Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili Declines $2.8-Million Player Option, Becomes Free Agent The Toronto Raptors face potential financial and roster challenges as forward Sandro Mamukelashvili has decided not to exercise his $2.8 million player option for the 2026-27 NBA season, making him a free agent. The move, reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, marks the end of Mamukelashvili’s tenure with the Raptors after a productive but brief stint with the team. Mamukelashvili, 27, emerged as a key contributor for the Raptors during the 2025-26 season, averaging 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. These numbers represent career highs for the Georgian international, who shot 52.3% from the field and 38.9% from beyond the arc. His performance as the team’s sixth man highlighted his ability to impact games in limited minutes, with an average of 21.9 minutes per night. The forward joined the Raptors as a free agent in the summer of 2025, signing a deal that allowed him to play the most games of his five-year NBA career. Over the course of the season, he suited up in 80 games, a significant increase from his previous totals with the Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, and earlier Raptors appearances. His role expanded during the playoffs, where he made all seven games of the first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In those contests, he averaged 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist per game, marking his first taste of postseason action. Mamukelashvili’s journey to the Raptors was shaped by his career trajectory. Drafted by the Bucks in the second round in 2021, he spent two seasons with the team before moving to the Spurs in 2023. His time with the Spurs was brief, but it provided him with valuable experience before joining the Raptors.#milwaukee_bucks #san_antonio_spurs #toronto_raptors #sandro_mamukelashvili #espn_shams_charania
