Who should the Raptors select with the 13th overall pick in the NBA Draft?

The Toronto Raptors landed the 13th pick in Tuesday's NBA Draft Lottery, just as expected as they entered the draw with the 13th-best odds at earning the first overall pick.

While not as glamorous as a top-10 pick, let alone top-five, this year’s draft pool is chock-full of talent. Therefore, their late lottery pick shouldn’t be overlooked. Let’s take a look at some of the players likely to be available for Toronto when the NBA Draft comes around on June 22.

Kobe Bufkin

With questions surrounding Fred VanVleet’s future with the organization, Toronto needs to have a contingency plan in case he’s not on the roster come next season. With that in mind, Bufkin might be the most viable prospect to fill that hole. The 6-foot-4 guard from Michigan is a steady floor general with positive defensive tendencies. Most impressive, though, is his versatility on offence, which, based on the precariousness of the Raptors’ future, will come in handy.

Bufkin showcased his ability to be more than capable of playing off-ball with the Wolverines, particularly as a slasher. If Toronto elects to enter next season with their current core intact, the 19-year-old should have no problem meshing as a periphery player.

The downside with Bukfin, though, is that he’s still a raw talent. While he’s shown the ability to knock down tough shots, he often finds himself settling for them — a common trait in offensively talented prospects. His three-point shooting also needs work, but scouts don’t expect it to be a problem at the NBA level because of the increased spacing. Defensively, the prowess is there — it’s just a matter of cleaning up his proclivity to foul and gamble, something the Raptors specialize in.

This past season with the Wolverines, Bufkin averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

Jordan Hawkins

If the Raptors are looking to improve their perimeter shooting in this year’s draft, then Hawkins is the way to go. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard showcased his prolific three-point shooting touch en route to a national title with the University of Connecticut. For the season, he shot 38.8% from beyond the arc on some of the highest volumes in college basketball. Furthermore, he ranked in the 97th percentile as a spot-up shooter, per Synergy Data.

Three-point shooting is undoubtedly a necessity for Toronto, as they were one of the worst in the NBA this past season, but Hawkins ostensibly provides only that. The UConn guard doesn’t possess much of an offensive arsenal outside of his shooting prowess; his overall field-goal percentage last season was 40.9% and he doesn’t have a penchant for playmaking. He also isn’t the strongest defender at the moment. However, there is optimism that with his size and length, he can turn into a positive player on that end of the floor.

Overall, Hawkins’ offence may never truly diversify, but his potential to be an auspicious 3-and-D player is palpable, and in today’s NBA that is invaluable.

Jarace Walker

Walker probably isn’t the player Toronto needs, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they drafted him. The Houston product is a 6-foot-8 versatile forward, capable of playing centre because of his 7-foot-2 wingspan. Walker’s physical traits alone put him on the Raptors’ radar since Masai Ujiri’s proponent for his archetype is the worst-kept secret in the league.

He averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds last season with the Cougars, as well as 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals. Think of Walker as a more polished offensive version of Christian Koloko, with the trade-off being his defensive tenacity. Walker possesses an elite combination of power and finesse around the basket, making him the ideal pick-and-roll partner. He also showed flashes of isolation-scoring success, leaving ample room for development once he reaches the NBA level.

However, Toronto currently has a logjam at Walker’s position, particularly with Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, and the aforementioned Koloko. It’d be difficult for the team to maximize Walker’s potential, specifically on the offensive end. Nonetheless, he’s still a tantalizing prospect that the Raptors will have their eye on come draft night.

Cason Wallace

Perhaps the best perimeter defender in this year’s draft class, Wallace would instantly improve the Raptors’ point-of-attack defence. The Kentucky guard averaged 2.0 steals per game and was consistently assigned to the opposing team’s preeminent offensive player. Although Toronto’s defence improved during the second half of the season, that was largely due to Jakob Poeltl anchoring the middle after the trade deadline — their perimeter defence still has holes, even with Anunoby being an All-Defensive player.

Wallace’s defensive prowess alone would earn him minutes, but questions remain surrounding his offensive upside. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 11.2 points last season, on 44.6% shooting from the field and 34.6% from three. He most likely will not develop into a lead guard in the NBA, therefore placing him as an off-ball guard type for his career. While there isn't anything wrong with that, his lacklustre jump shot may result in him being unplayable against certain matchups.

On the flip side, though, Wallace’s NBA comparisons are Davion Mitchell and Marcus Smart. The former recently played valuable minutes for the Kings in their first-round matchup versus the Warriors, where he was assigned the daunting task of guarding Stephen Curry, while the latter has a Defensive Player of the Year award on his resume. If Wallace lives up to expectations, he shouldn’t have a problem finding minutes in Toronto.

Keyonte George

George is a 6-foot-4 combo guard capable of lighting up opposing defences on any given night. He averaged 15.3 points last season for Baylor and showcased his elite offensive arsenal. Whether it was finishing in the lane over defenders or knocking down contested jump shots, George looked comfortable scoring in otherwise arduous situations. Furthermore, he’s astute at navigating off-ball, as he’s shown flashes of catch-and-shoot success.

His elite shotmaking promise would certainly help the Raptors with their half-court offensive woes, something they’ve struggled with since the departure of Kawhi Leonard in 2019. However, what comes with George is streaky shooting. The 19-year-old shot 37.6% from the field and 33.8% from beyond the arc for the Bears. Despite his tantalizing skillset, he finds himself having poor shooting nights often, largely due to his inefficient shot diet.

If he were to be drafted by Toronto, a controlled, nurturing environment for young players, then George should see his shooting splits hover around the league average. He’ll quickly know his role and learn to be a spark plug for the Raptors, ultimately making his upside some version of Jordan Poole.

With a plethora of talent in this year’s lottery, the Raptors will have a tough decision when deciding who to take with the 13th overall pick.