How the Raptors built an NBA Finals team with a bold gamble and without any lottery picks

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The Toronto Raptors are in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Much of the Raptors’ core were acquired in trades over the years, including Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka.
The Raptors have also been excellent at drafting, getting several rotation players late in the draft or signing undrafted players to the roster.
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The Toronto Raptors are in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

One year ago, this would have sounded ludicrous. Last season, after a franchise-best 59 wins, the Raptors were swept out of the playoffs by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, raising major questions about their future.

Raptors GM Masai Ujiri decided to re-tool the team. He made the call on the bold Kawhi Leonard trade, sending franchise star DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs. He also went all-in mid-season by trading for All-Star center Marc Gasol.

But while trades equipped the Raptors with star players, they also were in a position to make those moves because of their excellent drafting. The Raptors don’t have a single player on the roster who was taken in the lottery. Furthermore, several of their best rotation players were picked in the 20s, the second round, or went un-drafted entirely.

Here’s how the Raptors built the best team in the East and a potential threat to the Golden State Warriors:

Unlike some top teams, the Raptors’ core was built almost primarily through trades.

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The Kawhi Leonard trade put the Raptors over the top.

David Zalubowski/AP

If someone wants to quibble with the idea that the Raptors built a contender without a top-10 pick, it’d be that they used one to acquire Leonard.

In July, after Leonard had a falling-out with the San Antonio Spurs, the Raptors swooped in by offering DeMar DeRozan (the 9th pick in the 2009 draft), Jakob Poeltl, and a top-20 protected pick.

The deal immediately paid off. Leonard made All-NBA Second Team this year and has only elevated his game in the postseason, averaging 31.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 50.7% FG and 38.8% 3FG while often being asked to defend the opponents’ best player. There is some debate over whether he’s the best player in the NBA.

Danny Green also came over in that trade and proved essential, averaging 10 points per game with 45.5% three-point shooting in the regular season.

Mary Altaffer/AP

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