While there is a whole bushel of deserved excitement over the fact that the Toronto Raptors were able to land the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the trades of Terence Davis and Matt Thomas helped the Raptors land consecutive second-round pick at No. 46 and No. 47. Is a player like West Virginia’s Miles McBride potentially on their radar?
The Raptors have the freedom to potentially package those picks together in order to move up in the draft and select a player that fits what they want to do. While McBride’s stock has been rising lately, the Raptors should at least consider making this trade if he manages to fall out of the first round.
McBride has interviewed with the Raptors at the NBA Draft Combine, and even if they use the No. 4 pick on a point guard like Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs, adding a player that can play both guard spots off of the bench could help Toronto immensely in their quest to return to the postseason.
Considering that scout Wesley Brown has already waxed poetically about his fit in Toronto’s culture with Aaron Rose of Sports Illustrated, having talked up his defense and effort, the front office needs to take a strong look at moving up for McBride if the opportunity arises.
Impressed by Miles McBride’s combination of strength and length for the PG position. One of the best defenders in the country this past season. Physical with quick feet and relentless ball pressure. pic.twitter.com/fNlErUHEpS
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) June 21, 2021
Miles McBride would be a perfect second-round pick for the Raptors.
McBride averaged 15.9 points, 4.8 assists, and just under two steals per game during his final season with the Mountaineers. His offensive improvement has really helped his stock shoot into the stratosphere, as he made 41% of his 3-point attempts last year.
Some might call the potential selection of McBride redundant given the presence of Fred VanVleet in the starting lineup and Malachi Flynn on the bench, but that could actually be a huge benefit for the Raptors if they run into some more bad luck with regards to injuries.
One of the main problems last season was the fact that an often sparse selection of players led to some funky lineups. No consistency and players being forced into roles outside of their comfort zone were some of the many contributing factors in their steep decline. McBride can help alleviate that issue, all while standing out as a promising two-way guard.
Toronto can’t assume that they’ll magically bounce back to the playoffs after just one season. They need to be proactive in attacking their weak spots, and giving up some draft capital in exchange for a player like McBride that could be a rock-solid option off of the bench for years to come make would be a very prudent move.