ItsDanger wrote:ForeverTFC wrote:ItsDanger wrote:Keeping their interest a secret? I'm highlighting the important part of the selection. These toolsy prospects are high risk high reward that teams bet on. Many fail but some occasionally hit the jackpot. But lot of teams keep their interest in certain players hidden, that's common in drafts.
The article is about a young FO with a pedigree in player identification chasing a ghost, wholly unprepared and blind to the development needs of such prospects. It paints a picture of a bygone era where finding the next "unknown" player was the holy grail that no longer exists anymore and paints the picture of backroom dealings that we are rarely privy to. Further, it sheds light on the origins of the Raptors' well known development process; one which Siakam and FVV were groomed in and later slighted by when Scottie did not have to participate in it. More importantly, it discusses little of Bruno and his development beyond the Raptors; this is not his story but rather Masai's.
It's a well written article about your favorite team. It's enjoyable and fun to talk about. Yet you come here calling in par for the course to do what exactly?
That's your interpretation of the article. Mine leans towards the analytical side. Maybe you shouldn't draft an all tools raw international player if you don't have the development infrastructure in place. You should look at these stories from all angles and on a macro level sometimes.
Weren't the Raptors regarded as the one of the best development teams in the NBA during that time?
Guys like Powell, Delon, Siakam, Fred, OG etc. were all drafted between 2015-2017 and became very good players despite all being outside the lottery or undrafted.
Masai took a risk with the 20th pick and didn't work. He tried trading down for Giannis in 2013, which would have been incredible but it didn't happen.
Sometimes you hit, sometimes you don't.
The fact is that Masai has hit more than most GMs in this league despite not having many lottery picks.