster, the team’s next priority is securing him with a contract extension, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Toronto also completed another trade, sending Davion Mitchell to the Miami Heat in return for P.J. Tucker and a second-round pick. Additionally, the Raptors made a roster move on Friday by converting two-way forward Jamison Battle’s contract into a three-year standard NBA deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Jamison Battle, an undrafted free agent from Ohio State, initially joined the Raptors in July on an Exhibit 10 contract. Toronto later signed the 23-year-old to a two-way deal in October before officially converting his contract to a standard three-year NBA deal on Friday.
This season, Battle has averaged 5.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game while shooting an efficient 45.8% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. He has established himself as a valuable contributor off the bench, and with his strong play, the Raptors view him as an important role player for their future.
