For the first time since the 2015 Elite Eight, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Stanley Johnson will be teammates again. On Sunday, Hollis-Jefferson agreed to a one-year deal with the Toronto Raptors and will become a free agent in 2020, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Free agent forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has agreed to a one-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Hollis-Jefferson gets fresh opportunity in Raptors development system and sets himself up for 2020 free agency.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 7, 2019
Hollis-Jefferson recently finished his final season under contract in Brooklyn and became a free agent after the Nets failed to make him a qualifying offer. The day prior, Hollis-Jefferson's Arizona teammate Stanley Johnson signed a two-year contract worth $7.5 million.
The duo played together at Arizona during the 2014-15 season when the Wildcats won the Pac-12 championship and advanced to the Elite Eight round in the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona forward Stanley Johnson (5) left, and forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23) celebrate the Wildcats come from behind last minute thriller win against Utah in a Pac-12 game at the Huntsman Center, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah. Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star
Both drafted in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft, Johnson was selected eighth overall by the Detroit Pistons while Hollis-Jefferson was picked No. 23 by the Nets. The 6-foot-7-inch Hollis-Jefferson was mostly known for his defense, but he averaged 9.9 points, 5.9 rebounds in 23.6 minutes over four years with Brooklyn.
With a fresh start, Hollis-Jefferson will now join a wing rotation in Toronto and consists of Johnson, Norman Powell, OG Anunoby, Patrick McCaw and Malcolm Miller after losing Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green in free agency.
Hollis-Jefferson is the latest former Wildcat to be on the move in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors officially announced Sunday that Andre Iguodala will be traded to Memphis, but will retire his No. 9 jersey number. Former UA point guard T.J. McConnell signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the Pacers, and ex-Arizona forward Solomon Hill was traded from Atlanta to Memphis.
