Mock Draft: Raptors Select Elite Defensive Wing With 31st Pick

There was a time not too long ago when Ryan Dunn would have looked like an obvious Toronto Raptors-type of prospect.

Toronto used to be loaded with versatile defense-first wings like Dunn. Raptors president Masai Ujiri had said he would happily build a team full of players like OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Scottie Barnes. It seemed like the Raptors were content to build a team with a strong defensive identity and the 6-foot-6 Dunn would have fit in perfectly.

But something seems to have changes.

Toronto hired Darko Rajaković as a more offensive-minded head coach, sharpshooter Gradey Dick was selected in the first round of last year's draft, and Achiuwa, Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam have been replaced by more offense-first players like Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Kelly Olynyk.

Now the Raptors find themselves with a new identity.

The organization appears to have committed itself to finding shooters and offensively versatile types of prospects and in that sense, Dunn doesn't fit. The sophomore forward from Virginia has almost no offensive repertoire to speak of. He averaged 8.1 points per game while shooting 20% from three-point range and 53.2% from the free-throw line. He doesn't playmake, he doesn't shoot well at all, and he if he's not near the hoop, he's probably not scoring.

But what Dunn lacks in offensive firepower, he makes up for by being one of the best defensive wings in this year's draft class and the kind of player Toronto may want to consider at No. 31 where both ESPN and The Athletic expected Dunn to be selected.

The 214-pound Dunn has a 7-foot-2 wingspan that allows him to defend across positions. He's comfortable switching onto quick guards and can hold his own against bigger players as well. It was his defense that allowed Virginia to boast the seventh-best defensive rating in the country this past year, according to KenPom's rankings.

In that sense, Toronto could really use a player like Dunn. The Raptors ranked 26th in defensive rating this past year and are in desperate need of another wing stopper after trading away Anunoby. Dunn would take the load off Scottie Barnes who was asked to take on the No. 1 defensive assignment in the days following the Anunoby deal.

But the offensive weaknesses with Dunn can't be overlooked and for a Raptors team that still has serious floor-spacing issues, it's hard to see how Dunn fits. If Toronto thinks it can fix Dunn's shooting, the 21-year-old has a chance to be a special 3-and-D role player. Without that development, though, Dunn may have a tough time seeing the floor for Toronto.