The Best Toronto Raptors team ever based on Draft Picks

The Toronto Raptors have been in the NBA since 1995. They have had their ups and downs. They have been horrible and they have been good. They have been very good like they are right now. Like any other team, building, for success, starts at the NBA Draft. The Raptors, like any other team, have been successful some years and failed, in other years, drafting the potential next franchise star. The Toronto Raptors have drafted some great talent and here we will look at the franchise’s best pick at each position including a sixth man.

This team was decided based on the player’s longevity and productivity, in Toronto. To start, we will give honorable mention to players, like Tracy McGrady. While no one questions his talent and he was drafted, by Toronto, most, of his statistics, were produced, in Orlando and Houston. Andrea Bargnani or Marcus Camby will also not be selected here. The reason being the player chosen ahead of them at center is having more of a positive impact, on the franchise’s fortunes.

Point Guard:

Damon Stoudemire was a 5’10 point guard and the nickname mighty mouse fit this basketball player. In the beginning, of the Raptors franchise, Stoudemire was the inaugural draft pick selected, by the Raptors general manager, Isiah Thomas. Stoudemire led the team from 1995-98 and was the team's number one scoring option for most of his time, in Toronto. He was the rookie of the year in 1996.

After leaving Toronto, he played for Portland, Memphis, and San Antonio. Stoudemire played 15 seasons in total. While in Toronto, he averaged over 19 points per game and 8 plus assists per game. His career averages 13.4 points per game and 6.1 assists. Stoudemire was traded away from Toronto along, with Walt Williams and Carlos Rogers, for two first-round draft picks, Gary Trent, Kenny Anderson, and Alvin Williams.

Shooting Guard:

DeMar DeRozan was traded this past summer to the San Antonio Spurs along with Jacob Poeltl and a protected 1st round pick for Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. However, before that, Derozan had been Toronto’s best offensive player during their recent five-year run, of regular season excellence and playoff appearances. He was drafted 9th overall, in 2009, by Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo.

Since then, every year, DeRozan has gotten better and better. There have been two negatives about his time in Toronto. First, he is a mid-range specialist who excels at drawing fouls. He was not a consistent 3 point threat, with his long-range shooting era. His second problem was inconsistent play, in playoff match-ups. Its hard to look back at the past five Toronto Raptors playoff runs and think DeRozan stood out. At times it was Norman Powell or even Jonas Valanciunas, but not DeRozan, at least not consistently. However, his ability to get to the basket and athleticism helped the Raptors rise, in the Eastern Conference standings, and he is a huge part of the organization recording its three highest win totals, in each, of the last three years (56,51 and 59).

DeRozan is the current all-time scorer in a Raptors uniform with 13,296 for an average of 19.1 points per game. He is also fourth, in all-time Raptors' rebounders, with 2,739. This puts him ahead of players, like Andrea Bargnani, a center/power forward. DeRozan played nine seasons, with the Raptors and represented the team four times at the All-Star Game.

Small Forward:

Vince Carter a 6’6 shooting guard was originally drafted, as a small forward, Vince Carter is easily, at the same time, the most loved and hated Raptor, of all time. What no one can be conflicted about is his talent. He is the most exciting Raptors' player ever. There is no doubt. Vince Carter put Toronto on the map.

Drafted, in 1998, he was rookie of the year, in 1999. He led Toronto to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2000-2002. Carter dazzled and won the 2000 slam dunk contest. In 2001 he led Toronto to the second round of the playoffs, against the Allen Iverson led Philadelphia 76ers. The two superstars put on a clinic. Carter scored over 30 points, in 3 games out of the 7 game series. He scored 50 points once. However, it was Iverson and the 76ers that won the series.

Carter would also be involved, in the worst trade, the Toronto Raptors have ever made. In 2005, Carter was dealt to the New Jersey Nets, for Aaron and Eric Williams, Alonzo Mourning and 2 first round draft picks. The Raptors wound up buying out Mourning after the deal. Carter spent 6 and half years in Toronto.

Power Forward:

Chris Bosh was the Raptors draft selection, 4th overall in the 2003 NBA draft. Drafted, as a power forward, the Raptors forced him to play a lot at center, but he handled it well. He was an 11 time NBA all-star, five times with the Raptors and he is also a gold medalist for the USA men's basketball team at the Beijing Olympics.

Chris Bosh played seven seasons in Toronto scoring 10,275 points in a Raptors uniform for an average of 20.2 points per game. He is also the franchise’s all-time rebound leader, with 4,776, an average of 9.4 per game. He also leads the Raptors, in blocked shots, all time, with 600 and he is fourth in games played, by a Raptors player, at 509. Bosh left Toronto, in the summer of 2010, to join the super team he formed with Dwayne Wade and LeBron James, in Miami, where he won two NBA Titles.

Center:

Jonas Valanciunas was drafted, in 2011, by Bryan Colangelo. Valanciunas stayed one year, in Europe, before joining the Raptors. He is a physical 7 footer, who, is a good shooter and has developed a long-range shot. While considered a little slow, in today’s game, Valanciunas just keeps working hard. At the moment, he is, in a platoon situation, with Serge Ibaka. A look at the last few playoff runs, that the Raptors have participated in, will show Valanciunas was a consistent performer win or lose.

Valnciunas is third all-time as a Raptor in blocked shots. He is fifth, in games played, in a Raptors uniform and second in rebounds at 3,910. He is seventh, in scoring. Now, in his 7th season, Valanciunas is entering his prime. Unless Valanciunas is traded, expect him to climb higher in many of these categories. Valanciunas has played 43 playoff games for the Raptors averaging 12.7 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game.

Sixth Man:

Morris Peterson was drafted, in 2000, just ahead of Tracy McGrady’s defection, that summer, from Toronto, in a sign and trade, with Orlando. Not the most athletic player, he worked hard defensively and was known for backdoor cuts for easy baskets and corner 3 pointers. Morris Peterson played during the Raptors second and third playoff runs in 2001 and 2002. He was also a Raptor through some lean years, like 2003-2007.

His greatest moment, in a Raptors uniform, came, in March, of 2007. Peterson was the recipient of a midcourt gift when Michael Ruffin, of the Washington Wizards, botched a midcourt attempt to run out the game clock. With time running out, in a 109-106 game led by the Wizard, the ball slipped from Ruffin’s hands Peterson took the ball and was able to toss and connect, on a mid-court three-pointer, tying the score at 109. The Raptors eventually won the game, which did affect playoff seeding.

Peterson was eventually allowed to sign as a free agent with New Orleans in the summer of 2007. Peterson is 3rd all-time on the Raptors minutes played list, 9th in rebounding, and second in games played at 542.

When looking back, at the Raptors history, Toronto actually performed above average in the Draft, especially in their early years. Some of those early draft picks include Damon Stoudemire, Marcus Camby, Tracy McGrady, and Vince Carter. Eight years after drafting Stoudemire, the Raptors then drafted Chris Bosh. It is a fantasy to imagine what the Raptors might have accomplished if some combination Stoudemire, McGrady, Camby, Carter, and Bosh could have played together. Drafting the right player is much easier than creating the scenario under which, that player will remain loyal. It seems the Raptors have found the right formula, in recent years.

Edited by Jishnu M