With the 19th Pick, the Raptors select Ja'Kobe Walter!

[Indeed]

He reminds me of T Ross more than he does Demar.

He is a T Ross Prototype actually. Just seems more engaged than T Ross ended up being.

Ross was also known for not being the sharpest knife in the drawer. Hopefully he's smarter than Ross.

Biggest difference between the two is their footwork and ability AND interest in driving IMO, with an innate ability to bait a foul.

Ross would typically go for it when he could finish at the rim. Demar developed a deep bag that leaned into his propensity to get to the line.

Of course, Ja'kobe fires up 3s and seems intent on establishing that skill at the NBA level as he did in HS and College, so that's closer to Ross. But the FT making is what will make Ja'kobe unique if he can unlock that against NBA defences.

I think Ross maybe a better passer or better feel to the game.
Walter is more diverse as compare to Ross. Meanwhile, I don't envision Walter to be DeRozan level of scorer, perhaps better defender as in neutral.

With Quickley/Dick/Walter, we are still lacking a point of defender and a big wing defender.

[LoveMyRaps]

He's only 19 so I'm going to be very patient with him.

Give him a couple years, he'll figure it out.

My hope is that he can be a serviceable role player.

[OakleyDokely]

Ja'Kobe has been a disaster in summer league trying to create offense off the dribble, but that's really not his game, at least not yet. To get the most out of it, you need to run a lot of actions and get him moving in space. In a more structured NBA environment playing off guys like Poeltl and Barnes, I think you will see a more functional player.

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[manjusaka]

Ja'Kobe has been a disaster in summer league trying to create offense off the dribble, but that's really not his game, at least not yet. To get the most out of it, you need to run a lot of actions and get him moving in space. In a more structured NBA environment playing off guys like Poeltl and Barnes, I think you will see a more functional player.

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Similar to Dick. This is summer league, perfect setting for getting some rep to expand their game.

[DG88]

Ja'Kobe has been a disaster in summer league trying to create offense off the dribble, but that's really not his game, at least not yet. To get the most out of it, you need to run a lot of actions and get him moving in space. In a more structured NBA environment playing off guys like Poeltl and Barnes, I think you will see a more functional player.

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Similar to Dick. This is summer league, perfect setting for getting some rep to expand their game.

Yup this setting is more to see what they need to improve on compared to what they can already do.

[OakleyDokely]

The Walter pick seems to be another guy for Barnes. They're getting as many of these movement shooters as possible to surround him with.

The Raps have a lot more options now who can spread the floor and make quick decisions with the ball (Dick, IQ, Walter) with Barnes functioning as the hub.

Eventually they will need to find that straight line, pure scorer, but those type of guys who can do it efficiently and who also aren't one dimensional black holes, are extremely hard to find.

[ArthurVandelay]

The Walter pick seems to be another guy for Barnes. They're getting as many of these movement shooters as possible to surround him with.

The Raps have a lot more options now who can spread the floor and make quick decisions with the ball (Dick, IQ, Walter) with Barnes functioning as the hub.

Eventually they will need to find that straight line, pure scorer, but those type of guys who can do it efficiently and who also aren't one dimensional black holes, are extremely hard to find.

There could be 4 Of those guys at the top of the 2025 nba draft

Tre Johnson
cooper Flagg
vJ edgecombe
Ace

Not to mention an elite PG in Traore

[Duffman100]

Ja'Kobe has been a disaster in summer league trying to create offense off the dribble, but that's really not his game, at least not yet. To get the most out of it, you need to run a lot of actions and get him moving in space. In a more structured NBA environment playing off guys like Poeltl and Barnes, I think you will see a more functional player.

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Similar to Dick. This is summer league, perfect setting for getting some rep to expand their game.

Yup this setting is more to see what they need to improve on compared to what they can already do.

He's definitely been put in the 'create your own shot' role which is ... not good.

He just needs to start sticking those off ball shots he's been getting.

[Psubs]

Similar to Dick. This is summer league, perfect setting for getting some rep to expand their game.

Yup this setting is more to see what they need to improve on compared to what they can already do.

He's definitely been put in the 'create your own shot' role which is ... not good.

He just needs to start sticking those off ball shots he's been getting.

Maybe they are giving him freedom like Keyonte George?

[Duffman100]

Yup this setting is more to see what they need to improve on compared to what they can already do.

He's definitely been put in the 'create your own shot' role which is ... not good.

He just needs to start sticking those off ball shots he's been getting.

Maybe they are giving him freedom like Keyonte George?

Oh I think they're letting him work on something he's not good at. It's just... not good. And likely not what we're going to see in actual games.

[Yeezus_]

The Ross comparisons dont make sense. He was allergic to contact and the free throw line. Walter has shown the opposite in college, which usually translates.

[ishoy123]

He's only 19 so I'm going to be very patient with him.

Give him a couple years, he'll figure it out.

My hope is that he can be a serviceable role player.

If you can consistently draft Terrence Ross, Ed Davis, Delon Wright level players, that's a very good track record.

[DG88]

He's definitely been put in the 'create your own shot' role which is ... not good.

He just needs to start sticking those off ball shots he's been getting.

Maybe they are giving him freedom like Keyonte George?

Oh I think they're letting him work on something he's not good at. It's just... not good. And likely not what we're going to see in actual games.

I doubt we this in game but it gives the team tape to show Ja'kobe what he needs to work on. In the regular season it's going to be off ball movement shooting for him.

[YogurtProducer]

The Walter pick seems to be another guy for Barnes. They're getting as many of these movement shooters as possible to surround him with.

The Raps have a lot more options now who can spread the floor and make quick decisions with the ball (Dick, IQ, Walter) with Barnes functioning as the hub.

Eventually they will need to find that straight line, pure scorer, but those type of guys who can do it efficiently and who also aren't one dimensional black holes, are extremely hard to find.

IQ/Walter/Dick/Barnes could be a somewhat fun lineup.

[OakleyDokely]

The Walter pick seems to be another guy for Barnes. They're getting as many of these movement shooters as possible to surround him with.

The Raps have a lot more options now who can spread the floor and make quick decisions with the ball (Dick, IQ, Walter) with Barnes functioning as the hub.

Eventually they will need to find that straight line, pure scorer, but those type of guys who can do it efficiently and who also aren't one dimensional black holes, are extremely hard to find.

IQ/Walter/Dick/Barnes could be a somewhat fun lineup.

You can do a lot more with Barnes functioning as the smallball C in certain lineups. You can now put 4 shooters/creators around him. Or drop someone like KO in with him and you add even more size/shooting.

I think they could be an average offensive team, maybe even in that 10-15 range. It's the defense, that's the big concern.

There was a 10 game stretch in Feb where Poeltl, Barnes, IQ, Barrett all played together after the trades and before Scottie's injury. During that stretch they had the 12th best offense and 22nd ranked defense. I think something similar is likely this year.

[aminiaturebuddha]

It's the development piece that always makes the draft such a challenge, for even the best talent evaluators. It's relatively easy to see what skills a player already has, even if they're in their infancy. It's another thing entirely to predict the emergence of secondary skills they don't have.

Something like on ball creation, for example, is something that Demar developed over time, but OG never did, and neither of them had any of that to speak of in college. We'll just have to hope that Walter can develop that. And if he doesn't maybe his high end outcome is a more consistently defensive minded GTJ who can also get to the FT line. That would still be a good player from a 19th pick, but if he can add on ball creation, he'd be a steal.

I think it'll be 3 years before we really have an idea what his development will look like.

[Badonkadonk]

Another tough shooting night, but once again 5/6 from the FT line and exhibited a sneaky approach to generating rim pressure.

Similar to Gradey, I think the shooting will come around as he grows into his body and improves his conditioning. Much harder to teach/develop a bag that generates FTs.

[OakleyDokely]

3 summer league games:

23.3 MIN, 8.7 PPG, 3.3 REB, 1.3 AST, 0.7 STL, .269 FG (8.7 ATT), .118 3PT (5.7 ATT), .833 FT (4.0 ATT)

[ItsDanger]

He should be training burst speed every day. That is something that's possible to improve IF you put the work into it.

[gp2015]

Eventually they will need to find that straight line, pure scorer, but those type of guys who can do it efficiently and who also aren't one dimensional black holes, are extremely hard to find.

Doesn't that loosely describe RJ 2.0, after he was traded here?