3 most likely players to be taken by the Raptors in 2022 NBA Draft

3. JD Notae, SG, Arkansas

This past season, the Raptors were desperate to find productive minutes from a backup ball-handler when Fred VanVleet was off the court. While it doesn’t seem like the Malchai Flynn experiment will work out, the Raptors could switch lanes and pick up a seasoned guard to orchestrate the offense for the second unit.

Notae served as one of the cornerstones of the Razorbacks, averaging just under 20 points per game while still acting as the lead playmaker for his team. Able to be an irritant on the court, Notae has active hands when guarding on-ball and is not afraid to get down and dirty diving for loose balls and playing through contact.

JD Notae’s defense will appeal to the Toronto Raptors.

One area needing improvement for Notae is outside shooting ability, as he shot 33% from deep last season. To be an effective scorer at his position in the NBA, Notae will need to develop a reliable jumper to draw in defenders, allowing him to create space for himself in isolation.

Acquiring a player such as Notae should be high on the list of priorities for the Toronto Raptors this offseason. By capturing him in the second round of the draft, they could save the checkbook for another day and hopefully build up the next grinding guard for the Raptors.