The Toronto Raptors face a major breaking point within the franchise's history. Coming off a championship years prior, the team seems to deteriorate slightly year after year. With franchise cornerstones Kyle Lowry aging and All-Star Pascal Siakam declining in production, perhaps it’s time for the Raptors front office to rebuild through the draft lottery—something that was never required of them in the past. Nevertheless, the Raptors will hold a lottery pick for the first time in nearly a decade. Weighing their options on a draft class filled top-to-bottom with talent is subject to much debate. Here are three lottery prospects whose fit seems to be in line with the Raptors organization and could have an immediate impact in the upcoming season.
Scottie Barnes, SF/PF, Florida State
(Picture: Matthew Hawley, The Palm Tree Post) As the association moves towards a positionless game filled with tweeners, combo guards and hybrid forwards, Florida State’s Scottie Barnes fits the modern-day mold perfectly, combining size and athleticism with play-making. Given the floor-spacing nature of the Raptors, Scottie Barnes would flourish in a system that allows him to slash consistently to the rim. His 6’9, 230 pound frame allows him to not only get easy buckets in the restricted area but also operate as a playmaker from the post. Barnes’ switchability on the defensive side of the ball allows him to guard positions 1-5 with his vertical and lateral quickness. He also provides added rim protection with his 7’2 wingspan and his perimeter defense is above average for a forward his age. 9th in the ACC for steals per game, this versatility on the defensive end has seen him soar up draft boards throughout the 2020-2021 season. However, Barnes’ shooting splits are concerning as a 27.5% 3-point shooter. Even if many analysts claim that free throw percentage is a much better indicator of shooting in the NBA, his 62.1% FT% is quite alarming. Scottie Barnes would serve as the ideal complement to the score-first nature of Pascal Siakam, and his interchangeability with OG Anunoby would leave Toronto with one of the best cores of young, athletic forwards in the league.
Franz Wagner, SG/SF, Michigan
(Picture: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images) Similar to Scottie Barnes, Franz Wagner is projected to be a two-way threat either as a guard or wing. Unlike the aforementioned Barnes, Wagner lacks the athleticism to be an elite above-the-rim finisher or rely on his physical tools on defense. He makes up for this with his high basketball IQ. Wagner is an unselfish playmaker who uses his size and skill to see over the defense and make accurate passes, resulting in an excellent assist-to-turnover ratio. Shooting over 34% from 3 and with reliable mechanics, Wagner can space the floor and with further work he could also become a threat off the dribble. On defense he is active in passing lanes, and has the lateral quickness to switch onto both guards and wings. Wagner would fit like a glove in Toronto's switch-heavy defense. On offense, Wagner would presumably come in as a bench playmaker and floor spacer alongside Malachi Flynn and Chris Boucher. At just 19 years old, Wagner—with added work to his handling and finishing game—has the potential to become a go-to option for the Raptors.
James Bouknight, SG, UConn
(Picture: Jessica Hill, Associated Press)
Standing at 6’5, sophomore shooting guard James Bouknight is an efficient offensive threat. His excellent handles allow him to score off pick-and-rolls, isolations and set offenses, scoring all around the court. Additionally, Bouknight’s athleticism helps him grab a decent amount of rebounds for his size. In the 2020-2021 college season, James Bouknight put up solid numbers with 18.7 points per game, with 45/34/77 shooting splits. His ability to come off of step-up screens, pin downs and catch-and-shoot situations also allows Bouknight to be a versatile off-ball threat, proving to be the perfect back-up behind the likes of Gary Trent Jr. and DeAndre’ Bembry. His thin frame and lack of play-making are unfavorable, however his ideal college shooting efficiency will allow him to be a productive player in the Raptors 3-point chucking offense. Projected to be picked around thirteenth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Bouknight seems to be a reasonable choice for the Raptors.
Sources:
https://nbadraftroom.com/james-bouknight/ - James Bouknight Scouting Report
https://www.nbadraft.net/players/scottie-barnes/ - Scottie Barnes Scouting Report
https://nbadraftroom.com/p/franz-wagner/ - Franz Wagner Scouting Report