7
Moses Moody Freshman, G, Arkansas
16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks, 43% fg, 36% 3pt, 81% ft, 34 mpg
For Toronto, the 2020-2021 season was an absolute dud. Going from a perennial playoff team to the mid-lottery and the potential to lose their franchise player this Summer has to hurt, but there are no signs yet of Toronto committing to a rebuild.
Without a top pick to land a potential franchise-changing player, the Raptors can make a safe bet in Moses Moody who fits the mold of today’s three-and-D prospect. With solid size at 6-foot-6, Moody could play either wing position, which could give Toronto some flexibility in free agency and with their lineups.
Moody, another one of the younger prospects in this draft, just recently turned 19 and was the SEC’s rookie of the year on a great Arkansas team. He was able to score in volume in a largely catch-and-shoot role, which is an admirable trait in a prospect nowadays.
Between his off-ball capabilities and defensive upside, he is the type of player who could fit into any system well. At a minimum, Moody is a safe bet to be a solid role player and floor spacer, but it would not be surprising to see him develop into more.
8
Scottie Barnes Freshman, F, FSU
10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 50% fg, 28% 3pt, 62% ft, 25 mpg
Pick via Chicago Bulls
More than likely, the Orlando Magic will have the opportunity to cash in on one of the two first-round picks they acquired from Chicago in exchange for All-Star big Nikola Vucevic. This selection is protected top four, but for now, the Bulls are slated to pick eighth, thus the pick would transfer to Orlando.
Starting a rebuild with two top-ten picks in a deep class is a great thing for Orlando, and they get great value out of Scottie Barnes in the latter portion of the top-ten. Though the franchise appears to be committed to Jonathan Isaac at the four, Barnes fits the defensive identity that Orlando has held for so many years and could be a great facilitator off of the bench, at least to begin his career.
Barnes is a very unique prospect at the four, as he is a gifted passer and defender but struggles mightily to create shots for himself. Because of his shaky scoring skillset, Barnes is a rather unaggressive offensive player, preferring to play a facilitation role on that end.
His lack of range and overall scoring knack will scare some teams off, but his unique skill set could lead him to facilitate an offense in some capacity in the future and in the right system. Because of varying opinions of his value, it is hard to predict where he will land on draft night, but one would have to think that he will hear his name called in the top 10.