{"id":190908,"date":"2026-04-20T19:10:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T23:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=190908"},"modified":"2026-04-20T19:10:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T23:10:29","slug":"could-drafting-isaiah-evans-be-raptors-offseason-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/20\/could-drafting-isaiah-evans-be-raptors-offseason-move\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Drafting Isaiah Evans Be Raptors\u2019 Offseason Move?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As the Toronto Raptors battle through <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/15\/toronto-raptors-vs-cleveland-cavaliers-playoffs-series\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">a tough playoff series<\/a> against the Cleveland Cavaliers, one issue has become increasingly clear: their offense can stagnate when perimeter shots are not falling at a high volume.<\/p>\n<p>Even in games where Toronto has shot efficiently, the lack of consistent 3-point spacing has limited their ability to fully capitalize. That reality makes the upcoming offseason and draft extremely important.<\/p>\n<p>With a projected pick around the late teens \u2014 specifically, the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft \u2014 one name that stands out as a realistic and logical target is Duke guard <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/isaiah-evans-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Isaiah Evans<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Is Duke&#8217;s Isaiah Evans On The Raptors\u2019 Offseason Radar?<\/h2>\n<h3>A Realistic Draft Range Fit<\/h3>\n<p>Evans is currently projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick, often appearing in the 20\u201330 range on big boards.<\/p>\n<p>That places him directly in Toronto\u2019s range at pick 20.<\/p>\n<p>This is not a reach or a gamble outside their slot. It is a realistic scenario where Evans could still be available when the Raptors are on the clock, especially given the depth of the 2026 draft class. For a team looking to address a clear need, that type of alignment between value and availability is critical.<\/p>\n<h3>Elite Shooting Profile<\/h3>\n<p>The biggest reason Evans makes sense for Toronto is simple: shooting. Evans averaged 15 points per game while shooting 36.1% from 3 on high volume (7.4 attempts per game).<\/p>\n<p>That is not just solid \u2014 that is a high-level shooting profile for a prospect his age.<\/p>\n<p>More importantly, his shooting is versatile. He can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Shoot off the catch<\/li>\n<li>Shoot off movement<\/li>\n<li>Knock down contested shots<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>His mechanics are fluid, repeatable, and project well to the NBA level. This is exactly the type of player Toronto currently lacks.<\/p>\n<h3>A Natural Fit With Toronto\u2019s Core<\/h3>\n<p>The Raptors\u2019 offensive structure relies heavily on players like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/barnesc01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scottie Barnes<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/barrerj01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">RJ Barrett<\/a> creating advantages. However, both players benefit significantly from spacing. Right now, that spacing is inconsistent.<\/p>\n<p>Adding a player like Evans would immediately:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stretch the floor<\/li>\n<li>Open driving lanes<\/li>\n<li>Punish help defense<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Even if he starts his career as a role player, his shooting gravity alone would impact the offense.<\/p>\n<h3>More Than Just a Shooter<\/h3>\n<p>While Evans is primarily known for his shooting, his profile has expanded. Early in his college career, he was mostly a 3-and-D type player. However, as a sophomore, he developed into a more complete offensive player.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"max-width: 800px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOBHCVIb7Wp\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 3000px; aspect-ratio: 3000\/2000;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p>He showed ability to attack closeouts, improved finishing, more confidence creating his own shot. That progression is important. It suggests that Evans is not just a specialist, but a player with upside beyond his shooting.<\/p>\n<h3>The Main Weaknesses<\/h3>\n<p>Like most players projected in this range, Evans is not a perfect prospect.<\/p>\n<p>He still has areas that need development:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Inconsistent shot selection at times<\/li>\n<li>Needs to add strength to his frame<\/li>\n<li>Limited playmaking ability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>He can also be streaky as a shooter, which raises questions about consistency at the next level. However, these are typical concerns for a young wing, and none of them outweigh his primary strength.<\/p>\n<h3>Why This Matters Right Now<\/h3>\n<p>The timing of this potential move is key. Toronto\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/19\/how-the-raptors-can-overcome-game-1-loss-vs-cavaliers\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">playoff series against<\/a> Cleveland is exposing some of their offensive limitations. Even when they shoot well in terms of percentage, they lack volume shooting, floor spacing consistency, reliable perimeter threats.<\/p>\n<p>This makes it easier for defenses to collapse into the paint and disrupt offensive flow. In a playoff environment, that becomes even more problematic. Adding a player like Evans directly addresses this issue.<\/p>\n<h3>Immediate vs. Long-Term Impact<\/h3>\n<p>Evans would likely not enter the league as a primary scorer. However, his role would be clear from day one:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Floor spacer<\/li>\n<li>Off-ball shooter,<\/li>\n<li>Secondary scoring option<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That type of role is extremely valuable, especially for a team trying to take the next step. Long-term, his upside as a three-level scorer gives him potential to grow into a much bigger role.<\/p>\n<h3>The Bigger Picture<\/h3>\n<p>This is not just about adding talent. It is about adding the right type of talent. The Raptors already have versatile players. What they need now is: Shooting, spacing and offensive balance.<\/p>\n<p>Evans checks all those boxes. If Toronto wants to evolve offensively and compete more effectively in the playoffs, this is exactly the type of move they should consider.<\/p>\n<h3>Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n<p>Evans is not a flashy, headline-grabbing pick. But he might be the exact type of player the Raptors need. With a realistic chance of being available at pick 20, and a skillset that directly addresses Toronto\u2019s weaknesses, he stands out as one of the most logical offseason targets.<\/p>\n<p>If the Raptors want to improve their offense and become more dangerous in the postseason, adding shooting should be a priority.<\/p>\n<p>And Evans could be the answer.<\/p>\n<div ng-show=\"setImageMetadata.credit\" class=\"modal-image-setImageMetadata\">\n<p class=\"ng-binding\">\u00a9 John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the Toronto Raptors battle through a tough playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, one issue has become increasingly clear: their offense can stagnate when perimeter shots are not falling at a high volume. Even in games where Toronto has shot efficiently, the lack of consistent 3-point spacing has limited their ability to fully capitalize. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5768,"featured_media":191247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14,1608,62,556],"tags":[49942,3120,50237],"class_list":["post-190908","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-raptors","category-basketball","category-nba","category-nba-draft","tag-2026-nba-draft","tag-acc-basketball","tag-isaiah-evans"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5768"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190908"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190908\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":191255,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190908\/revisions\/191255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/191247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}