Another year with no first-round pick? Yuck!
The Toronto Raptors aren’t giving their fans much to cheer about this season. The team’s 9-13 mark is grim, and they rank near the bottom of the NBA in critical data points like 3-point shooting percentage. Every franchise has times like these, and some of them go on seemingly forever (cf., Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons). However, during the stewardship of Masai Ujiri, the Raptors have always exuded a sense of “we’re turning it around”, even during the dark early days of his tenure. At the moment, and for the first time in my memory, management is treading water.
The failure of Gradey Dick to crack the lineup has to be a bitter disappointment for the suits. This season is becoming the second consecutive in which the NBA Draft has brought no happiness to Raptors fans. In 2022, the Raptors were without a first-round selection. Christian Koloko, chosen at #33, at least played a few minutes. His impact was confined to defense. This season, he has been sidelined by a chronic ‘respiratory ailment’. Toronto’s 2024 pick will convey to San Antonio, unless it’s in the top six. We won’t know about that until after the season. Wise people would take out insurance.
Missing the first round again is potentially catastrophic. We’ve arrived at a position where the need to get some fresh legs onto the big team’s roster is unquestionable. Sadly, those legs aren’t likely to emerge from the G League affiliate. The Raptors 905 have posted an embarrassing 1-11 record. Therefore, New Kids on the Block must arrive via the draft. (OK, I suppose it’s possible to find a EuroLeague gem on the free-agent market, but that’s too far-fetched for my serious consideration.) If Masai wants draft picks, he’ll have to ‘buy’ them, i.e., have quality selections included in trades.
Sometimes, you’ve got to make a deal
The entire NBA trade press has been expecting OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam to be on the market, and I’m reluctantly coming around to the same conclusion. Of the two, OG is both more desirable (younger, cheaper, a 3-&-D man par excellence) and more likely to unstick precious non-salaried assets, i.e., draft picks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder is my choice as the NBA team most likely to succeed in the next half-decade. They are already winning [14-7; second in the West] with a young and impressive roster, and have draft picks piled to the ceiling. If their management believes a quality veteran like OG can help them win a championship – and how could they not? – a trade seems sensible.
The Trade Machine doesn’t include draft picks, but let’s say Masai talks Thunder management into sending us three of their first-rounders, including one in 2024. I doubt OKC accepts the above deal, because they view Dort as a huge asset they paid nothing for (yes, you can find gold in the undrafted-player market), and someone close to OG’s skillset already. Pokusevski, a stickboy shooter, is a player the Thunder have been patient with, but may conclude they’ve seen enough.
A more likely trade candidate would be perennial disappointment Davis Bertans and at least three first-round picks, a transaction which would truly announce Masai’s waving of a white flag over this season and next. Oh well, with either trade we’d have a European stretch-4 on the team. Whether such a presence would mean more wins is a highly dubious proposition.
One thing to bear in mind, and you can be sure Masai will: the more success OKC enjoys this season and beyond, the less value their first-rounders possess. Given their current trajectory, the Thunder will be picking in the 20’s for years. However, our team has to start somewhere. Ujiri will make a push for second-rounders and pick swaps too. Those have value.
In my next post, I’ll consider whether this draft or the next is the one our team should zero in on.
