NFL
By: Greg Rector
Scottie Barnes signed a new 5-year deal to remain with the Raptors. His contract is worth $224.9 million but can be increased to $269.9 million if Barnes reaches specific parameters in the 2024-2025 NBA season. Shooting guard/ point guard Immanuel Quickley also signed a 5-year deal to stay in Toronto worth $175 million. It turned out to be a very busy NBA Draft as the Raptors made two trades and added backup point guard Davion Mitchell and power forward Sasha Vezenkov from the Sacramento Kings, and traded away forward Jalen McDaniels, which gave the Raptors the 45th pick. The Raptors added the 57th pick in the NBA Draft in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
TORONTO RAPTORS DRAFT PICKS
With the 19th pick in the NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors took what might appear to be a steal in this draft class as they selected Ja’Kobe Walter from Baylor University, who had been projected as a lottery pick. Walker brings plenty of shooting talent to the Toronto Raptors, who need to get bigger and improve his footspeed defensively.
Pick 31 was an excellent friend of Scottie Barnes’s. They selected from the San Francisco Dons Johnathan Mogbo, an undersized center who plays as a center. Mogbo has no three-ball, and that’s why he plays as a center. If the Toronto Raptors spend some time with Mogbo and teach him how to use the three-ball, he could become an outstanding player.
Made official today, the 45th pick might remind Toronto Raptors fans of Kyle Lowry as Jamal Shead leads just the same way as Lowry did by playing excellent perimeter defense. The Big 12 Player of the Year led the second-best defense in the NCAA as the Houston Cougars dominated teams all last season. Shead brings excellent passing skills with him as well. He will be third in line as a backup point guard and spend plenty of time playing with the Raptors 905 squad.
With the 57th pick, Masai Ujuri influenced GM Bobby Webster. The Toronto Raptors drafted the youngest player in this draft class, Ulrich Chomche, from the Basketball Africa League, who played for NBA Academy Africa. The young man will begin his career with the Raptors 905 team in the G-League. He projects to be an elite defender and, in a small sample size, he averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one steal per game while shooting 42.4% from the field, 38.1% from 3-point range, and 75% from the foul line.
Toronto Raptors Trade
Davion Mitchell is a known quantity and will be a solid addition to the Toronto Raptors bench. Sasha Vezenkov might turn out to be an absolute steal. He was the EuroLeague MVP in the 2022-2023 season. He should see plenty of more time on the floor with the Toronto Raptors than he ever saw in Sacramento.
TORONTO RAPTORS FREE AGENCY
I don’t expect the Raptors to make any significant signings. I see the team losing Gary Trent Jr and likely losing another shooting guard in Bruce Brown, while they likely keep Garrett Temple.
The Raptors will be a younger team next season, and seeing how they play around Scottie Barnes will be crucial if they are going to improve from last season when they won only 25 games and lost Scottie Barnes towards the end of last season.
Gradey Dick, who was the Toronto Raptors’ first-round draft pick in last year’s draft, played well at the end of the season, and he needs to continue his improvement. With the 2024-2025 Toronto Raptors, I see a starting five of Immanuel Quickly Ja’Kobe Walter/Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poetl.
I don’t see the Toronto Raptors as any threat to the Boston Celtics, but they will improve over 25 wins. I see the Raptors winning 34 games in the 2024-2025 NBA Season. #WeTheNorth fans will remain firmly behind the Raptors.
