Raptors mock draft: Toronto drafting yet another 6-8 forward

The Toronto Raptors mock draft predictors have been hard at work trying to figure out which players the team should target at the back end of the lottery. Toronto may not be in Victor Wembanyama territory right now, but they can still add a player that gives the team a serious nitro boost on the offensive side of the ball.

At the same time, Masai Ujiri does not seem like someone who is going to totally abandon his “Vision 6-9” principles. The supplementing talents around Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes need to be versatile and multifaceted.

Players like Houston’s Jarace Walker might be slightly out of Toronto’s draft position if they want to go this route, the Raptors can still find a player that can vacillate all over the court while giving their bench some scoring pop. Such a player might be plying his trade in Columbia, South Carolina right now.

For The Win’s Mock Draft seems to be very bullish on Toronto’s desire to add another forward, as they are using the No. 14 overall pick on South Carolina power forward GG Jackson. Just 18 years old after reclassifying to the 2023 class, Jackson is a developmental gamble with All-Star potential.

Toronto Raptors mock draft: Is GG Jackson worth the risk?

Jackson has averaged 15.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season on a Gamecocks team that has essentially asked him to carry the offense in a fairly unjust way. Even in his lowest moments, the potential of what he could end up becoming shines through.

Jackson is a tremendous athlete with leaping and mobility for someone of his size that defies conventional expectations for a player his size. If he reaches even one-half of what he could be at his absolute peak, the Raptors could have a long-term starter and high-end scorer.

There are some big flaws surrounding Jackson’s game. Not only is he shooting just 38% from the field as a big, but South Carolina was noticeably better and more effective as a defensive team when he sat. Jackson is not likely to be a contributor in his first NBA season.

While some Raptors fans might moan at the idea of selecting another forward, Ujiri’s MO has always been to draft the player they believe has the highest ceiling rather than adding someone who could be a better immediate fit. Jackson’s offensive ceiling is as high as any non-Wembanyama forward in this class.