NBA Draft Grades: Toronto Raptors Do Nothing To Fill Roster Holes

27th pick – Pascal Siakam

The real head-scratching move came with the selection of Pascal Siakam with the 27th overall pick. The Raptors were handed an incredible opportunity with the 27th pick, as two lottery projected power forwards were somehow still up for grabs in Deyonta Davis and Skal Labissiere.

Labissiere in particular would have been a great potential fit for the Raptors given his ability to knock down outside shots and his athleticism. But for some reason the team decided to go with Siakam, someone who was projected to be a mid-second round pick on almost every draft board.

Siakam is a 22-year-old power forward standing at 6’10” with a 7’3″ wingspan. He’s an active big man with a high motor and a very limited offensive game. Most of his shots came around the basket in college, where he converted at a 62 percent rate.

Given the likely departure of Bismack Biyombo in free agency this summer, it appears as though Ujiri was looking to get a discount version of the same player. At best this pick was a reach, at worst it was a disaster. Given the opportunity cost and the upside of the players still available, it’s hard to not be discouraged by this selection.

Grade: D

Next: Final Grade