When the Toronto Raptors passed on Jalen Suggs in the 2021 NBA Draft, it only made one team happy: the Orlando Magic. After all, Suggs was considered a Top 3 pick, so getting him at No. 5 is already a massive steal.
Apparently, however, the Raptors have a good reason for passing up on Suggs and favoring Scottie Barnes instead. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN and as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun supported, the former Gonzaga star had a “horrible” workout with the team.
Of course, that is not the only reason the Raptors chose Barnes over Suggs, but that certainly played a factor in the team's decision.
FWIW, Brian Windhorst said on his podcast word was Suggs had a bad workout with the Raptors. A source with no affiliation with Raptors told me they’d heard the same.
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) July 30, 2021
While that may be the case, Jalen Suggs doesn't seem to have any regrets as the Magic didn't let him slip further in the Top 5.
After he was drafted by Orlando, Suggs had an emotional reaction before promising the Magic that they will be happy they chose him among many other top-level prospects in his class.
“It means the world,” Suggs said, via Josh Robbins of The Athetlic. “Honestly, it makes me so excited to get there and give them my all. I’m going to do nothing less than that.
Suggs was one of the biggest names a lot of people were keeping an eye on. After Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green established themselves as the top two candidates, it was between him and Evan Mobley for No. 3 and 4.
Of course, the Magic are surely more than ecstatic to have him at No. 5. Moreover, if he had his pre-draft workout with Orlando, it's safe to assume it went well since the team seemed to have no concerns quickly pouncing on him.
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