NBA Mock Draft: Orlando Magic make two surprise selections

4) Toronto Raptors – Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga University

Being in a position to draft a replacement for Kyle Lowry as Fred VanVleet’s backcourt mate must have Masai Ujiri feeling pretty fortunate that the ping pong balls shined favorably on his organization.

For as good of a scorer inside the arc as he is (58% shooting from two), Jalen Suggs is a pretty poor 3-point shooter (33.4% on 104 attempts).

NBA teams will live with a guard who shoots 33% from three, so Suggs will have to work on his development if he wants to be able to get his favorite spots inside of the arc.

One thing that is jarring about Suggs is that despite his athleticism that allows him to get downhill as much as he does, that Suggs only gets to the free-throw line on average 3.8 times per game. Suggs also shot a disappointing 75 percent from the free-throw line.

Guards like Suggs who are reliant on their ability to drive downhill need to be able to get to the free-throw line and take advantage of contact to excel in the NBA.

What makes Suggs so special as a prospect outside of his athleticism is his unwavering belief in himself to have short-term memory and continue to attack relentlessly. As we’ve seen this postseason with players like Ben Simmons, a huge part of what separates the great players from the role players is a mentality that your shots will fall eventually if you keep shooting; Suggs has that special quality.

Suggs will shine in transition as both a playmaker and a scorer, which is an invaluable trait that general manager’s across the league are always desperate to find more of.