Biggest Mistake the Raptors Must Avoid in the 2026 NBA Draft

For all intents and purposes, the Toronto Raptors should select the best player available on the board when they are on the clock with the No. 19 overall pick.

However, the Raptors cannot approach this draft the same as they have in the past. The Raptors are coming off their first playoff appearance since 2022, where they lost in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. They need a player that will help them win next season, which means they should avoid selecting long-term projects that are in the first round for their upside alone.

Raptors Must Target Win-Now Player, Not Long-Term Project

Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance reacts after a play during the second half | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Raptors are in position to emerge as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference next season, but they need to add players that are more ready for the NBA.

Some players, like Karim Lopez from the New Zealand Breakers, Jayden Quaintance from Kentucky, and Allen Graves from Santa Clara all have a lot of potential, but they need reps to get better. The Raptors cannot guarantee minutes for the No. 19 overall pick because they have a pretty full rotation already, with players who have proven they can help Toronto go to the playoffs.

While each of them could be the best player available when the Raptors are on the clock, there is a very low chance that any of them will be playoff-ready rotation players by April. If this is the range of players available to the Raptors when it's their time to pick, they should look into trading back into the late first round or even the early second round.

Raptors Should Target Experienced College Players

The best way the Raptors could get win-now players is by looking at those who have played multiple seasons of college basketball. Iowa guard Bennett Sturtz fits this mold as someone who has played four seasons in the NCAA. He started in Division II, worked his way up to Drake University, and then to the University of Iowa, where he helped the Hawkeyes go to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.

Other players, like Texas forward Dailyn Swain and North Carolina center Henri Veesaar, have experience in multiple high-level programs, which could help them at the next level when they reach the NBA.

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