What the Toronto Raptors need to do to win the NBA Finals in the next five years

No. 4: Turn Ja'Kobe Walter into a 3-and-D stud

Championship teams need championship role players. There will be veterans that the Raptors add over the coming seasons, and if they are truly in contention for a title they will target proven two-way players to fill in around their stars.

The Raptors just drafted a player who has all the tools to be an elite 3-and-D wing, as Ja'Kobe Walter has the length and athleticism to lock down on the perimeter and the shooting form to become a knockdown marksman. Players like Fred VanVleet and Danny Green were invaluable during the Raptors' last title run, and Walter could develop into a Danny-Green type of player.

Walter has some more upside as a shot creator, and he will likely want to explore that studio space. It's possible he can capitalize on his high-end outcomes to become a player on the level of Mikal Bridges. More likely he will need to shed the designs to be a star and embrace the role that will keep him paid for a very long time.

If the Raptors can mold him into that player, they have an ideal complement to their stars.