Raptors pick potential Gary Trent Jr. replacement at NBA draft

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The Toronto Raptors opted on upside with the nineteenth pick of Wednesday’s NBA draft. Ja’Kobe Walter, a guard billed as a powerful athlete who can shoot and defend was the pick. Walter, 6-foot-4 with a Raptors-esque 6-foot-10 wingspan, isn’t the playmaker the group might use behind Immanuel Quickley, however he a potential replacement at no cost agent capturing guard Gary Trent Jr. and an choice to protect greater wings as nicely.

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Walter will flip 20 in September and averaged 14.5 factors, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in his lone season with Baylor. Despite his nice-looking shot, Walter hit solely 37.6% of his makes an attempt, together with 34.1% from three-point vary, although he was at 79.2% from the free throw line, shot nicely in highschool, and has good mechanics. He additionally attacked the paint when he wasn’t launching three-pointers, attending to the road typically. Baylor was eradicated within the second spherical of the NCAA match, however Walter was named BIg-12 rookie of the 12 months and the considering is with higher teammates and extra refinement he could possibly be a pleasant rotation piece for years to return.

The Raptors appeared thrilled to land him. General supervisor Bobby Webster mentioned simply earlier than Midnight Thursday they weren’t certain if Walter would nonetheless be on the board, however the straightforward consensus within the struggle room was that he was the perfect participant accessible when the time got here to make a name. “Maybe he thought he was going earlier,” Webster mentioned, describing Walter as “a winner, tough, a kid we followed since high school.”

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One of Walter’s strengths is his capability to maneuver off the ball and get himself open, a staple of Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic’s offensive system and one thing final 12 months’s No. 13 pick, Gradey Dick, can be robust at. The group is placing shooters round franchise participant Scottie Barnes and although he’s not “the best shooter in the draft” the best way Dick was seen to be a 12 months in the past, he has the potential to be a menace from exterior as nicely. The native of McKinney, Texas, a Dallas suburb, additionally drew excessive marks for his competitiveness, hustle and off-court intangibles.

“I think he’s got pretty good length. I think there’s just sort of an inner toughness when you watch him. And he rebounds the ball well. So (he’s) not afraid to kind of stick his nose in there,” Webster mentioned of Walter’s defensive strategy.

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Walter mentioned on a Zoom session with the Toronto media he desires to indicate off extra of his shot creation skills within the NBA, however added: “I consider myself a competitor, a scorer and a two-way player, somebody that will sacrifice their body on the defensive end and do whatever it takes to win.” Walter additionally mentioned whereas he didn’t work out for the Raptors and has by no means been to Canada, he’s conversant in Scottie Barnes (“big personality”), RJ Barrett and Quickley and is trying ahead to becoming in.

“I’m just trying to make an immediate impact in any way I can. Whatever they need me to do.”

Walter was given the identify Ja’Kobe by his dad and mom in an homage to all-time greats Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Asked if this night time was pre-ordained then, Walter mentioned: “I prayed so many times for this moment right here. It’s dreams into reality and I’m just grateful.”

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The Atlanta Hawks began the night time off by deciding on French ahead Zaccharie Rissacher first total. The Hawks, led by former Raptors ahead Landry Fields as its common supervisor, gained the draft lottery in May regardless of having simply 3% odds of doing so. But like when the Raptors gained the lottery again in 2006, there was no clear option to go first. Time will inform if Rissacher turns into an all-star, a bust or one thing in between like Andrea Bargnani was. Rissacher joined Bargnani, Yao Ming and countryman Victor Wembanyama as the one worldwide gamers who didn’t play within the NCAA to go first total.

Washington went with one other Frenchman, 7-foot-1 centre Alex Sarr with the second pick, who it expects will likely be a key a part of a long-term rebuild that can even function fellow French lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly, who went seventh total final 12 months (France had solely had one participant ever picked within the high seven previous to final 12 months’s draft and now has 5 within the final two drafts, together with consecutive high picks). The Wizards had earlier dealt away proficient swingman Deni Avdija for 4 draft picks and oft-injured guard Malcolm Brogdan, who they’ll attempt to re-route. Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, billed as the perfect shooter within the draft, went third to Houston, strong guard Stephon Castle, from the NCAA champion UConn Huskies, went fourth to San Antonio, whereas Ron Holland, of the G League Ignite, rounded out the highest 5, heading to Detroit. France’s Tidjane Salaun went sixth to Charlotte, with UConn centre Donovan Clingan surprisingly falling to Portland at seven. Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham went eight to San Antonio, however was dealt to Minnesota. Toronto’s Zach Edey was chosen ninth by the Memphis Grizzlies, the place he be teammates with fellow Canadian Brandon Clarke.

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The Raptors acquired the nineteenth pick of this draft from the Indiana Pacers as a part of the Pascal Siakam commerce. The group can even obtain Indiana’s 2026 first-round choice if it’s not within the Top 4. Toronto misplaced the No. 8 total choice to San Antonio due to the Feb. 2023 deal that introduced Jakob Poeltl again to the Raptors. The group acquired the primary pick of Thursday’s second spherical of this draft, No. 31 total, by way of the blockbuster take care of the New York Knicks final season that despatched OG Anunoby out and introduced again Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett.

Toronto expects to obtain many gives in a single day earlier than Round 2 kicks off at 4 ET.

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