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Sandro Mamukelashvili could unlock the court for Scottie Barnes

Spacing makes the NBA world turn, or at least that’s what Toronto Raptors fans have vigorously claimed this off-season. There’s at least some truth to that claim.

Recent championship rosters like the 2024 Boston Celtics and 2021 Milwaukee Bucks have leaned on centres that stretch the floor, empowering players like Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo to devour open space. Teams like the 2022 Golden State Warriors and this year’s Oklahoma City Thunder deployed a traditional big man but also boasted deadly small-ball five options.

Then there’s the 2019 Toronto Raptors, who, like the 2023 Denver Nuggets, had old-school defensive bigs that could also knock down threes.