Official Raptors 2012 NBA Draft Thread, Part 4

[Rhettmatic]

Some draft stuff in this Chad Ford chat:

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/42249

[Scraptor]

Sorry if I'm super late on this, but Gilchrist is now third on the DX big board.

Dear god I hope we can get a second pick in this draft. I hope Boston or Houston makes a run, decides to go for it, and we can convince them to take a vet for one of their two picks.

[sunny]

January 25th top 10
Anthony Davis
Andre Drummond
Jeremy Lamb
Harrison Barnes
Jared Sullinger
Michael Gilchrist
Quicny Miller
Thomas Robinson
Perry Jones
Brad Beal

[C_Money]

Damn we need another pick in this draft. There's good players all the way through it.

I also hope we use our 2nd round pick on an actual player this year. No incredibly raw big men or players we can stash away in Europe to never be heard from again. Lets get somebody that can play.

[FluLikeSymptoms]

Damn we need another pick in this draft. There's good players all the way through it.

I also hope we use our 2nd round pick on an actual player this year. No incredibly raw big men or players we can stash away in Europe to never be heard from again. Lets get somebody that can play.

Our 2nd will be a fairly liquid trade asset, I'd think, landing in the low 30s which is typically gold for Euro-stashers, cap-hold dodgers and the non-committal. Should be worth more than a #25-30 to most and I think it might be better used in a trade package than on a player who would be there. It could be a key trade chip.

[dagger]

Damn we need another pick in this draft. There's good players all the way through it.

I also hope we use our 2nd round pick on an actual player this year. No incredibly raw big men or players we can stash away in Europe to never be heard from again. Lets get somebody that can play.

Our 2nd will be a fairly liquid trade asset, I'd think, landing in the low 30s which is typically gold for Euro-stashers, cap-hold dodgers and the non-committal. Should be worth more than a #25-30 to most and I think it might be better used in a trade package than on a player who would be there. It could be a key trade chip.

Actually, a low 30s pick in a deep draft is not typically used on Euro-stashers or others, it's used for real players. I see it as a place to find a player who has a strong skill base or unique motor, like a Will Barton of Memphis who isn't fluid enough to be a top lottery pick but seems to have the intangibles of a good rotation player.

[FluLikeSymptoms]

Damn we need another pick in this draft. There's good players all the way through it.

I also hope we use our 2nd round pick on an actual player this year. No incredibly raw big men or players we can stash away in Europe to never be heard from again. Lets get somebody that can play.

Our 2nd will be a fairly liquid trade asset, I'd think, landing in the low 30s which is typically gold for Euro-stashers, cap-hold dodgers and the non-committal. Should be worth more than a #25-30 to most and I think it might be better used in a trade package than on a player who would be there. It could be a key trade chip.

Actually, a low 30s pick in a deep draft is not typically used on Euro-stashers or others, it's used for real players. I see it as a place to find a player who has a strong skill base or unique motor, like a Will Barton of Memphis who isn't fluid enough to be a top lottery pick but seems to have the intangibles of a good rotation player.

An international player under contract or two is taken in the low 30s every year, #31 out of the past 4 years, as well as upper-classmen. Those types of players are of most value to teams unlike us who need depth or are looking down the road, who might trade for ours. You can find a gem there but I'd rather move it as part of something bigger.

[fredericklove]

- Jabari Parker who's game resembles a young Grant Hill

I don't have a good feel about Jabari Parker. Even though the guy is known for his all around skill but to me he lacks explosiveness and I also find his skills to be "average". Nothing really stands out to me, just a guy capable of doing everything cos of his size and domination in high school level, but doesn't have that many advanced perimeter moves that can compete with against someone whos equally skilled or better.

[FluLikeSymptoms]

Do you guys really watch high school games?

[Man of Steel]

Boston has the clippers pick top 10 protected right? Fairly certain they are out o the lottery but I think that clippers pick could be traded for.

[sunny]

Do you guys really watch high school games?

some. I'm also in constant communication and acquaintances with people who run a college recruiting service who update me very frequently. There are also tons of video's/analysis/scouting reports n stuff that help as well.

[Kevin Willis]

Why no love for Kris Joseph? His team is right up there with Kentucky, N. Carolina....

[JN]

Dookie referee proving himself to be one of the most impactful players in America once again tonight.

[JN]

I have no clue if he is a good prospect or even how to spell his first name.

But Markell Brown from Oklahoma St may have had the dunk of the year tonight.

[JN]

Why no love for Kris Joseph? His team is right up there with Kentucky, N. Carolina....

Kris is a solid player, but he hasn't really developed in his senior year. He has regressed if anything. Not the aggressive rebounder or slahser he once was as a sophomre .... he tries to finesse his way through slashes now and his ballhandling is just not good enough for that... he was better when he aggressively (almost wrecklessly) attacked == his game seemed to change after the extremely hard fall he had last year against Pitt that resulted in a concussion.

On the positive end, he did develop a jumper over the past two years -- but with the regression of his slashing game he hasn't become much better offensively.

Syracuse is really deep -- it's really not led by anybody. Waiters was clearly their best player for a while but he has been quiet the last few games. They are a team with more potential second round talent than anybody else in the NCAA --

[Dr Positivity]

Ford starting to talk about Leonard now, tweeted a story about him and then moved him up to 11 with this blurb:

Jan 24 Update: We continue to watch Illinois' Meyers Leonard closely. A number of NBA scouts started to fall in love with him in Latvia over the summer playing for Team USA in the under-19s and that love affair just continues to blossom as Leonard improves. His size, athletic ability and improved attitude and focus on the game make him a serious prospect. He's been No. 20 on our Big Board for the past few months, but we're moving him up to No. 11 as more and more scouts and NBA execs are putting him in the lottery on their Big Boards. The biggest question now among scouts is who's better -- Leonard or Indiana's Cody Zeller? They go head-to-head for the first time this year on Feb. 9, a must-see game for a number of NBA execs.

The people who were laughing about this guy making the leap to the top 5-7 group are going to be in for a surprise IMO. 7'1 athletic Cs with skill games go high in the draft

[OAKLEY_2]

I wonder when it is we will actually draft a point guard with a first round pick? Houston has done their homework as usual and already has 2 picks. Could they send us the draft rights to a Kendal Marshal for someone like Ed? Clearly with Amir, Bargs and Val all in tow and Kleiza and JJ all able to play some 4 the obvious candidate for an exit is Davis and he would be a pretty fine prospect at the 4 for them. If we cannot land Barnes I am liking Kidd Gilchrist with the lotto pick. I still do not think we will pick any higher than 5th or 6th when all is said and done which means 2 picks are a must.

[JN]

Ford starting to talk about Leonard now, tweeted a story about him and then moved him up to 11 with this blurb:

Jan 24 Update: We continue to watch Illinois' Meyers Leonard closely. A number of NBA scouts started to fall in love with him in Latvia over the summer playing for Team USA in the under-19s and that love affair just continues to blossom as Leonard improves. His size, athletic ability and improved attitude and focus on the game make him a serious prospect. He's been No. 20 on our Big Board for the past few months, but we're moving him up to No. 11 as more and more scouts and NBA execs are putting him in the lottery on their Big Boards. The biggest question now among scouts is who's better -- Leonard or Indiana's Cody Zeller? They go head-to-head for the first time this year on Feb. 9, a must-see game for a number of NBA execs.

The people who were laughing about this guy making the leap to the top 5-7 group are going to be in for a surprise IMO. 7'1 athletic Cs with skill games go high in the draft

Last week this guy was going to be top three. How often do you plan on moving the goalposts to satisfy you prior cliams?

[7-Day Dray]

- Jabari Parker who's game resembles a young Grant Hill

I don't have a good feel about Jabari Parker. Even though the guy is known for his all around skill but to me he lacks explosiveness and I also find his skills to be "average". Nothing really stands out to me, just a guy capable of doing everything cos of his size and domination in high school level, but doesn't have that many advanced perimeter moves that can compete with against someone whos equally skilled or better.

I agree. I've only seen him play about 3-4 times, but from what I've seen, he didn't meet the hype.

[fredericklove]

Ford starting to talk about Leonard now, tweeted a story about him and then moved him up to 11 with this blurb:

Jan 24 Update: We continue to watch Illinois' Meyers Leonard closely. A number of NBA scouts started to fall in love with him in Latvia over the summer playing for Team USA in the under-19s and that love affair just continues to blossom as Leonard improves. His size, athletic ability and improved attitude and focus on the game make him a serious prospect. He's been No. 20 on our Big Board for the past few months, but we're moving him up to No. 11 as more and more scouts and NBA execs are putting him in the lottery on their Big Boards. The biggest question now among scouts is who's better -- Leonard or Indiana's Cody Zeller? They go head-to-head for the first time this year on Feb. 9, a must-see game for a number of NBA execs.

The people who were laughing about this guy making the leap to the top 5-7 group are going to be in for a surprise IMO. 7'1 athletic Cs with skill games go high in the draft

Last week this guy was going to be top three. How often do you plan on moving the goalposts to satisfy you prior cliams?

We all know he's getting his chance to be in the bottom end of the draft. But he's not going to be picked top 5. If a sudden boost from this article make the so called doctor that much better about his judgment on this so called 3rd pick in the lock for Leonard, let him have it. Cos we all know he's fooling himself, he's really clouding his own judgment. There it is again, Leonard will not be in the top 5. I said it, it won't happen.