Now that the lottery is over every few days we here at Raptorshq.com will be looking at a number of mock drafts and give some feedback on who they have slotted at the 7 and 16 spots.
Draftexpress.com UPDATED: June 24
At 7: Danny Granger (H: 6’8†W: 215 Pos: SF Age: 22)
Pros: A senior, so should be able to contribute immediately. We here at Raptorshq love this guy and are excited at the prospect of drafting him. Loves to play defence, a solid wing defender. Defense is a key for this team and by defending the outside it would make the lives of the big men much easier. The team passed on Andre Iguodala last year. Picking Granger could make up for it. Can do it all. Best of all he loves Toronto and actually WANTS to be here.
Cons: Does not have “elite†written on any part of his game, but that could change with time. Although a good prospect, you have to wonder if he would get playing time if the roster stays the same. Rose, MoPete, Eric Williams, and even Bonner all play the three. There will have to be some roster moves. The other concern is the franchise is not exactly full of passers.
At 16: Jarrett Jack (H:6'3" W:202 Pos: PG Age: 21)
Pros: This is who Raptorshq.com has slotted at 16 in the mock draft. The guy is “Jacked†and still has a decent first step. Is willing to go to the hoop and can both finish and dish. Plays hard at all times and during the tourney (although hurt) did his best to lead the Yellow Jackets. He has the ability to post his defender up (think Payton on Rafer this year) and has good court vision. He could be the second coming of Billups with similar game and frame.
Cons: Much like Granger, there is no one part of his game that will blow you away. His outside shot (like most players in the draft) could be more consistent. Not going to blow by anyone but, on a team that likes to run, the ability to change the pace of the game could be beneficial. How much more is Jack's game going to grow?
Conclusion: If Granger wants to be here then this should be the pick, hands down. A potential Marion is too hard to pass up. We here at rapshq would love Jack but this may be high and he doesn't seem to have the same upside as Roko, that being said his immediate contribution might be better. This draft would make the franchise A LOT better.
www.nbadraft.net UPDATED: June 24
At 7: Antoine Wright (H: 6'6" W: 203 Pos: SG Age: 21)
Pros: A true shooting guard with a similar game to Rip Hamilton in that he has a great mid-range game. That being said he is a much better athlete than Rip. Can score from pretty much anywhere and at a high percentage. Also a fearless defender.
Cons: SOFT, or at least has a reputation for being that way. Could probably take it to the rack everytime he touches the ball but likes to pull up. If he can hit at a high percentage though then this really is not that big of a weakness. Needs to stay aggresive at all times and has enough ability to be a great contributor. This city will not stand for jump shots when a solid drive is available, too many memories of VC.
At 16: Andrew Bynum (H: 7' W: 280 Pos: C Age: 17)
Pros: Could become a great big man based on what he has showed in his workouts. A good touch cannot be taught. If he were to develop a solid low post game the playbook for the front court a few years from now could be huge. High-lows, even pick and rolls as Bosh continues to develop a strong handle.
Cons: Weight issues and development. The Raptors staff does not have anyone to teach the young post players how to in fact play the post. English was a forward, Triano a guard and Mitchell a forward, none of whom played with a post-up game. With the new CBA allowing for team options after year 2, there could be too much pressure on a big guy out of high-school. He is only 17, that's right born in 1987!
Conclusion: Would be an interesting draft but now there are rumours that Bynum may be gone by 16. If he is don't feel bad Raps fans because anything before this spot is way too high for Captain Stay Puff. Wright would be a nice addition but is strictly a SG while someone like Granger can play SG and SF. Still decent talent and would not be a bad draft.
RealGM.com UPDATED: June 23
At 7: Gerald Green: (H: 6’7†W: 192 Pos: SG/SF Age: 19)
Pros: This would be a steal at 7. He has MAD hops and a decent looking jumper already. Mitchell helped with KG's development and could develop a strong relationship with him. Best case scenario would be another TMAC, but one who stays. Has a good ball handling skills already and would turn the situation in Raps land into an optimistic one.
Cons: Rumours of immaturity. Because of his lack of size, Green might be scared of the rack and the possibility of running into a Fortson or Cato. All of this should be fixable if the Raps settle themselves as a franchise and provide the right support staff and atmosphere.
At 16: Roko Leni-Ukic (H: 6'5" W: 183 lbs. Pos: PG Age: 21)
Pros: Having a tall "true" PG is never a bad thing but one has to hope he starts to put some weight on yet without losing any quickness. He has had some solid workouts which is always a positive. No one here wants a Tskitishvili part II. Supposedly a top 3-4 PG in this years draft, and apparently Boston has the hots for him.
Cons: Let's be honest, even if the workouts go well, the Raptors need guys who can contribute right away and Roko's and development does not seem favourable in this regard. That being said he seems determined to stay in this years draft. A concern over shot selection will definitely throw up some red flags for this franchise.
Conclusion: As the days countdown to the draft more and more mock sites are leaning in this direction. Green would be solid and something to get excited about and we know that Roko is something that this team has virtually never had, a tall and versatile point guard. Two very young building blocks who could perhaps contribute more that expected right out of the gates. Would be interesting to see if they played summer with Omar, Hoffa, Pape, and Bonner what kind of connection they could make.
Hoopshype.com UPDATE: June 23
At 7: Danny Granger (H: 6’8†W: 215 Pos: SF Age: 22)
See above for analysis.
At 16: Chris Taft (H: 6’10†W: 261 Pos: PF Age: 20)
Pros: Build the body of the perfect PF you may get Taft. Extremely well build, does not need to add weight, has the potential to be huge. Was predicted at the beginning of the year to maybe go first overall. Good wing span.
Cons: Effort, effort and more effort. His heart is being questioned almost on a daily basis ever since the NCAA season began. Has walked into buildings to play ball and never really showed up. Supposedly a bad workout for the Raps although he has played better lately.
Conclusion: Well obviously the success of this draft would hinge on Taft's ability to play up to his potential. Granger is going to be a player. If you are getting slammed by the media everyday and watch your stock fall quicker than Enron's how do you not try and take it up a notch. There are red flags everywhere and Babcock came away genuinely unimpressed. Doubtful this is how the draft plays out for the Raps, but we all are well acquainted with the term "SMOKESCREEN".
espn.com UPDATE: June 22
At 7: Gerald Green: (H: 6’7†W: 192 Pos: SG/SF Age: 19)
See above for analysis.
At 16: Andrew Bynum (H: 7' W: 280 Pos: C Age: 17)
See above for analysis.
Conclusion: LONG TERM. That is all you think when you see this draft, no playoffs for years to come. That being said if these guys develop in the next year and a half it could give Bosh a couple of GREAT reasons to stick around. There would however be a complete shut-down of all buffets, and Rol San on Spadina to ensure Bynum doesn't go Sweetney on the team. Depends on what you are drafting for, now or two years from now. Green without a doubt could be an absolute star.
www.cnnsi.com UPDATE: June 22
At 7: Channing Frye (H: 6'11" W: 243 Pos: PF/C Age: 22)
Pros: A great athlete considering his size. His high value in this year's draft seems to have come out of nowhere. Would provide front court help and would make a very athletic front court with Bosh. For a team who showed good ability to run and push the ball last year, this pick could make sense. Known for being a calming presence in the locker room and, considering the characters in there now, this cannot be a bad thing.
Cons: Will not bang, and will not protect the hoop. Mostly a face-up player with no real post moves to speak of. In fact, his rebounding abilities have to be questioned as well. For a team that actually let a guy lying on the floor get a rebound this year that is not helpful. Not sure if he adds much to the team in terms of need. Defence and rebounding is something the front court is begging for. These are, unfortunately, Frye's weaknesses.
At 16: Roko Leni-Ukic
See above for analysis.
Conclusion: Well the draft could have been better if this is the way it shapes up. We here at Raptorshq view Frye as overrated and would rather see him in NY. There is just too much pure talent out there to take Frye so high in the draft. Roko again. Why does this pick seem set in stone?
tsn.ca UPDATED: June 21
At 7: Danny Granger (H: 6’8†W: 215 Pos: SF Age: 22)
See above for analysis.
At 16: Jarrett Jack (H:6'3" W:202 Pos: PG Age: 21)
See above for analysis.
Conclusion: If this is the way the draft turns out for the Raps, you wouldn't think there would be any complaints. However, we here at Raptorshq.com believe one member of Toronto press will moan and boo unless somehow we draft Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. Taking these two guys would add a great deal of young talent with unlimited upside. Both would contribute right away, would play tough defense and really add some new dimensions. Jack has already come out and said he would love to play in TO. The one draw back of this draft? That would give us 3 PG's if you include Omar, leaving Chuck Swirsky disappointed as Nate Robinson ends up elsewhere.
Thescore.ca UPDATED: June 16
At 7: Channing Frye (H: 6'11" W: 243 Pos: PF/C Age: 22)
See above for analysis.
At 16: Hakim Warrick (H: 6'8" W: 210 Pos: PF Age: 22)
Pros: Like Felton, this guy is a purebred race horse who runs the floor and beats his man every chance he gets. Comes from a strong program in Syracuse and we're sure Leo Rautins is hoping this kid ends up a Raptor. An athletic player whose aerial performances would add some excitement.
Cons: Too small to play the PF in the NBA which should bring up red flags everywhere as he doesn't have the game (yet) to play the SF. He did not handle the ball much in college and has an inconsistent, yet improving jumper. A classic tweener. The problem here lies in the fact that he may not be able to develop the skills to make a difficult positional change in the pros.
Conclusion: Well, Warrick is now claiming he has a promise from Golden State and did not work out for the Nets, who own the 15th pick. If that's the case, then obviously this mock is off base. A draft like this would make the Raps much more athletic but neither would bring anything to the table defensively. Fact of the matter is we here at Raptorshq.com think Frye is a tad overrated (Loren Woods version 2.0?).
Insidehoops.com UPDATED: June 15
See tsn.ca update. Same mock.
- Dave Randell