Official Raptors 2011 NBA Draft Thread, Part 7

[5DOM]

Cousins has long arms and his standing reach is 9'5".

Although I like his potential, I do think Kanter will have some trouble early on against longer and more athletic NBA big men. Won't it be like the first time he will be both physically and athletically outmatched? He did well against Sullinger and I heard Nazr Mohammed, but they arent really the greatest bunch

[Rhettmatic]

No to mention, Demarcus Cousins is not exactly an athletic big either.

LOL @ Cousins, Kanter comparison

When did you see Kanter play? I ask because I'm not sure how anyone could be passionately for or against him given how little anyone's seen. When you saw him playing, what led you to believe he was similar to Cole Aldrich?

[vexen]

Also did any of you watch Demar's end of year press conference?

DD what do you think this team needs most next year?

"We need a veteran big who can play D"

[SDM]

It's a league of athletic superstars. The absolute LAST thing you want to do is draft a guy top three who can barely get off the ground. Kevin Love is one that managed to breakthrough... but he was drafted #5 in a deep draft and there was no question that his high-level IQ wouldn't be put to use. I don't know much about Kantar outside of clips I've seen, but he literally cannot jump. He better be phenomenal everywhere else for that to not matter.

[Reignman]

I think we'd all love an established big man; however, we're talking about the draft and if guys like Irving/Barnes/DWill aren't available at our spot then you're really going to have to do your homework.

Personally, I'd take Kanter/Val over guys like Walker/Knight/etc.

[vexen]

No to mention, Demarcus Cousins is not exactly an athletic big either.

LOL @ Cousins, Kanter comparison

When did you see Kanter play? I ask because I'm not sure how anyone could be passionately for or against him given how little anyone's seen. When you saw him playing, what led you to believe he was similar to Cole Aldrich?

Truth is I think Cole is better then Kanter..

When did you see Kanter play? thats the problem I havent seem him play vs real competition and one game doesn't mean ****. Hell in one game I went 5/5 from 3 but I have never been a good 3pt shooter.

[Reignman]

It's a league of athletic superstars. The absolute LAST thing you want to do is draft a guy top three who can barely get off the ground. Kevin Love is one that managed to breakthrough... but he was drafted #5 in a deep draft and there was no question that his high-level IQ wouldn't be put to use. I don't know much about Kantar outside of clips I've seen, but he literally cannot jump. He better be phenomenal everywhere else for that to not matter.

Perkins looked great in Boston and looks even better in OKC and he is also a below the rim player.

Kanter seems to be much more skilled on the offensive end to boot.

[andrew2good4u]

take the BPA, that's all I ask.

[vexen]

I think we'd all love an established big man; however, we're talking about the draft and if guys like Irving/Barnes/DWill aren't available at our spot then you're really going to have to do your homework.

Personally, I'd take Kanter/Val over guys like Walker/Knight/etc.

Do me favor and go look at all the Big Euros who have been drafted over the years in the top ten and see how they turned out.

[Rhettmatic]

Truth is I think Cole is better then Kanter..

When did you see Kanter play? thats the problem I havent seem him play vs real competition and one game doesn't mean ****. Hell in one game I went 5/5 from 3 but I have never been a good 3pt shooter.

I haven't seen him play outside of that one game, which is why I don't have an opinion either way on his NBA potential.

For me to make definitive statements either way on Enes Kanter -- without any kind of first-hand understanding of his game -- well, that would be completely and entirely idiotic, don't you agree?

[FluLikeSymptoms]

Potentially good news?

@goodmanonfox: Harrison Barnes still mulling decision. There is not expected to be an announcement today, source told FOXSports.com.

I think that the first thought every kid has when they lose their final college game of the season is, 'I'm coming back'. The more days that pass for a guy who is rumoured to go so high, the more likely he is to declare IMO. He's gathering info, weighing it against Roy Williams' 5-11 prediction, and every day he's hearing top-3 talk.

Again, I don't think that the summer courses mean a thing. He did it last summer, he just intends to get his degree someday. If he wanted a degree before he left, he'd be there for 3 years and he'd have shot the draft down dead already.

I'm not saying that he should declare, he's a high pick in any year, but I'm encouraged.

[Reignman]

I think we'd all love an established big man; however, we're talking about the draft and if guys like Irving/Barnes/DWill aren't available at our spot then you're really going to have to do your homework.

Personally, I'd take Kanter/Val over guys like Walker/Knight/etc.

Do me favor and go look at all the Big Euros who have been drafted over the years in the top ten and see how they turned out.

Why would I do that when there's no correlation. There have been bust euro bigs just like there have been bust american bigs, many of them taken #1.

Kanter also played HS ball in Cali and then tried to play for KU, his developmental path isn't that of a typical European (not that it matters).

We'll hear more about him during workouts and that's what I'll base my judgment on. What happened to other euros has nothing to do with Kanter.

[5DOM]

One of the things that makes Perkins a good defender is his long arms/reach. They both seem to have great strength though so I'd be happy if Kanter could become a poor man's Perkins on the defensive end

[SDM]

It's a league of athletic superstars. The absolute LAST thing you want to do is draft a guy top three who can barely get off the ground. Kevin Love is one that managed to breakthrough... but he was drafted #5 in a deep draft and there was no question that his high-level IQ wouldn't be put to use. I don't know much about Kantar outside of clips I've seen, but he literally cannot jump. He better be phenomenal everywhere else for that to not matter.

Perkins looked great in Boston and looks even better in OKC and he is also a below the rim player.

Kanter seems to be much more skilled on the offensive end to boot.

True. It's just scary to have a guy who can't jump in your front court.

[Reignman]

Potentially good news?

@goodmanonfox: Harrison Barnes still mulling decision. There is not expected to be an announcement today, source told FOXSports.com.

I think that the first thought every kid has when they lose their final college game of the season is, 'I'm coming back'. The more days that pass for a guy who is rumoured to go so high, the more likely he is to declare IMO. He's gathering info, weighing it against Roy Williams' 5-11 prediction, and every day he's hearing top-3 talk.

Again, I don't think that the summer courses mean a thing. He did it last summer, he just intends to get his degree someday. If he wanted a degree before he left, he'd be there for 3 years and he'd have shot the draft down dead already.

I'm not saying that he should declare, he's a high pick in any year, but I'm encouraged.

Time to bring in World Wide Wes to do some work for us and let Barnes know he has a promise from us if Irving is off the board.

[Reignman]

It's a league of athletic superstars. The absolute LAST thing you want to do is draft a guy top three who can barely get off the ground. Kevin Love is one that managed to breakthrough... but he was drafted #5 in a deep draft and there was no question that his high-level IQ wouldn't be put to use. I don't know much about Kantar outside of clips I've seen, but he literally cannot jump. He better be phenomenal everywhere else for that to not matter.

Perkins looked great in Boston and looks even better in OKC and he is also a below the rim player.

Kanter seems to be much more skilled on the offensive end to boot.

True. It's just scary to have a guy who can't jump in your front court.

To say he can't jump is overstating things a bit. He's not Tyson Chandler but he has pretty good mobility from what we've seen in clips.

What Perkins does is he creates a barrier to the rim. He might not block your shot but you know you'll probably be meeting him somewhere in the paint.

That's what we need from Kanter, a big body that provides lane intimidation while Ed/Amir can block shots from the weakside. That would be ideal.

[dagger]

I think that the first thought every kid has when they lose their final college game of the season is, 'I'm coming back'. The more days that pass for a guy who is rumoured to go so high, the more likely he is to declare IMO. He's gathering info, weighing it against Roy Williams' 5-11 prediction, and every day he's hearing top-3 talk.

Again, I don't think that the summer courses mean a thing. He did it last summer, he just intends to get his degree someday. If he wanted a degree before he left, he'd be there for 3 years and he'd have shot the draft down dead already.

For a chuckle:

FSOhioZJackson Zac Jackson
I can't imagine Harrison Barnes would really come back to school, but maybe the thought of playing for the Timberwolves really is that bad.

[vexen]

Truth is I think Cole is better then Kanter..

When did you see Kanter play? thats the problem I havent seem him play vs real competition and one game doesn't mean ****. Hell in one game I went 5/5 from 3 but I have never been a good 3pt shooter.

I haven't seen him play outside of that one game, which is why I don't have an opinion either way on his NBA potential.

For me to make statements either way on Enes Kanter -- without any kind of first-hand understanding of his game -- well, that would be completely and entirely idiotic, don't you agree?

That's why IMHO you NEVER draft a BIG and especially a Euro big in early rounds (unless there is a Shaq which comes once every 10 years.) They may pan out but most of the time they don't, I have always felt you draft athletic players who play skill positions and dominated at every level they played.

I have always been of the school you sign/trade for veteran bigs, hell it even worked for us when we got Oakley, Willis and AD.

How about Ed Davis? That's exactly where you draft Bigs and he also went to NC a school like that knows what they are doing when they find players.

I was writing this when you guys made comments about Perkins and Chandler both who are FA this year... Why draft a Big spend years developing him with a chance they may be a bust when we can just sign one now?

[God Squad]

You make it seem like FA are dieing to sign in Toronto. I understand you. I just don't think you understand the RAPTORS situation

[Basketball_Jones]

I actually see a bit of Pierce in him. But hey, I saw that in James Harden as well and he plays nothing like Pierce at the NBA level.