Ahead of free agency beginning on Tuesday, the Raptors’ centre has elected to test the market after turning down his 2.8 million dollar option, as per Shams Charania. Mamukelashvili was a core part of Toronto’s frontcourt in the 2025-26 season, where the big man posted averages of 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 stocks, playing 80 games and earning Sixth Man of the Year votes.
The forward is entering his sixth season in the NBA, and could be a hot commodity for those looking to add a floor spacing
backup big to their roster. With Toronto in active talks to acquire Kawhi Leonard, keeping Mamu could be a priority to ensure roster cohesion if the Clippers demand Collin Murray-Boyles as part of such a trade. As the Raptors have also been linked to Myles Turner, what exactly the Raptors will offer to keep Mamu is potentially dependent on other desired acquisitions in free agency.
Mamukelashvili is only 26 years old, and fits the timeline centred around Scottie Barnes’ development well. As an experienced journeyman, Mamu has found a high level of success in Toronto, and is a very important player in their roster considering the current state of their big man rotation. I am of the opinion that Mamu is very much worth bringing back, with a bump in pay to acknowledge the quality of his contribution, but that financial flexibility must be taken into consideration when attempting to put together a team that can go even deeper into the playoffs. As well, he is undersized for a centre, and for a team that is built around a point guard in a power forward’s body, the reality of the Raptors’ need to get bigger should also be taken into consideration.
