Raptors draft: Is Keyonte George worth the risk in the Top 10?

The Toronto Raptors are speeding towards what could be a very quick rebuild, as they will almost assuredly be in the lottery. Toronto is in need of some guards that can make an impact as a scorer if they want to get serious about kicking their offense back into high gear.

The Raptors likely won’t be bad enough to land either Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson without some serious luck in the lottery. The Thompson twins, Amen and Ausar, might be the next-best options for rebuilding teams that manage to slide into the top five.

The collegiate route might be the best way for the Raptors to get a player they can rely on. While Miller and Arkansas’ Nick Smith are certainly attractive options, the combination of proven performances and high-end potential that Baylor’s Keyonte George possesses might be more attractive to Masai Ujiri.

If the Raptors are going to take another gamble on tools and raw potential, George might be their top prospect if they aren’t in the top five. Toronto could seamlessly transition from the Fred VanVleet/Pascal Siakam era to one spearheaded by a three-headed monster of Siakam, George, and Scottie Barnes.

Will the Toronto Raptors take Keyonte George?

George has some serious drawbacks as a prospect. He is shooting just 39% from the field at the collegiate level, which may not bode well when he comes to the pros. Turning the ball over three times per game on average shows that he needs to be reigned in just a tad.

If the Raptors can iron out those kinks, they will add someone who should have no trouble becoming an impact scorer in the pros. His ability to finish from awkward angles and create opportunities off the dribble is exemplary, especially on a Baylor team that puts an inordinate amount of offensive responsibility on him.

One of the team’s backcourt spots could be opened up when the offseason comes around. George would make a ton of sense when it comes to filling that vacancy, as he can either be a ball-dominant scorer or off-ball dynamo thanks to athleticism that is above average across the board.

George’s high variance might care away some teams, but Ujiri’s M.O. in the draft has usually been to take the player with the highest ceiling and let his developmental staff figure it out. If George clicks, Toronto will have yet another All-Star player in the wings.