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Raptors 19-Player Depth Chart and Roster Needs after Draft and Free Agency

The Toronto Raptors have a packed roster after the draft and free agency, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have holes. How do things stand and what is next?

By Josh Cornelissen

Jose Alvarado, New Orleans Pelicans and Davion Mitchell, Sacramento Kings
Jose Alvarado, New Orleans Pelicans and Davion Mitchell, Sacramento Kings / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages
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Small Forward:

RJ Barrett, Sasha Vezenkov

What Happened: The Raptors did little to address the small forward position, a fascinating reality for a team that was loaded with forwards for so long. They traded Jalen McDaniels to the Sacramento Kings in the trade that brought second-year European star Sasha Vezenkov to Toronto. They somewhat desperately need Vezenkov to play as the backup to RJ Barrett and he profiles as a strong fit in Darko Rajakovic's system.

What's Next: The problem is that Sasha Vezenkov wants to leave the NBA and return to Europe, to the point that he already has a contract in place with Greek power Olympiakos. Can Rajakovic and Masai Ujiri convince Vezenkov to stay? If not, they will force the forward to give back his salary to be let out of his contract, something he surely doesn't want to do. How the situation resolves will have a major impact on the next moves the Raptors do or don't make to fill out the roster.

Power Forward:

Scottie Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, Jonathan Mogbo

What Happened: Scottie Barnes, fresh off making the All-Star Game as a third-year forward, signed the largest contract in Toronto Raptors history, a full maximum rookie extension that could be worth as much as $270 million over five years if he makes All-NBA next season. He is under contract through 2029-30 as the face of the franchise.

Whether directly in connection to Scottie Barnes or not, the Raptors also reached with the 31st pick to take athletic high-motor forward Jonathan Mogbo, Barnes' childhood friend. Mogbo is a legitimate NBA prospect, so this isn't a situation where Toronto is using a pick and roster spot purely as a favor to Barnes, but he will have work to do to prove he was worth the 31st pick given the other talent on the board.

What's Next: Not much - Barnes is entrenched as the starter, Kelly Olynyk will have to play minutes at power forward alongside another center given the team's lack of forward depth, and Mogbo is a longshot to factor this season and will spend a lot of time with the 905.

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