It’s no secret: The Toronto Raptors have prioritized power forward as the position they want to upgrade this off-season. Last week we looked at the 29 starting power forwards who didn’t suit up for Toronto in 2015–16 and tried to see which ones the Raptors should target in a trade. The results: There are few obvious fits that could be on the move.
So if a trade for a perfect fit proves impossible, the team could look to shore up the position at next Thursday’s draft, where the Raptors have picks No. 9 and No. 27.
Given the team as it’s currently constructed (full disclosure: this could change in an instant on draft night), here’s the checklist of things the right candidate would bring to the table:
· Floor spacing/shooting out to the three-point line
· Rim protection
· Perimeter defence on quicker stretch fours/ability to switch a screen onto a small forward
· Rebounding
· Ability to contribute at least a little bit next year
Ha! That’s ridiculous. Asking any prospect, let alone someone picked ninth or 27th, to check all those boxes is just plain cruel.
But… hey… that’s life.
If the Raptors do use a high pick on a power forward, who should it be? The answer depends on what you’re looking for — whether it’s upside, NBA readiness or fit, because there isn’t a perfect combination of all three.
But let’s get to the candidates. Here’s every PF ranked between No. 5 and No. 20 by either ESPN or NBADraft.net, and how they stand in a few key stats.
NAME: Marquese Chriss
VITALS: 6’10", 233 lb.
COLLEGE CLASS: Freshman
SCHOOL: Washington
PER-40 STATS, 2015–16: 22.1 PTS, 8.6 REB, 2.6 BLK, .530 FG%, .685 FT%, .178 3PAr
DRAFT RANKS: NBADraft.net: 9; ESPN: 5
Crazy athlete. Has a super-high ceiling as a prototypical stretch-four — he shot 35 per cent from the college three-point line as an 18-year-old and blocked 1.6 shots in 25 minutes. That said, he’s not ready to contribute in the NBA. He’s mistake prone on both ends, needs to gain a lot of strength, and isn’t even a good rebounder considering his physical gifts. All that said: This might just be wasted breath. If you believe ESPN’s most recent mock draft (where he’s going No. 4), he could be long gone by the time the Raptors pick.
NAME: Domantas Sabonis
VITALS: 6’10", 238 lb.
COLLEGE CLASS: Sophomore
SCHOOL: Gonzaga
PER-40 STATS, 2015–16: 22.0 PTS, 14.8 REB, 1.1 BLK, .611 FG%, .769 FT%, .036 3PAr
DRAFT RANKS: NBADraft.net: 8; ESPN: 10
He’s the son of a hoops legend. He’s got a ton of energy, a great post-up game and rebounds really well. And though he didn’t take a lot of threes at Gonzaga, he did hit on 36 per cent of what he took from beyond the college three-point line. The knocks on him: He’s got short arms and isn’t an athlete, which limits his potential. He also might be a bit more of an undersized centre than he is a power forward, and he has yet to show the foot speed to defend on the perimeter.
NAME: Skal Labissiere
VITALS: 7’0″, 216 lb.
COLLEGE CLASS: Freshman
SCHOOL: Kentucky
PER-40 STATS, 2015–16: 16.7 PTS, 8.0 REB, 4.2 BLK, .516 FG%, .661 FT%, .011 3PAr
DRAFT RANKS: NBADraft.net: 13; ESPN: 13
A year ago he was the next big thing: Though rail thin and lacking experience, he had the potential to be exactly what the Raptors need, a guy who can both protect the rim and stretch the floor. Now he’s a question mark: A guy who did very little in his one year of college and seemed lost and unsure of himself on the court. Guys like Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan have overcome this exact trajectory. But Labissiere is a different sort of player, and the team that makes this bet has to be prepared to wait for his body and game to mature.
NAME: Henry Ellenson
VITALS: 6’11.5", 242 lb.
COLLEGE CLASS: Freshman
SCHOOL: Marquette
PER-40 STATS, 2015–16: 20.3 PTS, 11.6 REB, 1.8 BLK, .446 FG%, .749 FT%, .239 3PAr
DRAFT RANKS: NBADraft.net: 20; ESPN: 11
He’s a big-bodied shooter with a nice half-court game and a good handle for his size. The biggest black mark on him is a lack of speed and athleticism. He rarely dunks (even in his highlight reels), and when he does he barely leaves the ground. (He didn’t complete athletic testing at the combine, so we don’t have a max-vert number.) College rebounding numbers are solid, but it’s hard to see him competing for boards at the next level.
NAME: Cheick Diallo
VITALS: 6’9", 219 lb.
COLLEGE CLASS: Freshman
SCHOOL: Kansas
PER-40 STATS, 2015–16: 16.0 PTS, 13.5 REB, 4.6 BLK, .569 FG%, .556 FT%, .000 3PAr
DRAFT RANKS: NBADraft.net: 17; ESPN: 27
Diallo isn’t polished; he doesn’t have much of an offensive game; he’s not a shooter now and likely never will be. That said, he’s long and athletic as all hell and is already a good shot blocker and rebounder. He also impressed at the combine, measuring with a seven-foot-four wingspan and a 35-inch max vert. Drafting Diallo is the epitome of playing the long game, but he could be good given time to develop.
NAME: Deyonta Davis
VITALS: 6’10.5", 237 lb.
COLLEGE CLASS: Freshman
SCHOOL: Michigan State
PER-40 STATS, 2015–16: 16.1 PTS, 11.8 REB, 3.9 BLK, .598 FG%, .605 FT%, .000 3PAr
DRAFT RANKS: NBADraft.net: 19; ESPN: 16
See Diallo, pretty much. He’s bigger with a slightly shorter wingspan, but he’s got the same strengths and weaknesses: He did good work on the boards and protecting the rim in his freshman year, but can’t/doesn’t shoot and doesn’t bring other skills to the table yet. Could be great down the road. Isn’t ready to do much at the NBA level now.
NAME: Brice Johnson
VITALS: 6’10.5", 209 lb.
COLLEGE CLASS: Senior
SCHOOL: North Carolina
PER-40 STATS, 2015–16: 24.2 PTS, 14.8 REB, 2.1 BLK, .614 FG%, .783 FT%, .000
DRAFT RANKS: NBADraft.net: 11; ESPN: 37
Just judging by the ranks from the two draft sites listed above, people are split on Johnson’s potential. Some see a long, athletic guy with a developing jump shot who improved in bunches over his four-year college career while learning from one of the game’s great coaches. Others see a skinny guy who, despite all that development time, never worked up a killer post game or moved his range beyond the college three-point line. It’s incredibly unlikely he’s the Raptors’ pick at No. 9, but if he’s there at No. 27 he could be a good get.
