Raptors Rapture
Fansided

Toronto Raptors: 5 positive takeaways from the 2020-21 Season

By Avishai Sol

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 05: Gary Trent Jr. #33 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates with teammates (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 05: Gary Trent Jr. #33 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates with teammates (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
NEWARK, NJ – JUNE 23: A general view of the names on the draft board after the completion of the first round during the 2011 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center on June 23, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ – JUNE 23: A general view of the names on the draft board after the completion of the first round during the 2011 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center on June 23, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

No. 5. Promising draft odds

It can be tough for a franchise to have the upcoming draft lottery as one of the highlights of their season, but what choice do we have? It’s been that kind of year for the Raptors. Although, if you can get over your qualms about praying for lottery balls, you’ll see that this could be one of the most impactful drafts the Raptors have ever had.

The Raptors are currently sitting at seventh to last in the league standings and that is exactly where we want to be. The team is never going to dip below the next-worst team, the Orlando Magic.

Though of the rest of the league, they are the only team who is not attempting to get into the play-in tournament. Chicago, Sacramento, New Orleans, they are all scrapping and clawing for every win they can get. The Raptors, quite frankly, are not.

The Toronto Raptors could draft a game-changer.

Most NBA scouts agree that 2021 is a five-man draft. Cade Cunningham is the clear No. 1, then Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, Jalen Green, and Jonathan Kuminga as the next four. Any one of those guys could be a star and would be happy to snag any of them, all they need is a little luck to sneak into that top five.

The league has changed the lottery odds in recent years in order to protect against teams egregiously tanking for the number one pick.

Teams in the bottom 10 of the league now have real viable odds of rising or falling against their draft projection.  According to Tankathon.com, the Raptors have a 7.5% chance to land the number one pick. That might not seem like much, but that pick, and with it Cade Cunningham, is the Holy Grail right now.

The Raptors don’t need to get No. 1, they just need the top five. That’s very achievable for the 24th ranked team in the league. It sucks that this is what we’ve been reduced to, but hey, if we land one of those five guys everything the fans have had to endure this season will have been worth it.

Next. 3 step plan to get back to the playoffs. dark