The Toronto Raptors could have some real competition if (but truthfully when) Sandro Mamukelashvili hits the open market this summer.
With Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl all on sizable long-term deals, and the team having to deal with the RJ Barrett contract extension situation, the Raptors are already flirting with the salary cap apron. It’s unlikely they cross that threshold for a team that lost in the first round of the playoffs.
That in itself makes re-signing Mamukelashvili tricky, especially if he opts out of his player option in search of a raise. And realistically, after a breakout year, that’s exactly what he should be considering.That could put Toronto in a tough spot, because there’s definitely going to be interest from a variety of teams.
Mamukelashvili has quietly turned himself into one of the more intriguing stretch bigs available in 2026 free agency. Last season he shot a scorching 38.9 percent from beyond the arc. Numbers you don’t typically see from a player his size.Â
Before this past season, he had never played more than 681 minutes or averaged more than 6.3 points. However, in his first season as a member of the Raptors, everything clicked. He played 1,751 minutes across 80 games, averaged 11.2 points, and even earned some Sixth Man of the Year votes (finishing 10th in voting).
Unfortunately, for the Raps, that kind of jump doesn’t go unnoticed. Around the league, there are plenty of teams looking for exactly what he brings: a big who can stretch the floor and keep the offense moving. He can make plays off the bounce, which is perhaps even more impressive than his stroke. If he hits free agency, he’ll be one of the more interesting mid-tier options on the market.
Here are a few teams that could make a run at him:
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers would make a lot of sense. If they bring back LeBron James, adding another floor-spacing big would help balance the offense even more, especially alongside Luka Doncic running the show. Outside shooting from the frontcourt was an issue for them last season, and beyond Maxi Kleber (who is a free-agent this year, and someone they probably won’t be bringing back), they didn’t really have a reliable stretch option who stayed playable every night.
Doncic does seem to prefer playing with a vertical floor spacer in the starting group (as in, a lob threat), but Mamukelashvili could make a lot of sense as a bench big who brings an off-speed pitch to the Lakers’ offence.
Orlando Magic
The Magic made a big move last season with the Desmond Bane trade, finally adding another perimeter shooter and secondary creator. What they still lack is consistent shooting from the frontcourt. Mamukelashvili would fit cleanly into that gap, giving them another spacing option next to their young core. They have already proven that they aren’t afraid to spend big to better their roster.
And he’s not the best rebounder at his position — but Orlando has fantastic size and rebounding elsewhere on the positional spectrum. He wouldn’t only help ameliorate Orlando’s weaknesses, but the team would also help soften his, too.
Chicago Bulls
Chicago has been searching for more shooting for years, and last season they finished 19th in the league at 35.6 percent from deep. Adding Mamukelashvili would give them a stretch big to help open up the floor for their guards. Even with Nic Claxton in the mix, who was recently traded to Chicago, the Bulls still don’t have a big who can stretch defenses even close to the way Mamu does.
Mamu’s breakout season couldn’t have come at a better time for him. Unfortunately for the Raptors, it may have come at the worst possible time for them. After finally establishing himself as a legitimate NBA rotation player, he’s likely earned a pay raise, and the bottom line is there should be plenty of interest from teams around the league. If Toronto wants to retain Mamukelashvili, it will almost certainly need to shell out far more than the current $2.8 M contract he would be seeing on his player option. Doing so might require moving on from other players with non-minimum contracts currently on the roster.
NBA Free Agency begins on June 30 at 6 pm EST.
