Official Raptors 2012 NBA Draft Thread, Part 2

[JamesNaismith]

IT'S EASY!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egXEVkxqz0k[/youtube]

[God Squad]

This was the first full game I've seen of Davis. 15/15/8. That was some solid production. I'm really impressed with his defensive intensity. I don't know that he's going to be able to consistently produce offensively at the next level.

This is going to shape up as one of the better drafts in a while. Rivers, PJ3, Barnes, Drummond, Davis. This is a really good top 5 so far.

OMG that was a sick dunk by Miller there.

I'm not even looking at Rivers. Don't want. I'm sure he's gonna fall in the draft.

[God Squad]

Quincy has a very quick release on his jumper

[Rhettmatic]

Good news, draft watchers and tank fans.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/73040 ... lly-hunter

ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reported this week that, while it has been widely held that the NBA would like to push the age limit to 20, sources familiar with the dialogue between the two sides now say it is expected to remain at 19 for at least the first two years of the new deal and possibly beyond that.

Several alternatives have been discussed, sources told Bucher. One option would be to allow players to enter the draft directly out of high school but have the option to withdraw and go to college, similar to the draft rule used by Major League Baseball. Under this concept, such players would next be required to attend at least two years of college before entering the draft again.

Another option would be to revise the rookie salary scale by adding incentives to stay in college longer, one source close to the labor talks told Bucher. Potential incentives would include increasing the salary range for each year a player stays in school or allow him to qualify for free agency sooner.

There are several ancillary reasons why keeping the age limit at 19 for the time being is seen as desirable by the NBA. The first is the limited time that owners and players have to complete a collective bargaining agreement by Dec. 9, which is the date NBA commissioner David Stern has announced for the start of training camp and free agency. All significant rules pertaining to league operations have to be in place by then.

The prospect of re-stocking the league with young talent is another appealing factor.

The 2012 draft class is expected to feature several lottery-level collegiate players -- North Carolina's Harrison Barnes and Ohio State's Jared Sullinger among them -- who passed on the 2011 draft because of the labor uncertainty.

One league official told Bucher that a star-studded draft and the hope that it offers the league's struggling teams -- with NBA-caliber collegiate freshman such as Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Connecticut's Andre Drummond also potentially joining Barnes and Sullinger -- could help erase whatever lingering disenchantment fans might feel from the labor turmoil.

The 2012 NBA draft is tentatively scheduled for June 28, which would fall two days after the scheduled date for Game 7 of the 2012 NBA Finals.

[Pseudonym]

[fredericklove]

Thats good news. Tank nation, let's throw a party for this one!

[Undefeated]

Quincy has a very quick release on his jumper

Yeah. His shot is gonna be pree hard to contest with that length and release in the NBA imo. Quincy's game is too smooth.

[Salted Meat]

Yeah. His shot is gonna be pree hard to contest with that length and release in the NBA imo. Quincy's game is too smooth.

seriously?

[tms]

i don't know where AD discovered the fountain of youth but i think i'm willing to give him and kendra another shot.

[God Squad]

LOL Salted meat. Couldn't let it go?

[Alfred]

[Mark_83]

The way I see it the league is trending towards Super Teams (i.e. Heat, Knicks, previously Celtics, etc.) The Raptors are not the type of organization that will be able to attract/sign a Super Star or keep one who they draft or develop (unless he's Canadian or something - Wiggins).

But Super Teams can be beaten, and you don't neccesarily need Super Stars to do it. My best example is probably the Championship Pistons team that had 5 very good starters (no stars), that beat the Lakers with Shaq, KB, Payton, and Malone. I think that kind of model of team could actually be assembled and kept in tact by the Raptors than the other model.

With a tough defensive-minded coach like Casey, if we could put together a tough, defensive minded team, with solid offensive players who are able to score efficiently and run a half-court offense, we might have a chance against a Super Star laden team.

Based on that the three players who entice me the most in this draft are Anthony Davis, Jeremy Lamb, and Harrison Barnes. It could be argued that Davis could be a Super Star someday, and I won't argue with that, but the other two seem more like solid players.

Harrison Barnes at SF would be a corollary to Prince (though he's much better)
Jeremy Lamb at SG would be a corollary to Hamilton (also concievably better)
Anthony Davis at PF would be the Rasheed in this scenario (probably better, not for sure)

Not saying we could get all three, or even two of the three, heck one of the three might even be pushing it. But if we could get Barnes and somehow turn Derozan + into Jeremy Lamb, that would give you a very good wing combo on both sides of the ball much better than the Prince/Hamilton combo (at least in terms of upside and skillset).

Lamb would be like a rich man's Hamilton with a better three-point shot and athleticism, and the ability to create of the dribble, and defend. Barnes would offer a similar skillset as Prince, but with better shooting, and more strength. Add that to Val, Amir, EDavis, or maybe Sign Tyson Chandler to be a kind of Rasheed/Ben Wallace Hybrid.

Now let me clarify, I'm not saying you neccesarily have to find players that are like the ones who played on that Pistons team. That's just the comparison I'm using in this scenario. Basically you're just looking for players that play on both sides of the ball, play their roles, are tough, and complement each other.

[Ponchos]

5 very good starters (no stars),

4 time All-Star, 4 time NBA defensive player of the year Ben Wallace was not a star? 5 time All-Star and 3 All-NBA teams Billups was not a star? 4 time All-Star Rasheed Wallace was not a star?!?

Just very good starters? Are you kidding me?

[Mark_83]

5 very good starters (no Super Stars),

4 time All-Star, 4 time NBA defensive player of the year Ben Wallace was not a star? 5 time All-Star and 3 All-NBA teams Billups was not a star? 4 time All-Star Rasheed Wallace was not a star?!?

Just very good starters? Are you kidding me?

Fixed. Happy?

[Los Manos]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjalO1NcZas[/youtube]



Anthony Davis is a special prospect.

I was sceptical before the season began and if I had to choose between him & Drummond then, I would take Drummond every time. But I never expected AD's skills to translate so quickly, he is already an elite defensive prospect and as mentioned is figuring out the front court positions faster than anyone expected after his sudden growth spurt.

I'm not worried about his post play at this stage of his development. The kid is a baller and has the potential to be scary good for the next decade.

I'd love it if there was a way to bring in Davis and Gilchrist next draft. After a year of coach cal's defensive demands, they'd fit right in with Casey and the culture we're hoping to develop.

[sunny]

it really pains me to see how unbelievable Kentucky is.

[Rapsfan4life]

First off is it sad that I would trade our starting 5 for kentuckys starting 5? and if we can't get Anthony Davis in this draft I would LOVE to get Quincy Miller. I think he will be the best SF in this years draft and pairing him next to Derozan would give us the second best young wing combination in the league (behind durant and Harden).

[chuckerz]

Anthony Davis would be a franchise type of player but that would mean that Davis or Johnson would be off the team considering that they both play the power forward position. If keeping with the current roster, I think Barnes would be the better fit. Don't let his ncaa stats fool you, his ppg average is lower at UNC because that team is stacked. They have players like zeller and henson who take away a good number shots away from Barnes. If Barnes was on a team with garbage players, his stat line would be higher similar to Kevin durant or mike beasley's numbers when they played college ball

[JamesNaismith]

My Tier System for OUR Draft Pick:

1. Tier #1 (Cloud Nine): Drummond or Davis

2. Tier #2 (Still Slightly Wet Myself): Quincy Miller or Harrison Barnes

3. Tier #3 (On the Cusp): Jeremy Lamb or Perry Jones Third

4. Tier #4 (We should of just signed Chandler): Beal, Gilchrist or Jared Sullinger

5. Tier #5 (FML another painful 5yrs ahead!): Rivers, Teague, Kabongo, TJones

[NI4NI]

Davis has top defender potential but the only problem with him is the ability to create his own shot. Reminds me of Aldridge but a better defender. I see Anthony Davis in mold of Josh Smith and LaMarcus Aldridge.