No. 2: Jonathon Givony mocks Kyshawn George to the Raptors
Building a rotation around franchise cornerstone Scottie Barnes means emphasizing shooting at every position, and last year the Raptors wallowed at the back of the league in 3-point volume and efficiency. With Gary Trent Jr. likely to leave the team this summer, the need for shooting only increases.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN therefore looks to one of the best shooters in the draft when he drafts Miami wing Kyshawn George to the Raptors in his latest "biggest need" mock draft. George was a surprise riser as a freshman this year and now seems likely to go in the first round of the draft.
The appeal of George is that he brings elite 3-point accuracy in a 6'8" frame. At the very worst, he should be a deployable bench gunner for a team, but the upside of his size is that he can become a great defender and even develop some on-ball skills, making him the ideal sort of 3-and-D wing to have in a rotation, with a sliver of Mikal-Bridges-type-upside to go from shooter to 3-and-D to something more.
The downside is certainly there, however, as George was in a small role on a mediocre Miami team and his upside could be a mirage. He could be incapable of scaling to the NBA level and wash out in a flash. The risk is there, but so is the upside, and given his shooting ability it seems like the right kind of swing to take.
Grade: B+