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The Toronto Raptors are reportedly weighing trade-down scenarios involving the No. 9 pick in next week’s NBA Draft, as league chatter grows around the possibility of their lottery selection being moved.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the solidifying of a top eight is contributing to the perception that Toronto’s pick is the most likely top-10 selection to be traded. The Raptors are reportedly evaluating prospects lower in the first round, fueled in part by the growing belief that Duke center Khaman Maluach may be off the board before Toronto gets the chance to select him.
Maluach has visited with multiple teams ahead of Toronto in the draft order, including New Orleans, Washington, and Atlanta, according to Fischer. He is also expected to meet with the Utah Jazz before next Wednesday’s draft. With some teams reportedly considering him as high as No. 5, there is growing skepticism that Maluach will fall to No. 9.
Toronto has started to consider other center prospects projected to go later in the first round. According to Fischer, Michigan’s Danny Wolf and Georgia’s Asa Newell are two names the Raptors have identified as potential targets if they choose to trade down.
Multiple teams in the mid to late lottery are believed to be focused on big men, which could pressure the Raptors to act quickly if they want to secure a player at that position, per Fischer.
The question is how far Toronto can realistically move down while still landing a center it covets. Chicago at No. 12 and Atlanta at No. 13 are also expected to be in the market for frontcourt help, which could complicate trade scenarios for the Raptors, per Fischer.
Toronto has conducted a wide range of pre-draft workouts and appears open to multiple outcomes heading into what could be a pivotal offseason. The team’s biggest need remains a long-term solution at center behind Jakob Poeltl, and with Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley in place, the front office may be prioritizing fit and readiness over another developmental swing.
The Raptors have never traded down in the first round under Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster, but the conditions around this year’s draft may prompt a shift in strategy. If Maluach is unavailable and the right opportunity emerges, Toronto could look to make its move.
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