If the Raptors hold onto their first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, plenty of candidates look like strong fits for Toronto.
The Toronto Raptors’ topsy-turvy 2023-24 season is behind them. The Raptors gave the Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby trio one more chance to prove it is a core worth building around.
Toronto started the season 15-25 through their first 40 games before opting to pull the plug. The Raptors dished Siakam and Anunoby for young players and draft picks and gave up on winning games after injuries ravaged what was left of their squad. They started to look forward to the 2024 NBA Draft.
The Raptors ended the season with the sixth-worst record in the league. That earned them the sixth slot in the upcoming draft lottery. Toronto better hope they, at minimum, stay in that spot. If Toronto moves back in the lottery, they would have to surrender their first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs. This is a product of them trading for Jakob Poeltl at the trade deadline a year ago.
At the moment, Toronto is poised to keep their pick in this upcoming draft. They better hope that remains the case after the lottery because it is a prime opportunity to add a key contributor to their budding young core.
Cody Williams, Forward, Colorado
If Cody Williams is anything like his brother, then the Raptors should be running to the podium to select him. Williams is the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams. He isn’t quite as polished as Jalen, but there is still a lot to work with here.
The Colorado Buffalo shot 55.1% from the field and 41.5% from three. Williams has three-level scoring potential at 6-foot-8 and 190 pounds.
That’s a profile that every NBA team wants. Toronto has always prioritized size, wingspan, and athleticism, and that has led to plenty of hits. Toronto could trot a starting lineup where the only player below 6-foot-6 is Immanuel Quickley while not sacrificing any shooting.
Williams is not a perfect prospect, however. He has a ways to go as a playmaker. He averaged just 1.6 assists per game while coughing the ball up twice a contest. That has to improve at the next level. But the tools for a very good player are already there. He’d be great get for Toronto inside the top six.
Isaiah Collier, Guard, USC
If Toronto wants to find some more juice on the perimeter alongside l Quickley, Isaiah Collier could be that guy. The Raptors’ guard depth is virtually nonexistent.
Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji are there, but neither of them are guys who specify in creating with the ball in their hands. Outside of them are Gary Trent Jr. and Bruce Brown, neither of whom may be long for Toronto’s roster, and Javon Freeman-Liberty. He was recently promoted from a two-way contract.
The Raptors could very much use another guard. Collier would be a very nice fit alongside Quickley. He can defend and take some of the creation burden off of him and Barnes.
This year’s draft has been pegged to be a weaker one compared to prior ones. No surefire stars are waiting to be selected among this crop of players. But one player who could play his way up that status is Matas Buzelis of the now-defunct G League Ignite.
Buzelis has a lot to like. He is big at 6-foot-10 and 208 pounds, but he also has a versatile skillset. He can defend multiple positions and can also create a bit off the bounce. However, his game needs some refinement. He shot just 22.2% from three and finished the year with more turnovers than assists. But, he shot 60.9% on two-point shots and 76.9% from the free-throw line.
Buzelis is far from a sure thing, but he has a lot of upside. He’d be well worth the shot for Toronto if he is available and they retain their first-round pick.
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