The Toronto Raptors look to be shifting their focus to the NBA Draft Lottery.
Currently, Toronto has the 5th worst record in the league and are expected to remain in that bottom half.
Adding another youthful prospect is not a bad thing, as it is a cost-effective strategy to improve their team.
As a small market team, drafting well is a necessity, as the Raptors are not a top destination, given their situation.
An area to look at this offseason is the center position. With Kelly Olynyk getting traded, Jakob Poeltl, Orlando Robinson and Ulrich Chomche are the only big men on the roster.
This prompted Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman mocking Duke 7’2″ center Khaman Maluach at No. 5 in his latest mock draft:
“Tre Johnson is generating top-five buzz from scouts, but they also believe Khaman Maluach will remain highly enticing, particularly after workouts. And the idea of 7’6″ length, defensive mobility, elite finishing, physical screening and potentially some shooting range figures to look extra attractive next to Scottie Barnes.”
Raptors president Masai Ujiri loves his athletic, lengthy players and Maluach certainly fits that mold. As a mobile 7’2″ center, he presents an intriguing option to contrast the style of Poeltl.
Should head coach Darko Rajakovic want to play faster with Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett on his team, Maluach can get up and down the floor.
In today’s NBA that emphasizes spacing, the 18-year-old cannot shoot. However, an athletic lob threat can be a useful skillset to have, nonetheless.
Khaman Maluach’s stats with Duke
When thinking about Duke, Cooper Flagg is the immediate name that pops up in everyone’s minds. Although Khaman Maluach is expected to be a lottery pick next to Flagg.
Through 30 games with the Blue Devils, Maluach is averaging 8.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks on 69 percent shooting from the field. All things considered, Maluach is another athletic, raw prospect to keep an eye on come draft time.
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