For much of his first season in Toronto, Alijah Martin was forced to wait for his opportunity.

Now, that patience could finally be rewarded.

The Toronto Raptors guard enters the 2026-27 campaign in a very different position from the one he occupied as a rookie. After beginning his NBA career on a two-way contract and seeing limited action at the highest level, Martin now has a standard two-year NBA deal and a genuine opportunity to establish himself as part of Toronto’s rotation.

The challenge is simple: he has to prove that his production in the G League can translate into consistent NBA minutes.

Martin, selected 39th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, appeared in only 23 NBA games during his rookie season. Across 146 minutes, he recorded 51 points, 21 rebounds, 12 assists, eight steals and four blocks.

Those numbers don’t tell the entire story, however.

Away from the NBA spotlight, Martin showed considerably more of what he can offer. In 25 regular-season G League appearances, he averaged 18.4 points while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from three-point range. He also contributed 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

That performance earned Martin All-NBA G League Third Team and All-Defensive Team recognition.

More importantly, it convinced Toronto to reward him with a standard NBA contract.

That decision could prove significant.

A very specific role is waiting in Toronto

Martin is unlikely to walk into the Raptors’ lineup and immediately receive a huge workload. Toronto already has several guards and perimeter players competing for opportunities, and his path to substantial minutes could become even more difficult if the team remains healthy.

But there is a potential opening for him.

Defensive intensity has become a major part of Darko Rajakovic’s philosophy, and that could work heavily in Martin’s favour.

If the 25-year-old can demonstrate that he can stay in front of NBA-calibre guards, pressure the ball and consistently make the right defensive decisions, he immediately gives Rajakovic something valuable.

Add reliable three-point shooting to that defensive ability and Martin’s case becomes even stronger.

That combination could make him the type of player every contender wants coming off the bench: someone capable of defending, spacing the floor and changing the energy of a game without needing the ball constantly.

And that may be exactly where Martin can carve out his niche.

Toronto’s roster could create an opportunity

The potential arrival of Kawhi Leonard would make Toronto’s rotation even more competitive, but it could also expose one particular need.

Several of the Raptors’ projected primary rotation players can shoot from distance, but the roster does not appear overloaded with proven perimeter marksmen.

Leonard, Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter and Jamison Battle provide established shooting options, while players such as RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes have shown flashes from deep without always maintaining that consistency.

That creates an interesting situation for Martin.

If he can prove during training camp and the early part of the season that his G League shooting percentages were not a fluke, he could provide Toronto with another reliable floor-spacing option.

His defensive reputation would only strengthen that argument.

But nothing will be handed to him

Martin’s opportunity is real, but so is the competition.

Toronto has added more young guards to the equation, including Jaden Bradley and Chucky Hepburn, while Malachi Smith and Andre Jackson Jr. are also expected to compete for opportunities during training camp.

That means Martin cannot afford to rely solely on the progress he made last season.

He needs to force Rajakovic into a difficult decision.

The Raptors already have established players ahead of him, but injuries, form and matchup-specific decisions can quickly change a rotation over an 82-game season.

Martin’s best route may therefore be to become exceptionally useful in one area rather than trying to compete with established players at everything.

Defend at a high level.

Shoot confidently.

Make smart decisions.

Bring energy.

If he can consistently deliver those qualities, the Raptors may have little choice but to give him a longer look.

The next step could be the biggest one yet

Martin has already demonstrated that he can dominate stretches of G League basketball. He has earned individual recognition and secured a legitimate NBA contract.

The next challenge is considerably more difficult.

He must show that his game works against NBA competition.

If he succeeds, Toronto could suddenly have another inexpensive, energetic two-way perimeter option capable of helping the team during the regular season.

For Martin, this is no longer simply about trying to get noticed.

It is about establishing himself.

The opportunity is there, but whether he takes it could ultimately determine whether the upcoming season becomes the moment his NBA career truly begins.