The Jonas Valanciunas Thread

rad1ant · Post #1241 » by **rad1ant** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:38 pm

no..yes? since spurs wanted him there is obv. something in him but prosperity can go both ways..he was rookie of the year (?) in euro league last yr but sucks that we wont acquire him immediately. he was good in europe but can he adapt and keep up with nba players? could be a bust because of his size but meh..gotta see it to believe it

Brinbe · Post #1242 » by **Brinbe** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:38 pm

Nice... Val's on.

Saying all the right things so far.

keuken_4 · Post #1243 » by **keuken_4** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:39 pm

you are so quick Benjamin

wazabifuzz · Post #1244 » by **wazabifuzz** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:44 pm

Yes, he can speak decent english afterall.. he was maybe just in shock last night in the press conferences ..

Blazing_royale · Post #1245 » by **Blazing_royale** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:49 pm

Yeezus_ · Post #1246 » by **Yeezus_** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:51 pm

wazabifuzz wrote:Yes, he can speak decent english afterall.. he was maybe just in shock last night in the press conferences ..

Last night, I felt bad for the kid because he couldn't even talk properly.

But after the interview, I realized he was just really nervous.

Yeezus_ · Post #1247 » by **Yeezus_** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:53 pm

Devlin said Ric Bucher said we got one of the steals of the draft. Anyone have a link to the espn article or where ever it located.

Gant · Post #1248 » by **Gant** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:58 pm

Danny Ainge was asked this on a radio interview this morning: Who in this draft do you think five years from now, six years from now, will be a cornerstone franchise player in the NBA?

He answered: I think Derrick Williams has the best chance of being that player. And then I think the young kid, [Jonas] Valanciunas from Lithuania, 7-footer, has a chance to be maybe not a superstar but a cornerstone player, like a Marc Gasol — a starting center, maybe one of the top five or 10 centers in the league. I think that he has probably the second-best chance.

http://greenstreet.weei.com/sports/bost ... mpionship/

me: Good draft for Toronto.

RocLaFamilia · Post #1249 » by **RocLaFamilia** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:03 pm

Jose and Val would be a wicked combo I think for his development (PnR)

SargentBargs101 · Post #1250 » by **SargentBargs101** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:10 pm

raptorsnation_5 wrote:Devlin said Ric Bucher said we got one of the steals of the draft. Anyone have a link to the espn article or where ever it located.

Just heard him say it on espn too

Visceral · Post #1251 » by **Visceral** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:13 pm

I was intrigued at the Grantland website, but this guy is a pure idiot, after his comments on the Raps pick and Valanciunas.

cookieman · Post #1252 » by **cookieman** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:17 pm

Leo Rautins says "That's a Lithuanian 7 footer out there!"

bigdirty · Post #1253 » by **bigdirty** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:18 pm

Grantland is a humor website.

Visceral · Post #1254 » by **Visceral** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:22 pm

bigdirty wrote:Grantland is a humor website.

I see...

The joke is old at this point.

trick · Post #1255 » by **trick** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:26 pm

cookieman wrote:Leo Rautins says "That's a Lithuanian 7 footer out there!"

Oh man, you just provided the downside of the pick, the effect this will have on Leo Rautins' broadcasting.

Watch him forget about his son in NY.

RINSE · Post #1256 » by **RINSE** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:43 pm

From Ball Dont Lie's Kelly Dwyer, his draft night grades:

Toronto Raptors
Additions: Jonas Valanciunas.
Grade: B
Few have banged the Valanciunas drum harder than I have in the lead up to this draft. I still think Cleveland made a mistake in not selecting him fourth overall, and despite his skinny frame I still believe he'll be a stud moving forward. I don't consider him a Joel Przybilla(notes)-type, he's way better than that, but I also know that a healthy and in-prime Joel Przybilla was better than a whole lot of this lottery. So obviously picking Valanciunas is a can't miss, in my eyes, both in a vacuum and in the context of this draft.
And of all the teams, Toronto is the guy that needs him most. Assuming that they're taking him in the 2012 NBA Draft. Selected on Thursday, though? That's a tough sell. That's really, really tough.
Once again, I credit Bryan Colangelo's moxie in this regard. He selected potentially the best possible player moving forward for his team, because Bismack Biyombo was not going to be able to play alongside Andrea Bargnani(notes). And while Bargs' presence on this team is entirely Colangelo's fault (both the draftin' and the extendin'), this is a nice recovery move. This is potentially a fantastic recovery move.
Perhaps Colangelo has grown wise, and given up on his current roster. I would, too. All of 'em. And if that's the case, and he's just looking forward to 2013 with a 21-year old Valanciunas coming off his rookie year and Dwane Casey in charge, than this is something I can get behind.
Today, though, will be tough. Real tough.

Carnage · Post #1257 » by **Carnage** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:43 pm

Visceral wrote:I was intrigued at the Grantland website, but this guy is a pure idiot, after his comments on the Raps pick and Valanciunas.

Wait until he actually plays for the Raptors (and blossoms...if you believe so) before calling people idiots.

RINSE · Post #1258 » by **RINSE** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:53 pm

Visceral wrote:I was intrigued at the Grantland website, but this guy is a pure idiot, after his comments on the Raps pick and Valanciunas.

That's Simmons' schtick.

Eliowns · Post #1259 » by **Eliowns** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:54 pm

So now when we have our own twin towers, is Val our Tim Duncan or David Robinson?

provecy15 · Post #1260 » by **provecy15** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:57 pm

I like a million other canadians watching the draft put my head into a pillow and screamed a bit. However, this guy intrigues me. I see him as a Marcus Camby/Pau Gasol type player and that is what this franchise needs going forward. This guy will at the most play 15 feet from the basket and will block shots and rebound at a consistent rate. I'am thrilled to know 2 years down the road him and Ed Davis at the 5 and 4 will be inisde a long with Demar.

Are you happy with the Raptors selection 5th overall?