2016 NBA Draft: 3 Players Raptors Should Target At No. 9

2016 NBA Draft: 3 Players Raptors Should Target at No. 9

March 8, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Domantas Sabonis (11) celebrates against the Saint Mary's Gaels during the first half in the finals of the women's West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

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Dec 19, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Domantas Sabonis (11) dribbles against Tennessee Volunteers forward Derek Reese (23) during the first half at KeyArena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Gonzaga

Regardless of what happens with Biyombo or DeRozan, the Raptors have a need at power forward. Both Luis Scola and Jason Thompson are unrestricted free agents and the returning Patrick Patterson hasn’t exactly set the world on fire.

One option to solve their problem at the position is drafting Gonzaga standout Domantas Sabonis.

Sabonis made a huge leap forward from his freshman to sophomore year. In his first season with the Bulldogs, he averaged 9.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 67 percent from the field and 66 percent from the free throw line.

Then this season he averaged 17.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game while shooting 61 percent from the field and 77 percent from the line.

Aside from the dip in field goal percentage, which likely resulted from his shot attempts per game being nearly doubled from 5.7 to 10.9 per game, he showed huge improvement and really developed into an NBA-caliber player.

With Sabonis described as one of the best rebounders in his class he would make for quite a tandem with Valanciunas. And if he works on his range a bit, Sabonis could end up as one of the better players in this draft, making his selection at No. 9 a bargain for Toronto.

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