Toronto Raptors have plenty of options after moving up to fourth pick
By Brad Vos
Toronto Raptors: Take the best available player that falls to four
The 2021 NBA Draft has some star-calibre prospects in it with the likes of Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs roundly considered the four likeliest to go early.
The Toronto Raptors will follow the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers if they make the fourth selection.
Should the team hold on to the pick and announce a prospect’s name, they will immediately have another young building block to surround the core.
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They would have a team that is ready to compete for a playoff spot immediately and could develop into a contender with some seasoning and augmentation on the roster.
VanVleet and Siakam both turned 27 earlier this year and are under contract through the 2023-24 season. Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. and Malachi Flynn are all under 24 years old and figure to be a part of the next great Raptors team.
Adding any of the four previously mentioned prospects through the draft gives the Raps a competitive squad now and a scary future for opponents.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor updated his mock draft following the lottery and has the Raptors selecting Suggs out of Gonzaga with the fourth selection.
O’Connor’s summary of Suggs is that the former Bulldog has “High IQ plus excellent skill and athleticism equals an NBA-ready player with All-Star upside”.
That seems like a near-perfect fit for a Toronto Raptors squad that does not appear ready for title contention yet. Should Cunningham or Mobley fall, the Raptors should race to the podium to make the pick. The other highly-touted Jalen (Green) is an excellent option as well.