The Toronto Raptors drafted 19-year-old OG Anunoby on Thursday night, and even though he’s injured, the forward fits into the team’s plan for patience with its youth, says president Masai Ujiri.
Anunoby, selected with the No. 23 pick, tore his ACL in January and it could be some time before he sees action on the court.
But that’s fine.
“We’re going to take our time,” Ujiri said on The Starting Lineup Friday morning on Sportsnet 590 The FAN. “I don’t know that OG is going to make a difference with our team when he comes back … He fits our program no matter what direction we decide to go. There will be plenty of patience just to get everything right. Make sure he is healthy and goes through the right process.”
A six-foot-eight product of Indiana University, Anunoby is known for his defensive prowess. That could give the Raptors some insurance heading into what could be an off-season of change — Kyle Lowry and plus defenders Serge Ibaka, P.J. Tucker and Patrick Patterson will all become unrestricted free agents July 1.
Ujiri says the Raptors have a plan they’ll follow this summer, but will also be ready to react as different scenarios present themselves. However, the focus will remain on building a sustainable team through young players.
“We are very comfortable where we are,” he said. “Player development is the route we are going, trying to develop our young players and figure out who fits our program and what we are trying to do.
“We need to make good decisions here and stick with some of the plans we have,” added Ujiri. “Talent, player development are some things we want to pay attention to; young players and how we continue to grow.”
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