Latest Raptors mock draft hints Toronto could move No. 4 pick

As the Toronto Raptors gear up for a pivotal 2021 NBA Draft, Raptors mock draft season hasn’t been as haphazard as it has been in prior seasons. Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs has become the heavy favorite to go off of the board No. 4 overall, though the Raptors will likely be hoping that USC center Evan Mobley ends up falling to them.

This team is no stranger to making aggressive moves, and there has been chatter about both trying to entice the Cleveland Cavaliers into making a deal for the No. 3 pick and moving down.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie claimed that the Raptors have been eyeing a trade down in order to stockpile assets. Given their apparent interest in Florida State Swiss Army knife Scottie Barnes, a move down could end up materializing. Even with that option in the realm of possibility, the Raptors could buck that trend and end up moving in the other direction.

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor put out a mock draft that uncontroversially had Mobley going No. 3 to the Cavaliers and Suggs getting picked by Toronto with the fourth pick. However, O’Connor hinted that Toronto and the Orlando Magic have been in contact with Cleveland about potentially trading up to get the No. 3 selection.

Toronto Raptors mock draft: Trading up with Cleveland could be hard.

If the Cavs are interested in trading down, which may not even come to fruition, the Raptors will find it almost impossible to beat out Orlando’s hypothetical offer. They could offer Cleveland two Top 10 picks in order to jump a few spots in the order after the Nikola Vucevic deal helped them land Chicago’s first-rounder.

If the Raptors do move up, it will almost assuredly be for Mobley, who has all the signs of a player that could fill that center spot for a decade in Toronto. Even if Cleveland stays put or Orlando leapfrogs them, it isn’t the end of the world.

O’Connor claims that despite the Barnes interest, Suggs will end up getting picked by Toronto, as his combination of lethal distribution, quality scoring, and ready-made defense could help him take off as a rookie.

Considering the trust that this front office has earned over the last few years, if they identify someone that they have to have at No. 3, fans should get behind that idea. The Raptors are nothing if not flexible, and it appears that the front office is willing to consider anything and everything by the time next Thursday rolls around.