Title: NBA Draft prospects: Taking a second look at the Raptors’ options at No. 4
Date: July 20, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I revisited the top four players in the draft through a Raptors lens, as they await one to fall to No. 4.
You will be shocked to learn, as I was, that Raptors fans are more interested in the No. 4 pick than the Nos. 46 and 47 picks. I know, I know. It’s mark behaviour. Anyone can have a hot take at No. 4. Only the real heads want to argue about who should start at the three for Raptors 905 next year on a two-way deal.
With that preference in mind, and because it’s been nearly a month since the draft lottery, we’re interrupting the deeper dive into the second-round and undrafted pool to circle back on the top names in the draft.
This year’s class is a good one, but a lot of that excitement is concentrated at the top; opinions begin to vary quite wildly once you get outside the top four picks or so. Luckily for the Raptors, they drew into what I’ve been calling The Coward’s Ideal. If we assume the rough consensus top-four in the draft is accurate and the top three teams will select from within that tier, it means the Raptors can simply take the player who is left at the end. You get all the buzz and upside of the No. 4 pick in a four-player top tier (or tier-and-a-half) without having to actually choose. Were you a coward, it’s the ideal position to be in.
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 