TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors did not make a pick in Thursday night’s NBA draft, having traded a first- and second-round selection to Brooklyn along with forward DeMarre Carroll in July 2017. It’s the third time in team history Toronto has not made a selection. The Raptors were also without a pick in the 2007 draft, and again in 2013. ADVERTISEMENT Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said Toronto tried to acquire a pick via trade but was unable to do so. The deal for Carroll also included Torono’s first-round selection, 29th overall, and a second-round pick, 40th overall, that the Raptors acquired from Orlando in exchange for the contractual release of Magic president Jeff Weltman. Toronto’s other second-round pick, 59th overall, was traded to Phoenix for forward P.J. Tucker in February 2017. Read Next<doc-sep>TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 17: Toronto Raptors General Manager Masai Ujiri talk before the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 17, 2018 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) Without any picks in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors will need to be creative if they want to improve their roster. One option is to buy another team’s selection. The NBA Draft is on Thursday. A draft in which the Toronto Raptors do not have a selection. Bobby Webster, the Raptors General Manager, indicated the team was exploring ways to acquire a pick. There have been rumors the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies are open to trading their first round pick. However, acquiring such a pick would likely require trading DeMar DeRozan. There are a number of teams that have multiple second round picks. With two or more picks available, the Philadelphia 76ers (38, 39, 56 and 60), Phoenix Suns (31 and 59) and Orlando Magic (35 and 41) all may be willing to part with one or more come draft time. NBA teams have $5.1 million available to be used in a trade during the 2017-18 Season. This amount expires at the end of the season and cannot be carried forward. The Raptors have not used any portion of this $5.1 million, and therefore, have every dollar available to purchase a draft pick Thursday night. The Golden State Warriors used $3.5 million last year to buy the number 38 pick from the Chicago Bulls and draft Jordan Bell. A deal that is looking like a home-run for Golden State. Last year’s draft is a prime example of finding value in the second round. In addition to Bell, both Semi Ojeleye and Dillon Brooks, drafted 37 and 45 respectively, were useful contributors to their teams. The Raptors will have limited options available to improve their roster this summer. Buying a second round pick would be a cost-effective way to add talent. The $5.1 million used to buy the pick does not count against the team’s salary cap, and teams usually sign second round picks to contracts at or near the minimum. Bell, Ojeleye and Brooks all signed contracts starting at less than $1.3 million last season. Furthermore, any dollar Toronto spends towards a draft pick comes “tax-free”, allowing them to effectively spend money they otherwise wouldn’t be able too without paying a hefty luxury-tax bill. Ultimately, a multitude of additional factors will determine if buying into the draft makes sense for the Toronto Raptors. Who is available, other trade offers, and the final cost. Still, buying into the second half of Thursday’s draft is something Toronto should at least look into. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and the Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.<doc-sep>Nick Nurse had to field plenty of questions when he was introduced as the Toronto Raptors’ head coach, ranging anywhere from how he celebrated the promotion to how he plans on utilizing the roster in 2018-19. Before long, Nurse was asked about the future of a Raptor who turned in a disappointing season in 2017-18: “Can Norman Powell be salvaged?” It’s an interesting question to ask of a player who had just signed a four-year, $42 million extension at the start of the season, but Powell’s rapid decline made the question worthwhile. “Absolutely,” Nurse replied, wasting little time in throwing his support behind Powell. The coach seemed optimistic as he explained how Powell’s struggles had planted the shooting guard well out of the rotation by season’s end. A bounce-back campaign from Powell would certainly be music to every Raptors fans’ ears. But one week after Nurse professed that Powell can have a role on this team, a report suggests the Raptors’ executive staff may not share that enthusiasm. The Raps, who are rumoured to be interested in trading into the lottery ahead of Thursday’s NBA Draft, appear to be kicking the tires on a Powell trade, TSN’s Josh Lewenberg reports. The Raptors have already been gauging interest in the 25-year-old guard ahead of the draft, sources tell TSN. After signing a four-year, $42-million extension in the fall, Powell turned in a disappointing third NBA season, losing his starting job in November and then falling out of the rotation altogether. Although they believe he can bounce back, the team’s depth has made Powell expendable. Powell’s value may not be where it was before signing his lucrative extension, but the young, two-way guard could still draw some interest. The Raptors likely aren’t the only team that can envision a bounce-back season in 2018-19. Nevertheless, Powell’s recent struggles likely won’t lead to a great return in a potential trade. For Toronto, a team projected to reach into the luxury tax in 2018-19, unloading Powell’s contract would provide some much-needed salary relief as they try to retain free-agent-to-be Fred VanVleet’s services. Story continues But Powell is just one player on a team where no one appears to be untouchable. The summer of 2018, which has already placed a new head coach on the Raptors’ sideline, could be one that brings major change to the organization. More Raptors coverage on Yahoo Canada Sports:<doc-sep>The Toronto Raptors have named Jama Mahlalela as head coach of their NBA G League affiliate, Raptors 905. Mahlalela becomes the third head coach in team history and joins the club following five seasons as an assistant coach at the NBA level. A native of Mbabane, Swaziland, Mahlalela grew up in the Toronto area and played college basketball for five years at the University of British Columbia. "We are very excited to add Jama as our new head coach," Raptors 905 general manager Dan Tolzman said in a statement. "After proving himself as an assistant on the Raptors staff, having an opportunity to run his own team is a major step in his development as a coach. "Jama has played a big part in developing our young Raptors core, and we look forward to him continuing to do so from the Raptors 905 sideline. He is an example of what homegrown talent can achieve in this growing global game." Mahlalela joined the Raptors front office in 2011 as director of player development, where he served for two seasons. He moved to the Raptors bench in 2013-14.<doc-sep>
Unless you live on a deserted island, you’ve surely heard that the Toronto Raptors don’t have a draft pick — first or second round — in tonight’s NBA Draft. After trading their 2018 picks away for DeMarre Carroll (JYD 2.0!) and P.J. Tucker (aw man), it could be a slow night for Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster, and the Toronto front office. Or... maybe it won’t be! There’s been rumours flying sporadically that the Raptors are interested in buying into the draft, whether that means trading Norman Powell or (gulp) one of the superstars. Today, though, those rumblings have quieted, and while the Raptors are typically tight-knit when it comes to their plans, it seems like things are trending toward a quiet evening. At the #NBADraft tonight, the Raptors will: — Raptors HQ (@RaptorsHQ) June 21, 2018 Smarter people than I have prepared you well for tonight’s draft on this website. With the draft just moments away, let’s review shall we? Boss man Daniel Reynolds wrote a longer primer on what to expect tonight (tl,dr: nothing). Daniel Hackett did his thing with a great salary cap refresher, so you can stop fiddling around with the ESPN Trade Machine. Finally, Conor McCreery wrote about a potentially happy future (drafting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and a troubling past (the Raptors history at the draft). All good reads if you want to dive in. After that, we watch and wait. Turn on your Woj mobile notifications, flip on the tube, and enjoy what could be a crazy night for the NBA — even if it’s not so for the Raptors. Where to Watch: TSN 2, 7 PM ET SB Nation Draft Tracker is now live. All of Raptors HQ’s coverage is here.