The Toronto Raptors are trying to break their championship window open after an impressive 2021-22 season, but that doesn’t mean that Masai Ujiri will altogether forgo building the team with cheap, young talent. The 2020 NBA Draft could be a very fertile ground to plunder.
After drafting Malachi Flynn No. 29 overall and acquiring No. 20 overall pick Precious Achiuwa thanks to a trade, it seems like Ujiri clearly has some admiration for the recent crop of young players that came into the NBA. This could influence his trade strategy in the 2022 offseason.
Toronto has been more than willing to bring on former first-round picks and give them the change of scenery they need to further their careers. This philosophy has worked in the past, and it could be just the ticket when it comes to replenishing the bench with a young standout.
These three 2020 draftees could join Flynn and Achiuwa in Toronto if Ujiri and Nick nurse play their cards right. Doing so could help Toronto’s bench get even stronger while giving them even more young talent to mold and shape in the same way they improved Achiuwa.
3 2020 NBA Draft prospects the Toronto Raptors could trade for.
3. Kira Lewis Jr., New Orleans Pelicans
Lewis was picked No. 13 overall to be the Pelicans’ point guard of the future, but he may already be on his way out of town. The three-headed monster of New Orleans ending up with the No. 8 overall pick, the emergence of Jose Alvarado as a backup, and CJ McCollum’s arrival have made life difficult for Lewis.
Lewis, who averaged 6.2 points and 2.2 assists per game with the Pelicans in his two-year career, is coming off a torn ACL sustained in December. Lewis is a significant injury risk who hadn’t had fantastic production, but Toronto could be the best place for him to rejuvenate his career.
Kira Lewis Jr. could be an interesting Toronto Raptors backup.
Lewis’ speed and finishing ability at the rim could make him a better offensive player than Flynn if he stays healthy. That explosion and peskiness on defense made him a valued prospect at Alabama, and they might be the meal ticket that helps him get his NBA career back on track.
Lewis’ value has never been lower, making him a very interesting buy for a Raptors team that needs more production out of their backup point guard spot. Ujiri should try to pilfer him from New Orleans if he believes in Lewis’ speed post-injury.
2. Zeke Nnaji, Denver Nuggets
Nnaji, picked No. 22 overall, went to a solid situation out of college. Denver allowed him to work behind Nikola Jokic while the raw edges of his game got ironed out. Nnaji has since become a very promising shooter that could blossom if Toronto acquires him.
Nnaji needs some work on the defensive end before reaching his full potential, but the idea of throwing him out there alongside Achiuwa could make the bench lethal. Nnaji’s shooting has been well above league average for two consecutive seasons.
Zeke Nnaji is perfect for the Toronto Raptors.
While Nnaji has only attempted 3.5 shots per game in his career, the fact that he’s made 50% of his shots and 44% of his 3-pointers shows that he is ready to explode if he gets more volume. With the Raptors, Nnaji could flourish as a small-ball center that spaces the floor.
Both Chris Boucher and Thad Young are free agents, and the Raptors likely will not retain both of them. Flipping some assets to Denver and getting Nnaji back would be one heck of a way to replace them. With greater usage, Nnaji’s numbers could start to smash what he amassed in Denver.
1. Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons
Stewart started every game in which he played for the Pistons last year. Why would they even think about moving away from him? Well, considering that the Pistons own the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and have reportedly extended some feelers out to gauge Deandre Ayton’s availability, Stewart’s spot might not be set in stone.
Stewart averaged 8.3 points and 8.7 rebounds last year despite often being the third fiddle behind Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey. At 250 pounds with a mean streak in his game that could help a smaller Raptors team become more solidified and consistent in the paint, Stewart would check a ton of boxes.
Isaiah Stewart would help the Toronto Raptors’ rebounding.
Stewart lacks the mobility and defensive versatility that Ujiri and Nurse prioritize when trying to add big men. That doesn’t mean Toronto should overlook someone who plays with a ceaseless motor and a nastiness in the paint. Think of him as a much younger, more tantalizing version of Khem Birch.
Detroit might actually be a motivated seller, as they could feel pressured to surround Cunningham with some true needle-movers in this offseason. Stewart could bring back some nice assets in return while giving the Raptors a picture-perfect center that slides into the rotation.