The Toronto Raptors have several different options for NBA Draft Night

On Draft Night Eve, we break down several different ways the Toronto Raptors could make the most out of their No. 9 pick.

Last week, I looked at the stars the Raptors might be looking to trade for and why that might not be the best way to go. Today, I’m going to look at the options the Toronto Raptors have if they don’t trade for a star.

One of the things I hear a lot about this NBA Draft is that there’s a drop-off of talent after 8, which is why there are some expectations that the Raptors will trade their 9th pick if Khaman Maluach isn’t available at the ninth spot. The prevailing belief is that this would involve either trading it for a veteran player or trading down. The possibility of them being able to trade up is unlikely.

Yet, Toronto Raptors’ Assistant General Manager told the media this week that they have a wide variety of choices for No. 9. If there is no trade to be made, it seems the Raptors will have to be content with picking the best available option at No. 9 and developing them from there. Still, The Stein Line did report a few weeks ago that of all lottery picks, the Raptors’ 9th pick may be the most likely to be dealt before Draft Day.

Unlikely the Toronto Raptors Trade Up

If the Raptors really like someone expected to go higher than No. 9, then they could create a package that would include that pick. Yet, Dallas isn’t giving up Cooper Flagg, San Antonio isn’t letting Dylan Harper get away, and the Raptors don’t have the pieces to be able to trade for Philadelphia’s pick. So the scenario would be the Raptors trading up a spot or two.

I’ve learned it’s generally impossible to guess who Masai and Bobby Webster will draft. Khaman Maluach, who’s projected to go anywhere from 4-15 and seems like an ideal Raptor, but Maluach’s stock has seemed to rise slightly in recent weeks. If he’s for sure Toronto’s guy, and there is understanding through talks tomorrow that he’ll be taken earlier in the lottery, then Masai and Bobby will have to make a decision. Let him go and pick your second choice, or make a deal with the team threatening to pick him first.

They may not have the assets to make that work, though.

Taking Chances Down the Draft

If the Raptors end up trading the pick, fans seem to like the idea of trading down for multiple picks. More guys = more chances to get someone who will make an impact. Plus, Masai and Bobby have a knack for picking gems later in the first round and even into the second.

I’ve always been fundamentally against trading down because it seems to me that you’re simply getting a worse player, but the evidence and recent drafting history have made me rethink this position.

However, this draft might not be the one that you’d want to trade down in. Every projection of this draft is so wildly different from one another, you can’t predict where anyone is going to be drafted. Even the idea that there is a drop-off after the top eight isn’t backed up by the evidence. Yes, eight players are most often predicted to go in the top eight, but it’s not remotely unanimous. Many of the drafts in JD Quirante’s round-up have different players going No. 9 overall. You’re also more likely to find an impact player in the first half of the first round.

Drafting down does not seem like the right choice for the Raptors, who generally make their own conclusions about who is best available. If they like someone at No. 9 who is “predicted” to go at No. 13, for example, they’ll just draft him at No. 9.

They Could Trade the Pick All Together

It’s well known that the Raptors want to start winning, and veterans tend to help you win. Brian Windhorst has stated that the team is looking to use their pick to upgrade their roster. Yet, there aren’t a whole lot of teams that have the roster and desire to trade away a usable veteran to the Raptors in exchange for the 9th pick and a less valuable player. The other problem is who the Raptors would send back to match the salary.

Brooklyn has the 19th and 27th picks, as well as Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton. The Chicago Bulls have the 12th pick and Coby White. Sacramento has Malik Monk. Boston went ahead and claimed Anfernee Simons.

The one Raptor most mentioned in trade rumours is RJ Barrett, and I’m not quite sure what the hurry is to trade him away. Outside of the emotional hometown aspect, he’s proven to be a productive player who can both score and create for others. I understand that he seems to be the odd man out on the roster, especially with the inclusion of Brandon Ingram, but I think he would be the perfect 6th man who can come in and initiate the offense — if he would accept that role.

Barrett would almost definitely have to be involved with any deal for Cam Johnson or Nic Claxton, but I’m not sure that’s an upgrade. Sacramento doesn’t even have a first-round pick to send back to the Raptors, and I don’t think Malik Monk is worth Barrett and the 9th pick.

A trade with Chicago does make some sense. Coby White would give the Raptors another point guard who can defend, shoot the three and is big enough to play the shooting guard position. And Chicago has the 12th pick, which means the Raptors wouldn’t be moving down too much. The kicker is they would likely also insist on including Patrick Williams, who has four more years and $72 million left on his contract. The deal below would certainly work, but would it be worth it for the Raptors?

The Easy Thing: Keeping the Pick

Despite all the rumours and conjecture, the most likely option is for the Raptors to simply keep the pick and draft 9th. Yes, they could use a rim-protecting big man or another point guard who can initiate and run the offense, but their number one need is talent. Take the best available.

If the player has motor, IQ, and desire to improve, they will fit well on this Raptors team. Rajakovic loves players who are teachable, gritty, and can operate in his .5 offense while still being a tough defender.

To me, the guys that make the most sense for the Raptors are Khaman Maluach, Carter Bryant, Noah Essengue and Cedric Coward. There’s a slight chance Kon Knueppel might fall, and he’s probably too good to pass up. He’s not a great defender, but he should be a decent one and his shooting, playmaking, and feel for the game might give him a higher ceiling than many expect.

Ultimately, my only expectation for the Raptors is their likelihood to do the unexpected and have it work out. Not many had Scottie Barnes, Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter mocked to the Raptors in 2021, 2023 and 2024, but so it seems to have worked out well for them.