The Toronto Raptors may have entered the 2021-22 season with no player taller than 6-9 on the roster, but the possibility of Masai Ujiri going into next year without a taller backup remains unlikely. The lack of size came back to bite them in the butt as injuries started to pile up.
While the 2022 NBA Draft class is widely regarded as a top-heavy class that falls off after the consensus top three players, the talent available at the end of the first round and the beginning of the second round is surprisingly excellent. The center position has several impact players who could come off the board around No. 33 overall.
Toronto needs someone with the necessary mobility to stick in their high-octane defense. By acquiring a pick from San Antonio in the Thad Young trade, Toronto gave themselves a perfect chance to add some cheap talent down in the paint.
All three of these draft prospects are 7-0 or taller, giving them a leg up in their quest to end up as a rotation player in Toronto. Any one of them could be one of those classic Raptors draft picks who become valuable contributors after a year or so of seasoning.
3 7-foot NBA Draft prospects the Toronto Raptors could select.
3. Orlando Robinson, Fresno State
Scout the player, not the jersey. If you’re worried about taking another Mountain West standout after Player of the Year Malachi Flynn failed to take the next step, put those concerns in the trash. Robinson is a totally different player with a more transferrable frame and set of skills.
Robinson averaged 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, using his muscle and post moves to decimate the rest of the conference. From purely an offensive point of view, going with the younger player who can spot up from 3-point range in Robinson over Khem Birch makes all the sense in the world.
Orlando Robinson may appeal to the Toronto Raptors.
Robinson’s lack of mobility and fluidity means that he is not going to be a Precious Achiuwa-esque rim-runner at the next level. Robinson is as old-school as they come at the center position, but that doesn’t mean that Toronto should completely take him off their board.
Robinson is already a fantastic scorer and rebounder, but he needs to go to a coaching staff who is willing to put the time in while fixing his issues. Toronto could be that place, as Robinson developing quicker than expected could force them to find a way to ditch Birch’s contract.
2. Christian Koloko, Arizona
Koloko went from first-round lock to potential faller after some other impressive big men started to strut their stuff in front of professional scouts. His slide should end at Toronto, as everything he brings to the table was something that Toronto lacked last year.
12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game are impressive enough, but the fact that Koloko nearly tallied three blocks per contest while flexing the athleticism needed to be a mobile defender should shoot him to the top of many teams big boards. Koloko will be a defensive presence on Day 1.
Christian Koloko will improve the Toronto Raptors on defense.
Don’t expect the 7-1 Cameroonian to suddenly come into the NBA and start chucking up threes. In fact, questions about his offensive ceiling might be one of the main reasons he is starting to fall ever so slightly down draft boards.
Koloko is going to have a lower floor than most offensively deficient big men in the early second round thanks to his extraordinary shot-blocking skill. A solid mover for someone his size, someone with Koloko’s profile is just about as seamless a fit as one could hope for out of a 7-1 titan in Toronto’s system.
1. Walker Kessler, Auburn
Kessler was buried on the depth chart with North Carolina, but he stepped on the gas pedal after coming over to Bruce Pearl’s Tigers. Kessler will be a talented shot-blocker with room to grow on the offensive end in the first few seasons.
Kessler averaged 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, but his true value lies in his shot-blocking. Kessler is not going to average 4.6 blocks per game in the pros, but the fact that he was routinely shutting down the most advanced SEC offenses with his frame is an encouraging sign.
Walker Kessler’s defense is too good for the Toronto Raptors to ignore.
Kessler is likely going to be gone by the time pick No. 33 comes around, so Toronto would be much better off trading up for him if they really want his services. They will incur a bigger financial burden, but it’s worth it to bring on a player of his stature and caliber on defense.
Kessler doesn’t have tremendous lateral athletic ability, but his size more than makes up for it on the defensive end. Kessler likely won’t be a role player in his first season due to his substandard finishing ability for a big man his size, but it shouldn’t take long to get him up to speed.