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“With the 7th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select....”
When Adam Silver announces Toronto’s pick, two things are certain: Shams and Woj will still not be able to break the news beforehand, and whoever the Raptors select will have an immediate (and positive) impact on the franchise! The uncertainty surrounds where Toronto will pick. It’s been a while since Raptors fans have relied on lottery balls, but the excitement surrounding any of the top-4 picks — Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, and Jalen Green — are well worth the hype. The June 22nd draft lottery cannot come soon enough!
In the latest episode, we discuss the possibilities surrounding the 7th pick, while wondering which of seven players will still be around next season, and avoid discussing Number 7’s (maybe?) final game as a Raptor.
In This Episode:
3:10 — Stress-free viewing
For the first time in eight years, the regular season and the Raptors’ season will end on the same day. Not that we would ever condone wishing for Toronto losses, but with their lottery position locked in for the final two games of the season, a sense of calm has definitely spread over the viewing experience!
10:38 — Playing the lottery
Toronto has a 34 percent chance of dropping to 8th and a 31 percent chance of jumping into the top-4. With how stacked this year’s draft is, the Raptors could land an NBA-ready player who fits perfectly into Nick Nurse’s system and/or a franchise-altering superstar-in-the-making. The Raptors could very well return to Scotiabank Arena with a roster as good as the one that last played there!
22:00 — To guarantee or not to guarantee
Rodney Hood, Aron Baynes, Chris Boucher, DeAndre’ Bembry, Yuta Watanabe, Paul Watson, Freddie Gillespie, and Jalen Harris (two-way) all have non-guaranteed contracts next season. Kyle Lowry, Stanley Johnson, Gary Trent Jr., and Khem Birch are all free agents this off-season. Who stays and who goes?
34:17 — Drawing for a play-in team
With no Raptors team to cheer for during the play-in tournament, we drew teams out of a (championship) hat to find out which teams we’d each be rooting for! Would anyone draw the Lakers? Will the Lakers actually be in the play-in? Who would you trust more in a do-or-die game: Steve Kerr or Gregg Popovich? Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal or Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker? A hobbled Lebron James or a scorching hot Steph Curry?