Second-round pick Jamal Shead will join the Raptors on a three-year, $6.11 million contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter) has learned via sources. For a three-year contract, that is the most that may be paid under the second-round pick exception.
The 22-year-old Shead pl
ayed all four of his collegiate years at the University of Houston, where he has started the last three seasons as the starting point guard for the Cougars. In 31.1 minutes per game (37 games), he averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.2 steals in 2023–2024.
Shead’s modest.409/.309/.779 shooting line from the previous season is roughly in line with his career college averages. Nonetheless, he is regarded as a formidable defensive back because he was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year this year.
Using the No. 45 pick they obtained in last week’s trade with the Kings, the Raptors chose Shead.
More than a dozen teams expressed interest in signing Shead to a two-way contract, according to reports from draft night. However, Toronto promised Shead of a guaranteed wage. According to Charania, his $1.86MM contract will be guaranteed for the first two seasons and have a third-year team option. Jonathan Mogbo, a fellow second-round pick, is also joining the Raptors on the same contract.
