NBA Mock Draft: Raptors draft exciting, high-scoring point guard

The Toronto Raptors can officially exhale, as they have clinched a play-in spot. Even with the assurance that they will get a crack at making it to the postseason, Masai Ujiri likely has his eyes fixated firmly on the NBA Draft as the team looks to address their lack of depth.

The Raptors look much better with Jakob Poeltl in the lineup, which means that Toronto’s offseason plans will likely revolve around finding a backcourt player that can either replace Fred VanVleet or Gary Trent Jr. if they leave in free agency or supplement them as a high-end Sixth Man.

Toronto will likely be eyeing players that can be creative with the ball in their hands, as the lack of dynamism in the current core is one of the main reasons that the club has some of the worst half-court offense numbers in the league. Their best option may be waiting around in Ann Arbor.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman had the Raptors using their first-round pick on Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin, who recently declared for the draft. With Toronto having been connected to Wolverines guard Jett Howard in the past, Ujiri might need to spend some time around Juwan Howard before making this pick.

Toronto Raptors Mock Draft: Kobe Bufkin is a dynamic scorer

Bufkin averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game during his sophomore season, emerging as a viable scorer alongside Howard. Bufkin profiles as a better ball-handling guard than a more traditional wing shooter like Howard will likely become.

Bufkin is a very smooth operator with some nice lefty finishing moves that can help him make a smooth transition to the pros. That ability to make plays in half-court sets is what Toronto has lacked all season long. With or without Fred VanVleet, Bufkin makes sense for the Raptors.

Bufkin is rail thin right now, so he might need to take a year to adjust to the physicality of the professional game. He has been a solid 3-point shooter when asked, but it is definitely a weak spot in his game right now. Toronto may need to spend another pick on a streaky shooter.

Ujiri would be committing basketball malpractice if he once again decided to pick another siwtchable forward instead of addressing the team’s needs. Bufkin might need some time to get up to speed physically, but there is a ton to like about what Bufkin can bring to the table in Toronto