Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
2025 Free Agents - Jamison Battle
Battle was a pretty unheralded prospect coming out of Ohio State in 2024, and it wasn't all that surprising when he didn't get drafted, based on various rankings and mock drafts. However, Battle signed a two-way contract with the Raptors and played well enough to earn a standard contract. Battle shot really well as a rookie, hitting 40% from nearly nine attempts per 36 minutes, with about 75% of his attempts coming from outside the arc. His game reminds me a bit of Georges Niang, and if he continues to hit shots he could stick around in the league. Battle will already be 24 years old as a potential free agent in 2025. I think he showed enough that I expect the Raptors to keep him around, and it will be interesting to see if he continues to get playing time in '25-'26 on a presumably healthier Raptors team.
Summary
Battle's $2 million salary for 2025-2026 is only half-guaranteed, and if he is waived he will become an unrestricted free agent and the Raptors will have no form of Bird rights on him. If he is waived, teams could claim him off waivers, but would need to fit his contract within cap space or an exception to do so, as it was a 3-year contract. If Battle becomes a free agent, other teams will have multiple ways to sign him as even teams without cap space could use any of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Room MLE, Taxpayer MLE, or Bi-Annual Exception to sign him. If Battle is waived and clears waivers, his value will likely have dropped low enough that he would only have offers for the minimum, and he may not even get fully-guaranteed offers.
Cap Considerations
Caleb Houstan (3rd year minimum salary not waived, 2024) Georges Niang (3 year minimum, 2018) Doug McDermott (1 year minimum, non-guaranteed, 2024)