The Raptors have announced the signing of Tyreke Key.
The 27-year-old guard has spent the past two years with the team’s G League affiliate, Raptors 905. He received an Exhibit 10 contract last September, but was waived the same day. Key emerged as a reliable scorer this season, averaging 16.6 points in 33 regular season games (14 starts) while shooting 52.1% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range.
Key went undrafted out of Tennessee in 2023 after spending his first four collegiate seasons at Indiana State. He played in Belgium before getting the G League opportunity.
The Raptors have been carrying a roster opening since Markelle Fultz‘s 10-day contract expired last week, so another move won’t be necessary to add Key. Toronto passed on the option to sign Fultz to a second 10-day deal.
Blake Murphy of SportsNet (Twitter link) notes that the organization likes to reward players who’ve done well at the G League level. He also suggests that one of the team’s two-way players, either Alijah Martin or A.J. Lawson, could replace Key by the end of the season to make them playoff eligible.