Draft Prep 1st Edition: The Favourites

Scouting Fears, Maluach, Jakucionis, Queen, and Bryant

Hey all, hope you’re enjoying the NBA Finals!

It’s amazing seeing the Canadians doing their thing and of course led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That Andrew Nembhard stepback matched up against the league MVP felt like a Canadian heritage moment. Here’s hoping for a long series.

On to more pressing matters from a Toronto Raptors front. It’s scouting time for me and you and here are the first five players I’ve taken a deep dive into. Here are my key takeaways on Jeremiah Fears, Khaman Maluach, Kasparas Jakucionis, Derik Queen, and Carter Bryant.

Below is a reminder of the where the players project based on several mock drafts (I’ll have an updated version at the end of the post so you can see the progression):

Jeremiah Fears

It’s easy to see the appeal of Fears, a guard with real star potential. There is now speculation that he could creep into the top five. There is the possibility of Ace Bailey dropping while the Charlotte Hornets have to seriously evaluate if LaMelo Ball is the long-term starting point guard of the team.

From what I’ve seen, Fears has an excellent dribble and has no issues getting into the paint. That’s always a good place to start for a point guard entering the league. I got the impression there’s a real spirit and competitive nature to him.

The issue is his jump shot. Fears shot 28.4 percent on 134 three-point attempts at Oklahoma. There are people who are lower on him because of this but, watching the film, I think he’s someone who can develop a pretty decent shot. I don’t see major issues with his jumper though there are things that could be cleaned up. His pull-up jumper is definitely too slow currently and that entire gather off the dribble needs to adjusted. For what it’s worth, he shot over 85 percent at the foul line.

He can be a liability defensively and his size will be attacked at the NBA level. He doesn’t shy away from contact offensively and so the hope will be he has a willingness to be physical on the defensive end as his body develops at the NBA level.

Fit: If he’s available to the Raptors, I’d imagine he’d only get passed on because of the desperate need for a centre. It’s a big year for Immanuel Quickley to prove his worth while Jamal Shead will get his first test as the backup point guard for an entire season. There’s room for competition and the Raptors front office hasn’t shied away from three quality point guards in the past.

Draft Expectation: Right now, there is a belief that Fears could go as high as fifth. Personally, I think there’s a non-zero chance he goes as high as third. Daryl Morey is a big believer in swinging big and so while Ace Bailey seems the best bet in that regard, the other option would be Fears. I would be very surprised if he made it past the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 7.

Khaman Maluach

Speaking of centres, there was a recent report that the Raptors see Maluach as the top big man in the draft. The report also indicated that if Maluach isn’t available, other centres like Derik Queen, Thomas Sorber, and Joan Beringer are of interest.

It’s hard to make too much of the report because the Raptors never leak and this will likely be another NBA draft where none of Shams Charania, Chris Haynes, or anyone else is able to report Toronto’s selection before the actual pick is made.

It is obvious the Raptors have a glaring need at centre. Maluach has already been widely considered the top center in the draft. You don’t need a report to tell you that.

Why is Maluach so highly touted? Well, the 7-foot-1 frame with a 7-foot-7 wingspan is a start. He’s pretty nimble and runs the floor pretty well. That’s a big deal with bigs especially in this day and age. I wouldn’t say he runs like a gazelle, but it’s a healthy speed that should translate well to the NBA. He doesn’t jump out the gym but his wingspan more than makes up for that.

Offensively, he’s not much more than a lob threat at this point but the rim gravity should be respected as a roller.

Defence is his calling card. Maluach projects to be an elite rim protector at the NBA level. He’s really smart about how he uses his wingspan and knows that with his length using vertical contests does more than half the job. I’ve liked seeing how quickly he can shift around the paint whether it be to help on drives or maintaining position while someone tries to work their way around him.

Defending the pick-and-roll is another huge aspect of evaluating both guards and bigs in today’s NBA and Maluach gets a big box checked here. From what I’ve seen, he handles different coverages well and the best part is how he understands containing the dribble just enough while also staying within striking distance of the roller to recover. Of course, that wingspan helps deter the lob as well.

He has highlights of blocking players with both hands and maybe that will become a signature move in the NBA.

Fit: As tantalizing as his defensive upside is, I do think there’s a conversation to be had about his fit. Offence has been an issue for this team and we have to wait and see how much Brandon Ingram helps alleviate that concern. There are centres with more offensive polish right now in this draft but are below Maluach’s defensive ceiling. He also only started playing basketball five years ago. As of what I’ve seen right now, I’d take him if he’s available and believe in growth.

Draft expectation: This is another player who figures to be gone by the time Toronto is on the clock. The Hornets could well move Mark Williams this summer and a lob threat with great defensive potential would be a great fit next to Ball. VJ Edgecombe is currently most likely to be their pick and that also makes a lot of sense next to Ball and Brandon Miller. The Jazz have Walker Kessler and the Wizards have Alex Sarr. The impression I’ve gotten is that New Orleans is pretty happy with Yves Missi but if they view Maluach’s ceiling as higher then why not? Brooklyn, meanwhile, could also be looking to add a centre since Nic Claxton may be moved. For me, the biggest threats to select Maluach are the Hornets and Nets. This is where falling to ninth could hurt.

Kasparas Jakucionis

Is there room for two Jaks in Toronto?

Jokes aside, Jakucionis figures to be a solid point guard in this league. He’s got a good handle, shoots the ball pretty well form-wise, and is very effective in running an offence. He is arguably the second-best playmaker behind Egor Demin. He likes going to no look passes or flashy one handed ones. His size at 6-foot-6 certainly helps with that.

One of the big concerns with Jakucionis will be his ability to break down opponents off the bounce. He struggles to gain separation and a lack of paint touches for a guard is always a limiting factor.

Defensively, while he has good size for a guard, there appear to be clear limitations. Just as he struggles to build a head of steam with the ball in his hands, he struggles to stay in front of those who can. The general defensive instincts aren’t great even if he does make an effort.

Fit: On a team that isn’t great at creating paint touches, adding Jakucionis doesn’t seem ideal. Throw in the defensive hurdles and I don’t see the Raptors taking him too seriously. The argument in favour of him is that Toronto could use a player whose natural tendency is to run an offence while also looking like he has a solid jumper whether off the catch or pull. I’d personally look in another direction.

Draft Expectation: If teams are low enough on Tre Johnson, I could see them overthink it and believe Jakucionis is a safer bet. I think his range could be anywhere from 6-14 in the lottery.

Derik Queen

If you want a big with offensive polish, Queen will certainly tickle your fancy. It’s kind of mind blowing just how easily he handles the ball off the bounce. He has a variety of moves that he can go to so there’s no debating the skill set. Maryland was happy to throw him on the perimeter and let him go to work.

For all his offensive skill, he doesn’t possess an effective outside jumper. It’s an awkward looking shot and I have my doubts he’ll be able to develop a reliable volume three-point jumper. Again, his skill going towards the basket is excellent.

Defensively, he rebounds the ball well though his rim protection instincts aren’t the best. On a team that can find that in other areas, he can be put in a position to succeed.

Fit: When I wrote earlier about how nice it might be to have a big with a strong offensive repertoire, Queen is who you think of. I can see him fitting in very nicely in Darko Rajakovic’s system. Defensively, I think Barnes’ rim protection instincts can help mitigate Queen’s weakness in that area. If Maluach is gone, Queen would be a solid pick in my eyes. A jumper would really help.

Draft expectation: Queen has the second-best centre profile at this point in the draft process. Between him and Maluach, it may just come down to the preference between offence and defence. Queen being two years older will also be a factor. Some teams will see Queen’s individual defence and feel he may struggle too much defending pick-and-rolls.

Carter Bryant

I really like Bryant’s game. This is someone who projects to be an excellent wing defender and should knock down the three-ball consistently. He shot 37.1 percent on 105 three-point attempts in college. If you are looking for a 3-and-D player, Bryant is my choice.

A challenge for Bryant or anyone with his profile coming to the NBA will be evolving into a fully functional modern day 3-and-D player. What does that mean? The initial term was exactly that: hit open threes (maybe even just corner threes like P.J. Tucker), defend your position and you are a quality role player. As the game has evolved, the modern wing role player has to knock down his share of above the break threes in addition to corner threes. He must also be able to attack closeouts consistently and finish well at the rim. Defending his position as well a couple more is a must, that I’m certain he’ll do.

Let’s talk more about the defence. His instincts are supremely good and his athleticism only serves to amplify his reads. There is a weakness here in that I think he sees so much and goes for all of it. He had a high foul rate in college (4.8 fouls per game) and he will simply need to chill. That being said, I would rather find ways to scale a player back than the other way around.

Fit: Beyond centre, the Raptors have a clear need for an OG Anunoby-type replacement in a premier wing defender. Combined with Bryant’s outside shooting ability, he could be a really good fit in Toronto. If both him and Queen are available, it’s likely Bryant is viewed as the one with the higher floor and the better bet as a result. Plus, the Raptors would then have a (Ja)Kobe and a Bryant on the team.

Draft expectation: Bryant should be available when the Raptors are on the clock. I do think it comes down to who’s available at centre. My priority — positionally — is a centre, then a defensive wing with shooting ability, followed by a guard.

My rankings for these five players based on Raptors’ needs and long-term view:

1. Khaman Maluach

2. Carter Bryant

3. Jeremiah Fears

4. Derik Queen

5. Kasparas Jakucionis

Some quick reasoning here. Fears is the player with the highest upside here but with where the Raptors are now, positional need and individual floor is imperative to the evaluation. For those reasons, the gap between Fears and Maluach’s talent level isn’t enough to have Fears as the best choice of this lot. My rankings will expand as I evaluate more players and watch more film.

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Here’s my updated mock draft average projection as of June 9th:

What changes have happened? Fears and Knuepell have swapped spots while Essengue is now ahead of Demin. Liam McNeeley has jumped four spots to No. 15. Asa Newell has dropped three spots to 18.

Cedric Coward is the biggest jumper after the draft combine. His wingspan combined with his strong shooting skills are seeing him rise rapidly. Essengue was looking like the biggest upside swing pick outside of the top eight but Coward may supplant him when this is all said and done.

In my next draft prep piece, I will be focusing on Kon Knuepell, Egor Demin, Noah Essengue, and Collin Murray-Boyles. Based on what you’ve read here, let me know if there’s more you’d like me to add.