Official Raptors 2011 NBA Draft Thread, Part 8

RaptorReloaded · Post #381 » by **RaptorReloaded** » Mon May 9, 2011 12:56 pm

I wouldn't mind Walker at 3. Also to reply to what another poster said earlier Knight is not overrated. His game is nothing like Rondo's. Knight actually has a jumpshot and saying he should be picked around the 8 to 10 slot like Demar based on potential, IMO Derozan should have been taken way before that as he is proving to be one of the top 5 if not 3 players from that class. I do like the comparison though. Both have great NBA bodies for their positions. Both have great work ethic and both are good smart kids. Thing I like about Knight is he is the same age as some of the hyped up kids going to college next year including Rivers. He was born in 92. To say this guy is a finished product is an understatement. He has so many things to work on but was able to lead Kentucky to the final 4. Not Kanter. Not TJ but Knight. It says allot about his character. He is a winner, he wants to win and he will find ways to do it.

douggood · Post #382 » by **douggood** » Mon May 9, 2011 1:04 pm

i would compare Knight more to Jrue Holiday instead of Rondo. And we know that BC was high on Jrue. If we stay at 3, i desperately would rather move up to 1(irving) or down to 6-7 for knight. katner doesnt excite me, nor does walker.

Dr Positivity · Post #383 » by **Dr Positivity** » Mon May 9, 2011 4:24 pm

Knight and Kanter are the two guys who seem like they could be all-star types after Irving and Williams. Therefore they are my 3/4

Indeed · Post #384 » by **Indeed** » Mon May 9, 2011 5:36 pm

ilikecb4 wrote:I'm telling you guys right now, Jan Vesley will be the best player from this draft 3 years from now

He's potential is amazing....i saw him play live about 2-3 times...

6'11, moves like a Small forward.....Lamar Odomesque....Dunks everything...and he's raw...

that's what I like about him...he doesn't back down...he's not a pu$$y, excuse my french

Very skinny, but nothing NBA trainers can't fix.....

Whoever picks him 5-6th is gonna get a really good player

He's been playing professional basketball for 5 years, at highest levels in europe, he's battle tested

I wouldn't be surprised neither.
Vesley can be a better defender and better shooter than Williams, so he could be a better fit at the SF spot.

Definitely, lack of coverage and competition in his league hurts his stock, and he is a year older than Williams. However, his versatility play could be a better team for most teams at the 3 instead of D. Will.

I can see him as a healthy AK47 potential and willing to make body contact, but he is not NBA ready yet, especially defensive end.

Kevin Willis · Post #385 » by **Kevin Willis** » Mon May 9, 2011 5:53 pm

ilikecb4 wrote:I'm telling you guys right now, Jan Vesley will be the best player from this draft 3 years from now

He's potential is amazing....i saw him play live about 2-3 times...

6'11, moves like a Small forward.....Lamar Odomesque....Dunks everything...and he's raw...

that's what I like about him...he doesn't back down...he's not a pu$$y, excuse my french

Very skinny, but nothing NBA trainers can't fix.....

Whoever picks him 5-6th is gonna get a really good player

He's been playing professional basketball for 5 years, at highest levels in europe, he's battle tested

+1000000000000000000000000000.

I've expressed what I've felt about this guy many times before, he will be better than Perry Jones because he has same physical tools and a much, much better motor.

bboyskinnylegs · Post #386 » by **bboyskinnylegs** » Mon May 9, 2011 6:06 pm

^^ Vesely has the same physical tools, but nowhere near the skillset that Perry has. He has a great first step and is an athletic, explosive dunker, but he's also very skinny, and really doesn't create off the dribble at all. His 3pt percentages aren't so good either.

just23 · Post #387 » by **just23** » Mon May 9, 2011 8:43 pm

Haven't seen enough of Vesely to have much of an opinion on him, but he seems awfully raw. A skinny Amir Johnson with better length is my view of him right now. I've been wrong before though.

dagger · Post #388 » by **dagger** » Mon May 9, 2011 8:48 pm

Today's Valanciunas news

Rytas evened the best of seven Lithuanian League championship series at 1-1, beating Zalgiris 81-70.

Valanciunas scored 11 points (4-5 FG, 3-6 FT) with four boards and three blocks in 19 minutes. When I was watching him he was very impactful defensively, blocking and changing shots, but late in the game with him on the bench Rytas really hammered Zalgiris on both ends, so his coach stayed with that lineup right to the end.

Side note 1: Linas Kleiza was at the game in Vilnius and got a nice round of applause.

Side note 2: Brad Newley, a 26 year old Aussie, had a very nice game for Rytas. his rights are owned by Houston which drafted him 59th in 2007.

prototype · Post #389 » by **prototype** » Mon May 9, 2011 9:09 pm

With the three bigs I'm starting to see it like which type of player you'd prefer on the team.
Jonas - brings a little on both sides of the floor but doesn't excel in one area like an Andris Biedrins type.
Enes - all-around O with adequate D like a Brad Miller type.
Bismack - great on D with limited O like a Ben Wallace type.

If Bargnani is not on the team next season, Enes would be the way to go since we'll need a big man to help score. But if BC still believes Bargnani is a part of the core and he stays, Bismack could anchor the D and let Bargs do his thing and "play like a PF."

MrBojangelz71 · Post #390 » by **MrBojangelz71** » Mon May 9, 2011 9:22 pm

DarkKnight wrote: ]

If he has the same game in the NBa as he had in NCAA (unlikely to be that good, but give t to him anyway) then you've got a VERY undersized 2-guard with poor efficiency. Kemba is the absolute definition of a chucker and Toronto fans would HATE him. Think Jonny Flynn with lower PG skills and lower efficiency. If you like the idea of using Bayless' minutes on a guy like that, then Kemba is your man.

Sorry but Kemba is not the chucker you want to make him out to be, far from it. The kid was averaging 4.3 assists per, same as Irving. He shot the ball because he was asked to shoot the ball. It was the right way to utilize him as it won them a championship.

You can state that Kemba's value is heavily based on his ability to score the ball. That Kemba was given the opportunity to take a large volume of shots and made good on them. But spare me this chucker nonsense, it isn't true and it devalues what Kemba is about, that is winning and being a team player.

TheRealDeal · Post #391 » by **TheRealDeal** » Mon May 9, 2011 9:39 pm

Reading about what teams/scouts are saying is the best way to learn anything new about these guys until workouts. They're the ones breaking down video that we don't have. It's always interesting to hear the reactions & comparison made by scouts this time of year. I found a pretty good article with insight from NBA Draft Insider’s Kristofer Habbas from this past weekend, not sure if it's been posted.

Kanter scored a Nike Hoop Summit-record 33 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in the 2010 game in Portland against a Team USA front line that included Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, Florida’s Patric Young, Kentucky’s Terrence Jones and North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes.

According to ESPN.com’s Fran Fraschilla, if the 19-year-old Kanter had played college basketball this year, he would have had the same impact on Kentucky that Sullinger did with the Buckeyes.

Fraschilla said Kanter invites contact around the basket, has good footwork and has a nice shooting touch out to the college 3-point line.

The consensus is that Kanter isn’t a superior athlete and that he might not have a lot of upside. Habbas said Kanter will play center in the NBA.

“He’s a good rebounder, but not a great one,” he said.

Habbas agrees that Kanter is the most ready to play — if he’s near his playing shape of 255 pounds.

“If he’s in shape, he’ll be the most impactful (international player),” he said.

Fraschilla reports that Kanter is currently working out in Chicago with famed NBA skills guru Tim Grover.

He’s a player on the Cavs’ radar if they land the No. 2 or 3 pick in the draft.

He reminds scouts of: Al Jefferson

Jan Vesely, Czech Republic, power forward, 6-11, 240: He’s one of the best athletes in the draft. Fraschilla predicted he would win an NBA dunk contest someday.

Some seem to think he can play small forward in the NBA, which might be a stretch. He has a good motor, runs the floor well and moves great without the ball.

Habbas said Vesely is a “stretch 4.”

“He has a good set 3-point shot,” Habbas said. “His biggest skill is his ability to stretch the floor. He has a combination of athleticism, rebounding and hustle.”

He reminds scouts of: Andre Kirilenko.

Bismack Biyombo, Congo, power forward, 6-9, 243: Fraschilla guarantees that no more than three teams even knew who this guy was before January. Now, he’s going to be a lottery pick.

Defensively, he could be a force early on in the NBA because of his 7-7 wingspan, strength and athleticism. He burst upon the scene in last month’s Hoop Summit with a triple-double.

But as good as he could be defensively, he’s just as raw offensively. That’s why scouts don’t compare him to fellow countryman Serge Ibaka, who can make a mid-range jump shot.

“The issue I have is whether he can catch the ball,” Habbas said. “He doesn’t have the greatest hands. I don’t like the Ibaka comparison. It’s more like Ben Wallace when he first came to the league.”

Habbas said he’s seen Biyombo ranked as high as No. 3 on some draft boards.

“I’m vehemently against that,” he said. “But he’ll likely go in the top 10.”

He reminds scouts of: Ben Wallace.

Jonas Valanciunas, Lithuania, forward/center, 6-11, 230: Scouts are raving about his potential. But he’s probably the least ready of the international prospects scheduled to be drafted in the lottery.

“In this draft, I like him the most,” Habbas said. “He has the potential to do everything. But he doesn’t do anything great. He does outwork everyone.

“He needs to spend one or two more years in Europe.”

Valanciunas turned 19 on Friday. Fraschilla said his size, agility and athleticism make him very enticing for a team willing to wait for him to physically mature. Would that be enough for a team like the Cavs to bypass him in the draft?

They need immediate help, something he won’t be able to provide. On the other hand, they’re not going to be real good next year and might be able to wait for Valanciunas to mature.

ESPN.com’s Chad Ford has the Cavs taking Valanciunas with the eighth pick in his latest mock draft.

He reminds scouts of: Andris Biedrins.

http://morningjournal.com/articles/2011/05/07/sports/doc4dc60355598e6225442799.txt?viewmode=default

bboyskinnylegs · Post #392 » by **bboyskinnylegs** » Mon May 9, 2011 9:47 pm

Interesting to see scouts make the Ben Wallace comparison for Biyombo. It seems like we'd have to be most patient with Val.

LargeBabyDavis · Post #393 » by **LargeBabyDavis** » Mon May 9, 2011 9:53 pm

We should try and pick up a guy like Isiah thomas. His size problems have kept him low key but he could be a steal.

ty123 · Post #394 » by **ty123** » Mon May 9, 2011 9:57 pm

No to Valanciunas. His defensive instincts are so horrid he'd foul out of every game he played plus add another two fouls for 40 minute games.

phailing101 · Post #395 » by **phailing101** » Mon May 9, 2011 10:14 pm

It seems analysts are continuing to harp on the fact BB is VERY raw.

He scares me quite a bit.

If we don't get Irving/Williams I continue to support picking Kanter unless workouts tell a different story in coming weeks.

nahom1319 · Post #396 » by **nahom1319** » Mon May 9, 2011 10:30 pm

I'd like to point out, raw OFFENSIVELY.... this is nothing to be scared of, minus the knock on his hands (which is the first time someone's mentioned it) he sounds exactly like Ed Davis coming out of North Carolina last year... and look what happened there.

Give Alex English a year with him and we could have someone even more special then Ed

daner01 · Post #397 » by **daner01** » Mon May 9, 2011 10:40 pm

Hey I ran realgms lotto sim about 50 times and not once did the top 3 picks fall the way they should: minnesota, Cleveland, Toronto. Is it broke lol? Or is this just my luck?

Post #398 » by **5DOM** » Mon May 9, 2011 10:55 pm

daner01 wrote:Hey I ran realgms lotto sim about 50 times and not once did the top 3 picks fall the way they should: minnesota, Cleveland, Toronto. Is it broke lol? Or is this just my luck?

I think there's like 1.9% chance of that happening. So I guess you were a little unlucky

wanker · Post #399 » by **wanker** » Mon May 9, 2011 11:26 pm

nahom1319 wrote:I'd like to point out, raw OFFENSIVELY.... this is nothing to be scared of, minus the knock on his hands (which is the first time someone's mentioned it) he sounds exactly like Ed Davis coming out of North Carolina last year... and look what happened there.

Ummmm, no. People were not wondering if Ed Davis could catch a ball.

RaptorReloaded · Post #400 » by **RaptorReloaded** » Tue May 10, 2011 1:20 am

Agreed Ed Davis actually had skill coming out of UNC.