Time is quickly running out until the start of the 2024 NBA draft, and with Toronto conceding the No. 8 overall pick to the Spurs, the Raptors will have to dig into a deeper pool of draft prospects than they would likely prefer, with their first pick of the draft not coming until the 19th selection.
The NBA Combine threw some massive wrenches into the equation, allowing projected second-rounders to secure themselves personal workouts with lottery-positioned teams, while causing some first-round locks to topple down the long list of potential draftees into the grey area of the second round.
With about a month left until the draft and the initial stages of personal workouts on the rise, the expected order of the first round is by no means set in stone. In this article, we'll take a look at CBS' latest mock draft by Kyle Boone to determine whether their presumed pick would flourish in the Raptors rotation.
Toronto Raptors mocked to draft Isaiah Collier, USC
If one year ago you predicted Isaiah Collier to fall around the mid-to-late first-round vicinity you would have been burned at the stake. Coming out of high school as the No. 1 overall recruit, expectations for Collier were sky high, with most people mocking him in the top 10 and Boone himself placing him first overall last fall.
Unfortunately, an underwhelming season for USC combined with a hand injury that sidelined Collier for four weeks was enough for his value to plummet. At the same time, it's hard to completely write off the 19-year-old given what he was able to display in his first season in college.
Physically, Collier is miles above any other point guard prospect in this draft. Measured at 6'2.50" barefoot, Collier's undersized height is masked by his linebacker level frame, allowing him to go toe-to-toe with nearly anyone once he gains enough momentum.
Collier's greatest strength going into the draft is his inside-the-arc scoring. Collier is an extremely smart player, knowing when and where to position himself to get the best scoring opportunity possible for himself. His ability to stop on a dime and change pace has made him a nightmare to guard in college, and with a wider room to work with on an NBA court, he could become an automatic scoring threat based on his inside play alone.
His game beyond the arc is where things get tricky. In his first season at USC, Collier shot 33.8 percent from three on nearly 3 shots per game. As a guard in the NBA it is extremely hard to carve a role out for yourself without a consistent long-range jumpshot, but the fluidity of his shooting motion and his confidence to shoot well beyond the college arc keeps the door open for him to become a dependable long-range option.
The only true red flag at this stage of Collier's career is his inconsistency at the free-throw line. As a player that is currently dependent on slashing to the basket, being able to cash out at the line at a consistent rate is vital to his success. He shot just 67.3 percent from the stripe in college and will need that number to improve significantly in the NBA.
As for his fit on the Raptors, Collier would immediately plug into the back-up point guard position, providing immediate playmaking and scoring relief when Immanuel Quickley is off the floor. His quick burst in fastbreak scenarios would perfectly complement the Raptors pace-first system, and his tank-like frame would further solidify the defensive structure of an otherwise poor Raptors secondary rotation.