Potential Raptors draft target at No. 7 could slip due to frame concerns

The decision-makers in charge of the Toronto Raptors’ draft plans might place a premium on athletic ability and developmental potential on both ends of the floor. If that is the creed that will be drilled into the scouting department, drafting former Stanford stud Ziaire Williams might make a ton of sense.

Early mock draft roundups had the Raptors taking Williams with their first-round pick, and it’s easy to see why. At 6-8 with a good feel for the game and passing acumen beyond his years for a small forward, Williams has enough tools to work with that could serve as harbingers for a very long pro career.

Unfortunately, Williams didn’t dominate the Pac-12 like many thought he would this year, as he averaged just 10.7 points per game while making 37% of his shots from the field, 42% of his 2-point attempts, and 29% of his 3-balls. His stock certainly hasn’t risen, and Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman is showing just how far his stock has dropped.

Wasserman has him ranked 31st in his latest big board, writing that his “lack of explosion and strength to attack” are major concerns with regards to his pro ability. The tape backs this bold claim up, as Williams scored just one basket as the ball-handler in 83 pick-and-roll situations. That’s…not what some teams might covet in a lottery prospect.

Should the Toronto Raptors draft strategy exclude Ziaire Williams?

Let’s be clear here. There is a LOT to like about Williams as a prospect. He has handles at 6-8, he can defend multiple positions very well, and he’s shown enough aptitude with regards to avoiding costly turnovers in crucial situations. Williams will have a long NBA career, but how high is his offensive ceiling?

Players like Brandon Ingram have shows that being a little skinny when you arrive in the NBA won’t necessarily impede development, but Ingram was the best offensive prospect in his respective class. Williams’ unusual jumper form and poor shot selection, in addition to his wiry build, made it tough to really take over on offense.

The Raptors could use another defensive stopper, and they did develop OG Anunoby into a great offensive player. However, Anunoby made 56% of his shots during his second year at Indiana, including 70% inside the arc. He was a solid offensive player that lacked the volume to put up gaudy stats.

A much bigger physical specimen as well, Anunoby didn’t have the frame concerns the 185-pound Williams has.

Wasserman notes that players like Cam Reddish and Jaylen Brown have been picked high and developed well despite poor averages in college, so the possibility of master developers of talent like Nurse and the Raptors’ coaching staff turning Williams into a star could happen. Irrespective of his draft spot, he will have a solid run in the NBA.

However, the Raptors don’t anticipate to be picking this high for very long, so they need to be 110% sold on their pick, and Williams has a lot of question marks that could take him off of Toronto’s draft board and send his stock careening off of a hypothetical cliff.