TORONTO – A day later, and Collin Murray-Boyles was still salty that the veteran players on the Toronto Raptors had filled his automotive with popcorn.
And yes, it was buttered.
The rookie centre had his first full practice in three weeks on Tuesday, upgrading his status on the Raptors’ personnel report back to daily before a five-game road trip out west. Murray-Boyles said that despite the claims of his older teammates, he’d be doing his rookie duties.
“Done all the things. They complain I used to be being late to the games, coming out, but I used to be just attempting to get well, ?” said Murray-Boyles, tongue barely in cheek. “But I suppose working hard just gets you punished.”
The six-foot-seven 245-pound Murray-Boyles is averaging 7.8 points, five rebounds and two assists per game in his debut NBA season. Nonetheless, he hasn’t played since he exited Toronto’s 110-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 25.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic said that Murray-Boyles might give you the chance to play throughout the Raptors’ road trip that starts on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls. Toronto will then visit the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers.
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“That’s what we’ve been striving for,” said Murray-Boyles on a possible return. “I need to get back with the fellows. It hurts to sit down on the bench and watch once I know I could make an impact, but we’ll see.
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“We’re striving for it, but no guarantees.”
Point guard Immanuel Quickley filmed Murray-Boyles opening his popcorn-filled automotive for Instagram but wouldn’t take responsibility for the prank — “I ain’t no snitch” — but was glad to listen to that the rookie might be cleared to play on the road trip.
“It’s great to have (the) young fella back,” said Quickley, who learned from reporters that Murray-Boyles had been upgraded to day-to-day. “We popcorned his automotive yesterday, so he’s a bit of bit mad about that, but he adds so much to our team, toughness, energy, rebound and scoring, just about all the things, defensive versatility.
“It could be great to have him back, of course.”
Quickley said that what’s impressed him essentially the most about Murray-Boyles’s game is his high basketball IQ.
“I tell people on a regular basis, it’s like he’s been in — that is the issue, why we popcorned his automotive — it’s because he acts like he’s been within the league for therefore long, on the court as well,” said Quickley. “He’s very mature within the incontrovertible fact that he knows where to be on the ground.
“He’s all the time, like, two steps ahead, offensively and defensively, after which obviously his athleticism takes over.”
Murray-Boyles has earned 22 starts in 47 games played this season, partly because veteran centre Jakob Poeltl has been injured for long stretches of the season. Other times, Murray-Boyles has began over Poeltl for strategic matchups.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is the third man in Toronto’s centre rotation, although he tends to play more on the perimeter than either Murray-Boyles or Poeltl.
Rajakovic wasn’t sure how the rotation would work when Murray-Boyles was finally activated.
“You’re looking rather more into the longer term than me,” laughed Rajakovic. “I’m looking forward to coping with those type of problems.
“I need to wish that every one of our rotation is healthy, so I can have those headaches.”
Trayce Jackson-Davis, who also plays centre, was assigned to the G League’s Raptors 905 on Tuesday morning. It was expected that he’ll play for the 905 against the Motor City Cruise that night after which re-join Toronto for the road trip.
“The plan that now we have for him is a long-term plan,” said Rajakovic. “We’re really attempting to get him in control with our program, with conditioning, playing within the system that now we have (and) the demands.
“I feel any task that now we have, any opportunity for him to be with our 905 program, is super essential for him and super essential for the team.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press