The Toronto Raptors are projected to draft Reed Sheppard, Yves Missi, and Zach Edey in Yahoo’s latest NBA mock draft
When last season came to an end the Toronto Raptors made it clear they needed to find more shooting. The team ranked 28th in the league in three-point percentage and three-pointers per game and it was clear something had to change.
What’d they do?
Added Gradey Dick with the 12th pick.
It worked out — sort of. Dick will finish the season as one of the league’s best corner three-point shooters, having overcome a disastrous start to the season to wrap up his rookie year shooting about 37% from behind the arc.
But more is needed.
And that’s what makes Reed Sheppard such an interesting prospect for Toronto if the Raptors land a top-six pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-3 point guard is currently being mocked to the Raptors at No. 6 in Yahoo’s latest mock draft and it’s not hard to see why. Sheppard shot 52.1% from three-point range as a freshman for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Sheppard is the kind of shooter who can wreak havoc on opposing defenses. He can work on or off the ball and his 83.1% free throw percentage this past season suggests his shooting numbers aren’t a coincidence.
The biggest question for Sheppard is where he will fit at the next level. He’s not quite enough of a playmaker to be a lead point guard right now but he’s too small to be a shooting guard. While he’s a feisty defensive player, averaging 2.5 steals per game, it’s tough to see him being anything more than an average defender if he’s forced to play as a wing.
Toronto’s lack of size in its current roster makes Sheppard a bit of an awkward fit, but it’s hard to see his shooting prowess and not get excited. For an organization like the Raptors with so much work to do, Sheppard might be the kind of prospect worth taking a chance on even if it could create defensive problems down the road.
No. 17: Yves Missi (Baylor)
Toronto already has a pair of centers locked up for next season, but it wouldn’t hurt to add a developmental big to the organization and Yves Missi fits that description.
The 7-foot freshman is a defensive difference-maker who can defend the rim and switch out onto the perimeter in a pinch. He was named to the Big 12 All-Defense team this season and averaged 1.5 blocks while playing just 23 minutes per game.
It’s the other end of the court where there are questions about Missi. He’s uber-athletic with the kind of bounce to be a lob threat, but he’s not a shooter whatsoever, and his 61.6% free-throw stroke is alarming. He averaged more turnovers than assists, doesn’t project to be much of a playmaker in the frontcourt, and will essentially be limited to working exclusively near the hoop.
No. 31: Zach Edey (Purdue)
Speaking of adding young center depth, Yahoo has the 7-foot-4 Canadian Zach Edey tabbed to Toronto at No. 31.
Edey’s draft projections have been all over the place and it’s quite possible he doesn’t last until the second round, but it’s hard to see Toronto passing on the local big man if he’s still there when Day 2 of the draft begins.
It’ll take some work to get Edey truly ready for the NBA level. He’s going to need to develop his left hand and ideally become a stretch five who can nail the occasional three-point shot. Considering he attempted just two threes in his four years at Purdue, that’ll take some time, but Edey is a reasonably good free-throw shooter so it’s not impossible.
Defensively, Edey is a force in the paint, but his lack of quickness will be exposed in the NBA. Opposing teams are going to force him into awkward positions and take advantage of the fact that he’s not fast enough to defend opposing guards.
Edey may not be a regular contributor at the next level but it’s hard to imagine a player with his collegiate pedigree can’t carve out some sort of role in the NBA moving forward.
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