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Picking late in the first round for the second year in a row, the Toronto Raptors won’t have the opportunity to draft an immediate franchise talent. GM Masai Ujiri is thus left with the choice: role player, or raw player? Last year, he took a raw player in Bruno Caboclo; this year, he might opt for something more viable in the short term.
The Kentucky Wildcats‘ Devin Booker could be able to provide a bit of both for the franchise. He’s got the game and build of a shooting guard, which might necessitate trading Terrence Ross and/or DeMar DeRozan (options I’ve endorsed), but is just 18 years old and talented.
I just really liked what I saw of Booker on Kentucky this year, both during the season and in the NCAA tournament. He was poised but also played with an edge; most young players check off only one of those boxes. He has great 3-point touch, and from what I can tell has a good overall feel for the game. Like many Wildcats players, he was not asked to do as much as he would on a normal team, which is likely one of the reasons he’s projected to fall just outside the lottery.
Another reason he isn’t currently considered a top prospect is his lack of athleticism, and a body fat measurement of 8.3 percent at the 2015 combine didn’t exactly help matters. But you’re going to have to sacrifice something when drafting late in the first round, and the list of mediocre athletes who found success in the NBA is pretty respectable.
Booker might well get picked before Toronto gets a chance at him, but if he falls down far enough I’d love him on the roster. He might not be superstar material, but I could see him as a very capable second option — something like Eric Gordon in his time with the Los Angeles Clippers. But without the career-altering injuries.
Casey Sherman is the Toronto Raptors Beat Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @shermham
