"Things might not be feeling particularly hot for Toronto right now, but even during this rough stretch, the story around the Raptors' most notable move of the summer remains worth reflecting on. That move was signing free agent Sandro Mamukelashvili to a very budget-friendly deal and letting longtime fan favorite Chris Boucher leave for the Boston Celtics. With about two months of the 2025-26 season behind them both, this decision continues to look ever so justified for the Toronto Raptors."
"At the time of writing, Chris Boucher has not played for the Celtics since November 23 against the Orlando Magic, marking nine straight games on the sidelines. Although, this has largely been the case for most of the season. Nevertheless, Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla said a while back that Boucher is always ready to step in and that his role is to " impact winning", even if he isn't a regular part of the rotation."
"In contrast, Toronto scored an incredible value move by signing Sandro Mamukelashvili. Besides developing strong bonds with his new teammates and earning a fan favorite status similar to Boucher among Raptors fans, Mamu's 2025-26 season stats speak for themselves: 9.7 points on 61.8 percent true shooting, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. He is averaging 19.5 minutes per game as a key bench piece, with a total of 25 appearances for Toronto."
The Raptors signed Sandro Mamukelashvili to a budget-friendly deal and allowed Chris Boucher to sign with the Boston Celtics. Boucher has seen very limited court time in Boston, missing games and producing 2.3 points on 37.9 percent true shooting in about 11.4 minutes across eight appearances. Mamukelashvili has provided consistent bench production for Toronto, averaging 9.7 points on 61.8 percent true shooting, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19.5 minutes across 25 appearances. The move prioritized new, efficient bench scoring and minutes over retaining a longtime fan favorite, though a beefier backup center remains an unmet team need.
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