Official Raptors 2011 NBA Draft Thread, Part 6

[bboyskinnylegs]

The difference between Biyombo and Whiteside to me is Biyombo actually has an NBA body and some power. Whiteside's body was and is not NBA caliber.

Also from the short clips I've seen Biyombo's offensive instincts look better and from the sounds of it his defensive instincts are better too. Whiteside was a classic "dunno how to play but I can block shots cause I'm more athletic and 5 inches taller than anyone else in this crap league lol" defensive player. It seems like Biyombo has more of a head for the game and more fluidity and has proven it by producing in the ACB

I wouldn't take him over Irving, Williams, or Kanter but I'm down with considering him for 4th on the big board

you'd take him over Jonas? I don't think he has the skill or offensive upside that Jonas does (definitely has the motor though), and they are supposedly identical in weight/wingspan (with Jonas being legit C size at 6'11 in socks). Jonas played against tougher competition in the Euroleague and was more productive in fewer mins (7.6pts/5.4rebs in 14.9mpg in 14 games in the Euroleague vs 6.4pts/5.1rebs in 17mins for Biyombo in 14 games in the ACB). Biyombo is probably a better shotblocker with his ACB leading 2.3bpg, but both of them have length that is going to bother people and I don't know if that's enough to warrant selecting him earlier.

right now for me I don't think I'd take Biyombo unless we drop to 5th/6th and both Kanter/Val are gone

[Dr Positivity]

Biyombo is stronger and much, much more athletic. I'd definitely take him over Val. Both guys are serious project big men but Biyombo actually has physical tools

[Reignman]

I don't understand how someone can put down Whiteside and hype up Biyombo that much, they are essentially the same type of prospect.

Biyombo should go much later in the first round and might drop to the 2nd round just like Whiteside.

Whiteside's offensive upside is just as high as Biyombo, blocked just as many shots and did very well in strength tests at the the combine. He then built up his body extremely well prior to the season starting last summer.

I really don't get the difference, sounds like people are jumping to all kinds of conclusions after 1 game.

His name shouldn't even be mentioned with our pick, it would be embarrassing if we picked him.

[Steve Urkel]

Solid write up on Val from under a month ago:

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2011/3/18/2057556/2011-draft-prospect-profile-jonas-valanciunas

He's a tremendous help defender, getting lots of blocks coming from the weak side. He shows the potential to be very, very good.

The more I read the more I am starting to feel he would be a nice building block to add to our core. If Irving isn't available, Barnes opts out, I am leaning heavily towards Val and hope for Bargs to be moved.

Isn't this what Raps fans have always wanted? I think we would be silly not to consider him if we ended up dropping a few spots in the lottery. I personally like him over Biyombo, who has pre-draft hype written all over him. I still think he can be a good player but I think Val is the safer pick considering his draft stock has been fairly consistent throughout the whole year, I also don't think BC can handle taking another gamble of this magnitude with Biyombo. I think Val will get a lot bigger in a few years considering the dude is only 18 and has the frame to gain more weight.

[bboyskinnylegs]

I don't understand how someone can put down Whiteside and hype up Biyombo that much, they are essentially the same type of prospect.

Biyombo should go much later in the first round and might drop to the 2nd round just like Whiteside.

Whiteside's offensive upside is just as high as Biyombo, blocked just as many shots and did very well in strength tests at the the combine. He then built up his body extremely well prior to the season starting last summer.

I really don't get the difference, sounds like people are jumping to all kinds of conclusions after 1 game.

His name shouldn't even be mentioned with our pick, it would be embarrassing if we picked him.

but Biyombo's been doing his thing all year in the ACB, which is very different than being a giant in the Conference USA. Whiteside was also much thinner, and three years older. I think Biyombo certainly has shown he's worthy of lotto consideration in this weak draft. Taking him over Kanter/Val is probably a reach though, or at the very least inconclusive until we get a better look at all three of them after the combine/workouts.

[5DOM]

Yeah. Biyombo's been rather productive in what's probably the second best domestic league in the world while Whiteside was owning bunch of kids.

[nahom1319]

There is a reason why the hype has suddenly started... he has only just started playing with the first team this year (2011). Prior to that he spent time with both the third and second team producing at a very high rate. He only started playing competitively two years ago so for his defense to be as good as it is speaks volumes about his ability to learn and use his gifts. I dont think Kanter should even be seriously considered with our pick as his defensive intensity leaves something to be desired. If we go 3-4th then it would definitely be a toss up between Val and BB, with the slight edge going to Val, but make no mistake BB is right up there with him.

[DG88]

Solid write up on Val from under a month ago:

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2011/3/18/2057556/2011-draft-prospect-profile-jonas-valanciunas

He's a tremendous help defender, getting lots of blocks coming from the weak side. He shows the potential to be very, very good.

The more I read the more I am starting to feel he would be a nice building block to add to our core. If Irving isn't available, Barnes opts out, I am leaning heavily towards Val and hope for Bargs to be moved.

Isn't this what Raps fans have always wanted? I think we would be silly not to consider him if we ended up dropping a few spots in the lottery. I personally like him over Biyombo, who has pre-draft hype written all over him. I still think he can be a good player but I think Val is the safer pick considering his draft stock has been fairly consistent throughout the whole year, I also don't think BC can handle taking another gamble of this magnitude with Biyombo. I think Val will get a lot bigger in a few years considering the dude is only 18 and has the frame to gain more weight.

I also think Val would be a good pick if we fall in the draft and nice center to keep in europe to develop.

[Dr Positivity]

Like I said body wise, Biyombo and Whiteside are very different.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntd4eRA-OEk[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2QFlV3Xn18[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD5U3eQY-k0[/youtube]

Biyombo has an ideal PF body and the power to fit just right at the position. Whiteside didn't because he was too skinny in both upper body and foundation.

[God Squad]

Wow, A lot of Biyombo love on the draft tread lately. I'd still take Val/Kanter over him. Combine will be key.

[FluLikeSymptoms]

So, do the posters who want Bismack think he'll be better than Ed? Do you take him and trade Ed or do you plan on playing them together?

[TDotRep]

There is a reason why the hype has suddenly started... he has only just started playing with the first team this year (2011). Prior to that he spent time with both the third and second team producing at a very high rate. He only started playing competitively two years ago so for his defense to be as good as it is speaks volumes about his ability to learn and use his gifts. I dont think Kanter should even be seriously considered with our pick as his defensive intensity leaves something to be desired. If we go 3-4th then it would definitely be a toss up between Val and BB, with the slight edge going to Val, but make no mistake BB is right up there with him.

Kanter's offense Now most likely will never be reached at the same level by bb and val, Kanter is also a great rebounded and knows how to use his body to get position for the boards and I wouldn't say he is an andrea on D.

[fredericklove]

This probably goes without saying... but in case you were wondering, Le Doug said in his (ongoing) chat that the Raptors are "quite high" on Irving.

http://thestar.blogs.com/raptors/2011/0 ... on-qa.html

I don't know an awful lot other than he's quick and strong and seems to be a good on-court leader; I know people in the organization are quite high on him. Which leads me to believe other franchises are, too

They should be high on him he's the best player in the draft and the Raptors have a shot at drafting him. I tweeted to some of the beat writer to see who they think the Raptors would draft if they got the first pick and Irving was the unanimous choice.

Good, at least we know now the raps fans and the higher ups in the organization are on the same page

[fredericklove]

Kanter's offense Now most likely will never be reached at the same level by bb and val, Kanter is also a great rebounded and knows how to use his body to get position for the boards and I wouldn't say he is an andrea on D.

Yup, Kanter is the guy I want to draft if all other options are out. If he's able to live up to his hype lets say al horford type (16 pts 8-9 rebs per game), our Ed-Kanter duo will be awesome to watch and let Derozan has his green lights avg his 25 pts per game or so, then we'll have the big 3 to build around with.

[Dr Positivity]

So, do the posters who want Bismack think he'll be better than Ed? Do you take him and trade Ed or do you plan on playing them together?

Well Bismack is enough of a project that you can take him, play him 15 minutes a game next year and see where he stands in comparison to Ed and if he guard Cs, maybe leave him in Europe all year if there's a lockout - then make a decision.

It's not a perfect fit but if Irving, Williams, Kanter are taken + Barnes isn't in the draft, you're looking at a "Escape from draft LA" situation where you just want to get out of there with a 16 PER+ player with value instead of a bust. If BB is the BPA, and I'm not sure he is, in the long run it'd be worth it to get a player who matters and has value even if there's overlap with Davis, than to pick JV or Vesely cause they fit better and get a stiff

[S.W.A.N]

So, do the posters who want Bismack think he'll be better than Ed? Do you take him and trade Ed or do you plan on playing them together?

Bismack is a centre. He has PF height, but with his long arms he more than makes up for the couple inches he gives up to the bigger centres of the league.

His weight and strength will catch up soon enough.

Comparisons to whiteside are redonkulous. Different body, different caliber of competition.

[Dr Positivity]

I also don't think Ed Davis is near good enough yet to effect our draft decisions. For there's a line of how good a prospect has to be where it defers me from taking BPA. I think Derozan is now over that line. I have Alec Burks as a borderline top 4 best prospect in this draft but don't have him on my radar because Derozan is our future SG and we don't need to think about anyone else at that position.

Ed Davis? I like him but again, but he's not "our starting PF for the next 7 years and we shouldn't think about any other PFs" good. At least not yet.

[Reef]

So, do the posters who want Bismack think he'll be better than Ed? Do you take him and trade Ed or do you plan on playing them together?

Exactly. Biismack is redundant when we already have Ed. The guy's barely 6-9 in shoes. Also some scouts are not sure he's 18. They said he might be as old as 23-26.

[bboyskinnylegs]

So, do the posters who want Bismack think he'll be better than Ed? Do you take him and trade Ed or do you plan on playing them together?

Biyombo can be a defensive monster, but I don't see the kind of two-way player that Ed is in him. I think Biyombo could play next to Ed--with his strength/size/athleticism/standing reach/wingspan (and the fact that he's 18 and could still continue to grow) I think he could definitely play C off the bench, and could possibly be a fulltime C in the future. If Ben Wallace and Chuck Hayes can be effective as C's so can this guy.

[5DOM]

If we draft Biyombo, I think the idea would be to play him next to Davis.
Biyombo's got like 7 inches on Davis' wingspan, and his standing reach is center-level. Add his vertical leap and strength, and he should be able to play the C position IMO.

Top 3 sounds way too high, but I'm sure people who have been watching him and will continue to watch him in workouts, like NBA GM's and scout, already have good idea of where he's likely to go.