With the 9th Pick, the Raptors select Collin Murray-Boyles!

[Clutch0z24]

The CMB/Maluach debate will be fun to keep an eye on.....We will see who develops into the better player.

[tsherkin]

Ochai gets no respect whatsoever

He's a decent shooter, quality from the corners. Not a dynamic player, but appears to be a decent roleplayer, sure. But you have to move something to get something, and he is one of the more appealing options from what we've got in our asset bag at the moment.

I'd hardly call a 2nd round pick "something" if it costs you an actual NBA rotation player.

Yes, as I noted above, I wasn't really paying attention to the details of the trade so much as the implication that Ochai gets no respect. This was an error, heh.

[WuTang_CMB]

In my work covering Murray-Boyles in the lead up to the draft he wasn’t a popular selection with the Raptors fanbase at all. He is, however, one of my favorite players in the whole draft. I think he has tremendous upside, and will be an incredibly unique and intriguing player to watch on the Raptors.

Murray-Boyles’ defensive utility spans a lot of different coverages and matchups. Considering his weight, he is a freakishly fast mover. Considering that he’s carrying far more weight than both, his agility scores coming in at similar numbers to players like Cooper Flagg & Carter Bryant was really encouraging. His weight, strength, and length help him hang in against other bigs, naturally, and he has the quickness to stonewall a lot of different players in isolation; but he shines first and foremost as a player in rotation, with his intimidating mitts – that get on everything.

If Murray-Boyles is one pass away, or the low man, or zoning up the weak-side – he’s a terror. He makes elite guards kill their dribble often, and his digs frequently result in steals. He jumps passes all the time, and his timing + length as the low man allows him to guard way above his height at the rim. His 2.9% steal rate and 4.7% block rate were massive, and he manages to playmake on defense without getting burned often. He’s one of the rare players who can playmake constantly on the defensive end while also keeping the ball out front.

With his ball screen defense, he’s entirely too physical and quick for most players to deal with or outfox. If you watched the NBA Finals you would have seen how the Thunder are capable of destroying high ball screen actions, and CMB provides something similar to what Lu Dort & Alex Caruso do there. There’s a clip in the package I provided where CMB pops out on the most athletic guard and the best dribbler in the class, Jeremiah Fears, and completely blows up the pick n’ roll action. He’s an absolute terror.

Now, the most exciting and impressive aspect of Murray-Boyles’ offense is his driving/attacking game. South Carolina did him very few favors in creating advantages or spacing the floor on his behalf, and Murray-Boyles was dynamite at knifing through the lane and to the rim for finishes with a live dribble. This feature of his game is largely why I find the Jonathan Mogbo comps to be nonsensical. Mogbo played strictly as a big, with no variety to his shot diet. Murray-Boyles was an all out creator at the college level, in the SEC, and was one of the best drivers in all of college basketball in my mind. I think he has the capability to beat bigs in space using his dribble, and to bully guards/wings with his strength. I think he can mine those advantages for points in the halfcourt. In transition I have no worries, that would be easy enough for him.

In addition to his driving game, he is a 240 pound young man, who can set flat screens, ghost screens, or regular screens; plant all of them, and operate out of them as a roller or popper. He is more than comfortable to facilitate that kind of offense should a team want him to. If that’s what you think he’ll be best at in the NBA, I’d be worried, but if you believe in this stuff as a tertiary skill then it’s easy to see how he could provide a lot of value doing this when teams want to find interesting screening partnerships to punish weaker defenders. If teams play their bigs on him trying to roam off, then he can carve out tons of space for his ball handler or create a switch for the guard to attack – or create a post touch against a small for himself.

It’s been about 3 years in a row of watching the playoffs and seeing teams go down the line of different screening partnerships, and how important that dynamic has become. He also makes some pretty interesting passing reads. I didn’t find him to be very good passing out of the drive, but I thought he was pretty solid as a short-roller and as a post passer.

[Scase]

Ochai gets no respect whatsoever

He's a decent shooter, quality from the corners. Not a dynamic player, but appears to be a decent roleplayer, sure. But you have to move something to get something, and he is one of the more appealing options from what we've got in our asset bag at the moment.

Yeah, but 5 spots in the 2nd round lol?

[tsherkin]

Ochai gets no respect whatsoever

He's a decent shooter, quality from the corners. Not a dynamic player, but appears to be a decent roleplayer, sure. But you have to move something to get something, and he is one of the more appealing options from what we've got in our asset bag at the moment.

Yeah, but 5 spots in the 2nd round lol?

As I've now said in two different posts... *redirects you above*

[UnbelievablyRAW]

I think the FO hasn't abandoned project 6'9+ and they're going to keep stacking the roster with mostly taller players with ball handling and playmaking. Obviously we've taken Walter and targeted IQ, but I think Masai believes in that vision if you look at the size of other guys they're trying out.

Wouldn't be surprised if they're actually really hoping Scottie can eventually shoot enough to actually play PG (which is why they told him to jack up 3's all last season to get reps) so they can eventually have a Scottie/Dick/Ingram/CMB/Poeltl (or Mogbo) lineup. We prob see Dick and CMB as first subs to give that lineup a run (assuming RJ is still on the team and the starters are IQ/RJ/BI/SB/JP) and see if we can kill teams with having a C sized PG with everyone else 6'8 or taller.

Pretty cool to think about; finding another path to breaking defenses and doubling down on a strength we may have over other teams. Similar to how the Pacers doubled down on Hali's transition playmaking and his ability to run that fast paced offense.

I don't hate the CMB pick and have to watch him more, but literally all the statistical research shows him as one of the best guys in the entire draft. If he can improve the shooting he has an easy path to being on of the better players in the draft overall. Wouldn't be surprised if the Raptors let out they saw him as a top 5 player in the draft that fell into our laps (I would have taken Coward though but we'll see)

[GIZMO]

He wouldn't have been my pick (the fit is weird and that shot needs to be rebuilt), but whatever. If they thought he was the BPA then I'm on board.

[Psubs]

Ochai gets no respect whatsoever

He's a decent shooter, quality from the corners. Not a dynamic player, but appears to be a decent roleplayer, sure. But you have to move something to get something, and he is one of the more appealing options from what we've got in our asset bag at the moment.

Yes, I would move Mogbo but don't think he would fetch a higher 2nd pick.

[Nature]

[Tha Cynic]

Like I said, I have the same concerns. CMB on their board must have been far and away the best prospect and maybe they view his potential as even higher than Scottie's and they couldn't pass that up or they actually think these guys are interchangeable and will be able to play together. I have my doubts.

I mean, if he can set a screen, his potential relative to Barnes has to be higher already, no?

I'd like to think our FO/coaches aren't daft enough to think these guys will play well together, though. If it was 20 or 30 years ago, I'd be more open to the notion but not now. I still remember what those 05 Sonics were doing with Reggie Evans and Danny Fortson, heh.

Scottie is really passive, and CMB is far more aggressive (not in a bad way).

I think people see the stats where he scored majority of his points inside, that he was used as a bigman ,and think he was scoring like a center which couldn't be further from the truth. CMB has a bag, this guy was creating his way to the rim, he has a super sweet lay up package, a feathery soft touch, he knows how to draw contact and get fouls. He also has a super underrated mid range game, and I do feel like the 3 point comes along with him. He is defense first, but his scoring game is really underrated, and hes going to be a connective passer at the next level.

I like his scoring potential more than Barnes, who is mostly an opportunistic scorer, and can get passive at times. I do like the fit with each other, and I see thr vision Masai is trying to achieve.

Agreed. My number #1 issue with Barnes is that he doesn't use his body enough to overpower guys. When he first came into the league he looked like a guy who would use that to make his career on offense but has completely gone away from that. CMB, I can't see him playing any other esythsn being a bull who attacks. We need more of those type of personalities.

[XTC]

I mean, if he can set a screen, his potential relative to Barnes has to be higher already, no?

I'd like to think our FO/coaches aren't daft enough to think these guys will play well together, though. If it was 20 or 30 years ago, I'd be more open to the notion but not now. I still remember what those 05 Sonics were doing with Reggie Evans and Danny Fortson, heh.

Scottie is really passive, and CMB is far more aggressive (not in a bad way).

I think people see the stats where he scored majority of his points inside, that he was used as a bigman ,and think he was scoring like a center which couldn't be further from the truth. CMB has a bag, this guy was creating his way to the rim, he has a super sweet lay up package, a feathery soft touch, he knows how to draw contact and get fouls. He also has a super underrated mid range game, and I do feel like the 3 point comes along with him. He is defense first, but his scoring game is really underrated, and hes going to be a connective passer at the next level.

I like his scoring potential more than Barnes, who is mostly an opportunistic scorer, and can get passive at times. I do like the fit with each other, and I see thr vision Masai is trying to achieve.

Agreed. My number #1 issue with Barnes is that he doesn't use his body enough to overpower guys. When he first came into the league he looked like a guy who would use that to make his career on offense but has completely gone away from that. CMB, I can't see him playing any other esythsn being a bull who attacks. We need more of those type of personalities.

I also think drafting CMB allows Scottie to spend more time at the 3, where he can use his size to his advantage. For all Scottie's faults, he was badly utilized this past season, I dont think hes a fulltime 4. Scottie has always been his best as a 3.

[tsherkin]

Wouldn't be surprised if they're actually really hoping Scottie can eventually shoot enough to actually play PG (which is why they told him to jack up 3's all last season to get reps) so they can eventually have a Scottie/Dick/Ingram/CMB/Poeltl (or Mogbo) lineup.

That concerns me greatly.

[mtcan]

Read on Twitter

Open Gym got us!!!!

[Tripod]

Ochai gets no respect whatsoever

He's a decent shooter, quality from the corners. Not a dynamic player, but appears to be a decent roleplayer, sure. But you have to move something to get something, and he is one of the more appealing options from what we've got in our asset bag at the moment.

I have no issue if they move him.

But it's not to move up from 39 to 34 in a draft.

[Nature]

I truly think we got the BPA.

Just sucks that he plays the same position and shares the same weaknesses as our flawed franchise cornerstone.

[UnbelievablyRAW]

We might need to trade up and grab Fleming. He has C size and a massive wingspan. Plus he can shoot. Really scary if he hits

[UnbelievablyRAW]

Wouldn't be surprised if they're actually really hoping Scottie can eventually shoot enough to actually play PG (which is why they told him to jack up 3's all last season to get reps) so they can eventually have a Scottie/Dick/Ingram/CMB/Poeltl (or Mogbo) lineup.

That concerns me greatly.

Lol why do you think they kept having him guard the other teams best PG or SG last season? All PG reps

[tsherkin]

Wouldn't be surprised if they're actually really hoping Scottie can eventually shoot enough to actually play PG (which is why they told him to jack up 3's all last season to get reps) so they can eventually have a Scottie/Dick/Ingram/CMB/Poeltl (or Mogbo) lineup.

That concerns me greatly.

Lol why do you think they kept having him guard the other teams best PG or SG last season? All PG reps

Honestly, I'm a little weary of the Scottie saga at this point.

[RoteSchroder]

The CMB/Maluach debate will be fun to keep an eye on.....We will see who develops into the better player.

Hard to compare..it could be like trying to compare Randle vs Gobert.

CMB has two-way star potential..it's just that the shooting isn't good at all. Nice to hear he's gonna try to fix it from the ground up though.

Maluach mostly has one way potential with role player upside on offense. His archetype is valuable if he can get there. His value is predicated on how well he can anchor a defense and that's a little questionable..it's hard to tell the level of D he can get to from his Duke games. I did not like him pre-college at all, so CMB was the safer choice.

Many ppl liked Carter Bryant, who only has 3+D role player potential. I'm not so sure he can reach OG level, although he's with the Spurs so he'll likely max out his potential. I think you trade for these players rather than draft them with a lotto pick.

There's a Queen comparison as well since they both play bully ball and thrive in the paint, but CMB's more efficient at it. Queen also can't play defense. CMB should easily win this one.

The main comparison for me is Essengue, who would play a similar position (they're both 3/4's to me and it would be a misuse to put either at 5 for extended minutes). I would have taken the chance of Essengue improving at every facet of the game in 4 years over CMB improving his jumper, which is a much riskier choice.

Out of all these players, CMB has the best feel, paint touch, and b-ball instincts on both ends, despite not jumping the highest or being the tallest/longest. The FO went with natural b-ball talent and on-court production, it could easily be the best choice in the end given the circumstances.

[UnbelievablyRAW]

That concerns me greatly.

Lol why do you think they kept having him guard the other teams best PG or SG last season? All PG reps

Honestly, I'm a little weary of the Scottie saga at this point.

With them taking CMB they are really doubling down on their belief Scottie isn't a non-shooter. I disagree and think he should be a super third option but maybe they're seeing something we're not behind the scenes