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The Toronto Raptors have selected Utah guard Delon Wright with the 20th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
This is an entirely understandable pick for the Raptors in the wake of Greivis Vasquez getting shipped out earlier in the evening. Wright stands at 6'6, and Jay Bilas referred to him as being potentially the best defensive point guard available in the draft.
At 23-years old, the 6'6 Wright should be able to contribute right away and provide a defensive boost to the Raptors' second unit. He posted totals of 14.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds last season en route to winning the Bob Cousy Award as the best point guard in American college hoops.
With higher-upside players like Bobby Portis, Justin Anderson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and R.J. Hunter still on the board, Wright doesn't exactly fit the mould of a typical Masai Ujiri draftee, but he should instantly help solve one of the biggest weaknesses the Raptors' exhibited last season.
Additional thoughts - Updated 10:25 PM
With a few more minutes to digest this pick, I have a couple more quick thoughts.
Firstly, given that the Raptors already have two long-term projects occupying the end of the bench in Bruno Caboclo and Lucas Nogueira, it makes complete sense to select a more NBA-ready prospect like Wright. It's somewhat unclear whether or not the Raptors are legitimately looking to "win now," but they should once again be playoff worthy next season, and having a rookie actually capable of contributing from the start of the season will surely be useful.
Additionally, with the amount of cap space available to the Raptors after trading away Vasquez (upwards of $20 million), Ujiri will have the ability to aggressively pursue front court and wing help via free agency or trade. There's no telling if he will actually be successful in doing so, but it's logical to not draft a rookie to plug in at the three or four who might get buried in the rotation by an incoming starting-calibre player. Wright will have a role to fulfill immediately, which should facilitate his development more than sitting on the bench would.
What are your thoughts on the newest Raptor, Delon Wright?
More analysis on the pick to come!