Nick Nurse Discusses Final Roster Cuts & Addition of Josh Jackson

The Toronto Raptors have already begun taking votes on final roster cuts and see Josh Jackson as a defensive menace off the bench

Aaron Rose | Sep 30, 2022

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Voting has already begun for the Toronto Raptors as the organization begins its decision process regarding final roster cuts.

As it stands just days into training camp, Juancho Hernangomez and Dalano Banton appear to have an edge on the competition while Justin Champagnie, D.J. Wilson, and Josh Jackson vie for one spot. So far, the battle has been competitive, Raptors coach Nick Nurse told reporters in Victoria B.C., and the coaching staff is holding daily votes to decide who's in and who's out.

For Nurse, the decision is likely going to come down to who can limit mistakes, execute his game plan, and make the most of their limited offensive opportunities. After that, the organization will have to decide if they'd prefer to fill a need, be it size or position, or take the players who are playing the best.

"I think you could make a case for just about everybody and we'll start dialing that in a little bit right now," Nurse added.

While Champagnie and Wilson are somewhat known commodities within the organization, the 25-year-old Jackson is a bit of a wild card. He's never quite developed the offensive repertoire the league had hoped when he was selected No. 4 overall in 2017, but at 6-foot-8, 207 pounds, he remains a defensive menace.

"We feel like he's one guy that can and has had some success and experience of going out and full denying a hot player," Nurse said of Jackson. "(He) has the speed and athleticism and some length to just kind of be one of those guys that's a nuisance on defense. It's kind of his thing."

Expect the Raptors to play most of their rotation players early in preseason before taking a closer look at end of the bench when the preseason wraps up on Oct. 14.

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