2023 NBA Mock Draft 7.0: Final lottery simulation

The Raptors’ roster-building emphasis on length and defensive versatility has left them lacking in other key areas. The team just didn’t shoot enough 3s to win the math game last season, and the lack of consistent perimeter shot creation outside of Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam — a big — certainly doesn’t feel like a recipe for success. To make matters worse, VanVleet is a free agent.

Keyonte George has his share of flaws. To start, he shot below 40 percent from the field at Baylor. Undersized score-first guards who shoot below 40 percent have, shall we say, a spotty track record in the NBA. The Raptors have generally avoided players in George’s mold too, which makes this feel like something of an odd fit on paper.

But, that’s precisely the issue. The Raptors can’t keep avoiding players like George. Toronto needs an injection of shot creation on the perimeter and George is more than capable of supplying it. The inefficiency is worrying, but he shoots an easy 3-ball and his general shot profile is promising. He gets to the rim frequently and doesn’t get caught up in endless parades of contested mid-range jumpers.

George doesn’t quite fit the point guard role right now, but he makes some nice passing reads out of the pick-and-roll and could progress to full-time ball-handling duties over time. For now, he’s a confident shooter and crafty slasher who could potentially revive an offense that feels dead in the water.