When the Toronto Raptors traded OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam this past season, it signaled that a rebuild was on the horizon. They finished the 2023-24 season with a 25-57 record, good for 12th in the Eastern Conference, so they were supposed to have a high lottery pick for this summer’s NBA Draft.
However, despite having a 46 percent chance of landing a top-six selection (and they even made it to the final draw for the No. 1 pick), the Toronto Raptors fell to No. 8, so they must convey the pick to the San Antonio Spurs. As a result, the San Antonio Spurs will have two draft picks within the Top 10 of this year’s class.
In 2023, the Toronto Raptors gave up Khem Birch, two second-round picks, and its 2024 first-round pick that was top-six protected, for center Jakob Poeltl. But because their pick is not within the top six, San Antonio will get to use that pick instead.
What’s next for the Toronto Raptors?
The earliest time that the Toronto Raptors could make a selection in this summer’s NBA Draft is from the No. 19 overall pick, which they got from the Pascal Siakam trade with the Indiana Pacers. According to the latest ESPN Mock Draft, the Toronto Raptors could use that pick to get Kyle Filipowski from Duke.
Other than the upcoming NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors have to make big decisions on their key players, as the likes of Immanuel Quickley, Bruce Brown, Gary Trent Jr., and Jordan Nwora will be free agents this summer.
Keeping Quickley is a priority for the Toronto Raptors, as he averaged a career-high 6.8 assists and 18.6 points per game. He is eligible for a four-year, $109 million contract with a starting salary of $24.5 million.
Franchise cornerstone Scottie Barnes is also eligible for a big contract of up to five years and $225 million, which might make him the fourth player in franchise history to receive a rookie max extension, alongside Pascal Siakam, Chris Bosh, and Vince Carter.