ABOVE: D’avion Mitchell Auburn, Keon Johnstone, Kai Jones.
The Toronto Raptors season came to an end and for the first time since the 2013 season the playoffs have rolled on without the presence of everyone’s favourite team from the north. As NBA draft odds experts start dishing out where some of the best young basketball prospects should be going, Toronto fans should be excited to see who the Raptors might end up nabbing.
After a strong seven-year run of post season appearances including a title run just two years ago, it’s time to turn the page and move forward. First thing that needs to happen is dealing with the upcoming free agents including bona fide team legend Kyle Lowry. After that, with the Raptors slated to have the 8th pick in the first round of the draft as well as back to back picks in the middle of the second round, let’s take a look at three of the best prospects that the Raptors should target.
Before Picking, What Should Happen with Kyle Lowry?
After missing out on the NBA playoffs for the first time in the past 8 years, Toronto now sits with some tough decisions on the table before thinking about the upcoming draft. First and most importantly, what should the Raptors do about Kyle Lowry? When speaking of the meaning of resilience and patience, Kyle Lowry’s tenure with Toronto can serve as the perfect example of what both terms mean. Lowry has been the leader of the Raptors through thick and thin, while balling with and then bidding farewell to guys like DeMar DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard and of course, being a pivotal part of bringing a championship to Toronto.
It’s not a secret to anybody that Lowry has an ample market in the NBA if he decides to leave the Raptors. The six-time All-Star is set to become an unrestricted free agent this off season, allowing him to sign with any team of his choosing. While some NBA experts have already spoken of Lowry being “as good as gone” from Toronto, the ball is still up in the air. Rumors around the league have Lowry being a perfect suit for teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and LA Clippers. All that’s true for now is that stay or go, Toronto should not have anything but praise for one of their most beloved players in franchise history.
How About Picking from the NCAA Champion Baylor Bears?
While it’s true that the Raptors hold 7.5% of chances to land the top pick in the upcoming NBA draft, the odds have them landing around the 8th spot. So what could they do when there? How about picking one of the best players from last season’s NCAA Championship team, the Baylor Bears?
Davion Mitchell, the leader of that Bears title run, could easily be the best pick for the Raptors. The ability that Mitchell possesses as a potential two-way player, either at point guard or shooting guard makes him the most versatile pick for Toronto’s backcourt needs. Davion is explosive, shifty, great with or without the ball in his hands and he can nail buckets from anywhere on the floor. His defensive skills are top level and having him pair up with the likes of Fred VanVleet sounds like magic down the court.
If Athleticism is What You Want, Tennessee’s Keon Johnson Is Your Man
Toronto could definitely benefit from bringing in more athletic power to their shooting guard position. At 6 foot 5 Tennessee freshman Keon Johnson is one of the best defenders available on the draft market with a high energy, tough edge and vision on the defensive side of the ball. While offensively experts can debate that Johnson might still be a bit rough around the edges, he has all the right tools to become a perfect double threat in the NBA in the near future.
His explosive speed and first step approach helped him improve his offense in his first and lone season in Tennessee. That added to a smooth jump shot and ball handling skills that are under constant improvement make Johnson a perfect player to pit up with VanVleet and Malachi Flynn.
Adding a Big Man To Assist Siakam? Sounds About Right
If there’s one trait about Nick Nurse and his coaching style is that he loves his defense to play aggressively at all times, and former Texas Center Kai Jones can easily be a diamond for Nurse’s defense. With a 7 foot 1 wingspan the dude can block like it was nothing, but he can also add to the ball movement with surprising quickness, coordination and rim protection skills. The former Longhorns center possesses some quite impressive ball handling skills down the floor, especially for his size, making him a perfect player to get past slower defenders on a quick run.
He will need some work polishing his post moves and pro defense IQ, but with a player like Pascal Siakam mentoring him, what could go wrong? Adding Jones would also help Siakam develop his passing game even more, freeing up room down the baseline for dunking left and right, all things that sound just about right for Nick Nurse and the Raptors.