I’d like to welcome everyone back to yet another draft cycle! This year’s class won’t be as intriguing as the one prior, but I still think that it can be important for fans to recognize there are always going to be talented players coming into the league who are worth getting excited about. Unfortunately, the Raptors conveyed their lottery pick this year and are left with pick 19 and 31 in a particularly weak class.
I would say this class’ reputation as “weak” is a fair evaluation, and I’ve struggled making a big board far more than I would in a typical year, but I would still caution against writing off the entire class just because of that prevailing narrative. Even weak draft classes often yield good players, and the general unpredictability of this class means that the teams picking later could ultimately come away with the better players.
Over the next couple weeks leading up to the draft, I will be highlighting various players who I believe can potentially have long careers in the NBA — assuming they end up in the right spots. Specifically, players who I believe will fit a combination of high talent level and positional need for the Toronto Raptors, in hopes of solving the question of who the best prospect will be on the board at the 19th pick.
First on the list is Providence’s Devin Carter, who I have graded solidly in my top 10 this year. I’m not entirely sure if he’ll still be on the board when the Raptors are picking, but I wanted to make sure all our bases were covered, especially when it seems like there could be a lot of surprises on draft night. Let’s get to work.
Devin Carter | 6’3.5 Guard | Providence | 22 years old
The Intro
A junior, Carter exploded onto the scene this year and firmly planted himself in draft conversations after improving in almost every statistical area from his sophomore season. He’s been one of my personal favourite prospects to watch all season long due to his versatility on both ends of the floor, his motor, and ability to do all the little things that don’t show up in the box score.
One of the best defensive players in the class, Carter should be at the top of the list for Raptors fans who want to bring in some defensive identity and also fill a need at one of the backup guard spots.
The Offence
Going from a non-contributor on offence to one of the more efficient guards in college basketball will always raise a few eyebrows. Carter’s improved shooting has been a welcome surprise for Providence, but it needs to be said that his most efficient work from behind the arc mostly comes off the catch.
Self creating and shooting off the bounce are different issues entirely. While I wouldn’t write him off entirely here, they’re still skills he’s going to need to continue to develop if he wants to be a player that opposing defences will take seriously.
The mechanics are ugly (low push release, jerky, slow), but if the ball goes in there isn’t much more you can ask for. I’m sure the Raptors would want to fine tune some things but I’d be careful not to risk over-tweaking it to a point where he loses his shot entirely.
He’s an ineffective shooter from mid-range and not an elite handler, but Carter really shines at attacking the rim in most play types, and is usually quite lethal at finishing off a pick and roll. A big part of his effectiveness at slashing to the rim comes from his strength.
His finesse with both hands and ability to finish under the rim shouldn’t go unnoticed either.
Carter fits in as more of a combo guard at the next level. Those looking for the next Kyle Lowry, do it all, two way point guard will probably wish we were picking Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard instead. That said, Carter can make some impressive reads offensively and was a net positive playmaker at Providence which makes me believe he’d be well suited for a connective role in the NBA.
I think it would be in a team’s best interests to pair him alongside another bigger guard who is more used to playing in a creating role. This would allow Carter to capitalize on his off-ball offensive strengths, while also giving him opportunities to grow into a primary point guard role down the line.
The Defence
Carter’s always been a defensive beast and that’s one area of his game where you know the consistent improvement is legitimate and translatable to the NBA. Even with his increased role on offence in 2024, the Big East Player of the Year still submitted a truly elite defensive campaign.
While playing for the Friars, Carter posted 3.1% in both steal and block percentages.
With his strength and +5 wingspan, Carter will naturally draw comparisons to the elite defensive guards of the NBA such as Alex Caruso, Jalen Suggs, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. He just hounds guys and doesn’t give up on any defensive possessions.
Averaging almost 9 boards per game as a guard standing just over 6’3 speaks to his tenacity and is another point in the strength column.
It’s pretty rare for rookies to be impactful defensively, especially smaller guards, but Carter has given no reason to believe that he’ll be anything but a valuable defender at the next level.
More defensive highlights because he’s so fun, here’s a clip of Carter holding his own in a post up before blocking Canadian Jahmyl Telfort, a player 5 inches taller than him.
Brendan’s Take
As previously mentioned, I’ve struggled applying firm numbers to players on my big board this year, but I’ve watched enough of the class to know that taking Carter in the top 10 would be fair value. He’ll be an older rookie, but in a class such as this where teams will be desperate just for anybody to be a consistent contributor, Carter is one of the safer bets. The physical measurements are there, the advanced stats paint a beautiful picture of efficiency and defensive mastery, the decision making has been nothing but impressive to me, the only question is whether or not his offensive improvement is real enough to be a factor in the NBA or if he’s in fact pulling a Davion Mitchell on talent evaluators.
With all the positives laid out, I’m not entirely sure why Devin Carter vs UConn’s Stephon Castle isn’t a debate that more people are having.
From the buzz I’m hearing, Carter’s draft range will extend anywhere from mid-lottery to late teens, so the Raptors will be at the tail end of where he’s expected to be picked. When I first getting ready to write Carter’s report, he was seen as more of a mid first round guard who was a sexier name among draft enthusiasts. Since the combine, his stock has rocketed up to a point where I would be surprised to see him fall outside the lottery. That said, if Carter’s available at the 19th pick, I think Masai and Co. would be remiss to not take a chance on him. I would urge trading up a couple spots to secure him if the opportunity presented itself.
There are going to be more pieces coming soon. I plan on highlighting players that I’m a fan of like Jared McCain and Daron Holmes, as well as players that I’m not so high on like Yves Missi and Kyshawn George. Stay tuned for those.
For those who want to keep the draft vibe going and wonder what’s in store for the Raptors looking forward, check out Louis’ piece on why the Raptors should probably look at being bad next year too.
