Raptors Have Interviewed Trayce Jackson-Davis Who Fits Toronto's Old Vision 6-9 Strategy

The Toronto Raptors have reportedly spoken to Indiana Hoosiers senior Trayce Jackson-Davis ahead of the NBA Draft

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A prospect like Trayce Jackson-Davis would have seemed ideal for the Toronto Raptors at this time last year.

It appeared then that Toronto was locked into building a team full of 6-foot-9 wings. Versatility and switchability seemed valued over all else. They’d built a roster full of wings and showed no signs then of trying to deviate.

These days, though, the Raptors appear to be moving in the other direction despite reportedly speaking to Indiana prospect Jackson-Davis, as Adam Zagoria reported, ahead of next month’s NBA Draft. The additions of Christian Koloko, Jakob Poeltl, and, to a lesser extent, Will Barton suggest Toronto is moving away from the so-called Vision 6-9 strategy, and yet, Jackson-Davis appears to be on Toronto's radar.

Jackson-Davis is the type of player Toronto already has in abundance. He’s 6-foot-9, 245 pounds, and known more for his defensive skills than his offensive ability. While he did average 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, and four assists per game last season as a senior for the Hoosiers, he never made a single three-pointer in his four-year career and never developed much of an offensive repertoire outside of the paint.

“The lefty forward plays with a lot of energy and does most of his damage in the paint on offense,” wrote Sports Illustrated. “Jackson-Davis is patient with his post moves and has good balance. He feels his defender well when backing them down in the paint and loves to spin into a dunk or layup. He can finish with both hands, but definitely prefers turning into a left-handed shot in the post.”

“Outside of the jumper, Jackson-Davis’ skillset makes him somewhat of a tweener as it relates to his NBA position. This makes it difficult to evaluate him as a prospect at the next level,” Sports Illustrated continued. “He’s a bit too small to play center but doesn’t necessarily have the range and skill of many modern forwards.”

Jackson-Davis is currently projected to go well after Toronto’s 13th pick, usually at some point in the second round. Considering the Raptors don’t have a second-round pick this year, it’s possible the organization is looking at Jackson-Davis as an undrafted free agent or someone just to keep an eye on for down the road.

Further Reading

Easy to see why Raptors have spoken to Arkansas' Anthony Black

Could the Raptors swing a deal with Portland for the No. 3 pick?

Raptors can't get lucky, staying put at 13th pick in NBA draft lottery