There are two primary philosophies when it comes to the NBA Draft: Best player available or best fit.
Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri hinted at which path his team may take at the upcoming draft during his end-of-year press conference on Wednesday, saying that they’re looking at the best player available in this go-around.
“I think when you look at the draft, I think it’s going to be best talent,” Ujiri said. “We always look at the talent when we attack the draft.”
Depending on how the lottery balls fall, the Raptors could end up with a top-six pick in this year’s draft, a pick right outside the lottery from the Indiana Pacers and the first selection of the second round, giving them ample ammunition to load up on youth for the process ahead.
For a team that was bereft of depth this past season, with numerous G League or 10-day contract players coming off the bench or even starting, having the chance at adding three more rotation players could be a serious boon for the team.
When the needs are as abundant as they are for the Raptors, and free agency hasn’t exactly paid dividends for the team, having as many shots at the draft as possible is a great way of loading back up.
Picking for fit and need is a luxury generally afforded to teams that only have one of two holes to fill on their roster. That isn’t the case for the Raptors.
“Honestly, our team is not at a point where we can really pick and choose,” Ujiri said. “I know backup point guard is something we’ll focus on a little bit, I think a wing defender type player is something we’ll focus on. … Maybe a backup big that is young and suits us.”
Their luck, or lack thereof, with backup bigs this season was a key detriment, as 2022 second-rounder Christian Koloko was forced to miss his sophomore year with blood clots, throwing his career into question. Their other option at that spot this season, Jontay Porter, was issued a lifetime ban from the NBA on Wednesday for gambling.
There is also a stipulation that comes with their potential high-lottery pick. As it stands, the Raptors have a 45.8 per cent chance of the pick landing in the top-six, but should it fall out of that range, the pick will be sent to the San Antonio Spurs as a result of the Jakob Poeltl trade made last season.
However, Ujiri isn’t letting those odds change his plan of attack too much.
“Anyway it goes we’ll be grateful and we’ll be happy,” Ujiri said. “If we’re not in the top-six then we’ll get our pick next year, if we’re in the top-six then we’ll go out and find the best guy or find whatever transaction there is to make the best use out of it.
“I don’t go into any situation like the NBA Draft or free agency thinking negative in any way. You go and try to be the best, try to win it. Whether it’s a pick, a negotiation, anything you are trying to do. Be the best. That’s what we want to be here in Toronto.”