Is it too early to consider a 2025 NBA mock draft?

Yes, definitely.

But as the 2024-25 Toronto Raptors season approaches, it’s not hard to get a sense of where this team will likely be in the playoff picture. Toronto appears to be just outside the playoff picture, too good to be among the league’s worst teams but probably not good enough to crack the top eight in the Eastern Conference.

In this spirit, The latest OnSI simulation project Toronto was selected eighth overall in next year’s highly coveted draft class after a mock draft on Tankathon. Considering the depth of the class, it’s a very good pick, with Duke’s Khaman Maluach expected to be Toronto’s pick.

Maluach is a 7-foot-2 South Sudanese big man and the No. 6 high school prospect in the Class of 2024, according to the 247Sports Composite RankingsMaluach has a 7-foot-6 wingspan and all the physical gifts to be a star at the next level.

There are questions, however, about how Maluach will fare this season as a freshman for the Blue Devils. His offense is still developing and his defensive game is still developing. He has all the tools to be a difference-maker at the next level, but the 17-year-old is going to have to prove he can play in crucial situations for the Blue Devils before he cements himself as a lottery pick in next year’s draft.

Toronto has depth at forward this season, but Kelly Olynyk’s contract expires in 2026, and Jakob Poeltl doesn’t seem like a good long-term fit for the Raptors’ core. Ulrich Chomche is going to need plenty of development opportunities, and it’s unclear if he’ll be NBA ready next season. While that’s more depth than Toronto has had in recent years, there’s no other young big man in the pipeline to succeed Poeltl.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about this Raptors team and how Maluach will fare in college next year. That said, if the Duke freshman looks as impressive as expected this year, he could be a tough pick for Toronto to overlook in next year’s draft.

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