CALGARY — Joining the Toronto Raptors as a young player has been paradise for the past few seasons.

While on many teams, roles for young players can be limited and playing time scarce, the Raptors have been running the NBA’s equivalent of an open tryout since they pivoted to rebuilding in the middle of the 2023-24 season.

Last year, with development taking a higher priority than wins as the club tried to position itself to have the best possible odds in the draft lottery, the path towards minutes was as wide as the Trans-Canada Highway running from here to Banff.

Three of the four rookies the Raptors added via the draft — Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo and Jamal Shead — all averaged around 20 minutes a game and combined to make 47 starts. Jamison Battle, who was eventually signed after

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