Toronto Raptors: Breaking Down E.J. Singler

The Toronto Raptors signed free agent forward E.J. Singler on Thursday. Here’s what the former Oregon Duck brings to the Raptors.

After Blake Murphy of Raptors Republic reported the two sides agreed to terms in late August, the Toronto Raptors made it official on Thursday by signing Singler. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Skinny

After a strong finish to the D-League season with the Raptors 905, Singler earned himself a spot with the Raptors Summer League team. In five games at Summer League, he put together a strong performance averaging 6.4 points, two rebounds, 1.4 assists and one steal, while shooting 41.2 percent from three.

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Known as a versatile defender, which the Raptors saw during his 10 game stint with the 905, the 6-foot-6 forward is capable of guarding up to four positions, depending on the matchup. He’s not a “shutdown defender” by any means, but, as a second unit role player, he can provide useful minutes off the bench.

Much like Fred VanVleet and Jarrod Uthoff, Singler is touted for his basketball IQ and work ethic. Add in his familiarity with not only the organization, but also Dwane Casey’s system, and Singler could easily be a player who surprises people at training camp.

A few miscellaneous notes about Singler; he spent four years at Oregon but was not ranked in the DraftExpress.com top 100 and went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft. He was also Oregon’s 6A High School Player of the Year in 2009, and his older brother, Kyle, is a forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

How he Fits:

When you look at the Raptors as of today, Singler will likely slide in as the fourth power forward option and without question battle for the 15th roster spot.

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Depth chart wise, DeMarre Carroll, Terrence Ross and Bruno Caboclo are all ahead of him, and with Delon Wright likely out until December, VanVleet appears to be the initial favourite for the Raptors’ final roster spot.

While the roster could use a third point guard with Wright out, it could also use a versatile defender and shooter. A second unit “D and three” role player sounds tailor-made for Singler, but with Caboclo possibly being transitioned into a similar role (at least from what I saw watching him last season), the team could opt to use the former first-round pick instead.

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From a contract perspective, nothing is guaranteed for Singler. He has been invited to camp and will have to earn his roster spot. If he fails to make the roster he can head to the 905, pending he clears waivers. The financial details of his contract were not released, but considering both Van Vleet and Uthoff received $50,000 guarantees on their camp deals, I think it’s safe to assume Singler also received a guarantee.

Projection

When you look at the Raptors roster, Singler will likely compete for a job with Caboclo, Uthoff and Drew Crawford. If he can play like he did during the final 10 games of the D-League season and Summer League, Singler could easily surpass all three guys for a spot on the Raptors’ roster.

Perhaps I’m a bit down on Bruno and his development, but I think Singler will really push Caboclo come training camp. Plus, when you look at the versatility Singler can provide the Raptors off the bench, he could easily carve out a role.

Overall, with his ability to play multiple positions, shoot the three and defend at an adequate level, I think Singler will make the Raptors roster out of training camp. I do, however, think that during the the season he will bounce back and forth between the Raptors and the 905.

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He might not be a player who “moves the needle,” but he can be a useful role player when put into the right situation.