Grading the Toronto Raptors’ offseason pickups
By Staff
Mar 27, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Norman Powell (4) brings the ball up past Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Kyle Dranginis (3) during the first half in the semifinals of the south regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Norman Powell (SG 3 year/ ~4 mil): A+
In his first four Summer League games, Powell led the squad in scoring on all occasions. Averaging 18.3 Points, 4.2 Rebounds and 1.5 Blocks per game is incredibly impressive for a Summer League player, especially for a prospect selected in the second-round.
His success ultimately managed to secure him a place in the All-Summer League First Team at the end of the tournament. Powell was the only second-round pick selected to the team. He has really been the surprise of the draft.
Teams get excited when players selected with mid-40 picks are able to run the floor and make a jump shot every once in a while. Powell, on the other hand, was driving and creating his own shots at an NBA-ready level in Vegas.
I’m incredibly excited to see Powell back-up DeMar DeRozan because they have very similar games. DeRozan is the perfect vet for Powell to have in his first year. Managing to snag a pick like this so late in the draft reflects a fantastic choice by Ujiri.
Next: Bismack Biyombo