The Toronto Raptors shored up their frontcourt depth by signing free agent big man Bruno Fernando. The Angolan international will compete for a roster spot in the team’s upcoming training camp, as he’s on a non-guaranteed deal, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.
But it feels like it is only a matter of time before Fernando will be part of the Toronto Raptors’ official roster since head coach Darko Rajakovic has spoken glowingly about him.
“I like that he plays really hard. I like that he wants to win; he is all about the team,” Rajakovic said about Fernando via ESPN’s Leonard Solms. “He wants to help the team win in any way that he can.
“He is able to do multiple things on defense, to guard multiple positions. On offense, he’s a great holder. I think he’s a little bit underestimated as a passer. We’ll see how he’s going to fit into our system, but I think that he’s a really good fit for us,” he reiterated.
Darko Rajakovic added that the Toronto Raptors have been following him “for years” already, so they pounced on the opportunity to get him when he was cut by the Atlanta Hawks last week.
Bruno Fernando played 45 regular season games for the Atlanta Hawks in 2023-24, averaging 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game on 58.3 percent shooting from the field.
Toronto Raptors frontcourt depth
Bruno Fernando will fight for frontcourt minutes with Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Kelly Olynyk, and Chris Boucher. The 25-year-old center has a realistic shot of getting enough playing time under Rajakovic because Toronto’s big men have dealt with injuries last season.
Kelly Olynyk, Jakob Poeltl, and Chris Boucher didn’t play for more than 50 regular season games last season. Olynyk injured his back in February and was shut down, while Poeltl underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his pinkie finger, and Boucher suffered a partial MCL tear in his right knee in March.
