3 Scottie Barnes-like prospects Masai Ujiri, Raptors could draft

The Toronto Raptors clearly have a type when it comes to evaluating forward prospects, as Masai Ujiri is committed to adding players that have versatility on both sides of the ball. This led Masai Ujrii to use the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft on Scottie Barnes instead of Jalen Suggs.

While Suggs struggled with production for most of his rookie season, Barnes won Rookie of the Year in a truly dominant display. While some might say that Toronto has too many switchable forwards on the roster, the Raptors would say they are merely finding players who fit their developmental structure.

Toronto could look to add another forward that can handle the ball and defend multiple positions in 2022, either via a trade up or simply by letting the chips fall where they may. Toronto would have no qualms about banishing these players to Raptors 905 in order to develop their game.

While these three players will likely not be in Barnes’ tier as a player, there are some similarities between the two players as prospects. They could fit in on Nick Nurse’s squad if they take the same developmental advice that helped Barnes become a star.

3 Toronto Raptors draft targets with shades of Scottie Barnes.

3. Harrison Ingram, Stanford

Despite being 6-8 and 230 pounds, Ingram was initiating the offense for the Cardinal thanks to his solid blend of passing skills and mobility. With 10.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, Ingram proved to be a matchup nightmare for ill-equipped Pac-12 defenses.

Ingram might have a lower floor than most anticipate, as he is the type of player who knows how to use his size to exploit favorable matchups. In the same way that Barnes was a rebounder and connector during his rookie year, Ingram should be able to do the same for whoever drafts him, albeit to a lesser degree.

Harrison Ingram is raw, but he could fit the Toronto Raptors.

Ingram may have surprised many by declaring early, as he only made 39% of his shots and 31% of his 3-point attempts while turning the ball over 2.3 times per game. He is very raw offensively, which could push him firmly down into the bottom half of the second round.

Ingram will need to be put in the G League while he works on improving his offensive skills. He will require tons of developmental bandwidth when it comes to turning his offense around, but Toronto has had success with similar players in recent years.