The Jonas Valanciunas Thread

[Marlowe]

I hope everyone who feels like jumping off a bridge over this pick, does.

I was reading some posts last night where people are saying they are now going to the other team boards because of the pick. What a bunch of Drama Queens.

[raps91]

bigdirty is right, terrible pick, raptors are dead

RIP

[Fairview4Life]

I hope everyone who feels like jumping of a bridge over this pick, does.

Mustard Tiger and Harry Palmer like the pick, but we still have fans who are reacting like someone shot their puppy. That is amazing to me.

Random internet people support my opinion, therefore it is sound. :lol: THAT is amazing to me. Who knew surrendering your higher reasoning was laudable? 2 good PGs and a defensive beast big were on the board and we took the poor man's Pau Gasol instead. He might go well with the poor man's Dirk? With all due respect to Harry and Mustard, no amount of circle-jerking from the veteran posters will make this a great pick.

They are two of the most Raptors negative posters and yet we still have idiots, like yourself, bitching about the pick. Going more negative due to ignorance, sure, but that's no excuse. You, and others, are more negative than those two guys, which is what I find amazing. You have gone full negative. Get it now?

[alivinglegend]

A lot of this complaining is rooted in obvious bigotry, If the Raptors had just drafted a black, American center who put up 7 and 5 on 70% shooting people would be making him out to be the next Wilt Chamberlain.

[fabste]

the only players with all-star potential in this draft were Irving and Val

AWESOME pick...Cleveland will regret the fourth pick for many years

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

I wouldn't be so hard on the Cavs, I think they got themselves a good player too.

one good think, is BC made the lockout/no lockout kind of a win/win

[dballislife]

the best prospects this year were 1. irving 2. williams 3. kanter/jonas 5. knight...and we needed a C...i hope jonas turns into a andris biedrins with offense

[SDM]

I really like Val. He does a lot well enough to have at least a league-average impact. If he can develop some kind of post game and continues to grow stronger, we could have something special. I like his IQ, length, potential, shooting stroke (I'd like to see him buck the trend and work on a jumper out to 18-21 feet, but skip extending to 3 range and work on his back to the basket game instead). There are a lot of positives with him-- you can't hack him because he'll make FTs, doesn't make many mistakes, seems to rotate well. He reminds me of a more skilled San Antonio version of Rasho and that's absolutely worth the #5 in this draft.

[[SJJ]]

Utterly embarassing how so many posters don't like the pick. I hope you actually follow through with your whole "Oh screw it i'm done with this team" bull.
We got one of the best young centers on the planet. His ONLY weakness is that he's not strong enough, and we all know he'll fill out. Didn't he gain like 27pds last year? Is it that big a stretch to say he could be he has the potential to be an athletic 265pd center? He's already around 240. If draftexpress' best case scenario happens and he can become a biedrins/noah type player we lucked out like crazy.

[Rhettmatic]

I'm quite pleased with the pick. Incorrectly, I didn't think Colangelo would have the stones to do this. I also didn't realize quite how upset the fanbase would be, though.

Listen guys. I'm among a group of us who have been preaching patience, building a team properly, resisting quick fixes, etc. This is an incredibly ballsy move made in that spirit. Maybe BC follows it up with dumb FA signings and trades and squanders the goodwill he's generating from me here, but for now? I'm happy with the vision, I'm happy that we appear to be taking the rebuild slow for at least another (likely shortened) season, and I'm happy that we have a very good young C prospect in the fold.

[zulu]

I hope everyone who feels like jumping of a bridge over this pick, does.

Mustard Tiger and Harry Palmer like the pick, but we still have fans who are reacting like someone shot their puppy. That is amazing to me.

Random internet people support my opinion, therefore it is sound. THAT is amazing to me. Who knew surrendering your higher reasoning was laudable? 2 good PGs and a defensive beast big were on the board and we took the poor man's Pau Gasol instead. He might go well with the poor man's Dirk? With all due respect to Harry and Mustard, no amount of circle-jerking from the veteran posters will make this a great pick.

Damn you haters have no logic at all. The only circle jerking I see is the buncha retards who say "OMG knight is gonna be the next superstar". None of those players you mentioned have a complete game.

[CripwalkinK]

A lot of xenophobes in here. The thing is, if the Spurs made this pick, people would be calling it the steal of the draft because of their draft record. Now that it's Toronto, all fingers point towards Colangelo for screwing it up. Shut up. You know nothing. Wait until the kid starts to pan out.

[Twoism]

Right Choise.

Val is composed: 70% Tyson Chandler 30% Pau Gasol

[MinnyMo]

Right Choise.

Val is composed: 70% Tyson Chandler 30% Pau Gasol

I'd say his motor is comparable to Joakim Noah

[mango2209]

i hope he stays in europe this coming season and then comes in the season after.....I think his presence will help us win ball games and we dont really want that until after next years draft

[KingstonRaptors]

I wish the FO would realize they could have a great defensive front court presence in Ed/Jonas. Wish they used this summer to field (or continue to field) offers for Bargs. Preferably a high lotto pick for next year's deep draft. Doing that would be a catalyst for building this team's future.

[I_Like_Dirt]

I'm still not sure what I think about Val. He's got height and position on his side. I'm not sure I see the upside some people do, but enough people I respect believe in him that I'm willing to give him a shot. It isn't like I actually liked any available players more. What I really like about it is that it's the first time where I actually think BC made a legitimately patient move towards a rebuild, and I'm definitely happy about that.

Another thing that interests me a little bit is that, other than his offensive rebounding, I think he's a truly horrible fit next to Andrea Bargnani. I'm a little interested to see what the team does on that front.

[MinnyMo]

What are the rules on steroid use over in the European basketball league, because somebody should hook Jonas up...lol, not say hes that skinny, only 25 pounds lighter than Dwight Howard, but if he gains 10+ pounds of muscle it would do wonders for his man defense.

[Relentless88]

I'm quite pleased with the pick. Incorrectly, I didn't think Colangelo would have the stones to do this. I also didn't realize quite how upset the fanbase would be, though.

Listen guys. I'm among a group of us who have been preaching patience, building a team properly, resisting quick fixes, etc. This is an incredibly ballsy move made in that spirit. Maybe BC follows it up with dumb FA signings and trades and squanders the goodwill he's generating from me here, but for now? I'm happy with the vision, I'm happy that we appear to be taking the rebuild slow for at least another (likely shortened) season, and I'm happy that we have a very good young C prospect in the fold.

Agreed. I'm most impressed with BC in all of this. Knowing him and Casey are on 2 year deals with options, he drafts a very young big who may not come over this year.

I expected them to take Knight, but wanted them to take Val.

[wazabifuzz]

After a good nights sleep, and after hearing BC on the Fan ... I am liking this pick more and more.
He somehow brainwashed me to think this is not going to be that bad of a pick.
The way I look at it is in this draft... all of the players after the 2nd pick could be busts.
There are no guaranteed good players in this draft. We are getting a natural C with some nice
post and pick and roll skills as well as good defensive instincts that maybe not even Davis has yet.
We can also have him stay in Europe to develop his body while the lockout is likely to happen anyway
so the cap room is also a plus. This is not that bad folks.