Kansas basketball: Predicting NBA Draft landing spots for two Jayhawks

May 15, 2023; Chicago, Il, USA; Gradey Dick of Kansas participates in the 2023 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
May 15, 2023; Chicago, Il, USA; Gradey Dick of Kansas participates in the 2023 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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Gradey Dick #4 of the Kansas Jayhawks (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Gradey Dick #4 of the Kansas Jayhawks (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Gradey Dick — Toronto Raptors (Pick No. 13)

Toronto just hired Darko Rajakovic as their next head coach, and Fred VanVleet could very well be on his way out after declining his player option. After an underwhelming season that ended in the NBA Play-In Tournament, Dick could replace the void left by Toronto’s offseason departures.

In addition to VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. is an unrestricted free agent expected to head elsewhere in free agency. If both leave, Toronto’s guard room will be lacking, and they could use someone with the outside shot of Dick’s.

The Raptors will soon shift into rebuild mode, and who better to start your rebuild with than the 19-year-old Gradey Dick? Even if he does not fall to Toronto, they must take a guard or wing with a playstyle similar to his.

Dick could go in the top 10 to the Mavericks or Jazz, teams that direly need wings on their roster. However, his draft stock has dipped slightly in the past few weeks. Assuming he falls to general manager Masai Ujiri, it’s hard to see how he does not take him.