Official Raptors 2011 NBA Draft Thread Part 9

[5DOM]

1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Kanter
4. Valanciunas
5. Knight

would be nice

[McFurious1]

I want Walker!

[dagger]

DraftExpress Jonathan Givony
Raptors want him bad at #5. RT @jakewritesstuff: If the Jazz weren't @ #3 would Knight slip much or is he still a consensus top five pick?

[SDM]

UGH. Knight reminds me of Marcus Banks, a "PG" with no discernible team-running skills or shot, but had "defensive potential" and "a great frame" coming out of college. It will be a grave mistake if we pass on Walker. What he has in intangibles/swag isn't easily replicated and we can't cross our fingers and hope Knight will blossom into a guy with killer instinct who is ready to shine in big moments. Take the guy who is slightly older but absolutely has these qualities. This isn't free agency... Unless one guy is 18 and the other's 25, we shouldn't have preference with the guy who isn't as skilled but is younger. That's crazy talk. Walker's a slam dunk if he's there at #5.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Did they bring in CoJo and Thompson today just so our lazy beat writers can get an easy story?

[McFurious1]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xksw2oBrCZA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Thanks for that it was a tough interview to sit through... can we just draft Walker and be done with it?

[McFurious1]

What about Nikola Vucevic for a late pick? The kid has legit center size I'm not sure how his defense is but his offense looks smooth and he can rebound avg 17pts and 10reb in college.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Nikola-Vucevic-5828/

[Truthrising]

I'm starting to believe we can get Kanter at 5. Cleveland could legitimately take Valanciunas 4.

1. Cle - Irving
2. Min - Williams
3. Uta - Knight
4. Cle - Val
5. Tor - Kanter!

I believe that'd be a franchise changing turn of events. I like Kanter and the difference between Kanter and whoever we'd be picking at 5 if Irving/Williams/Knight/Kanter went top 4, that much

Davis and Kanter frontline = BADASS!!

Pretty interesting, so if we draft Knight..at least we'll have the opportunity to trade for Kanter. This may be the best route to go.

[RaptorReloaded]

Let's just take Walker or Knight and gtfo. I don't care which one just not vesely or val.

[Basketball_Jones]

Knight/Burks or die trying.

[phailing101]

LOL @ Cavs if they take Val over Kanter.

If Kanter or Knight fall to us it's going to be an Ed Davis type of steal for us!

[ATLTimekeeper]

Cavs have been one of the best drafting teams in the past decade. I wouldn't LOL at any of their decisions. Givony looks like he's in BC's pocket. He's thrown out so many names in regard to our selection.

[Brinbe]

Let's just take Walker or Knight and gtfo. I don't care which one just not vesely or val.

Yep, that's pretty much been my attitude for three months now, ever since we finished 3rd-worst.

Even before the lottery, and even after all those highly touted guys dropped out (like Barnes/P. Jones), we certainly knew we could land at least one of Irving/Williams/Kanter/Knight and Walker, since the odds of dropping to sixth were extremely low.

Of course, we didn't have the best of luck with those ping-pong balls, but I was happy that we still fell within that five-player threshold.

So a week until the draft, and even after the combine and workouts, my attitude hasn't changed at all. There's no need to complicate this, go with Walker, if Kanter/Knight are indeed gone. Val? Vesely? Biyombo? Kawhi? No thanks...

In fact, the only person I'd be interested in dropping back for would be Chris Singleton, since he could be a defensive stopper almost immediately, with major room to improve on offense.

[Truthrising]

Cavs have been one of the best drafting teams in the past decade. I wouldn't LOL at any of their decisions. Givony looks like he's in BC's pocket. He's thrown out so many names in regard to our selection.

Or it could be a posssiblity that the Jazz draft Kanter since he's BPA and look to trade for Knight to save $$.

[Alfred]

I don't understand the hate for Valanciunas. What has he done other than be a top-flight NBA draft prospect? Don't group him with Vesely, he's a totally different prospect.

[Brinbe]

I don't understand the hate for Valanciunas. What has he done other than be a top-flight NBA draft prospect? Don't group him with Vesely, he's a totally different prospect.

Well, I don't have hate, he has size, so that's a plus, but honestly, all I see is a off-the-bench hustle-type guy, with a good motor, that'll need to add a ton of strength to play that way in this league. Is he okay? Yeah, certainly, but I see red flags in him, just like I do with Vesely and Biyombo, and I wouldn't take any of them over Walker, tbh (assuming the top-four are gone).

If he's so good, sell me on him.

[Cool-Hand-Luke]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214131/Fredette_Walker_Set_To_Face_Off_For_Jazz

^^Should be interesting.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

I like Valanciunas a lot. Basically, I want to come away from this draft with a C prospect and a PG prospect, and then for the 2012 draft, take BPA 'cause that draft will yield a good player at any position no matter what, from early indications.

[phailing101]

Cavs have been one of the best drafting teams in the past decade. I wouldn't LOL at any of their decisions. Givony looks like he's in BC's pocket. He's thrown out so many names in regard to our selection.

Really?

I think it would be fair to say they won the greatest draft lottery of our generation but that's about it:

2001- 1st: Diop 2: Trepagnier
2002- 1st: Dajuan Wagner 2: Boozer
2003- 1st: Lebron 2: Kapono
2004- 1st: Luke Jackson
2005- NONE
2006 1st: Shannon Brown 2: Boobie Gibson
2007 1st: NONE 2: Ugboaja
2008: 1st: JJ Hickson
2009: 1st: Eyenga
2010: NONE

In the past decade they've blown all their 1st round draft picks except LeBron and Hickson.

I'll admit they've found some 2nd round gems but they've lost most of those players anyways.

They are far from one of the best drafting teams of the last decade!

[Alfred]

I don't understand the hate for Valanciunas. What has he done other than be a top-flight NBA draft prospect? Don't group him with Vesely, he's a totally different prospect.

Well, I don't have hate, he has size, so that's a plus, but honestly, all I see is a off-the-bench hustle-type guy, with a good motor, that'll need to add a ton of strength to play that way in this league. Is he okay? Yeah, certainly, but I see red flags in him, just like I do with Vesely and Biyombo, and I wouldn't take any of them over Walker, tbh (assuming the top-four are gone).

If he's so good, sell me on him.

What are the red flags?

I mean, he's per-minute one of the best rebounders (offensive and otherwise) in the Euroleague, he shoots 70%(!!!) from the field, 91%(!!!) from the free throw line, he's 7 feet tall, 7'4'' wingspan and has a big frame. And this is against the best competition outside of the NBA. If you're worried about him needing to add size, he's got wide shoulders, so he's only going to be limited by how hard he works in the gym, which shouldn't be a problem, because scouts rave about his motor.

I really don't see why people are so apprehensive about picking him, other than the fact that he's European, and possibly has a buyout issue.