Nate Bittle is joining the Toronto Raptors on an Exhibit-10 deal. This is a long-term bet on development but I'd like to make a case for why Nate has a better shot to make it than most 7 footers who went undrafted. 1. He's smart. This doesn't just mean he's a mature, level-headed 23 year-old with good habits and work ethic, but he's also quite intelligent on the court. He processes feedback well, makes timely reads, and picks his spots pretty well. Apart from a few unforced turnovers and some foul trouble earlier in his college career, I'm not worried about his basketball brain. 2. He can shoot. And I mean shoot shoot. Not big man shoot. He has excellent touch indicators, and the shot should go in more than it actually does. Repeatable, high and quick release. Pulls with an abundance of sureness and confidence. 3. Improvement arc. His role expanded with the Ducks through the years and he just found a way to get better. There's no quantum leaps here, nor will 1 be coming. But he absolutely knows who he is as a player. 4. He can really pass. Not exceptionally. But he at least projects to be as good a passer as Jakob Poeltl, which is a huge win. 5. True 7-footer with a 7'6 wingspan. Gets long and big around the basket. Huge standing reach and plays with it. 6. Got stronger. Way too many people assume Nate is 7'1 215. Spoke to someone close to the source close to the situation who said he was closer to 7'1 245 and got up to 255 by the G League combine. That's BIG. 7. He's a drop big. Yes. But he's good at it. And I think his lateral quickness is better than people think it is. 8. Wingspan. He measured out with the largest wingspan in this draft at 7'6, tied with 12th overall pick Aday Mara. However, his Height (7'0) to Wingspan (7'6) differential of 6 inches is the biggest of any player in this draft north of 6'11. 9. He's got a nasty streak. He protects the rim, he goes up strong. Did he at times get bumped off his spot? Yes. But he competes man. 10. His athleticism concerns are over-emphasized. A 26 inch vertical matters way less when you're this big. By no means is this a big vertical lob threat who jumps out of the gym, but he rolls well, rolls hard, finishes well and has excellent touch on a handful of replicable post moves. For the Raptors, if ever he develops, he's as good if not a better bet than Brendan Carlsen. Same size, but a couple of years younger and a much more productive bet against better competition. Not to mention, he's a better defender passer and rebounder than Carlsen. I think he'll eventually work somewhere. Not spectacular. But 7'1 depth bigs who have this much game are a rare find.