Toronto Raptors guard Delon Wright exited the court during Saturday's Las Vegas Summer League game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after suffering a dislocated right shoulder and didn't return.
X-Rays Negative on Wright's Shoulder
Saturday, July 16
The Raptors' official Twitter account announced the news on Wright, and the team's media relations reported the shoulder was successfully popped back into place.
While Wright wasn't an impact player for the Raptors this past season, losing him for extended time would cut into the team's backcourt depth. The rookie bounced between the Toronto roster and the NBA Development League and ultimately averaged 3.8 points and 1.1 assists per game for the Raptors in 2015-16.
Wright was a consensus second-team All-American at the collegiate level, leading the Utah Utes to a Top 10 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA tournament in his last year. He averaged 14.5 points, 5.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game behind explosive quickness with the ball in his hands and the ability to penetrate off the bounce and set up his teammates.
He was also a three-point threat and one of Utah's best perimeter defenders because of his lateral speed, which allowed him to stay in front of opposing ball-handlers.
While the Raptors hope Wright will be a star NBA guard in the future, the team has plenty of viable personnel on the perimeter to survive his injury and remain among the Eastern Conference's best squads.
Team leader Kyle Lowry is a double-double threat every time he steps onto the court with his ability to score and set up the rest of the offense. Elsewhere, backup Cory Joseph brings extensive playoff experience off the bench from his time with the San Antonio Spurs.
The Raptors also have DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross as high-volume scorers on the wing.
Toronto has enough talent to overcome Wright's injury, but the second-year pro needs to return to the floor to develop his game. While it's unfortunate that his injury occurred in a low-stakes contest, the good news is that he has ample time to recover before the 2016-17 campaign gets underway.
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