The Toronto Raptors are in the midst of a rebuild and solidifying a new direction as a franchise.
After moving off from Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby, Toronto picked Scottie Barnes as the face of the franchise.
The foundation of a good and speedy rebuild is draft capital. Stacking up as many first-round picks as possible will be key for the Raptors and drafting complimentary players to pair with Barnes.
This all begins this summer with the 2024 NBA Draft. It is an intriguing time for Toronto as Masai Ujiri navigates through this change to turn things around.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, he revealed in his latest mock draft that he has the Raptors taking a guard and a center.
Those two players are Ja’Kobe Walter from Baylor at No. 15 via the Indiana Pacers and Canadian Zach Edey out of Purdue at No. 32, via the Detroit Pistons.
Walter is a 6’5″ shooting guard capable of making shots while possessing physical tools for finishing around the rim and defending.
However, he is not viewed as a shot-creator and is a limited playmaker. However, his NBA comparison is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
The 19-year-old is averaging 14.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 38.2 percent shooting from the field and 33.5 percent shooting from three-point range for the Bears.
Edey is a 7’4″, 300-pound big man, who has been a focal point of Purdue’s offense. He is averaging an impressive 24.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3 blocks for the Boilermakers.
However, the debate is whether this will translate to the NBA, particularly his ability to move defensively in a pace and space league.
His pro comparison is Jonas Valanciunas, a center who possesses the strength to bully a majority of his matchups. But, Valanciunas’ foot speed hinders him from defending out on the perimeter and prohibits him from playing high minutes.
Bleacher Report’s other mock draft sees Toronto taking three backcourt players
Mock drafts have been coming out consistently as the regular season is coming to an end. Specifically for the Raptors as the Play-In Tournament may not be realistic for them with Barnes sidelined.
Wasserman in an earlier mock draft predicted Toronto taking three backcourt players, strengthening the team’s guard play.
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