Raptors share game status for rookie 1st round pick

Ja’Kobe Walter will make his NBA debut.

The Toronto Raptors’ first-round pick has been cleared to play Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers after suffering an AC joint injury that sidelined Walter prior to training camp. Walter had previously been listed as questionable.

The Raptors will take it slow with Walter as they develop him this season. He will sit on the bench and support Gradey Dick as another shooting guard for Toronto alongside Jamison Battle.

“Any opportunity he gets to be around a team, step on the floor, play, get some video footage of what it looks like to be on the NBA court will be great for him,” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said Friday about Walter’s debut. “It will help his development.”

However, Toronto will still be without Immanuel Quickley, who continues to deal with a pelvic injury suffered in the season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Quickley is also expected to miss Saturday’s game against the Sacramento Kings.

Scottie Barnes, Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk also remain out for the Raptors.

The Lakers called up D’Angelo Russell even though he had previously suffered from back pain. Anthony Davis is expected to play due to right hip soreness, which is why he was placed on the injury report as probable. Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood were both excluded.

Former Raptors center Christian Koloko is away from the team due to a G League assignment as he recovers from a blood clotting issue that sidelined him for the entire 2023-24 season.;