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The Toronto Raptors had an abysmal campaign this season. After winning the championship in 2019 and reaching the conference semi-finals in 2020, people expected the Raptors to be one of the playoff teams this season. Several key players have departed in NBA free agency, and the roster is just a shell of what it was during the championship run. They ended the 2020-21 NBA season with a 27-45 record and are now in the lottery after nearly eight years.
They moved up three places in the 2021 NBA Draft as the draft lottery announced they will get the 4th overall pick. They now have a top four pick for the first time since 2003.
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But the Toronto Raptors have just that one pick in the first round. Their next pick in the draft is the 46th pick in the second round. The OKC Thunder, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Golden State Warriors, and the New York Knicks all have two or more draft picks in the first round.
It narrows down the field for the Toronto Raptors and they can now just focus on the consensus top five picks for the latest addition to their team. The Raptors have the 46th and 47th pick in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
What can the Toronto Raptors do with their picks?
The consensus fourth overall pick is expected to be Jalen Suggs of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He is one of the best players entering the 2021 NBA Draft and the Toronto Raptors will be getting their hands on a phenomenal guard.
If Kyle Lowry does depart in free agency in the offseason, Suggs would be the ideal replacement. He will compliment Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam perfectly and also bring a competitive and winning mentality to the franchise.
Toronto Raptors GM Bobby Webster spoke about the excitement ratcheting up in the front office after getting the fourth pick but that the team is still focused on the mission ahead. He said,
"That's pretty big, but you don't want to say it [changes the franchise] yet. Listen, it's a silver lining on a tough season, but the work starts now. And I think, for us, the jump from seven to four is meaningful...As far as franchise-altering, obviously, it depends on the player and who gets selected and, ultimately, what the player becomes. But it does increase our odds here."
The Toronto Raptors also have the opportunity to draft a consensus top five player for someone else and get assets in return for a different five-star recruit. They could also use the fourth pick to trade down the draft and possibly get two picks in return. However, it does seem unlikely as they need a young cornerstone player themselves.
Jalen Suggs was remarkable in his season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He was named to the Final Four All-tournament team and led Gonzaga to an unbeaten record until the championship final game. He also hit a miraculous game-winning buzzer-beater in the semifinals against UCLA, which solidified his status as one of the top prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Who is expected to fall in the Toronto Raptors' draft picks?
As mentioned earlier, Jalen Suggs is expected to fall to the fourth pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. However, if any of the top three teams grab him ahead of Toronto, then the other picks in the consensus top five are Jonathan Kuminga, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green, and Cade Cunningham.
Nevertheless, as of right now, both The Ringer's and ESPN's mock draft has the Toronto Raptors selecting Jalen Suggs in fourth. Although unlikely, the NBA Draft Room's mock draft has Scottie Barnes getting selected at fourth.
The Toronto Raptors have the 46th pick (from Grizzlies via Kings) and the 47th pick (from Warriors via Jazz and Pelicans). In the NBA Draft Room's mock draft, the 46th and 47th pick is projected to be Amar Sylla and Ibou Dianko Badji respectively. Both tall Senegalese forwards have been compared to Pascal Siakam and Dikembe Mutombo. ESPN's mock draft has Ariel Hukporti and Matthew Hurt going at 46th and 47th respectively.
