1. Mo Bamba, Orlando Magic
Bamba, much like Hayes, figured to be an incredible two-way player, as his athletic ability, 7-10 wingspan, and offensive potential had the Magic so enticed that they chose him before Collin Sexton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Michael Porter Jr. in the 2018 NBA Draft. Namba has not only failed to become a star, but he’s also struggling to even crack the rotation.
Having been leapfrogged by Khem Birch on the depth chart as Nikola Vucevic’s backup, Bamba is averaging just 6.6 minutes per game, having logged just 59 minutes all season. Even his video game-esque per 36 averages need to be taken with a grain of salt, as he is rarely in for an extended period of time.
Can Bamba finally live up to his potential in Toronto?
Giving up on him this early in his career, however, would be a complete waste, as his potential is still oozing out. With a coach like Nurse that is both in need of some size and a master at turning big men into skilled offensive players, exemplified by Chris Boucher’s emergence as a shooter, Bamba could develop into the big everyone thought he could be.
Playera like Clint Capela and Rudy Gobert have made a killing by rebounding, setting screens, and blocking shots on playoff teams. Bamba might take a while to develop as an offensive player, but he can give the Raptors a boost in both of those areas as soon as he puts the uniform on, and that’s worth potentially trading for.