The Toronto Raptors are poised to be the next young team to emerge as a playoff contender.
They have multiple All-Star-caliber players, with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram already achieving the feat once. Barnes and players like Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl also significantly enhance the team’s defense. Furthermore, they have several rotation players who can be x-factors, like Gradey Dick, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead and Jonathan Mogbo. Then there’s Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, whose background in player development has helped players like RJ Barrett and Chris Boucher hit a new gear.
Should Ulrich Chomche Injury Shift Raptors Draft Direction?
It’s amazing to think that the Raptors might add a top-five prospect to this core in the 2025 NBA Draft. Nonetheless, Toronto is currently projected to have the No. 5 pick. In terms of the NBA Draft Lottery, they have a 42.1 percent chance of landing a top-four pick and a 10.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick.
The only problem they might have is trying to figure out what position to address.
Duke forward Cooper Flagg is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft. Yet, despite being such a versatile player, there might be too much overlap between he and Barnes.
Rutgers guard Dylan Harper is projected to be the second overall pick. However, while he might have more upside than Quickley, the Raptors have already agreed a pricey long-term extension with Quickley.
Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe has risen back up draft boards but despite his highly-touted defense, his offensive skillset isn’t an ideal complement for their rotation.
Rutgers forward Ace Bailey is still the consensus No. 3 prospect though. In addition, his three-point shooting, tough shot-making, rebounding ability, and defensive upside all fit what the Raptors need.
Still, the Raptors might be better off trying to add a stretch-five than stretch-four in order to maximize their offense. After all, most of their top scorers are better at scoring inside the arc than outside of it. That doesn’t mean Poeltl had to be replaced as a starter but it would be nice if they had the option.
The Big Picture
To be fair, rookie big man Ulrich Chomche has a chance to be Toronto’s future starting center.
Selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, he’s capable of both spacing the floor and protecting the rim at 6-foot-10 and 235 pounds. Unfortunately, the 19-year-old has been ruled out for the season with a partially torn MCL he sustained when a teammate fell into his leg. Prior to his injury, he was averaging 8.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in 24.2 minutes per game with their G League affiliate, all while shooting 50.0 percent from three.
Chomche is expected to make a full recovery. However, if the Raptors weren’t focused on drafting a stretch-center before, they’d only be more likely to consider it now. If so, prospects like Maryland center Derik Queen, Georgia forward-center Asa Newell, Georgetown center Thomas Sorber, Duke center Khaman Maluach, and St. Joseph’s big man Rasheer Fleming could be on their radar.
Among those aforementioned prospects, Queen is considered the top center. Nevertheless, Sorber may actually be the cream of the crop. Fleming is the only one who has proven himself to be a knockdown shooter. Maluach has the best length and a promising shooting stroke.
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