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But looking ahead,Ìýthis seems a one-off scenario. With the realities of roster construction, who survives the coming summer will be fascinating because of one simple fact: The Raptors have far too much of the same player and something will have to give.

If they believe in Ja’Kobe Walter — and they do, despite the injuries and his slight build — is there a spot for him, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji and Jamison Battle? Not in playing time, that’s for sure.

And if there’s maybe room for three of them, and that’s at the outside limit, where does it leave Jared Rhoden,ÌýA.J. Lawson and even Jonathan Mogbo? In a tenuous position, I’d say.

There are real needs with this roster: a backup centre, a third big man, perhaps a third point guard for emergency situations. What the Raptors don’t want is a roster glut of twos, threes and smallish fours .

Let’s go through next year’s roster: Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Jakob Poeltl are the starters and Jamal Shead is a lock as the primary backup point guard.

Perhaps Orlando Robinson is the backup centre — he’d probably be third on a very good team — and you have to pencil in this year’s lottery pick. That’s eight players.

Then you have Walter, Dick, Agbaji, Battle, Mogbo, and perhaps Rhoden and Lawson. That’s seven more and you’re at 15 already. If Garrett Temple wants to come back, he should be brought back, so it’s 16, one over the limit.

(Ulrich Chomche needs another season in the G League, at least.)

A year ago, when that wretched season ended, everyone inside and outside of the organization knew there were a handful players on the roster who simply weren’t NBA-calibre. This time, after an influx of five rookies and late-season additions with NBA talent, the issue is clouded. As much as the Raptors love the mix of personalities, there are too many players.

How would I rank them?

Given age, skills, contracts, expectations, needs and reading the signals coming out of season-long conversations, it will be: the five starters, Shead, a second centre (Robinson or someone like him) and the coming draft pick (June’s second-round pick is probably a two-way guy).

I’ve got the group behind them as: Walter, Agbaji, Dick, Battle and a tie between Lawson, Rhoden and Mogbo.

And I’d say at least two and as many as four will be on other teams or looking for jobs by next season.

Whither Brandon Ingram?

There is a feeling among fans — I know this because I read all my emails — that it would be nice to see Brandon Ingram play at least a few games before the season ends. Let him get some game experience with his new teammates and give the coaches some baseline information to work with.

It’s understandable, sure, and it’d give fans something to look forward to. But not only do I think it’s unlikely, it’s also not advisable.

The team hasn’t said a word about it . But Ingram hasn’t played an NBA minute since the first week of December and if, let’s say, they want him to play eight games, it’s probably going to take him at least five games to get truly conditioned to the speed of the game.

And given how the Raptors are massaging the roster — a starter or two out one night, another starter or two out the next and no one playing more than about 24 minutes a game — it’s not like Ingram would be spending long games developing chemistry with guys he’ll be alongside next season.

Plus, winning is nice but certainly not urgent, they’ve made that crystal clear.

Of course, the Raptors could very well decide Ingram will play 20 minutes a night in the last 10 games just to spite me. But it makes more sense to let him practise, spend the summer with the staff and at whatever informal camps they have in August and September and be ready to go for training camp and the pre-season next fall.