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Toronto Raptors: Re-Grading every Masai Ujiri first-round pick

By Mike Luciano

TORONTO, ONTARIO - JUNE 19: Masai Ujiri, President, Toronto Raptors attends the 2020 Audi Innovation Series on June 19, 2020 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by George Pimentel/Getty Images for Audi Innovation Series)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - JUNE 19: Masai Ujiri, President, Toronto Raptors attends the 2020 Audi Innovation Series on June 19, 2020 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by George Pimentel/Getty Images for Audi Innovation Series) /
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Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – MARCH 29: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) /

2016: Pascal Siakam

Before Siakam, New Mexico State didn’t have a player drafted between 1992 and 2015. Despite his humble beginnings, Siakam has become a star in Toronto, as his elite interior scoring, ability to impact the game as a passer on offense, and switchability on defense have made him one of the best power forwards in the modern NBA.

Pascal Siakam is one of the best draft picks in Toronto Raptors history.

You could make an argument that Siakam was the best player in the entire draft. Players like Ben Simmons, Domantas Sabonis, Jaylen Brown, and Jamal Murray are in that convo, but Siakam’s stats on some elite Raptors teams serve as a testament for Ujiri’s eye to spot raw talent at the college level.

Grade: A+

2016: Jakob Poeltl

Poeltl, who was dominant during his college career at Utah, is a bit of a challenging evaluation. On one hand, he has become one of the best defensive bigs in the West with the Spurs, but he didn’t show those skills off frequently in Toronto, as the Raptors’ depth limited him to 15.8 minutes, 5.8 points, and 4.1 rebounds per game in two years.

Poeltl only gave the Raptors two average seasons, but he was a key piece in helping them secure their playoff X-factor in Kawhi Leonard via trade. If that trade never was consummated, and he developed into the same sort of player that he did in San Antonio, it appears he would’ve been a solid NBA center.

Grade: C+