The Toronto Raptors have never been afraid to develop their shots.
For better or worse, this has been Toronto's approach to the draft for much of the past decade. Organizations have generally chosen to recruit the most physically gifted and multi-skilled players, even if it means understanding shooting at the next level.
That's how Toronto ended up taking Scottie Barnes at No. 4 three years ago, overlooking the fact that he wasn't much of a shooter in college.
It might be time to give it another try.
Bleacher Report's latest mock draft has Toronto taking Stephon Castle at No. 6. Stephon Castle is a talented, imposing 6-foot-6 point guard in college who can do essentially everything except shoot.
Castle is a star on defense and a point-of-attack defender that the Raptors could really use. His defensive box score stats aren't amazing, but his size and his 6-foot-8 wingspan allow him to defend across positions with impressive effectiveness.
The bigger issue for Castle, who was something of a combo guard for the Huskies, is offense. He is an effective finisher who scores explosively around the hoop and is a talented playmaker outside of point guard. He shot 75.5 percent from the free-throw line this year, suggesting he has some shooting talent to exploit, but he shot just 26.7 percent from 3-point range as a freshman last season. Ta.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman wrote, “His shooting remains a hot topic and is likely to be a weak point early in his career.” “But apart from that being improveable, he has shown that he can influence the game in a variety of other ways and will grow to prioritize winning plays over scoring statistics.” mentality and selfishness.”
Castle is a little awkward to line up with Barnes and Jacob Poeltl and could leave Toronto without shooting enough to sustain the offense, but take a chance on a high-uplift pick at this stage in Toronto. It might not be such a bad idea to grab a rebuild.
17th place: Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois)
If Toronto is looking for more immediate prospects, Terrence Shannon Jr. fits the bill. Shannon, a fifth-year player from Illinois, has proven to be an impact two-way player who can play defense across positions and carry the offense at the collegiate level.
He averaged 23 points per game and shot 36.2 percent from 3-point range with the Illini, showing a knack for finishing near the hoop. Although his intermediate game needs development, Shannon would fit well in Toronto's half-court offense as a smart cutter who can finish line drives with tremendous speed.
At 6-foot-6, Shannon is a bit small for a traditional wing defender, but he has an impact on and off the ball and showed a willingness to play hustle and take on difficult assignments early in his career. .
Toronto needs to do due diligence on Shannon, who was suspended earlier this year on rape charges. The state of Illinois suspended its investigation against Shannon due to insufficient evidence, but the criminal case in Kansas remains unresolved, with a hearing scheduled for May 10th.
31st place: Jaylon Tyson (California)
At 6-foot-7, Jaylon Tyson is also a do-it-all winger who has shown great on-ball ability for a player his size. Tyson became the Golden Bears' leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points per game and shooting 46.5 percent from the floor, but also dealt with turnover trouble in a role that at times seemed a little too big for him.
There's certainly a lot to like about Tyson, and he should thrive in a smaller role at the next level. He has shot 37.8 percent from 3-point range over the past two years and is an above-average rebounder. It will take some time for Tyson to adjust to the NBA, as he was required to put in a lot of effort on a mediocre California team last season.
