The Raptors need to target these players in the 2026 NBA Draft

"It's a bittersweet time to be a Raptors fan. The regular season success is starting to come back into the picture for the franchise, but there is a looming sense of unease. Some of the pieces of this puzzle don't fit together cleanly. The team very clearly has some bad salary, and it's a little uncertain how the roster can improve without taking unappealing and risky money in return or by offloading assets that are still needed in order to realize long-term success."

"We need only look as far as the reigning NBA Champions to understand the importance of continuing to build through the draft, even as a team with championship aspirations. Sam Presti's genius may be difficult to replicate in today's current stingy trade market, where the value of draft picks are skyrocketing; it is becoming increasingly rare to see multiple first round picks moved even in trades for other stars. However, the importance of finding cost-controlled, high-ceiling talent should not be understated."

"Not only is the 2026 NBA Draft arguably the best draft class in years, but it realistically has the chance to be one of the best draft classes of all time. Even if the Raptors are picking in the late teens to early twenties of this class, the chances they could come away with an instant high-ceiling contributor ( we all love CMB, right?) are too high to ignore."

The Raptors show tangible regular-season progress but face roster construction problems from undesirable contracts and limited clean trade options. Current on-court play accelerates development for existing young pieces if they receive more trust and opportunities. The trade market is tight and moving draft picks has become increasingly costly, making draft capital more valuable for finding cost-controlled, high-upside talent. The 2026 draft is especially promising and could yield immediate contributors even in mid-first-round spots, so holding picks into that class preserves future upside while balancing present competitive growth.

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