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Everything Raptors fans need to know heading into the NBA draft

By Mike Bossetti

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 22: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #22 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts to a call in the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats during the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at Philips Arena on March 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 22: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #22 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts to a call in the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats during the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at Philips Arena on March 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The 2018 NBA Draft is finally here, and although the Toronto Raptors don’t have a pick, there is still plenty to watch for. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know for Thursday night.

As a kid I was always enthralled by the draft. NBA teams rely on the highest level of scouts to evaluate talent . Those scouts still make unforgivable mistakes.

Team’s fortunes can be completely flipped if they make the right selections. The Golden State Warriors acquired Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green all out of the top five. Teams can also cripple their franchise if the wrong selection is made. 

Basically, every team is making an incredibly important decision that boils down to nothing more than an educated guess.

Where are the Raptors drafting

Unfortunately for the Toronto Raptors they do not have a selection for the 2018 draft. Both picks were sent along with DeMarre Carroll, in order to make room to re-sign Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka (ouch).

With no picks available, the Raptors still have been doing their due diligence during draft workouts, although they appear to be targeting undrafted individuals.

With $5.1 million still available, the Raptors still could buy back into the second round. They also could make a move and take someone in the lottery like….

Shai Gilgeous Alexander scouting report

According to multiple reports, the Toronto Raptors have interest in lottery-prospect Shai Gilgeous Alexander.

A 6’6″ point/combo guard SGA came into college as the sixth ranked prospect in Kentucky’s recruiting class. (Still 31st nationally – Coach Cal can really recruit). As a result, he did not start right away, coming off the bench for 12 of his first 14 contests. However, once SGA was given the keys to the car, Kentucky took off as a team. His playmaking and crafty finishing around the hoop help set the tone for an offense that often struggled to find spacing.

Strengths:

  • Finishing at the rim: Using craft more than explosion, SGA is tremendous finishing around the basket.
  • Defensive length: 6’6″ with a 7’0″ wingspan he has all the defensive tools to be an elite perimeter defender.
  • Shooting efficiency: Shot above 40-percent from beyond the arc and 80-percent from the free-throw line.

Weaknesses:

  • Athleticism: Good, smooth athlete but not exactly a quick-twitch guy. Without an elite first step will he be able to get around NBA defenders?
  • Turnovers: Partially due to poor spacing and he did improve as the season went on, but a turnover-percentage of 17.9 is very high.
  • Shooting volume: Yes, he shot a good percentage from three but only attempted 1.8 shots per game. Can he continue to be efficient at a higher volume?

Comparisons:

Will any key players be dealt?

Depending on how much Toronto really likes SGA. It’s likely DeMar DeRozan will need to be a part of any package that allows Toronto to move into the lottery, but it’s hard to imagine a non-playoff team requesting the services of a $28 million dollar 28 year-old.

Kyle Lowry does have some value around the league, and if the Raptors really want to rebuild it makes sense to get what they can for him now. Unfortunately for Toronto, Lowry feels more like an insurance plan in case things don’t pan out. If Lowry is dealt this offseason, expect it to be later rather than sooner.

Next: The best 15 draft picks in Toronto Raptors history

Although they do not currently have a pick, this draft could prove crucial to any Toronto Raptors rebuild. Thursday night could either be the night they risked it all to gain a superstar, or the night they traded away significant assets for a bust.

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