What’s new with Bruno Caboclo, and should we fans have reason to hope he’ll make the big team some day?

With summer league upon us, the league’s focus shifts away from its stars and towards the unproven players. After a tumultuous free agency, general managers around the league are looking for bargain players: undrafted rookies, D-leaguers, or foreign products, all of who could contribute to their teams while sporting some of the most affordable contracts in the NBA. Of course, this is also a time to focus on player development and as we look through the Raptors’ summer league roster, one player sticks out: Bruno Caboclo.

Selected 20th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, the choice of Bruno was a surprise to many. Picked over a successful college player in Rodney Hood, fans and analysts alike were stunned. Bruno’s physical attributes alone, standing at 6’9” with a monstrous 7’7” wingspan, give some indication as to why Masai opted to roll the dice with this pick. However, the question remains, what do we have to show for it?

In his two years with Toronto, Bruno has played in 14 games and started in one, this year’s season closer against the Brooklyn Nets. Bruno’s lackluster production in these games is less important than his development. After all, he is widely regarded as a project who will take years to prepare for the NBA game. His time with the Raptors has undoubtedly been one filled with growth. Bruno’s main improvement comes in his feel of the game. His first few outings mainly comprised of him chucking threes or turning the ball over as soon as he touched it. In addition, he was frequently lost on defense, unable to stay in front of his man and not recognizing when help defense was needed. Recent summer league games have shown that Bruno has a better understanding of how, and when, to keep the ball moving and has shown marked improvement on the defensive end.

While these developments are positive, we question just how far Bruno’s basketball IQ needs to develop before he can hope to play meaningful minutes for the Raptors. His comprehension of ball movement and team defense has yet to reach the level of a college freshman. Luckily, Bruno’s contract is incredibly cap-space friendly. His salary for next season is approximately $1.6 million and a team option for the following season, if exercised, would cost the Raptors $2.4 million.

It seems that keeping Bruno for the remainder of his contract is the best course of action. Barring a sudden need for cap or roster space, Bruno adequately fills the role of 15th man. Without Bruno the team would fill his spot with another player who would not get playing time. While this roster spot could be filled by a veteran who provides leadership, the Raptors’ core is experienced and has evolved past the need of contracting leaders. With the Raptors gearing up for another run at the defending champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bruno’s appearances should be few and far between, and ideally he will spend the year working with the 905.

If we are keeping Bruno, the question then becomes, what do we expect him to become? From his stints in both the NBA and D-league, it is clear that the Raptors organization is trying to shape Bruno into a three-point shooter. This year, with the Raptors 905, he shot 6.9 three-pointers a game, which accounted for 53% of his total field goal attempts. Bruno made these threes at a rate of 33%, which ranks lower than the NBA average of 35%. His physical characteristics indicate that this number should improve. Bruno’s wingspan gives him the potential to be a lethal shooter. Similar to Kevin Durant and Channing Frye, his long arms give him such a high release point that it is incredibly difficult to contest these shots. Furthermore, this length should help when finishing around the rim, allowing for a more refined offensive game.

On the defensive end, again Bruno’s length is the key to his potential. With enough lateral quickness to stay with his man, Bruno’s arms swallow up opponents, they shroud passing lanes and disrupt dribbles. His length has also proven helpful in contesting shots at the rim.

While Raptors fans remain ambivalent about Caboclo it is crucial that the team allows him to run his course. In any case, a pick regarded as a “swing for the fences” requires time and guidance to shape their game. Giving up on a project pick after a short two years does not make sense for the organization. They selected Bruno knowing it would take time to develop him and as such they should follow through with their vision. Take the case of Jermaine O’Neal. In his first four years in the NBA he averaged only 11 minutes per game, but after that took a massive step forward, becoming a six-time NBA All-Star. So, we should all wait with bated breath, hoping for the day Bruno lives up to his moniker, “The Brazilian Kevin Durant.”