It was unlikely that the Toronto Raptors would jump from their 13th overall pick to the No. 1 spot in the NBA Draft. That didn’t take away from the belief of the fanbase, clinging onto that 1 per cent for dear life.
Alas, the Raptors ended up where there was a 93 per cent chance they would, getting the 13th spot.
That means no Victor Wembanyama and no jump into the top four for a chance to select one of Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller or Amen Thompson.
However, the 13th pick is nothing to scoff at. Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker and Tyler Herro all heard their names called at 13. Jalen Duren was selected there last year and earned a spot on the second All-Rookie team.
The Raptors are looking to select a guy from that echelon of talent and avoid a player like Georgios Papagiannis, Kendall Marshall or Jerome Robinson.
Although it’s been called top-heavy, this upcoming draft class still features guys who project to be contributors at the next level. Toronto will have a solid group of players to select from, many of whom fill key needs for a team that, suffice to say, has a lot of needs.
With Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. both likely to test the waters of free agency, the need for help in the backcourt will likely be part of their draft strategy. The Raptors’ shooting has also been a weak point, so someone with more consistency could be in the mix. However, president Masai Ujiri and Co. have routinely gone against the grain. Could a more high-upside selection be in the cards here?
Here are five players the Toronto Raptors in the mix to be selected 13th overall in this year’s draft.
1. Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky: 6-foot-4, 193 pounds
Wallace, a one-and-done for Kentucky, had a solid year in Lexington after joining as a five-star recruit. He was ranked as the 10th-best recruit by 247sports and the 21st on ESPN‘s Top 100.
Kentucky has been the school for guards in recent years, with former 13th-overall picks Booker and Herro both alumni. Neither had outstanding collegiate careers, though, averaging 10.0 and 14.0 points respectively, but that’s par for the course under coach John Calipari.
The latest Wildcats prospect is cut from a similar cloth, suiting up as a combo guard beside lead ball-handler Sahvir Wheeler and played well as a strong complementary off-ball scorer, averaging 11.7 a game on .446/.346/.757 splits.
Wallace shot 35 per cent on catch-and-shoot looks and has a smooth form that could easily translate to the league. When it was asked of him, he also did well running the offence as a lead ball-handler, creating shots for himself and others in the pick-and-roll.
More than anything else, though, Wallace’s defensive acumen might be what sells Ujiri. He finished with the fourth-most steals per game in the SEC at 2.0, and has a knack for the hustle play, routinely getting back in transition to block or disrupt an easy look. His defensive instincts are great for a 19-year-old, able to roam off-ball and switch 1-3 with ease despite his size.
2. Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas: 6-foot-5, 185 pounds
Nick Smith Jr. came into this college season as a clear-cut five-star prospect, the No. 1 recruit on 247sports and No. 3 on ESPN. Although he and his Arkansas team didn’t live up to the hype, Smith still showcased, between injury and inconsistency, what made him such an attractive recruit at the outset of the year.
Smith averaged 14.6 points in conference play after recovering from a knee injury suffered earlier in the season. His stretch before the SEC and NCAA Tournaments was what people expected from him, averaging 19.4 a game while shooting 38 per cent from deep in the final five regular season games.
Unfortunately, he followed it up with a poor showing in the conference and national tournaments. He was inconsistent, and in the league, he projects to be more of a microwave scorer rather than a guy you can count on night-to-night.
However, his offensive package will be alluring for the Raptors who might lose their microwave guy in Gary Trent Jr. to free agency. He projects to be more of an on-ball scorer, but showed an affinity for cuts or dribble handoffs while playing for the Razorbacks. He’s a good self-creator but doesn’t create shots for others as much as you’d like as a lead ball-handler.
He’s also a solid defender, using his energetic motor, athletic upside and 6’8 wingspan as a means for disrupting opposing plays.
3. Jalen Hood-Schifino, G, Indiana: 6-foot-6, 213 pounds
With the two aforementioned guards, there’s a chance they will be gone before the No. 13 pick. Wallace is being projected a mid-to-late lottery pick and Smith Jr. could fall within the same range.
Hood-Schifino, meanwhile, a four-star recruit from Pittsburgh, could go anywhere between the 13th and 25th picks, and could be the selection here for the Raptors.
He and forward Trayce Jackson-Davis led the Indiana Hoosiers to the 28th-best offence in the country last season according to Kenpom rankings. Between his above-average playmaking and solid midrange pull-up, he excels in pick-and-roll actions using his 6-foot-6 frame and strong handle to create looks for himself and others.
Since acquiring Jakob Poeltl at the deadline, the Raptors implemented more pick-and-roll, consistently leaning on the Fred VanVleet-Poeltl two-man game. Hood-Schifino would fit seamlessly into that role off the bench or as a secondary ball-handler, with VanVleet working as an off-ball scorer (if they choose to re-sign him).
Hood-Schifino hasn’t found consistency from range yet, scoring at only a 33 per cent clip, but knocked down 77 per cent of his looks at the charity stripe, and the hope is that he’s able to extend his solid midrange beyond the arc.
His on-ball defence would also be a boon for the Raptors, exhibiting a real talent as a point-of-attack defender against smaller guards. Hood-Schifino also uses his 6-foot-10 wingspan well to disrupt passing lanes.
4. Gradey Dick, F, Kansas: 6-foot-8, 205 pounds
Gradey Dick is the best shooter in this class, bar none.
The Raptors’ shooting woes have been harped on frequently over the course of the regular season, as the team finished with the third-worst percentage from deep at 33.5 per cent. The better shooting threats in VanVleet and Trent Jr. weren’t able to find consistency beyond the arc, leading to one of the most inefficient offences in the league.
Though one shooter isn’t a cure-all for the team’s woes, the former Jayhawks wing could be a step in the right direction. He scored on 40.3 per cent of his looks last season and knocked down the second-most threes in the Big 12, with 83.
Dick can hit any type of shot off any action he’s given: catch-and-shoot, transition pull-ups or even off a dribble hand-off from any of the Raptors’ big screeners. His body control in mid-air and replicable shooting form allow him to make them all.
He’s a great off-ball threat, always looking to find open space, and when defenders close out too hard on his looks beyond the arc, he’s never afraid to attack close-outs and get to the rim to finish with either hand.
Unlike other shooting specialists, there are levels to his game. He had an affinity for being a connector within the Jayhawks’ offence, routinely swinging it around the perimeter for a better look or passing out of drives to the basket.
His defence isn’t great; he got hunted routinely on switches and doesn’t project to be a great on-ball defender. However, he’s solid off-ball, did well as a help defender and was always willing to take a charge.
5. Leonard Miller, F, G League Ignite: 6-foot-10, 213 pounds
You might’ve thought that this past season was the end of Project 6-foot-9, but Ujiri might pull a Vince Carter and say, “I got one more in me,” selecting the Scarborough, Ont., native Miller with the 13th pick.
Miller’s decision to pull out of the draft last year and spend a year with the G League Ignite was without a doubt the right decision. He jumped from a projected second-rounder with high upside to a mid-to-late lottery guy.
He’s an athletic marvel at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a willingness to use all of it, routinely finishing above defenders with vicious dunks when given an open lane. He finished 66.2 per cent of his looks at the rim and never shied away from contact.
If the Raptors want to add yet another rangy forward with high upside who excels at pushing the ball in transition, Miller is that guy. However, this makes more sense if the Raptors choose to opt for a facelift of their roster in the offseason and deal away someone such as Pascal Siakam for the sake of redundancy.
Miller is a project. Despite his growth with the G League Ignite, he’s still a streaky shooter, knocking down only 32.7 per cent of his looks beyond the arc. At the combine, however, he managed to knock down 60 per cent of his shots in the 3-point drill and was 90 per cent in the free-throw drill.
He’s also still an inconsistent defender who needs to work on his lateral quickness, but his affinity for rebounding is real, grabbing 11.0 a game, good for sixth in the G League.
Miller’s combination of athletic tools and guard-like handling and shot-creating skills might make him a project worth working on for the Raptors. He took massive strides last season, learning to hoop in a more professional setting, and a bet on this kid’s potential and willingness to adapt might make sense if Toronto wants to focus more on development rather than contention.
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