9. Toronto Raptors
Pick: Henry Ellenson, F, Marquette
Assuming that Bismack Biyombo gets his big payday this summer, and that it won’t be in Toronto, the Raptors will need to fill that void he will leave off the bench. That’s where this No. 9 pick will come in handy.
Toronto will draft a big man; I don’t think anyone would assume otherwise, unless one of the top eight prospects falls out (which I don’t expect). However, I think there’s no better fit for the Raptors than Henry Ellenson. He can play the stretch 4 or 5, and is one of the most offensively skilled bigs in the daft.
He does have his shortcomings on the defensive end, but I don’t think anyone expects a polished defensive big at the age of 19. Ellenson is going to be a project, but has the tools to be a really good player in the NBA.
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