This is it, today’s the day, it’s finally time for the 2018 NBA Draft. Yes, we made it. But wait, actually, hold that thought. Toronto didn’t actually make anything. The Raptors, as has been noted again and again and again, do not have a first or even second round pick. (We can blame DeMarre Carroll’s balky knee and the P.J. Tucker rental for this turn of events.) In truth, owing to their East-leading 59-23 record last season, the Raptors would not have held a high-impact level pick here. At slot 29, there’s usually not much game-changing talent there. Still, we always hold out hope — especially given Toronto’s recent run of success with late-round picks. And yes, we remain optimistic even though the Raptors do not have a pick. So then, NBA Draft details! When and Where This year’s draft is tonight, June 21, at 7pm. As has been the case as of late, the event itself will be held at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. This is a great thing because, to be honest, there’s nothing quite like a New York audience for its post-pick reactions. And because the Knicks are always involved and (usually) making bad decisions, there are always some fantastically ugly responses from the crowd. For those at home, ESPN will be broadcasting the draft at 7pm — and we’ve been told that the usual scoopers (Woj, Shams, and the like) will not be breaking each and every pick. You’ll have to watch to find out what happens in real time. (Or follow Marc Stein at the NYT, who may have a righteous field day with everyone else’s hands tied.) To prepare, SB Nation has put together all kinds of helpful content for all the major players in the Draft. But the Raptors are not major players, which means we have to do our own off-brand brand of analysis. Which brings us to why we’re here. What About the Raptors? With no picks at all in the 2018 NBA Draft — hoo boy I hate typing that — Toronto and Masai Ujiri will need to get creative if they want to get involved at all. Let’s run through a trio of options as to what they could do to make some noise in the draft. The Buy-In Option This is the easiest, and for the most part, lamest option. Under the new CBA heading into the 2018-19 season, NBA teams can essentially trade upwards of $5.1 million for a draft pick. As Hoops Rumors summarizes here, there were a few of these deals recently, involving names like Patrick McCaw and Kay Felder, under the previous maximum of $3.5 million. Most of the other names involved in deals like this are, uh, not really a big deal. That said, along with McCaw back in 2016, the Warriors also bought Jordan Bell (the Bull’s 38th pick in the 2017 Draft), both of whom have figured into the team’s championship runs of the past two seasons. They weren’t key parts (obviously!) but their presence on the Warriors’ roster suggests there is value to be found by going this route. Since Toronto hasn’t spent any money in this regard over the past season, the Raptors can throw some bucks around to potentially buy themselves a second round pick. It just depends on if there are any sellers. For example, it’s possible a team like the Philadelphia 76ers could look to part with one of their four second round picks. Of course, it will also depend on whether there are any second round-calibre players of interest to Toronto — and whether or not those players will even get selected in the second round. (Remember: Fred VanVleet was of great interest to the Raptors, but they knew he’d slide out of play and be available to be signed apart from the entire process.) Bottom line here: the Raptors could very well take this approach, assuming they want to spend the money and potentially shuffle around the last few spots on their roster. But, odds are it won’t be a particularly exciting turn of events. The Trading Norm Option Here’s the option I would bet on as a thing that will happen on draft day, or at least before July 1st. Based on how last season went, the Raptors don’t really have a spot for Norman Powell in their rotation anymore (unless they trade DeMar DeRozan, which, hold that thought). On top of that, when Norm played last year, he was... well, not great. Despite being something of a playoff saviour two years in a row, Powell forced the action far too often during the 70 regular games in which he appeared. And what’s worse, Norm was a complete non-factor in the 2018 post-season, ending his streak of post-season excellence. On top of all of that, Powell is owed almost $10 million next season, which is a lot of money for an out-of-the-rotation player. Fortunately, because of the way Powell’s contract is structured, the Raptors can trade him for something of equal value to his previous salary — which is in the order of $1.5 million, or just about the value of a second round pick. Given that Toronto is looking at a severe salary cap crunch if they plan on re-signing VanVleet (to say nothing of their other already costly pieces), it seems probable for the Raptors to give this strategy a hard look — barring an even bigger trade. Yes, it would be sad if the Raptors gave up on Norm, especially after all those memories, and sadder still for him to be dumped for a second round pick, especially after his surprising rise from obscurity, but, sigh, that’s the business of the NBA. The Wild Option Now, let’s consider some of the grander schemes in play here for the Raptors. As we rather breathlessly commented on here, and definitely here, Toronto could be in the market to make a considerable jump in the draft to try and nab Canadian point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.<doc-sep>ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 22: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #22 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts to a call in the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats during the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at Philips Arena on March 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) A scouting the 18 most recent draft prospect the Toronto Raptors have worked out by Mike Bossetti The 2018 NBA Draft is finally here, and although the Toronto Raptors don’t have a pick, there is still plenty to watch for. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know for Thursday night. As a kid I was always enthralled by the draft. NBA teams rely on the highest level of scouts to evaluate talent . Those scouts still make unforgivable mistakes. Team’s fortunes can be completely flipped if they make the right selections. The Golden State Warriors acquired Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green all out of the top five. Teams can also cripple their franchise if the wrong selection is made. Basically, every team is making an incredibly important decision that boils down to nothing more than an educated guess. Where are the Raptors drafting Unfortunately for the Toronto Raptors they do not have a selection for the 2018 draft. Both picks were sent along with DeMarre Carroll, in order to make room to re-sign Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka (ouch). With no picks available, the Raptors still have been doing their due diligence during draft workouts, although they appear to be targeting undrafted individuals. With $5.1 million still available, the Raptors still could buy back into the second round. They also could make a move and take someone in the lottery like…. Shai Gilgeous Alexander scouting report According to multiple reports, the Toronto Raptors have interest in lottery-prospect Shai Gilgeous Alexander. A 6’6″ point/combo guard SGA came into college as the sixth ranked prospect in Kentucky’s recruiting class. (Still 31st nationally – Coach Cal can really recruit). As a result, he did not start right away, coming off the bench for 12 of his first 14 contests. However, once SGA was given the keys to the car, Kentucky took off as a team. His playmaking and crafty finishing around the hoop help set the tone for an offense that often struggled to find spacing. Strengths: Finishing at the rim: Using craft more than explosion, SGA is tremendous finishing around the basket. Defensive length: 6’6″ with a 7’0″ wingspan he has all the defensive tools to be an elite perimeter defender. Shooting efficiency: Shot above 40-percent from beyond the arc and 80-percent from the free-throw line. Weaknesses: Athleticism: Good, smooth athlete but not exactly a quick-twitch guy. Without an elite first step will he be able to get around NBA defenders? Turnovers: Partially due to poor spacing and he did improve as the season went on, but a turnover-percentage of 17.9 is very high. Shooting volume: Yes, he shot a good percentage from three but only attempted 1.8 shots per game. Can he continue to be efficient at a higher volume? Comparisons: The Great: James Harden/Prime Manu James Harden/Prime Manu The Good: Jrue Holiday Jrue Holiday The Okay: Dion Waiters Dion Waiters The Ugly: Michael Carter-Williams Will any key players be dealt? Depending on how much Toronto really likes SGA. It’s likely DeMar DeRozan will need to be a part of any package that allows Toronto to move into the lottery, but it’s hard to imagine a non-playoff team requesting the services of a $28 million dollar 28 year-old. Kyle Lowry does have some value around the league, and if the Raptors really want to rebuild it makes sense to get what they can for him now. Unfortunately for Toronto, Lowry feels more like an insurance plan in case things don’t pan out. If Lowry is dealt this offseason, expect it to be later rather than sooner. Although they do not currently have a pick, this draft could prove crucial to any Toronto Raptors rebuild. Thursday night could either be the night they risked it all to gain a superstar, or the night they traded away significant assets for a bust.<doc-sep>Right now the Raptors have no draft picks entering the 2018 NBA Draft on Thursday. Toronto is coming off another playoff trip and another playoff disappointment after the Raptors were swept by Cleveland in the second round. This led to the firing of Dwane Casey and the hiring of Nick Nurse. However, that might not be the only changes on the way. Masai Ujiri has never been afraid to make a splash when he feels it's necessary. The Raptors want to get back into the draft and they want a pick that's pretty high. If they're going to get into the top 10 then they'll need to offer up something of value. According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, nobody in Toronto is off the table. Would the Raptors actually trade a Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan just to take a chance on a high-end prospect? That would be pretty stunning considering those two have carried the Raptors to some of their best seasons in the history of the franchise. But the Raptors have bigger goals than second-round finishes and the occasional Eastern Conference finals appearances. They want to be contenders. That might require a major shakeup on the roster. It would be interesting if the Raptors chose to give up a star like Lowry or DeRozan for a top-10 pick. That would indicate that they're playing more for the future than right now, but they still have enough talent on the roster to win plenty of games next season. Toronto had the best bench unit in the NBA and Ujiri might feel that is enough to continue winning regular-season games while he puts together a new core.<doc-sep>The Toronto Raptors didn’t draft Dzanan Musa, introduced to the world Thursday as a “Bosnian scoring machine” whose Kobe Bryant-lite routine frustrated his teammates in Europe. Musa was taken 29th overall by the Brooklyn Nets, who used the pick that the Raptors had to send their way in exchange for taking on the (then) remaining $30.2-million on the former Raptor forward DeMarre Carroll’s contract last summer. Not to put any limits the ceiling of Musa, but that seems like an overpay and we can probably put to rest any notion that giving up the pick was a mistake by Ujiri. Signing Carroll as a $60-million free agent in the summer of 2015? Different discussion. But from a Raptors point of view, that was the highlight on a night when Toronto had neither a first- or second-round pick, and didn’t manage to either trade their way into the first round or buy their way into the second. They weren’t alone in that respect. For the first time in memory, not a single player under contract was traded on draft night — the obvious explanation being that teams are waiting for the movement of big name players like LeBron James, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to break the dam. “We had a few things early, a few things in the middle, a few things late,” said Raptors general manager Bobby Webster. “I think we thought we were close but you’d have to ask the other teams.” “I don’t know if something is going on around the league, and people are a little hesitant with personnel and only wanted to do draft picks tonight, and we didn’t have draft picks so we got shut out.” Paint drying was more compelling. Elsewhere, the Canadian basketball highlight was 19-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being taken 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, before being flipped to the Los Angeles Clippers. The six-foot-six freshman played his high school basketball in Hamilton, Ont., before playing two more seasons in Tennessee. He saw his draft stock soar in the second half of his first college season, which was capped off with an MVP award at the SEC tournament and a strong showing at the NCAA tournament as he led Kentucky to the Sweet 16. Gilgeous-Alexander is the eighth Canadian taken in the draft lottery since 2011, when Tristan Thompson (fourth overall) became the first Canadian ever taken in the draft’s top-14. Overall, there have been 11 Canadian first-rounders in the last eight years. “I feel like we’re on the rise,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, whose father, Vaughn, played high school basketball in Toronto’s north end and whose mother, Charmaine, represented Antigua in the 400-meters at the 1992 Olympics. “I guess over the past couple years we’ve gotten a lot more resources and more exposure to basketball over here. The world is starting to realize how good we are at basketball. “I don’t think it’ll stop soon. There is a lot of good kids over there that have a good potential. I think we’ll be really good. I think this is just the beginning.” The rangy point guard with the seven-foot wingspan has been training in Los Angeles in preparation for the draft, but was briefly heading east before finding out he was staying in familiar confines — although he’ll have some competition for immediate floor time behind veterans Patrick Beverley, Austin Rivers, Milos Teodosic and Lou Williams. Those are issues for later. For now he can revel in a dream come true: “Yeah, I was ecstatic to be going to Charlotte, to be going to the NBA really,” he said. “It’s a great feeling, and whoever I got drafted by, I was going to feel really good. And then figuring out I was going to go to the Clippers was even a better feeling. I feel like I fit really well with them and had a great workout and dinner with those guys and feel really comfortable. I guess I feel like I’m on top of the world.” The other Canadian who heard his name called was Justin Jackson, the sophomore from Maryland who has been on the radar since he represented Canada as a 15-year-old at the U17 World Championship. Hampered by a shoulder injury this past season, Jackson was taken 43rd overall by Denver before being traded to Orlando, the appeal being his potential as a switchable big man who can shoot threes. The top of the draft was dominated by various versions of the NBA’s new-era bigs: seven-footers who can run the floor, defend on the perimeter and at the rim and knock down an open jumper or two. As widely expected, seven-foot-one Deandre Ayton was take first overall by the Phoenix Suns. Marvin Bagley III, the six-foot-10 jumping jack from Duke, went second to Sacramento. Six-foot-11 Jaren Jackson Jr. went fourth to Memphis and seven-foot-one Mo Bamba was picked at No. 6 by Orlando. Free Association If there is a podcasting odd couple, this might be it. Donnovan Bennett and JD Bunkis don’t agree on much, but you’ll agree this is the best Toronto Raptors podcast going. The most interesting move was the decision by the Atlanta Hawks to flip the No. 3 pick for Dallas’ No. 5 pick and a future first-round pick. As a result, highly-touted European teenager Luka Doncic will join Dirk Nowitzki for what will presumptively be the final NBA season for the all-time European great, while the Hawks took Trae Young, the diminutive point guard from Oklahoma who was the first player to lead the NCAA in scoring and assists in the same season. The Raptors off-season makeover — should there be one — will have to wait, as Toronto didn’t manage to work their way into the draft or find a deal that could help their looming luxury tax problems, or otherwise reshape their roster. But the NBA’s silly season is just beginning. It doesn’t promise to stay this dull for long.<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.