Is it eight?
Nine?
Something else?
We'll know in a few days if the Toronto Raptors end up sticking to the draft spot indicated by their record, or if they'll be lottery winners, jumping into a top spot.
One of the tricky things about the eighth or ninth spot in the upcoming draft is that after the first few spots, the prospects look less and less like certain things. Sure, the talent is there, take a look at a player like Perry Jones III, but will the talent, work ethic and maturing ever align come NBA time? That's one of the big questions Raptors' GM Bryan Colangelo will be facing come June.
The prior description regarding the alignment of talent and maturity is quite apt in fact for the latest player in Bullets Forever's "Better Know a 2012 NBA Draft Pick" series, Kentucky's Terrence Jones. On talent alone Jones is likely a top five pick but his inconsistent play this past season has NBA draftniks wondering just what type of player he'll turn out to be.
Bullets Forever's final take?
As a pro, Terrence Jones will be worth having around. Comparing a young, athletic combo forward to Josh Smith is about as much of a cliche as you'll find, but it really does apply to Jones. They have very similar builds and games and while Smith is a better passer, Jones might already be a better outside shooter. Serving as an all-purpose defensive ace and occasional scorer, Jones would be an excellent super sub and would be best leading the Wizards' bench attack a la Lamar Odom with the 2010 Lakers. That's not someone that's worth a top five pick, but it's definitely worth pursuing, and Jones should be very acquirable on June 28th.