After making the playoffs the year before, the Toronto Raptors finished the 2020-21 NBA season with an abysmal record of 27-45. Despite just having the 7th best odds to win the 2021 NBA Draft, they instead climbed up to number 4 on the draft board.
This draft class certainly has a lot of talented young individuals, and one name that struck me the most as the perfect fit for the Raptors is G-League Ignite's Jalen Green. Green, a 5-star recruit and the number 1 ranked high school player in the class of 2020, made shockwaves when he announced that he would skip college to play professional basketball in the NBA's G-League. With this kid's talent, Toronto should really go all in and trade up for him.
Here are the two reasons why Jalen Green is the perfect fit for the Raptors.
2. Three Level Scoring and Athleticism
The Raptors desperately needed someone who can at least replicate what Kawhi Leonard did for them during his lone season in Toronto. Enter Jalen Green, who averaged 17.9 points in 46.1% shooting ( 36.5% from threes) on his G-League stint. Those are not eye-popping numbers, but he is a 19-year old kid who played against grown men.
Jalen Green showed flashes of his potential scoring-wise and dropped a career-high 30 point game against these men who are fighting for a spot in the NBA. He averaged 31 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists per game during his senior year in high school, so imagine what he could have done if he decided to go play college ball.
I'm not saying he is the perfect scorer, yes he has flaws like his occasional wild shot selection, but they sure are fixable. Green would definitely improve in the future given the right developmental system. He has mad hops and is naturally quick, and his athleticism allows him to get to almost any spot he wants on the floor.
Green is also an electric and hyper-athletic guard who can just run and fly out of the transition. This is something that cannot be coached and learned. Jalen is the type of player who can break down opposing defenses and drain shot after shot. He is a certified bucket-getter and a shot creator, which the Raptors badly need right now.
1. Upside and Development
The Raptors have one of the best development systems in the league, just ask Fred VanVleet, Norman Powell, Pascal Siakam, Chris Boucher, and DeMar DeRozan.
Jalen Green has some flaws in his game, particularly his work and effort on the defensive end, and the Raptors can definitely develop and mold him into a better defender. Toronto has a lot of great defenders he can also learn from like OG Anunoby, Boucher and Siakam, and these veterans would be a huge help for a young guy like him.
Green also needs to improve his playmaking skills, as it was exposed during their losses in the G-League. The Raptors have one of the best floor generals in Kyle Lowry who can help mentor Green in that specific area. Jalen has all the tools to improve as a player, and these flaws will certainly not be a hindrance to what he can achieve if he can truly tap on his potential. Among the players in this year's draft class, I personally think that Green has the highest ceiling of them all because of his athleticism and scoring potential.
Follow Us
Subscribe