The Toronto Raptors will likely end up with one of three options in the 2021 NBA Draft after they earned the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. In all likelihood, one of either G League standout Jalen Green, Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs, or USC big man Evan Mobley will end up north of the border.
With Kyle Lowry likely to leave the team in free agency as he looks for an expensive new contract and a chance to win a championship, the Raptors will need to rework their starting lineup, as they need to figure how to replace Lowry and accommodate whoever ends up being the pick.
Green would give them a dynamic guard on the perimeter, Suggs could make the backcourt even deeper and more lethal, and Mobley could man the center spot for a decade. No matter what happens in the draft, the starting five will look different.
The Raptors will unveil one of these three lineup combinations depending on what direction they go in, with Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. potentially being impacted the most by this selection.
Toronto Raptors lineup with Jalen Green
PG: Fred VanVleet
SG: Jalen Green
SF: OG Anunoby
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Khem Birch/Free Agent Center
VanVleet would move over to a more traditional point guard spot with Green in the lineup, as Green is better served using his 6-5 frame to cook unsuspecting defenders on the wing. Gary Trent jr. would become a star sixth man.
The Raptors could either resign Khem Birch or look elsewhere on the free-agent market for a center, with Pascal Siakam at power forward and OG Anunoby at small forward. In terms of pure offensive potential, this might have the highest ceiling.
Toronto Raptors lineup with Jalen Suggs
PG: Jalen Suggs
SG: Fred VanVleet
SF: OG Anunoby
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Khem Birch/Free Agent Center
Suggs would take over point guard responsibilities, as a point guard like him needs the ball in his hands. A former quarterback in high school, Suggs’ masterful passing skills, and high basketball IQ should translate very well to Toronto’s offense.
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VanVleet would stay at the shooting guard spot that he made his own last year, with Trent staying on the bench and the frontcourt remaining unchanged.
Toronto Raptors lineup with Evan Mobley
PG: Fred VanVleet
SG: Gary Trent Jr.
SF: OG Anunoby
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Evan Mobley
The debate over who should play center would be totally washed away if they select a transformative player like Mobley, as his mobility, power, and skill are all breathtaking for someone his size. His presence would also keep VanVleet in the starting lineup.
VanVleet and Trent could make for quite the tandem in the backcourt, and they wouldn’t have to move Anunoby or Siakam in order to accommodate their pick. This lineup would be the dream, as it is deep, offensively skilled, and versatile.