For the coming NBA Draft ...

by rbala on Mar 2, 2010 11:35 AM EST

What are the Raps looking to pick up to help solidify the team? Another power forward? A third point? What would be the position that could be strengthened through the Draft?

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re: Raptors Draft

I would hope that by that time, that BC would have a definitive answer one way or another about Bosh’s intentions regarding this team. I’m going to continue this comment assuming that he’s returning, for the sake of simplicity. Also going to assume we’re talking about a lower fifteen pick that we acquire via trade, since we lose the right to our own pick when we make the playoffs (Marion to Miami deal).

If Jack and Calderon continue as our starting points, then I would stick with veteran third pgs for the next few years. I would draft a big SF who can hopefully spell Turk as he ages. The ability to hit the midrange jumpshot would be the first criteria. The second would be toughness and rebounding ability.

Drafting bigmen is always a gamble, admittedly one which pays great dividends when you get it right. The archetype of undersized pf (with crazy long arms) that can rebound and put up points is one which seems to overachieve more then most. Carl Landry, Udonis Haslem, Paul Milsap DeJuan Blair as a few examples. Perhaps its time that Toronto tried their hand at a similar player. PJ Tucker ended up busting, but he was a player with a PF’s skillset, and SG size trying to play SF.

by Yardly on Mar 2, 2010 6:22 PM EST reply actions

Yea, give PJ 3 more inches and he would’ve been alright. Of course…that could be said about alot of players.

by HDave on Mar 5, 2010 1:52 PM EST up reply actions

The Clippers draft pick might be available if they make a serious play for LeBron because they would need to trade it to make him fit.

You’d be competing against some other teams but it would be worth exploring.

by siggian on Mar 3, 2010 3:03 PM EST reply actions

Answer to your questions

The correct answer is to draft the best available player and not worry about what position he plays. Because of Hoffa, all Raptors fans should know this.

by siggian on Mar 5, 2010 2:48 PM EST reply actions

Oh, Hoffa. Man what a wasted pick! I agree though, BPA. I would tend to stay away from the bigs though, too much of a gamble.

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by Mike MacLean on Mar 6, 2010 10:46 AM EST up reply actions

I would have to agree...

We’re pretty deep now that we can afford to take the best player available. A quality player will always be beneficial.

by dchoubak on Mar 10, 2010 6:48 PM EST up reply actions

Best available is what we’re all looking for, but doesn’t do much for discussion :-)
And different teams value different things more highly, so they all end up with different draft boards when ranking the talent.

A great example of that is the Warriors. They have an ideal of Nellie – ball, and look for players that can fit that system. I would hazard a guess that shooting ability is high on their list for both bigmen and forwards.

Hoffa was a bad pick in hindsight, they must have saw some potential in him to loose weight and be able to keep up with the higher tempo of play in the NBA. It was a big risk for a lottery pick, but not unreasonable if you were drafting much closer to the bottom of the first round.

Bigs are a big gamble, but they are very hard to recruit via free agency. I wouldn’t mind the risk, especially since only the first two years of the rookie contract are guaranteed. Kind of hoping we had some second round picks, so we could scoop up some low ceiling, but high floor NCAA seniors for the end of our bench. Our bigman rotation pulls down too much money in relation to the rest of the roster. And this will only be amplifed once Bosh get’s the big bucks. I’d like to see them bring in someone this summer to audition for the Reggie Evans role and take it once he leaves in the summer of 2011. Let’s save our dollars for the wing rotation.

by Yardly on Mar 8, 2010 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

We basically need someone to take POB’s spot on the bench who can actually contribute and not run around like a headless chicken.

by dchoubak on Mar 10, 2010 6:50 PM EST up reply actions

Doesn't help that...

…we don’t even have any first rounders….dammit.

by dchoubak on Mar 10, 2010 6:52 PM EST reply actions

The good news is, if the Raptors miss the playoffs they get to keep their first round pick. The bad news is it will be a late lottery pick and Bosh will probably walk. I would imagine that BC will be fired, Triano will be tared and feathered and Raptor fans will have the joy of watching the Maple Leafs of the NBA (not bad enough to draft a franchise player but not good enough to ever do anything).

by McGateway on Mar 17, 2010 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Deep

This draft is pretty deep, so we could always get a good prospect in the 2nd round. It’s not like the draft stops after the 20th pick.

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by zAIN J on Mar 13, 2010 2:11 PM EST reply actions

of course

But it’s always more fun to have a higher pick…
but if they do their homework then there are always jewels to be found later on (ie the Dejuan Blair pick by spurs)

by dchoubak on Mar 14, 2010 1:13 AM EST up reply actions

That was more a case of buyer beware. Blair had suffered injuries and most of the teams didn’t want to give guaranteed money to a guy who could end up with a career ending injury before his rookie contract is done. People knew Blair would be good they were just scared of his injury history.

by McGateway on Mar 17, 2010 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions