Official Raptors 2011 NBA Draft Thread, Part 6

[Reignman]

I agree that Perry Jones is starting to look better and better by the day.

My updated board:

Irving
Barnes
PJ
Kanter
Val

Obviously Irving is the prize but I'd be happy with Barnes as well. PJ would be the upside pick while Kanter/Val would fill a need we've had for a long long time.

Since D-Will is projected to go very high I'd trade down if he were BPA due to his tweener status for one of the other guys in my top 5.

Knight and Walker I no longer have any interest in, both have major flaws. I'd rather give Bayless a shot.

[Rhettmatic]

DraftExpress Jonathan Givony
Bismack Biyombo will declare for the draft, agent Igor Crespo tells DraftExpress. Good chance he stays in if he's top-20.

[5DOM]

Bismack Biyombo...

A super long player from Congo? Sign him up!

[bboyskinnylegs]

I think Kanter could be a lot like Greg Monroe for us next year. They have similar length, and strengths in their offensive games being able to face-up, pass the ball, make jumpers, and score in the post (without being defensive liabilities). Kanter is bigger and stronger at 260-270 lbs, and I think he's a more active rebounder--but both seem to rely more on their skill level more than their athleticism to be effective.

[Rhettmatic]

I think Kanter could be a lot like Greg Monroe for us next year. They have similar length, and strengths in their offensive games being able to face-up, pass the ball, make jumpers, and score in the post (without being defensive liabilities). Kanter is bigger and stronger at 260-270 lbs, and I think he's a more active rebounder--but both seem to rely more on their skill level more than their athleticism to be effective.

I honestly have no idea how good Kanter is/isn't. I've seen clips from the Hoop Summit and read scouting reports. So I don't even have an opinion on him either way.

But I'm intrigued by the little I have seen, so I'll be really interested to see how he does in workouts.

[Silk Wilkes]

Selby is declaring. I liked him before the season but now I'm not so sure. Anyone interested? Not at our spot but if we were to acquire a later pick.

[Rude Boy 1]

Kemba looks like a great kid, a winner and a leader. His game translates expecially well to the NBA as the floor will open up some as the defenses get spread. his lightening quick moves will draw a lot of guys in. He's just going to make everyone a lot better. Butler focused on him last night and closed off all the lanes everytime he had the ball, as well as blanketing him away from the ball. But he still got the job done when he needed to. He looked exhausted to me in the last half of the 2nd half. I'd love him in Toronto for sure. I guess we just wait now and see how the balls bounce!

5-19 and 0 assists, quite the job. I wonder how he will do against faster, quicker, longer defenders in the NBA...

Sure let's just completely ignore what he did in Hawaii, the 11 30pt games he's had this year, the Big East tournament he won single-handedly and of course the incredible tournament he had up until the final.

Meanwhile let's salivate over Barnes and Knight who had a season full of nights like Kemba's.

If your worried about how HE will do against faster, quicker, longer defenders I would encourage you to ask the same question about Knight(who I also like).

Kemba is a proven winner and a leader who is incredibly fast and a shot maker. With the way the game is called now he most likely will be more valuable in the NBA than he is in college since there aren't many that can match his quicks.

[Rude Boy 1]

I think Kanter could be a lot like Greg Monroe for us next year. They have similar length, and strengths in their offensive games being able to face-up, pass the ball, make jumpers, and score in the post (without being defensive liabilities). Kanter is bigger and stronger at 260-270 lbs, and I think he's a more active rebounder--but both seem to rely more on their skill level more than their athleticism to be effective.

Am I the only one that thinks this guy has red flags all over him? he hasn't played in over a year and a half and is now opting out of the Nike tourney as well.

[Rude Boy 1]

I agree that Perry Jones is starting to look better and better by the day.

My updated board:

Irving
Barnes
PJ
Kanter
Val

Obviously Irving is the prize but I'd be happy with Barnes as well. PJ would be the upside pick while Kanter/Val would fill a need we've had for a long long time.

Since D-Will is projected to go very high I'd trade down if he were BPA due to his tweener status for one of the other guys in my top 5.

Knight and Walker I no longer have any interest in, both have major flaws. I'd rather give Bayless a shot.

I guess your top 5 are pristine then...

[delaney8]

All of these guys are risky in one way or another except Irving who seems to have the most complete game. It's a matter of which risk / how much risk you are willing to take. The more I think of it, I think the Raps need to swing for the fences and draft PJ if you can't get Kyrie and PJ is available.

Risk: We will hate him for having so much talent and not hustling. Back to the lottery for additional years.

Potential reward: Top 10-20 NBA player

[Basketball_Jones]

I don't know much about any of the big men. I don't think any of them were hyped up enough for me to bother checking out.

[KL78192020]

What about Burks, he is ranked pretty high on most draft boards. Has anyone seen him play? The only problem is we have DD and SG, but maybe we can move DD to SF.

[God Squad]

Bismack Biyombo...

A super long player from Congo? Sign him up!

He could be our Surge Ibaka

[God Squad]

Selby is declaring. I liked him before the season but now I'm not so sure. Anyone interested? Not at our spot but if we were to acquire a later pick.

lol. Whats he gonna do? play SG? Cause when I saw him he was clearly a chucker who can't play pg. Also Kansas played better without him. Yeah he missed a lot of games. But regardless your not that important if your team players better without you.

[bboyskinnylegs]

What about Burks, he is ranked pretty high on most draft boards. Has anyone seen him play? The only problem is we have DD and SG, but maybe we can move DD to SF.

I like Burks, but I think he's a reach with our pick. If we were able to acquire a late lotto-mid 1st in another deal, I'd be fine with picking him up.

[A roc 23]

1) Irving
2) Barnes
3) Valanciunas
4) Kanter
5) P. Jones

Derrick Williams would jump to 3rd if he can prove in workouts he can be a long term small forward. Right now his game looked a lot more like a stretch power forward to me, ala a more aggressive Al Harington. If he can prove in workouts he can take his man off the dribble, and he can guard the perimeter for an extended amount of time, I'd take him 3rd.

If the Raptors don't get a top 2 pick then I think they should be looking at players that fit a need, as I don't think enough seperates the remaining top 5-6 prospects in terms of being the BPA.

[cdel00]

I don't think we need to get a guy that's NBA ready. We could definitely accommodate a project right now, because we're not really in a position to win next season if there even is a next season. Valanciunas has all the tools to be a good NBA center. Another point is that if there isn't a season next year, we could have him play in Europe for another season to develop.

The kid looks really promising from the intangibles department.

He's also really adept with that right jump hook shot and uses the glass incredibly well.

He needs to be paired with a good help big though as baseline up and unders are his weakness defensively.

Jonas / Davis would make for a very nice combo for the next 5 years.

[RaptorReloaded]

One thing I keep hearing is who people on this forum think we should pick but who would BC pick? I've heard he's gone to watch Perry Jones. I know he's been over seas scouting also. Does anyone know what else BC has been up to this past year in terms of looking at prospects?

[5DOM]

He usually drafts well. So I'm not worried.

[A roc 23]

I like it. If a centre is drafted then Bargnani needs to be moved. With Davis and Amir you have the starting power forward of the future and your back up big man of the future. None of Davis, Amir, or Bargnani are ever going to thrive as the starting centre.

Bayless / Calderon
DeMar / Barbosa
JJ / Kleiza
Davis / Amir
Valanciunas / Alabi

I could definitely roll with this team to one more tank. These would be the 10 players on the roster, plus whatever you can get for Bargnani.

Maybe move Bargnani to Charlotte for their 1st rounder (9th-11th) and take on Diop's and Carroll's ugly contracts for 2 years (combined 11 million in 2012 and then they'll be worth 11 million in expirers in 2013). You could even negotiate buyouts to save a little more money. Draft Kemba Walker, T. Jones, or Fredette with the top 10 pick.

Bayless / Kemba / Calderon
DeMar / Barbosa / Carroll
JJ / Kleiza
Davis / Amir
Valanciunas / Diop / Alabi

Then after one more year of tanking for a small forward heavy draft, you buyout Diop and Carroll, roll out with this killer squad:

Kemba / Calderon / Bayless
DeMar / Bayless
Barnes / JJ / Kleiza
Davis / Amir / Kleiza
Valanciunas / Amir

You draft Anthony Davis, Barnes, Quincy Miller or James McAdoo and you're set. All this is done by July 2012, so it's not that far away. Of course you try to move Kleiza and Calderon, but they will start expiring when it comes time to start paying the young guys, so they're not toxic contracts.