Drafting for need gets general managers fired, but drafting for pure talent can leave your roster looking like an incomplete puzzle.
The Toronto Raptors are holding the 19th and 50th picks in what draft experts call the deepest class in recent memory. Assistant General Manager Dan Tolzman recently told reporters that the team plans to look at the best player available when they go on the clock in Brooklyn on June 23. It is a classic front-office line. You don't want to tip your hand, and you don't want to limit your options. You might also find this related coverage useful: Why Scaloni Believes Argentina Will Keep Winning the Mental Game in 2026.
But if you look closely at this roster, the "best player available" mantra has to intersect with a massive physical reality. The Raptors are soft at the rim, lack vertical spacing, and have precisely one healthy contributor taller than 6-foot-9. Going strictly for a guard or another overlapping wing because the board says so could stall the team's entire defensive identity.
The Jakob Poeltl Problem Is Driving the Draft Board
Let's look at the center position. Jakob Poeltl is a productive, high-IQ basketball player. He passes well out of the short roll and understands positioning. But he's turning 31 in October, his lower back has been a recurring issue, and his presence on the floor caps Toronto’s ceiling at both ends. As extensively documented in latest articles by Sky Sports, the results are significant.
Poeltl averaged a mere 0.7 blocks per game last season. He played just 19.1 minutes per contest across 46 games, a dramatic drop-off caused by injuries and a regression in overall impact. He dropped from 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds two seasons ago to a quieter 10.7 points and 7 rebounds this past year.
When Poeltl is off the floor, or when his back acts up, the paint becomes a runway. The modern NBA is driven by matchup hunting. Playoff teams drag slow-footed centers into perimeter switches and target them relentlessly. Right now, Toronto doesn't have a big man who can step out to cover the perimeter, nor do they have a terrifying vertical presence who can recover and erase mistakes at the cup.
Tolzman didn't hide this deficiency. He openly admitted that the front office is looking closely at shot-blocking and lob threats because it’s a wrinkle the offense and defense both lack. With the San Antonio Spurs building a monster around Victor Wembanyama, every team in the league is scrambling to find unique, athletic size to compete.
Targets Who Solve the Size Dilemma
The depth of this draft works heavily in Toronto’s favor. Several high-ceiling big men are projected to go right around the late teens, giving the front office a legitimate chance to secure a long-term defensive anchor without reaching.
Aday Mara, Michigan
If Mara falls to 19, you run the card to the podium. At 7-foot-3, the young center has seen his draft stock skyrocket during the pre-draft cycle. He possesses the kind of elite length that alters game plans before players even enter the paint. While he’s still developing his frame, his physical traits offer a completely different look than anything currently on the roster. The problem? Teams ahead of Toronto are noticing, and he might not be there when the clock starts ticking.
Chris Cenac Jr., Houston
Cenac is the modern archetype. He measured over 6-foot-10 with a massive 7-foot-5 wingspan and a solid 240-pound frame. He has the build to absorb contact inside and the raw physical tools to switch out onto guards when teams try to hunt him in pick-and-roll schemes. Coming from the Houston program, he has been coached in a system that demands relentless defensive effort—something the Raptors clearly value given their past appreciation for players like Jamal Shead.
Hannes Steinbach, Germany
Steinbach represents a more traditional, bruising fallback option if the high-flying targets are gone. He brings ready-made interior physicality and a high motor. He won’t give you the same perimeter flexibility as Cenac, but he ensures the team won’t get bullied inside when Poeltl rests.
Balancing the Board with Perimeter Needs
While size is the most glaring issue, Toronto can't ignore its perimeter weakness. The team shot a miserable 35.4 percent from beyond the arc last season, ranking 21st in the NBA. If an elite floor-spacer slides, the definition of "best player available" shifts.
Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz has been heavily linked to Toronto in mock drafts and visited the team for a workout. Stirtz is a lethal 3-point specialist who provides instant spacing. Dailyn Swain from Texas is another name to watch. Swain showed incredible developmental growth, raising his three-point percentage from a horrific 15 percent as a freshman at Xavier to 34 percent during his junior year in Austin. He is long, athletic, and fits the versatile mold Toronto traditionally loves.
Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr. could be the ultimate talent curveball. He is tracking as one of the best point guard prospects in the class. If a lottery-level talent like Philon slides to 19 due to draft-night positional runs, Toronto has to consider it, even if backcourt depth isn't their biggest fire.
Next Steps for the Front Office
Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster face a critical week of decision-making. To maximize this deep draft, the front office must execute three clear steps:
- Prioritize the medical evaluations on remaining centers: Given Poeltl's back issues, any big man drafted at 19 must have a clean bill of health to handle immediate rotational minutes.
- Aggressively explore moving up if Aday Mara clears pick 14: If the Michigan center begins to slide toward the mid-teens, Toronto has the asset capital to move up a few spots and secure an elite 7-foot-3 defensive anchor.
- Use pick 50 strictly on shooting volume: If size is addressed in the first round, the 50th selection must be used on an older, high-percentage college shooter to fix the team's spacing issues.
Sticking to the "best player available" strategy keeps your asset portfolio strong, but building around Scottie Barnes requires real defensive identity. True rim protection isn't a luxury for this roster anymore. It's a necessity.
