The Toronto Raptors are entering a new phase as a franchise.
After trading Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby, Toronto is building things around Scottie Barnes.
With the deadline passed, the Raptors now have the 2024 NBA Draft looming. A key part of turning this thing around is accumulating draft capital and hitting on those picks.
As the team prepares to have up to three draft picks, it will be intriguing to see who the scouting department targets to put around Barnes.
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woom they revealed in a recent Mock Draft that they have the Raptors taking two guards and a forward.
Those three players are Nikola Topic from the Euroleague at No. 6, Stephon Castle out of UConn at No. 15 and Kyshawn George from the Miami Hurricanes at No. 32.
Topic is a 6’6″ forward out of Serbia and is currently playing for Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. He would be a project at 18-years-old, as he clearly needs time to put things together. He is averaging 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists two games into his Euroleague season.
Castle is a 6’6″ guard who can apply some rim pressure and get downhill. He would be an intriguing fit alongside Barnes, but needs to work on his three-point shooting. The 19-year-old is averaging 10.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists on 47.3 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range in his first year with UConn.
Lastly, George is a 6’8″ guard, who is sharpshooter. As the Raptors need more outside shooting, he would certainly help space the floor. The 20-year-old is averaging 7.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 42.9 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from deep with the Hurricanes.
These three players would grow alongside Barnes but also present different skill sets. In a particularly weak draft class, Toronto will have to do lengthy scouting to find the right players.
Bleacher Report’s 2024 Mock Draft sees Toronto taking three backcourt players
Building upon the depth of the guard position seems to be a consistent theme in mock drafts relating to the Raptors. Lead by Immanuel Quickley, Toronto adding more reliable and quick guards may be ideal.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wassermann revealed in a mock draft that he has the Raptors taking three backcourt players.
Have you subscribed to the Raptors Nation YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
