Pre-Draft Outlook
The Raptors missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year but were the best of the bad teams in the Eastern Conference. They’re seemingly better than that if they’re healthy, and they’re invested long term in a veteran core of Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl. But Ingram has yet to suit up for his new team and the other four have played less than 400 total minutes together over the past two seasons.
The Way to Go
With the Raptors still not knowing what they have with their players under contract and still having a need for quality reserves at every position, they should certainly be in best-player-available mode with the ninth pick. That could be guards like Egor Demin and Kasparas Jakucionis, a wing such as Kon Knueppel, or bigs like Collin Murray-Boyles, Khaman Maluach or Derik Queen.
— John Schuhmann
Here’s a quick look at Toronto’s current roster entering the Draft:
Under Contract
G: Ochai Agbaji
G: RJ Barrett
G: A.J. Lawson
G: Immanuel Quickley
G: Jamal Shead
G: Ja’Kobe Walter
F: Scottie Barnes
F: Jamison Battle
F: Gradey Dick
F: Brandon Ingram
F: Jonathan Mogbo
C: Colin Castleton
C: Jakob Poeltl
Free Agents
G: Garrett Temple
F: Chris Boucher