The Toronto Raptors might be just a bit further away from their ultimate dream of acquiring Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft, but that doesn’t mean that Masai Ujiri and the rest of the organization are going to have a barren cupboard of players to pick.
The Raptors will need to enter the draft with the goal of figuring out how to get more center depth while simultaneously getting a dynamic scoring guard that can either supplement what Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. bring to the table or replace the impending free agents.
The Raptors currently own the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they are still likely to end up with a lottery pick due to how deep of a hole they dug for themselves in a truly rotten December. The silver lining around this whole mess is that they can land some difference-makers.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has the Raptors using their first-round pick, No. 8 overall, on Arkansas star Nick Smith. With their second-round pick, Toronto is adding Dayton center DaRon Holmes. Need a lead guard for the future and a rim protector? Look no further than these two.
First bucket a Hog for @lif3nick pic.twitter.com/3GAJA2n4Hl
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) December 3, 2022
Toronto Raptors mock draft features Nick Smith and DaRon Holmes
While Smith has struggled to stay healthy during his first (and likely only) season with the Razorbacks, Toronto would be jumping for joy if he was still on the board this late. There is a good chance that he is the best prospect in this draft class who is not named Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson.
Smith has all the traits needed to become an All-Star guard in this league, as he is a tremendous shooter and creator of offense for himself and others. With a 6-5 frame and blinding speed, Smith should be able to hit the ground running immediately in the NBA.
While Holmes, much like Christian Koloko, has a very limited offensive game, there is no denying that he has proven to be an excellent role player. Holmes has averaged 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game for the Flyers this year, and his athleticism in the paint could help him replicate that collegiate success in the pros.
Dayton big man DaRon Holmes II went off for 32 points last night.
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) January 11, 2023
Holmes is averaging 19.8 points, 8.3 boards, and 2 assists per game for the Flyers 👀 @DaRonagon pic.twitter.com/PNgKrWqTmm
The Raptors nailed their most recent lottery pick by adding Scottie Barnes to the mix, and Koloko is one of many second-round picks that the franchise has had some success developing. Smith could be the next young cornerstone they add, while Holmes helps plus a hole.