The Toronto Raptors finally decided to add some shooting in the NBA Draft, using their lone selection in 2023 (No. 13 overall) on Kansas wing Gradey Dick. Based on the early reaction to the pick, Toronto appears to have hit yet another home run with their lottery selection.
The Raptors needed to bring in a young guard who could snipe from 3-point range while giving the bench an injection of energy, and Dick seems to check both of those boxes. Dick could be a serious All-Rookie team contender if the new coaching staff leans into him.
Dick’s style of play is exactly what the NBA is looking for right now. There will always be a market for shooters, especially 6-8 ones with the ability to jump out of the gym and get their fair share of looks near the basket. Dick is the type of player that is sorely needed in Toronto.
When looking at Dick’s future career and what it will take to get the most out of him, the archetypes of what he could become are very clear to see. Dick figures to have a long career as either a low-end replacement-level wing, a solid two-way shooter on payoff teams, or a game-changer who dominates on both ends.
3 player comparisons for Toronto Raptors wing Gradey Dick.
Low-End: Reggie Bullock
Bullock has become a wandering ronin of sorts, constantly swapping teams around the NBA and providing replacement-level 3-point shooting and feisty defense for contenders and tanking teams alike. Think of Bullock as the platonic ideal of what a bench shooter should be.
While Bullock has had some solid seasons in the pros, he has never been stuck in one place for very long due to the fact his game never really expanded beyond shooting and the occasional pesky play on the defensive end. Dick ending up with a Bullock-like career would be a major disappointment.
Will Raptors’ Gradey Dick be better than Reggie Bullock?
If Dick wants to avoid a nomadic life in the NBA, he needs to fix the flaws that both Raptors executives and scouts knew about him when he was coming out of Kansas. Getting a bit stronger and improving his overall skillset with the ball in his hands should be first on the list.
The Raptors took Dick knowing that he was not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination. They are taking a bit of a gamble on their staff here, as they likely believe they are best equipped to get the most out of Dick. If they don’t expect a Bullock-like career.
Realistic: Kevin Huerter
Huerter had a career year with the Kings, averaging 15.2 points per game after four years in a very limited role with the Hawks. What made Huerter such a unique player last year was that he looked like a more complete offensive player. Dick needs to watch Huerter’s tape to get some ideas about how to thrive.
Like Huerter, Dick is coming into the league with the expectation that his 3-point shot will be enough to help him carve out a very long, prosperous career. Huerter also managed to become a scoring threat on-ball last season, which Dick should have no trouble emulating.
Will Gradey Dick play like Kevin Hurter?
While Huerter gives some solid efforts on the defensive end, he is likely never going to be a game-changer on that end. As such, this could be a glimpse into the future for Dick if the team is unable to find a way to get better defensive results out of him. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t worth taking, however.
Huerter made good on his pre-draft expectations, and the arrow is pointing upward for him in Sacramento. Huerter is fresh off averaging 15 points per game, a number that shouldn’t be very hard for Dick to average at his absolute peak.
High-End: Klay Thompson
This is not to say that Dick is the second coming of Klay Thompson. That would be hyperbolic. However, if he checks every developmental milestone in relatively short order and his shooting becomes an elite trait, a Klay-esque trajectory could be in his future.
While he will likely never be the defender that Thompson evolved into at his peak, both are expert 3-point shooters who were above-average finishers at the rim. When asked to take and make big shots for their respective teams, both answered the call.
Will the Toronto Raptors turn Gradey Dick into Klay Thompson?
Thompson also thrived as much as he did due to the tremendous infrastructure around him in Golden State, so the Raptors can’t just leave Dick out to dry and assume that he will reach that level. Darko Rajakovic really needs to hit the ground running to maximize his potential.
If that happens, Dick has all the tools needed to become a player in that sort of rarified air potentially. With leaping ability that has often gone unnoticed, a lethal 3-point shot, and some competitive fire, there are shades of Thompson resting within Dick that Rajakovic might get out.