Toronto Raptors: The Case For Drafting Domantas Sabonis

While he’s currently being slotted as a mid-first round pick in many mock drafts, Domantas Sabonis could be exactly what the Toronto Raptors need out of this year’s draft.

This year’s NBA draft is only less than two weeks away and the Toronto Raptors are shaping up to be one of this year’s wild cards.

As an Eastern Conference contender this season, the Raptors are in an interesting position as they hold two first-round picks, with the ninth overall pick being the big prize for them.

While there are bigger decisions to be made coming soon in this offseason, this year’s draft gives the Raptors a big opportunity to make a move that sets them up for both the long-term and the present.

That’s where Domantas Sabonis comes in.

Sabonis is not your normal 20-year old prospect, both due to his upbringing (Sabonis is the son of the legendary Arvydas Sabonis) as well as his experience playing overseas, in both the club and international level.

After a solid season as a freshman last year, Sabonis broke out in a major way for Gonzaga this season (Sabonis averaged 17.5 points per game, 11.7 rebounds per game and 1.8 assists per game) and his draft stock has taken a significant rise as a result.

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With both his rejection to attend this year’s draft combine as well as his very select individual workout list (according to Brian Robb of CelticsHub.com), there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding Sabonis and where he falls in this year’s draft.

As one of the few teams that Sabonis is or has worked out for, there’s a few reasons why Sabonis would be a big get for the Raptors.

For one, he’d fill a hole for the Raptors as selecting Sabonis could solve the Raptors’ long-term starting power forward problem if he’s able to conquer a few of his weaknesses.

Offensively, Sabonis’ ability to play as a power foward would hinge on how well he would be able to stretch the floor (Sabonis only shot 5-of-14 on three-point attempts in his two seasons at Gonzaga).

With that said, Sabonis has reportedly impressed with his shooting range during his workouts so far (according to ESPN’s Chad Ford) and it could be a strength of his in time.

However, the bigger challenge for Sabonis playing as a power forward lies on the defensive end. With concerns surrounding his length and athleticism, Sabonis will have to prove that he’s capable of defending forwards that are likely much more athletic than him.