Who Do We Draft?

[T-Spot]

Trade it so we don't get the disappointment of drafting another inevitable bust. [GOLDEN GRAHAM ANYONE?]

[Hendrix]

Can someone that's watched Batum play tell me a bit about him, other thendraftexpress articles, and youtube vid? He seems interesting from the little I've seen, but don't trust highlight's.

I'de also be interested in Robin Lopez. Think he would be a solid first big off the bench like Varejo that could rebound, and defend. Maybe moving up for Jordan.

[KingstonRaptors]

Batum, long and athletic. He'll be a project but he can join the club.

[Phat_Pat]

I say we trade the 17th pick to Seattle for the 24th and 32nd pick.

With the 24th pick we can pick Brandon Rush and with the 32nd pick we can pick Devon Hardin.

There fixed it for you! all kidding aside, he's the guy I would target if I were BC. From what I've seen Dorsey tends to disappear from games. Hardin looks like a beast, he's a senior and just like dorsey he does not have an offensive game.

Pat

[Troubadour]

This is what I want the Raptors to do:

Trade up (w/o losing our pick at 17) to get either:
DeAndre Jordan or Danilo Gallinari

@ 17 pick either:
Nicolas Batum or Chris Douglas-Roberts

Buy a pick at 28-30 and pick:
Serge Ibaka

[Teabag]

Rush or Batum. We desparately need help on perimeter D. Get rush and then use one of are pgs to get a slashing wing.

I'm not sure if it's the system or the players or the rules ... suposedly we have some of the top wing defenders in the game ... Parker and Delfino always get rave reviews for their D and Moon won the defensive player of the year award in the D league yet we still get carved by opposing gaurds with penetration or wide and I mean wide open jumpers ... Jose plays weak and at times great D ... TJ seems to drift between solid and garbage to and I don't know enough about the finer workings of NBA defensive systems to come to a conclusion on what the main problem is, so I'm not 100% sure on what the problem is but I'm leaning more towards the system with a dash of the "new" rules as the problem and unless it's an Artest/Bowen type of an upgrade at the wing defensively, I'm not sure a Rush (who I'm very high on if when he can show he can be very agressive and on the college level is 1 or 1A in wing defenders) or Batum (who i know 0 about) is the answer ... if either become a Rap, I'd be fine with it but unless they have game take over ability it seems like another version of what we already have

[Spragga]

-= original quote snipped =-



I'm not sure if it's the system or the players or the rules ... suposedly we have some of the top wing defenders in the game ... Parker and Delfino always get rave reviews for their D and Moon won the defensive player of the year award in the D league yet we still get carved by opposing gaurds with penetration or wide and I mean wide open jumpers ... Jose plays weak and at times great D ... TJ seems to drift between solid and garbage to and I don't know enough about the finer workings of NBA defensive systems to come to a conclusion on what the main problem is, so I'm not 100% sure on what the problem is but I'm leaning more towards the system with a dash of the "new" rules as the problem and unless it's an Artest/Bowen type of an upgrade at the wing defensively, I'm not sure a Rush (who I'm very high on if when he can show he can be very agressive and on the college level is 1 or 1A in wing defenders) or Batum (who i know 0 about) is the answer ... if either become a Rap, I'd be fine with it but unless they have game take over ability it seems like another version of what we already have

Parker and Delfino are hella overated on Defense.

Yes part of our problem is our system. Smitch has already said that its almost impossible to guard players one on one anymore. But as Bosh mentioned in his post game conference we need to play one on one defense. Your right unless we get a artest/bowen type were gonna still suck defensively expectially if Jose is our full time starting guard because he cant defend his shadow and we will constantly have to send help on Joses man. I really like Rush and think he can at least challenge alot of shots with his great wingspan

[FluLikeSymptoms]

The 7 footers, along with the PGs, will move up on draft day as always. At #17, we'll be looking at flawed wingmen and flawed bigs, and you go big every single time IMO. Hibbert and McGee will be gone- we'll be drafting either Robin Lopez, Kosta Koufos or Alexis Ajinca if we keep the pick.

[Morris_Shatford]

While the concept of buying a later first round pick, or dealing our pick for two later picks is appealing, I think we are at a point where we need to address our glaring issues via trade or free agency and not through the draft.

Its clear we need a second scoring option by way of a slashing SF, personally I don't see anyone at 17 who will step in and provide that for us right away, and realistically with Ford (potentially) and all the expiring deals we have as trading assets we could land a much better player to fill our biggest need that route.

Through the draft while there is always that appeal to draft that diamond in the rough, or that future all star everyone has passed up on through a high risk high reward pick, I have little interest in that.

Which leads me to Roy Hibbert, he has his downsides but unlike many of the other bigs we have drafted he doesn't need to add weight, develop an NBA Body, or played questionable competition in college.

I don't think Hibbert will suit up in any all star games, nor do I think he will ever will any rebound titles, or Defensive Player of the Year awards.

However I do see him being able to give us some presence in the paint from the five position, and I do think he has the skill set right now to give us Nazr Mohammed numbers at the five. If at pick 17 we can draft a big on a rookie contract that will be able to put up even 10-7 who actually played college ball at the five and not another PF conversion project, I am hard pressed to pass on that.

I see him as a low risk, decent reward pick.

[one]

This is a tough one. All of the "experts" think Koufos is right in our range right now. With one more year at OSU he could be a top 5 pick. You go for him even though Bargani cannot realistically play sf unless he improves his laterally quickness tremendously. But you cannot pass up a 7'1 player with the touch that he has. I don't think this would mean Bargnani is done with, but something creative would have to be though up, which leads to our coach who is less creative than a 2 year old.

In fact, if by draft time Kofous is around a top 10 pick I would send Calderon or Ford to a team in that range for a decent wing player and the pick. Bosh and Koufos I hope is in our future. Knowing how draft processes work however he probably will rise up the rankings once people realize he's flipping 7'1, strong and has about as much skill as any big in the draft. I can pray though, I can pray.

Even if we do trade one of our pg's for a sg/sf, we will still be getting Ukic I assume so our needs are still drafting a wing player or a big man who can defend and rebound.

wing men in our range I like:

1. Chase Budinger (he should be too high in a few months as well).
2. Nicolas Batum (never was too high on him, but at this pick it would be good).
3. Joe Alexander (worried about a Bosh/Bargs/Alexander defense, but his offensive game is impressive).

Big men in our range I like:

1. Koufos
2. Richard Hendrix
3. JaVale McGee
4. Robin Lopez
5. Marreese Speights

[David_edlp]

Batum < Diaw

Hibbert is the best opcion

[David_edlp]

we need to draft a defensive C ...

this series. howard was doing everithing he wnts in the paint
next year ... if isnt howard is Garnett, or Z or wallace or okafor etc ...

[one]

we need to draft a defensive C ...

this series. howard was doing everithing he wnts in the paint
next year ... if isnt howard is Garnett, or Z or wallace or okafor etc ...

I'm sure there is a general managers manual. If BC drafted Hibbert, that selection would be under 'when not to draft based on need."

[Hendrix]

I don't think Rush would make much difference at all in our Defence.

Our defence has a whole bunch of problems imo, and the wings of Parker, Delfino, and Moon are the least of it. A center that could contest shots around the rim and provide a solid second line of defense as oppose to Bargnani who's usuallu nowhere to be found would be a good start. PG's that don't get beat and need help, when we don't have a good help center. The entire team buying into a defensive stratagy, and commiting. It's obviously a lot easier for a team like Detroit who have great defenders, but they are always rotating correctly, and in the right places. Raptors have done it before, but only seem to turn it on once in a blue moon.

Parker, and Delfino I think are slightly above average on the perimiter but there's just so many other problems that it makes them look worse then they are. If we brough in Prince, or Artest to gaurd the other teams best guy we'd still be all over the place, and **** defensivly. A guy like Rush would make very little differnce imo.

[steve0077]

I want Kostas Koufos or JaVale McGee in that order. I've seen Koufos play allot and love his game. I may be a bit biased because I'm Greek but he is a very good player. He is mad strong too and at 7"1 he is very athletic for his height. Come on BC draft him so I can order my Koufos Jersey already lol

[inrapscity]

BPA.

and then BPA will "determine" the rest of the moves in the off-season.

[wazabifuzz]

If there is one player i'd want it's Kevin Love.

He's ready to be a rotation player. Maybe even a starter.

But there is no way in hell we'll get him

[mappiah19]

We should forget about getting rookie Big men not named Al Horford or a similar game. We need a slashing wing who is a good defender, a potential secondary scoring option and can create off the dribble. Overall, I think Chris Douglas-Roberts fits. And my dark horse is Kyle Weaver (not much of a scorer).

[ronaldo922]

i would have loved to have a 2nd round pick here because we have 2 BIG needs.

we need an SF and C

if we can trade Tj for a 2nd round pick that would be awesome i think or even move up in the draft to get deandre jordan or an eric gordon, oj mayo type.

but at 17 i would look at CDR or even robin lopez, a legit 7 foot center that can grind a little bit down low...he is raw and not like his brother but i would take robin or hibbert...hibbert is gonna be a poster boy for dunkers. we dont need a big man that can score alot, we have bosh but we need a guy that can block shots and rebound..in the free agent market there isnt alot, there is diop and ratliff

brandon rush reminds me of paul pierce a little bit.

i think CDR would look good there...he is a slasher that has a jump shot and at 6'7 and long wingspan can cause trouble.

[Musashi]

This should be a very hard pick at 17...Plenty of projects! I am very intrigued by McGee, but can we afford another project? I would surely draft him ahead of Koufos, Hibbert and Lopez. We need toughness inside, a ruggged rebounder to support Bosh...There is plenty of wings availbale either through free agency in the next two seasons or maybe via trade? I find it much harder to find a servicable big man si that is why I would go for McGee/Koufos/Hibbert/Lopez