For the first time ever the NBA Draft will be a two-night event. The first round of the draft is set for June 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN, the league announced on June 3. The second round of the draft will take place on June 27 starting at 4 p.m. ET.
The Toronto Raptors will have two picks in this year’s draft. They will have No. 19 via the Indiana Pacers and No. 31 via the Detroit Pistons. This means Toronto will make the first pick of the second-round.
Raptors Assistant General Manager Dan Tolzman talked about the two-night draft via Sports Illustrated’s Aaron Rose:
“I think it’ll be an interesting, kind of like a pause, for every team where you kind of catch your breath. It seems like in the usual draft, the first round happens and then in a blink, you’re in the second round is just like it’s like rapid fire. Whereas it’s like everyone can kind of take a beat and like really like reassess your board and see maybe where team needs or whatever comes into play and then kind of re-approach it and have a full day or at least like a full morning to like really, really think about it.”
The Raptors No. 31 pick could create an interesting wrinkle in this. Tolzman talked about how guys could slide into the second-round, possibility creating an opportunity for Toronto:
“It’s going to be interesting to see how the first round plays out. And as always, there’s guys that slide into the second round that maybe teams hadn’t expected to be and so what that overnight frenzy looks like.”
Could a Zach Edey fall to No. 31? Toronto recently worked out Edey at the OVO Athletic Center and he has been linked to the Raptors recently.
Toronto will have options come draft night.
Edey works out with Raptors
As mentioned Zach Edey worked out with the Raptors.
Edey was sporting a Raptors jersey on June 4 going through a draft workout with Toronto.
If Toronto is high on Edey’s upside, they could definitely take a shot on him at No. 19 or if he falls to No. 31.
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