Masai Ujiri may think that his team is capable of doing some damage in the playoffs this season and next year, but the team’s sub-.500 record at the All-Star break is not going to stop the Toronto Raptors mock draft predictors from coming out of the woodwork in the next few months.
Toronto has already found itself so far down in the standings that it will be very hard for them to crawl out of the play-in tournament area. As such, the Raptors are being connected to some of the biggest prospects in the draft, including Arkansas’ Nick Smith and Baylor’s Keyonte George.
No matter where the Raptors pick, shooting and perimeter defense stand out above the rest when it comes to traits this team needs. Ujiri has shown that he can hit on his premium first-round selections, and he might add yet another victory to the ledger if he snags the son of a basketball great this year.
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports, who has the Raptors picking 12th overall in this exercise, believes that Toronto will select Michigan guard Jett Howard. The standout freshman, who is the son of Fab Five member and current Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard, has risen up draft rankings lately.
Thinking aloud: There are so many great @B1GMBBall freshmen this year. @umichbball's @JettHoward5 is one of them. pic.twitter.com/Ih0UCY1Aac
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 5, 2023
Toronto Raptors mock draft: Jett Howard will be a solid scorer.
Howard is averaging 14.8 points per game on 43% shooting while making just under 39% of his 3-point attempts. A very intelligent player who can a little bit of everything on the defensive end, Howard fits the archetype of a 3-and-D wing that is sorely needed in Toronto.
Howard has some solid physical metrics for a freshman, meaning that he could eventually fill out his 6-8 frame and become a real menace on the defensive end. Howard would likely start out as a top Sixth Man that can eventually muscle his way into a starting spot.
The biggest issue with Howard is a lack of top-shelf athletic ability. While not deficient, his average explosiveness could put a very firm ceiling on his offensive potential outside of being a shooter. Will Ujiri hold that against him to the point where he refuses to consider making him a lottery choice?
Jett Howard's kinda good. ☺️@JettHoward5 x @umichbball pic.twitter.com/iGvWzHlD95
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 12, 2023
If the Raptors want shooting without getting a player like Kansas’ Gradey Dick that could be a defensive liability, Howard stands out as someone who could handle a substantial pro workload despite his young age. Howard’s length and shooting will make him a player Nick Nurse falls in love with quickly.