Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors decided to place a premium on shooting, long-term offensive potential, and creativity when they eschewed their need for point guard depth and used the No. 13 selection in the 2023 NBA Draft on Kansas wing Gradey Dick.
The Raptors believe that Dick has the ability to come right in and knock down open 3-pointers after Scottie Barnes or Pascal Siakam kicks it out to him. With a solid Summer League stint in the books and the wind in his proverbial sails, Dick could become a Raptors fan favorite quite soon.
The fact that Dick lasted to No. 13 overall when it seemed like he was almost a lock to go in the top 10 shows that Toronto did a tremendous job of getting great value with their draft selection. He should not have too much of an issue when it comes to proving his draft hype was not hyperbolic.
The Raptors can feel confident knowing that Dick is going to come right into the NBA and be better than this trio of players who were picked before him in the lottery. The Raptors may have stumbled upon a Top 10 talent that managed to slip through the cracks.
3 lottery picks Toronto Raptors rookie Gradey Dick will be better than.
3. Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks
Lively is going to have a very long, very effective career in the NBA that will almost assuredly have one All-Defensive appearance under his belt by the time it wraps up. However, the questions about his offensive potential might not be answered due to his landing spot.
Lively is going to play with perhaps the two most ball-dominant players in the league in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, meaning that most of his offensive touches will be limited to finishing off dunks. That could help him establish a role early on, but it puts a cap on his ceiling.
Gradey Dick will be a better scorer than Dereck Lively II.
While Dick is not going to be the defender that Lively is, he will be entrusted with more offensive responsibility early in his career. Dick’s 3-point shot will be his meal ticket, but the Raptors got to see what he can do as a scorer when he was unleashed properly in Summer League play.
Dick and Lively are almost impossible to compare straight up against one another due to how different their roles and style of play will be, but the Raptors seem to be creating a runway that eventually results in Dick getting an enhanced role as a starter. Lively, meanwhile, will always be a sideshow as the Luke/Kyrie experiment churns on.
2. Taylor Hendricks, Utah Jazz
Hendricks was a late riser in the process, as the list of freshmen from mid-major programs that get picked in the Top 10 is quite short. Hendricks is a quality scorer who can already shoot well, but he may not have landed in an ideal situation for him in Utah.
Hendricks will be behind John Collins and Walker Kessler in the frontcourt, all while Lauri Markkanen likely takes on a more perimeter-oriented role. Hendricks also is on a Jazz team with tons of future first-round picks coming down the pike that could further complicate his path to playing time.
The Toronto Raptors will pay Gradey Dick more than Taylor Hendricks.
The Raptors will likely be unable to retain all of their big names, creating a smooth transition that will eventually bring Dick into the starting lineup. Both of them can shoot, but Dick’s combination of confidence in attacking the basket and ability to hit from unusual angles will help him exceed Hendricks.
While Hendricks is a fine player with worthwhile potential, he could get lost in the shuffle during a transitional period when Utah tries to hoard draft picks and break out of their simultaneous lottery malaise. Dick could be properly unleashed relatively soon.
1. Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards
After fan speculation that suggested Coulibaly was going to be targeted by a team like Toronto ran wild, the Wizards made sure that Masai Ujiri never got a sniff at Victor Wembanyama’s promising teammate. Coulibaly, who rarely got tons of playing time in France, is a raw player who needs a lot of seasoning.
While Coulibaly has tremendous length and athletic ability in addition to a defensive intuition, he is as raw as sashimi on the offensive end. Even on a Wizards team that is tanking and eyeing the future, he might find it very difficult to get consistent time on the floor.
Gradey Dick will score more than Bilal Coulibaly.
The Raptors could choose to put Dick at the end of the bench, but doing so would be a laughable move. Not only does he have all the traits needed to score in the NBA, but he can do so without demanding tons of touches or on-ball attention.
Even at Coulibaly’s peak, his offensive potential is likely going to be several notches below what a fully realized Dick could provide. Picking Coulibaly over Dick was another age-old upside vs. (relatively) finished product debate, and it could come back to haunt Washington.