Raptors Draft Watch: Second Round Options

A shortlist of who should the Toronto Raptors look at for their 31st pick.

The 2024 NBA draft gets a bad rep for a being bad draft, mainly because of the quality of the players at the top of the lottery. However, the 20-50 range is a treasure trove for potential role players and, in some cases, “big swing” prospects that, if developed properly, could yield a mid/late lottery value in a couple of years, especially at the 31st pick range.

Below, we have three different prospects who could be available for the Raptors’ 31st pick. If shooting and floor spacing are a premium, Baylor Scheierman can help with that and more. If the Raptors need to add point-of-attack and wing defense, that’s Ryan Dunn’s calling card. If we are to stick with Vision 6’9,” Bobi Klintman could be a nice swing on the fence.

Honourable mentions

I considered including some names in this list, but due to a strong consensus (surveying 15-20 draft boards), it’s unlikely that they will be available for the Raptors’ 31st pick. For example, I didn’t include Tyler Kolek, Jaylon Tyson, and DaRon Holmes II despite their consensus being in the 22-32 range, as they are unlikely to be available for the Raptors.

There are also potential “fallers,” prospects with a wider range who could be bumped out of the first round, like Kyle Filipowski and Zach Edey. Heck, I won’t be surprised if Nikola Topic falls as well. There are also 2nd round prospects that I’m higher on than most people but would be a reach at 31st, like Pelle Larsson, Juan Nunez, Trentyn Flowers, Jonathan Mogbo, and Isaiah Crawford, to name a few.

If we have more time, there are a few more names that I would like to tackle as a 2nd round prospect, like Pacome Dadiet, Nikola Djurisic, and Tyler Smith.

Baylor Scheierman

Position: Wing

Player Archetype: Floor Spacer/Shooter, Connector

Baylor is a crafty lefty shooter with a legit NBA range. He can create his own shot, but his catch-and-shoot from anywhere on the floor should translate well at the NBA level. Great offensive feel and awareness and is capable of making split-second connector plays.

Areas of Concern

Baylor’s offensive utility may be limited to a spot-up shooter/floor spacer, as he doesn’t have “blow-by-ability” due to a lack of quick first step nor foot speed to get going once he got the runway. Instead, he leverages his shot fake to create that half-step advantage to get to the basket.

However, Baylor’s defensive capabilities are a concern. His lack of athleticism and foot speed hinders his potential as a defender. He compensates for this with his positional defense and strength, but there is room for improvement in this area.

Raptors Fit

Based on Baylor’s offensive skill set, he should easily crack coach Darko Rajakovic’s rotation. His floor spacing and connective tissue capability fit the Raptors’ system, but anything other than that will be a bonus. It’s worth noting that he’s got a big man’s foot speed. Still, his NBA Combine stats show otherwise: he finished in the top 15 in lane agility, beating smaller guards Stephon Castle, Bronny James, and Reed Sheppard, to name a few, while also finishing at the middle of the pack in Shuttle Run and 3/4 Sprint.

Bobi Klintman

Position: Wing/Big

Player Archetype: Floor Spacer, Versatile big

Bobi is a versatile big-wing project who has shown promise in his game’s dribble/pass/shoot aspect. At 6’10” and with a +3 wingspan, his mobility and athleticism should make Masai Ujiri’s mouth water. Bobi’s an NBA-ready body that should allow him to get on the floor despite being a raw prospect. His physical tools and motor skills allow him to be disruptive defensively, and he should be able to switch to most positions at the NBA level. Bobi’s got a nose for blocking shots, thanks to his athleticism, effort, and good anticipation.

Areas of Concern

Like most raw prospects, Bobi’s shown flashes that would make a ton of GMs salivate, but he’s also shown a lot of lowlights. That said, he’s a project that will need plenty of runway, whether at the G League or NBA level. Skill-wise, he’ll need to refine his bag to make it more repeatable and reliable so he doesn’t fall in love with his perimeter shooting too much. Unlike in his freshman year, Bobi’s a lot stronger now. However, he will need to work on his post and paint moves, especially finishing in traffic, with or without contact.

Raptors Fit

The Raptors lost their army of Vision 6’9” players throughout a season-and-a-half, and looking at how the playoffs went down, you need big wings to slow some of the star players down. Just look at how Jayson Tatum dreaded playing against the Raptors during the peak or Nick Nurse Harassment-ball. This past season showed us that the Raptors need more size and athleticism if we are to build a competitive team around Scottie Barnes.

Bobi, much like any swing-for-the-fence prospect in this draft, is being drafted based on what teams think they can make them to be. They’ll need to put a lot of faith in their developmental capabilities and trust the process. Bobi’s upside, if actualized close to what he can be, is that he is an intriguing talent that complements all the main players right now (Scottie/RJ Barrett/Immanuel Quickley).

Ryan Dunn

Position: Wing

Player Archetype: Point-of-attack/Wing Stopper, Slasher

Ryan is one of the best defenders in this class. His defensive instincts and reads are at the NBA level, and they’re very well complemented by his length and athleticism. Ryan is switchable defensively and has the potential to be a lockdown defender for at least three positions. At this point, he’s more of an energy player, making a lot of winning plays that can get a team extra possession. Offensively, he’s more of a play finisher when he cuts to the basket.

Areas of Concern

Ryan’s offense is almost nonexistent in the half-court setting. While he might enjoy more open lanes as a cutter at the NBA level, he’ll need to hit his perimeter shot at a decent clip to get on the floor. Ryan’s lack of handle hurts his value offensively, as it limits his scoring opportunities as either a slasher or making hustle plays, as he’s not a reliable spot-up shooter, with the latter, a two-years away from being a two-years away type of project.

Raptors Fit

The Raptors’ point of attack and overall defense sucked last season. OG Anunoby’s departure left a big hole to fill. While Scottie Barnes tried to take on the team’s defensive-stopper role, it was neutral at best, and that role shouldn’t be his main use on the floor.

Ryan should help the Raptors tighten up their defense, especially at the point of attack, and fill in the gaps as he sees fit. He’s tall and long enough, but he will need to put on some muscle to play against bigger power forwards. If scoring is not much needed from his position, he should be able to play in most lineup iterations, for example, closing lineups where they need to have a strong defense to protect their lead.

Also, do not forget that the Raptors have that expensive Noahlytics shooting system. Who knows, if they can fix Ryan’s shot, the sky’s the limit for this kid as a 3+D prospect.