One might look at the past Raptors season and surmise that the team somehow overachieved given the number of injuries and setbacks they had to face.
Despite that, the Raptors finished with the fifth-best record in the East, before going out in the first round of the playoffs to the 76ers in seven games.
The Raps possess a nice core with guys like Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet — who took great strides last season — and Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. OG Anunoby is another guy who has been a key piece of what Toronto has been building, but his name has been mentioned in a potential trade to move up to the No. 7 pick in the draft.
It's an interesting offseason for the Raps as they look to bolster their squad and get back among the top-tier teams in the Eastern Conference.
Where does Toronto land in the draft order? Here is everything you need to know ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Raptors draft picks 2022: When does Toronto pick?
The Raptors hold just the one second-round pick in the 2022 NBA draft. They traded away their first-round pick when they acquired Thad Young from the San Antonio Spurs.
Not all hope is lost in terms of being able to add a player who can contribute right away, though. Toronto is picking early in the second round, meaning the club will essentially be getting a player with late first-round talent.
Given how shrewd President of Basketball Operations Masi Ujiri has been in building this Raptors roster, it's not beyond comprehension that he could find another gem that could help the Raptors moving forward, similar to former Raptors' second-round picks Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet.
MORE: Ranking the best sleepers in the 2022 NBA Draft
Will the Raptors try to make a move and move up in the draft or will they rely on the brilliance of Ujiri to find another gem in the second round? We shall have to see how that plays out.
- Round 2, No. 33, Christian Koloko, Arizona
Raptors 2022 NBA draft order
| Round | Pick |
|---|---|
| 2 | 33, Christian Koloko, Arizona |
MORE: Post-Finals NBA Mock Draft: Two-round edition
Raptors draft needs
- Center: Ujiri noted that defensive rebounding wasn't a strong suit for Toronto this past season - they were dead last in the league, so he's right - so the team will look to add a big who can protect the rim, and help on the boards as well.
- Perimeter shooting: This season, the Raptors ranked just outside the bottom-10 in the league in 3-pointers made per game and 3-point percentage. This might be an issue the Raps try to address through free agency rather than the draft, but there are still some guys projected to still be on the board by the time the Raps pick that could help.
- Bench depth: This was an issue, especially as the season wore on and the toll of so many injuries and Covid setbacks was evident to see. At one stage, coach Nick Nurse was playing seven-man rotations for extended games in a row. They need to add some depth to alleviate the load of the core group.
Raptors mock draft 2022
Here is the latest projected pick for the Raptors according to TSN's Kyle Irving:
- Round 2, No. 33: Caleb Houstan, F, Michigan
