Raptors mock draft: Which players should Toronto target?

As it becomes clear that the Toronto Raptors are not going to win anything of significance this season, Raptors mock draft season is starting to come sooner than most expected. The Raptors have all but one of their future draft picks, and they could add more if one of their stars ends up getting dealt away.

The Raptors are currently in possession of the No. 6 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. While Ujiri has rarely selected this high with Toronto, adding players like Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl with his Top 10 picks further proves that Ujiri’s eye for talent in this area of the draft is robust.

The Raptors already hit a huge home run with the Barnes pick, but they need to make sure that they nail it again this year in order to get the most out of Pascal Siakam’s prime seasons. They could also find a role player in the second round.

Toronto’s biggest need right now is shot creation, which should help them get linked to most of the big on-ball scorers that dominate the top part of the lottery. Even if they miss out on Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson, Toronto could land a franchise cornerstone.

Toronto Raptors mock draft: Who will Masai Ujiri take?

With the sixth pick, the Toronto Raptors select:

https://twitter.com/RazorbackMBB/status/1599564459432988672

Smith has some injury concerns, but his offensive potential is as high as any collegiate player in this year’s class. A 6-5 guard who can play either backcourt spot while still creating for himself and others, Smith has blinding speed and a sweet jumper that will set him up for instant pro success.

His defensive potential can be high if Nick Nurse develops him in the same way that Gary Trent Jr. ended up growing. Smith, Barnes, and Pascal Siakam is one hell of a trio that can have the Raptors fighting for a postseason spot once again.

With the 36th pick, the Toronto Raptors select:

https://twitter.com/UCLAAthletics/status/1622311622093180928

While he’s not the most ready-made shooter or high-end athlete in the world, Jaquez checks a lot of the boxes that Ujiri often looks for when scouting second-round picks. His versatility, especially on the defensive end, could appeal to a Raptors team that needs wing depth.

Jaquez, a four-year starter at UCLA, has set career-high per game marks across the board this year. A relatively safe player who can come right in and make shots without too steep of a learning curve, Jaquez could help balance out a somewhat risky first-round pick in the injury-riddled Smith.