Sign up for the paNOW newsletter

Webster: Raptors have been working to trade into this year’s NBA draft

Jun 20, 2018 | 3:00 PM

TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have been busy trying to trade their way into this year’s NBA draft.

Toronto has no pick in Thursday’s draft at Barclays Center in New York, and while GM Bobby Webster remained mum on the Raptors plans on the eve of the big night, he did say trading into the draft isn’t so simple.

“It’s always tough,” Webster said Wednesday. “We always say you fall in love with your picks at this time of year so it’s hard to get rid of them. We’ve been in the opposite situation where we’ve had a lot of picks and we haven’t moved them so we’re constantly trying to get in, we’re probing and asking the right questions as far as what it would take to get in, and that’s just part of our daily due diligence.”

A report earlier this week claimed Toronto was looking to trade into the draft to nab Canadian and Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“I heard it. A couple of guys mentioned it to me. That would be cool,” Gilgeous-Alexander said at the pre-draft availability in New York. “Playing in Toronto would be fun. It’s my hometown. But like I said, playing in the NBA, it doesn’t matter what team I go to; it will be a blessing.”

The 19-year-old from Toronto, who grew up a Raptors fan, impressed scouts at the draft combine particularly with a length — six foot six with a 6-11 wingspan — that’s tough to find in a point guard.

Mock drafts have Gilgeous-Alexander going between No. 8 and 12. He started his rookie season on the bench before moving into the starting lineup on Jan. 9. He averaged 16.4 points a game the rest of the way.

“On the court, I think I bring playmaking, defence and leadership qualities,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Those are probably my three biggest things. And off the court, I’m a likable guy, coachable guy, charismatic and fun to be around.”

He said he’s eager to follow in the footsteps of other Canadian draft picks. Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins went No. 1 overall in back-to-back years, and teen star R.J. Barrett is a projected No. 1 pick in 2019.  

“It’s an honour to be thought of like that,” he said. “Being from Canada and having a lot of kids look up to you, it doesn’t happen as often as it does for American kids. I just want to be the best example for those kids both on and off the court.”

Toronto, meanwhile, didn’t have a pick in the 2013 draft either. Then-GM Bryan Colangelo had traded it to Houston along with Gary Forbes for point guard Kyle Lowry.

Webster and team president Masai Ujiri will spend Thursday night in their “war room” at Biosteel Centre, a state of the art room with interactive screens and table top that looks like something out of “Minority Report.”

With no draft picks, the Raptors have only had a handful of players in for traditional pre-draft workouts, but Webster believes they’ve done enough research on available players.

“I think from the start it was very similar which is: let’s canvas all of college, international basketball, some of the high school stuff for guys that are eligible and really get a sense for them earlier in the year,” Webster said. “Obviously not having them in here, and having a little bit more of a personal touch puts a little bit of a question mark, but I think we’re very comfortable with our process and our early season looks at guys.”

The Raptors were fortunate to get OG Anunoby with the 23rd pick last season, after the Indiana forward fell down the draft due to concerns about his torn ACL.   

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press