Well, it's official. The Toronto Raptors will hold the 9th overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Earlier tonight in Chicago, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum revealed the coveted envelopes, and the outcome for Toronto was, to say the least, far from desirable. Alas, this is the hand Toronto was dealt, and now it’s up to Masai Ujiri and his delegates to determine their next move with this asset.
So, what do I think is the Raptors' most obvious move with this draft pick? Trading it, of course.
Raptors must trade the 9th pick to secure a more valuable asset
For a while now, the talk of the town regarding Toronto's most logical draft decisions centered on targeting big men prospects like Khaman Maluach or Derik Queen. If not them, other names such as Jeremiah Fears, Kon Knueppel, and Tre Johnson have also been mentioned as potential Raptors targets. However, now that Toronto holds the 9th pick, nearly all of these rumored players have been effectively ruled out, as they could all be gone within the top eight.
So, what's left? Shifting gears to candidates like Kasparas Jakucionis, Egor Demin, Jase Richardson, or Collin Murray-Boyles. While each of these prospects could potentially help Toronto, they don't scream franchise-altering stars in the making. Not to say that the earlier names did either, but they were undeniably the best first options to consider.
The general belief surrounding Toronto's hopes for next season is that they'll be aiming to return to the playoff mix, with a core led by Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. With that in mind, looking at the potential options at the 9th pick, it’s unlikely they’ll find plug-and-play, starting-caliber talents right away.
Of course, draft surprises can always emerge; Toronto is no stranger to that, especially considering their promising pickups from the 2024 draft prospect pool. However, their primary goal has likely been to add a young big man, as Masai Ujiri previously emphasized as a key need, or to secure a top-four pick—something they fell short of this year.
Now, the Raptors face a couple of options: they could trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft to select a player expected to be available at a higher spot, or they might leverage their assets in a larger deal, packaging a tradeable veteran like RJ Barrett or Jakob Poeltl to land a more immediate, win-now upgrade to their roster.
It would probably take quite a bit more to pull off a deal of this nature, but combining a matching contract, the 9th pick and other draft capital, and perhaps a young asset like Gradey Dick might be enough to bring Toronto into the rumored star trade conversations for players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, or Kevin Durant.
The main point here is that a trade needs to happen. Staying at nine offers Toronto little to no benefit, at least on the surface. Raptors Nation has come to understand the vision that Masai Ujiri, Darko Rajakovic, and even the young core are collectively committed to—keeping their spirits high with a shared goal in mind.
While tonight's draft lottery didn't exactly bring them joy, it's not a point of no return. Those in Raptors Nation need to maintain the faith that has carried them this far, even if the results were a bit disappointing. Optimism is always worth holding onto, so now we just have to stay tuned for Ujiri's next strategic move.