Don't get me wrong, I definitely see the intrigue in 19-year-old South Carolina product Collin Murray-Boyles.
In an X post, basketball reporter Libaan Osman mentioned that Murray-Boyles was one of the prospects interviewed by the Toronto Raptors at this past week's NBA Draft Combine.
With a stocky frame and standing just over 6-foot-6, he plays much bigger thanks to his 7-foot-plus wingspan. Murray-Boyles has been praised for his strong defense, ability to score near the basket, and using his burly build to set screens and secure rebounds.
Hmm... just off of that meat and potatoes scouting report, doesn't that kind of sound like a current Raptors youngster to you? Jonathan Mogbo, ring a bell anyone? Albeit, I believe Mogbo has a slight athletic edge over Murray-Boyles.
Just like Mogbo's pre-draft analysis highlighted, Murray-Boyles is still developing as an outside shooter, and his lack of a three-point shot remains a significant weakness in his game.
If you don't believe me, just take a look at this X clip posted by draft and college hoops analyst Jonathan Givony of Murray-Boyles participating in a spot-up three-point shooting drill at the recent draft combine:
Raptors targeting Collin Murray-Boyles would be a costly draft misstep
While Murray-Boyles' style resembles established wing veterans like Draymond Green, Thaddeus Young, Paul Millsap, or Zach Randolph, players who became key contributors over time, the question remains how often do teams across the league get attracted to non-shooting forwards.
Of course, with Murray-Boyles, you're not expecting him to become some offensive powerhouse; his strength lies on the defensive end. But even as the Raptors fell further in the lottery, is adding yet another non-shooting wing to their already crowded forward group the smartest move in this draft?
Toronto has a reputation for developing this type of player, reminiscent of the "Vision 6-9" era. However, after years of trying that approach and repeatedly hitting the same roadblocks, I believe it's smarter to focus on the wings currently on the roster rather than adding another project like Murray-Boyles.
Mogbo can be seen as a modern counterpart to Murray-Boyles, and having both vying for a spot in the Raptors' rotation might be a mistake by the front office. Instead, they should consider targeting a playmaker or, even more importantly, a reliable floor spacer to strengthen the team.
I get that Toronto, and especially their coaching staff, are enamored by this type of player and believe they can fix his shot to a serviceable clip. While that’s often a motivation in the draft process, the Raptors should be focused on their win-now trajectory, especially with the Eastern Conference set to be as open as ever. With that in mind, Murray-Boyles would be much better suited on a team that can fine-tune his skills.
I don't want to knock on Murray-Boyles all that much; after all, this is a 19-year-old who's far from hitting his stride in the sport—there's a ton that could happen in his career to elevate his game.
But from the Raptors' perspective, Masai Ujiri and the front office cannot afford to get lost in the allure of his upside because I genuinely feel it'll be years before he becomes a key contributor. The ninth pick result might look grim at face value, but leave it to the maestro Ujiri to maximize that draft pick, as history has shown.
Murray-Boyles, however, just isn't that guy.