The Toronto Raptors drafted a young guard with promise in Ja'Kobe Walter back in the 2024 NBA Draft. Less than two years later, it appears that they made the wrong decision as Jaylon Tyson breaks out for the rival Cleveland Cavaliers.
The theory behind drafting Walter with the 19th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft was that they would be grooming their shooting guard of the future. The top prospect had an up-and-down freshman season at Baylor but showed signs of both on-ball shot creation and off-ball shot making that would make him an ideal fit for the Raptors.
It is obviously still early in Walter's career, so it's hard to make any definitive statements about his ultimate trajectory as a player. What can be said is that after 18 months and 89 career games, Walter has yet to show he is going to be anything more than a career backup.
Walter is averaging just 17.7 minutes per game as the backup to RJ Barrett, shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from deep. His playmaking has failed to develop in any way, as he is averaging just 1.8 assists per 36 minutes, and he isn't drawing fouls at any meaningful rate.
Defensively, Walter deserves some flowers for his activity level and quick hands, but at 6'4" he isn't going to change the game on that end (he isn't Jamal Shead). He has become merely a catch-and-shoot player who isn't particularly efficient at shooting and isn't adding much of anything else on offense. That player may stick around in the NBA, but they aren't heading anywhere special.
That is a fine outcome for the 19th pick; you win some, you lose some. What makes it even more difficult for the Raptors is that the player who went with the very next pick is in the midst of his breakout season.
Jaylon Tyson is breaking out
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted California wing Jaylon Tyson with the 20th pick in that 2024 draft, taking another swing at filling their own need on the perimeter. Despite the Cavs' own struggles this season, Tyson looks like a draft-day steal.
His coming out party was on Friday in a nationally televised game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tyson hit seven 3-pointers as part of his 13-of-17 scoring night, scoring 39 points to go with his five rebounds and four assists.
The second-year wing is now shooting a scorching 47.5 percent from 3-point range for the season on a solid 4.3 attempts per game, the second-best mark of any player in the entire NBA. He has become a knockdown shooter from outside, something every team needs from their wing players.
Tyson is also an efficient finisher inside of the arc, a tenacious rebounder and has real playmaking feel, at times playing point guard for a Cavaliers team with players in-and-out of the lineup. He also has the size and speed to occasionally block shots, something Walter isn't bringing to the court.
It remains early, but the Toronto Raptors could absolutely use a player like Jaylon Tyson on their roster. He would be more versatile in playing different positions and his shooting would make him an elite pairing with Scottie Barnes. Walter is fine; Tyson is better and trending up.
Toronto hopes that Walter's leap is coming; if they trade RJ Barrett at the Trade Deadline, they will need him to step up. All of those decisions would be much easier if they had a player like Tyson who had already made the leap.
With each breakout performance, their regret in drafting Ja'Kobe Walter over Jaylon Tyson grows.