Raptors eye best player available with 19th pick in next week’s NBA draft

TORONTO – The message was clear from Dan Tolzman.

The Toronto Raptors will be sticking to the script in going for the best player available in next week’s NBA draft.

With the deepest draft class in recent memory on offer, the team’s assistant general manager shared some insight into a potential route to take at pick No. 19. The draft is taking place on June 23-24 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“We’ve got a lot of really interesting bigs but I think everyone knows we don’t (have) lob threats (and) shot blocking; that’s probably the side of the bigs that we have lacked,” Tolzman said. 

“And so, taking a close look at that … it’s going to be a wrinkle in our offence that I think could unlock some other stuff.”

The question was posed in regard to an issue most of the league now faces: finding premium bigs to address the problem the San Antonio Spurs pose with superstar Victor Wembenyama.

“I think everybody wants bigs that can step out on the perimeter, not only offensively but defensively too,” Tolzman said. “Because as you see in the playoffs, it’s all about matchups. If you can put people in actions and try to hunt the matchups that you want; you want your bigs to be able to switch around.”

Seven-footer Jakob Poeltl is the only true centre on the Raptors roster, and the only player taller than six-foot-nine.

However, Poeltl is turning 31 in October and missed 36 games due to injuries, namely a bad lower back. 

While he is a good passer, he doesn’t pose a threat on the perimeter, nor does he possess the athleticism and rim protecting chops (0.7 blocks per game last season) to scare teams from driving to the basket. He only played 19.1 minutes per game in Toronto’s seven-game series against Cleveland.

With Poeltl locked into a four-year, US$104 million deal through 2029-30, the Raptors could benefit from drafting a younger, more athletic and gifted big man. Chris Cenac Jr., Morez Johnson Jr., and Hannes Steinbach are among the names that could fall to 19.

Although there are a number of good bigs available, much of the hype around this draft has been about the guards.

Tolzman acknowledged that the team has also done its due diligence on the guards available. Toronto finished 20th in three-point percentage (35.4 per cent) and could benefit from added shot creation.

Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson and Baylor’s Cameron Carr are the biggest names expected to fall near the range of the Raptors’ pick.

“If a lot of those guards do go early then there is … a lot bigs in that range of us as well so we got to know that position as well,” Tolzman said. “Same thing as you compare all these guys side by side, how do you stack them out head to head. That’s what we’re working on right now.”

Tolzman said the Raptors are looking for a certain demeanour in their draft picks, regardless of position.

“There’s definitely a certain type of player that we look for in terms of being able to impact both sides of the ball, offence, defence,” he said. “And from there, we try to get guys that are good characters that bring the level of toughness to not only the game but also to the The work they put in away from (it). 

“Just guys that are committed to getting better because so many of these these guys that we would be looking at 19 or 50 even, they’re just scratching the surface on what they can be but it’s gonna be on them to get to those next levels. If you bring in the right people that have that approach, then we’re getting the best out of it too, just like they’re getting it.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2026.