Official Raptors 2012 NBA Draft Thread, Part 9

[NiL8r87]

Barnes is not talented, Barnes is not athletic, Barnes has not handles???

This is the same player everyone wanted last year with the #1 pick, same player everybody raved about his poise, work ethic and skills ... and all sudden like Rudy Gay before the draft, this board and some espn writers is writting him as no talent, unathletic stiff. Barnes is more athletic then Pierce coming out of college, he has better handles then Gay and Granger coming college, his feel for the game is allot better then Gay and Granger and on the same level as Pierce coming out of College.

Barnes has no Talent???


Are you kidding me, Barnes is the most talented wing in this Draft, he has more potential to be two way player then any player in this other then Davis. Put Granger and Gay on UNC and they have the same problem Barnes is having....

Only the same people who STILL wanna take him with the second overall pick wanted Barnes with a top pick last year. For a player who is supposed to be smart, hard-working and very polished offensively; he certainly has been mediocre (and awful in the tournaments). If he was so smart and skilled, he shouldn't have taken and missed so many fade aways against defenders who were at least 5 inches shorter than him.

Don't put too much into college stats and game, because if you looked from that point of view Beasely would be superstar, Adam Morrison would be superstar, JJ Reddick would be superstar in NBA. Look at it this way, Richard Jeffersson better player in NBA, Rudy gay better player in NBA, Paul Pierce better player in NBA, Laul Deng better player in NBA, same thing with Barnes... he will be better player in NBA... In College you play system, you play within the concept fo the team... besides watch were Barnes get the ball the time... 3pt line ... they don't run any picks what so ever..

So if he never gets the right plays run for him, how can you tell he's going to be a superstar? You claim that in another system he'd be a star, but you've never seen him in another system, have you? All we have to go on is what we see of him within the confines of UNC, and he showed very little. If he has good workouts I'll change my mind, but until then your opinion and the opinion of other Barnes shippers who insist he'll be better in a league he's never played in don't hold weight compared to those who saw what he did in this tourney and weren't impressed, because he really did nothing to impress.

[sunny]

can someone embed for me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... F7rJ9xx9yE

mcdonalds all american practice day 1

[Test of Wills]

Out of the wing players in this draft MKG and Lamb have shown steady encouraging play and the potentially eventually be impact players in this league. Not necessarily franchise-star players but guys that can be marketable perennial all-stars in this league.

MKG has that IT factor along with the really untapped ability to takeover games, we've seen glimpses but an overall all-around player. His defense is not as great as it's been harped about, he's very polished but I still see room for improvement.

Lamb looks like a smooth swingman himself. I've been ipressed with his ability to make shots off the dribble and I see some things with his understanding of the game, jab steps/utilization of spacing.

[fredericklove]

can someone embed for me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... F7rJ9xx9yE

mcdonalds all american practice day 1

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF7rJ9xx9yE[/youtube]

Despite limited preview of Bazz there, but damn he is explosive, it takes only one bounce to go up strong. Dude's athleticism and explosiveness are drooling good

[Undefeated]

Obviously, any prospect can improve and there's no way to know exactly how a guy will look 5 years down the road. The biggest problem I see with Barnes is that he lacks athleticism and a handle. He isn't flat footed, but for an NBA wing his athleticism is pretty mediocre. And as a ball handler he just doesn't look like he has it. I haven't seen a ton of his games, but when I have seen him he looks a little stiff. Dribbling is one of those skills perimeter players typically show pretty early on. You don't come into the league without a handle and turn into Iverson or Chris Paul. Of course, he can tighten up his handle, but I don't think he's going to ever be a great slasher.

Honestly, it depends what you define athleticism as. For me, athleticism can be quickness, explosiveness, hops, and body control. Although Harrison Barnes isn’t the sort of athlete who can jump out of the gym with his hops, his explosiveness and body control is top notch, so I don’t think he lacks the athleticism. Jumping high is nothing without the body control to contort your body in air space to adjust your lay-up giving it some english high off the window when a shot-blocker is attempting to challenge you at the rim. When I watch Barnes, he has that off the charts body control where he’s able to make adjustments in thin air as he maneuvers through traffic. And his jump off one-foot is very, very explosive. I suggest you watch this ESPN video about Barnes’ body control. You’ll be surprised.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7309828

Barnes' dribbling is fine. Let's just say his handles are a bit unorthodox in that it's mostly used to find space rather than to create off the dribble. He's much like J.J. Redick that he uses his escape dribble along the perimeter to find space, and once he has that open space, there's no stopping Barnes from pulling up and making the jumper. I find it ridiculous that Barnes has to have this yo-yo handles when there's half a dozen SFs (Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Paul Pierce, Rudy Gay and Andre Iguodala) that are able to keep their dribble in constant motion to create a shot off the dribble.

If anything, I'd look at Barnes' ball-handling security because that's the most important thing if you can't create off the dribble. I've said this already, but I'll repeat it again to put it out there. Last year, it would frustrate the hell out of me when Barnes would keep his dribble alive in front of his body. When he kept his dibble in front, the ball was all-exposed to the defense that they would steal it off him easily. Now, he's doing a better job of keeping the ball shield away from defender when they try to reach in by dribbling the ball on the side of his body. That way, his body is effectively in the middle where his defender would have to reach over his arm at a shot of swiping the ball out of his hands. That's an automatic reach. Like the saying goes, you reach, he teach.

[highness]

Hey guys? Why not Thomas Robinson if he proves to be the best player available? PF is far from being locked down.

[Man of Steel]

Dear David Stern,
We need A. Davis. Please give us A. Davis.
Sincerely,
Raptors fans.

[sanity]

Anthony Davis or die trying.

We've sucked for the past 15 years as a franchise, I think we deserve the unanimous #1 projected player

[Salted Meat]

DX has their report up on Drummond

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Prospect-of-the-Week-Andre-Drummond-3868/

I really think people are going to reconsider him. I don't think he goes lower than 4, especially after workouts. If he's around and the Raptors are on the clock, I'd really think about taking him. I think he's more suited to the NBA and with Casey's guidance, he could really blossom.

I totally understand the arguments against him, but I think if we've got a chance to really hit a home run, we've got to swing away. A frontcourt of Valanciunas/Drummond would be formidable for the next decade.

[Rapsfan07]

DX has their report up on Drummond

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Prospect-of-the-Week-Andre-Drummond-3868/

I really think people are going to reconsider him. I don't think he goes lower than 4, especially after workouts. If he's around and the Raptors are on the clock, I'd really think about taking him. I think he's more suited to the NBA and with Casey's guidance, he could really blossom.

I totally understand the arguments against him, but I think if we've got a chance to really hit a home run, we've got to swing away. A frontcourt of Valanciunas/Drummond would be formidable for the next decade.

I've been saying it for a while now. If there's a potential franchise changer on the board, we have to swing and never look back. I truly think that while there is no excuse for his performance this year, he was poorly coached and the ball dominant PGs at UConn don't help. I think you gotta talk to him and work him out and see where it goes. His potential is limitless and we need talent. Like I've said so many times before...Jonas and Andre up front is a potential championship combination. If the kid is willing to be taught and put in the work require to make him a better player, then we have to take him. Call Hakeem and have him working with this kid day and night. Casey will instill some toughness and I think Drummond can blossom.

If Davis and Beal are off the board, and the workouts and everything we well with Drummond, I think you have to take the chance.

[drew_8730]

DX has their report up on Drummond

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Prospect-of-the-Week-Andre-Drummond-3868/

I really think people are going to reconsider him. I don't think he goes lower than 4, especially after workouts. If he's around and the Raptors are on the clock, I'd really think about taking him. I think he's more suited to the NBA and with Casey's guidance, he could really blossom.

I totally understand the arguments against him, but I think if we've got a chance to really hit a home run, we've got to swing away. A frontcourt of Valanciunas/Drummond would be formidable for the next decade.

totally agree with you, everyone has already crowned valanciunas and he hasnt played a game yet, we have to take drummond and the potential of him and val can be beast

[drew_8730]

no team will take him though and he will fall to raps whether we have #2 or #5 pick......drummond to raps book it

[DG88]

#1 bad vibe I get from MKG is he's dumb as ****! has anyone seen this guy interview? there's a reason he's playing at kentucky for coach cal as a 1-and-done. this guy could never go to UNC or Duke where they actually have to be somewhat academically competent.

Lol at this rant, you do realize that a lot of these players have to have a certain grade average to play on the team right.

Ivy League Schools..yeah. At Kentucky? LMAO good one. I suggest you do some more research on this stuff. Another good example is Derrick Rose, someone did his SAT's for him, just to get in Memphis. Anyone that's associated to Coach Cal isn't clean.

Yet all schools even ones in Canada, athletes have to keep their grade averages above a certain level or else they can't play or are kicked off the team. I don't know what Coach Cal does behind the scenes and neither do you. So coming out with a baseless statement saying a guy is dumb because he's nervous during a interview is so short sighted it makes you look foolish "Mr. Perfect"

[N1QUE24]

Is it a sure thing he'll declare for the draft this year?

[The Chucker]

real talk here for a sec wuts so good bout this one trick pony barnes????? guys got no handles, shooting, defense or even rebounding so how even gonna play wit dem big bois in the l? dude gon no hops a unathletic POS & cudnt drop buckets on a 6-2 midget gainst ohio. for real this guy is an embarassment. he gon get punk there.

[gojoorange]

Is it a sure thing he'll declare for the draft this year?

It is almost a sure thing at this point. UConn won't even be in the tournament next year and he's projected top 5 right now.

[Man of Steel]

I wouldn't say Barnes has no shooting, but if that's his calling card as many people on here seem to think it is, then it is noteworthy that his percentages aren't particularly outstanding.

[The Chucker]

Lol at this rant, you do realize that a lot of these players have to have a certain grade average to play on the team right.

Ivy League Schools..yeah. At Kentucky? LMAO good one. I suggest you do some more research on this stuff. Another good example is Derrick Rose, someone did his SAT's for him, just to get in Memphis. Anyone that's associated to Coach Cal isn't clean.

Yet all schools even ones in Canada, athletes have to keep their grade averages above a certain level or else they can't play or are kicked off the team. I don't know what Coach Cal does behind the scenes and neither do you. So coming out with a baseless statement saying a guy is dumb because he's nervous during a interview is so short sighted it makes you look foolish "Mr. Perfect"

pity dis cat fo **** talking. mkg prolly smarter den dis punk who aint even in college. fab melo got kick out cause he a dumb ass fo not prirotitizing his ****. mkg is a good kid my maayne.

[The Chucker]

I wouldn't say Barnes has no shooting, but if that's his calling card as many people on here seem to think it is, then it is noteworthy that his percentages aren't particularly outstanding.

numbers dont lie aint it brah.

[DG88]

Barnes is not talented, Barnes is not athletic, Barnes has not handles???

This is the same player everyone wanted last year with the #1 pick, same player everybody raved about his poise, work ethic and skills ... and all sudden like Rudy Gay before the draft, this board and some espn writers is writting him as no talent, unathletic stiff. Barnes is more athletic then Pierce coming out of college, he has better handles then Gay and Granger coming college, his feel for the game is allot better then Gay and Granger and on the same level as Pierce coming out of College.

Barnes has no Talent???


Are you kidding me, Barnes is the most talented wing in this Draft, he has more potential to be two way player then any player in this other then Davis. Put Granger and Gay on UNC and they have the same problem Barnes is having....

I was never into the Barnes hype from the beginning. Yes he is a talented player but he isn't the type of talent that people were hyping him up to be. To me he looked like an average player in year one and again looked average in year two. Outside of his shooting he's very invisible on the court. He's a good defender and rebounder for his position but he isn't elite at anyone of them. If I was to project Barnes at the next level he'd be an above average starter in a similar mold as Danny Granger, if he reaches his potential. Now the question is, is drafting the next Danny Granger really help push us out of being a treadmill team? I think there are other players in this draft that will impact the game more then Barnes.

A healthy Danny Granger was an all star, franchise player for Indiana, a guy who put up 25ppg and played good defense... if you get that type of player in the top 5 you should be happy considering we are still waiting our #1 pick to give us anywhere near the production Granger gave Indiana. I would be more then happy with Danny Granger in top 5 pick in any year. I think Barnes is being extremely underrated while we overrate other especially MKG who is not a go to guy and will give you same things James Johnsson gives you, except he is younger... Beal is undersized shooting guard. If you are thinking of drafting shooting guard then draft Lamb who is more complete and is more talented then Beal.

Danny Granger put up those numbers but the team didn't go anywhere that season. His numbers and FG% have gone down since his breakout season and hasn't whiffed at being an All Star selection since then. Granger would be the best outcome for Barnes if he reaches his potential. I'm not saying drafting him is a bad thing but I'm just not sure about him yet, he just looks so average to me.