NBA 2023 Draft Betting Odds: Toronto Raptors’ First-Round Pick Options
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Edgar Chaput
With barely a day to go until the 2023 NBA draft, speculation abounds as to what might happen after the first overall selection. That pick concerns French phenom Victor Wembanyama, set to become a San Antonio Spur unless something really wild happens.
The Toronto Raptors pick 13th, that is, unless they find a willing partner to trade up for. What could the Dinos do on Thursday night?
Raptors’ 2023 NBA Draft Choices
There is understandably tons of hoopla surrounding Victor Wembanyama, but everyone knows no can get him except the Spurs. Lest they be overlooked in all the hype, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, Cam Whitmore, and Amen Thompson are all expected to be drafted very high.
The Raptors are for now stuck in the 13th position. Middle of the first round. Not horrible, but not a spot where any bewilderingly obvious, hot young stud is picked up. At least not per the annual prognostics. Obviously incredible, Hall of Fame players were drafted outside the top five, even the top 10 and top 15.
Mock drafts abound. CBS Sports estimates that Masai Ujiri and company could take shooting guard Jett Howard from Michigan. ESPN predicts UConn shooting guard Jordan Hawkins. The Bleacher Report pins Jett Howard’s Michigan teammate Kobe Bufkin.
Notice the trend. All guards, all potential offensive weapons. The defence was not an issue in 2022-2023. The Raptors were fourth in points allowed per game (111.4), first field goal attempts allowed (82.3 per tilt, in other words, the least in the NBA), and first in steals with 6.0 a night.
Conversely, attacking was an issue. They were 24th in points scored (112.9), 27th in field goal efficiency (45.9 per cent), and 28th in three-point efficiency (33.5). They were a middle-of-the-pack squad in free throwing, which didn’t help them at all in the play-in match versus the Chicago Bulls.
New Coach Rajakovic’s Challenges
Newly anointed coach Darko Rajakovic has a choice ahead of him. Make the Raptors one of the staunchest defensive units in the NBA – and they pretty much are already – or start rejiggering the offence.
Just recently it was revealed that Fred VanVleet, one of the franchise stalwarts who memorably helped the club in the 2019 championship run, is about to test free agency. Pascal Siakam, an excellent player in his own right, doesn’t always feel like “the guy” to propel a team to stardom. He needs help.
On Tuesday TSN reported that the Raptors aren’t averse to trading up for a more highly coveted pick. Assistant general manager and VP of player personnel Dan Tolzman admitted as much when speaking with reporters.
“Our whole operation around the draft is to try to know at least all ranges of picks just in case something comes across the table that’s too good to pass up on. As we get to pick in 13, we’re also really taking a close look at the players up in the top five, top 10, whatever, just in case.”
With only hours to go before the big night, Raptors fans will soon have a clearer idea of which direction their team strives to take for 2023-2024.