Thank Nation! Raps Pick 9th - Draft on June 23rd 8pm (Part 6)

[Legal Non-Conforming]

Perhaps your assessment of the players is also contingent on the partial information you are operating with? You don't see any irony here? No? Not a bit? If not, please continue writing long posts about what MIGHT happen that MIGHT upset you. LOL

LOL, maybe you should wait for the draft before giving up on the team...P.S. I can read, I'm just amazed you can work yourself up into a lather while operating with a fraction of the information that the organization has at its disposal...

Absolutely pukeworthy if true.

Our lone lottery pick for years to come n we waste it on a supposed "NBA ready" player that is a role player with bad defence, this is literally like Ross all over again...coin toss n crappy shortsighted decision over upside that will bite in the butt HUGE just like it did last time.

SMFH @ this franchise if true, we just don't learn...praying it's ORL not us. If this does in fact happen n we don't have some blockbuster trade to get a big time player then I'm seriously done with this franchise. I can't take supporting a team that tries to put a band aid on a disease.

Again IF implies a contingency and in this case the contingency is a future event meaning I haven't done it yet (ie/ giving up on the team which also further elaborated on another potential future event of a "blockbuster trade" that also hasn't happened yet) meaning that I am NOT currently upset but would be should it happen - I feel like I'm teaching grammar to a 5th grader. Obviously in the context of my statement "if true" can only be confirmed in the FUTURE as would my subsequent actions that I laid out (hence why I also used the word "THEN").

I said "reading" to be kind but to be clear this time your comprehension of what you're reading is what needs some work ;)

[Sherlock]

Dang most mocks have us at Poetl or Sabonis, that is worst case scenario. I am hopeful Masai goes for a higher upside pick.

The only way this makes sense is if Masai is going for a fill a void with draft as we dont have a starting PF. As we saw with Ross, you never draft for need over BPA. I doubt Masai does this, he is no BC.

Sabinous is BPA. Ross wasn't. Besides Drummond. Austin rivers and lamb people wanted they aren't good. Skal is not worth the pick. He Sabinous can be a taller version of younger scola. That's a pretty damn good player

Sabonis is definitely not BPA, I'm willing to bet anything if we draft him that at least one player (if not several players) drafted after him will be better.

Every year a borderline all-star to actual all-star slips outside the top 8 just so many franchises are too darn scared to gamble on upside n go "safe". There is a plethora of players in our range that upside that have the same questions of their potential that players of years past have had.

Just to rhyme off a list of players that had "questions" surrounding them....Booker, MTurner, Lyles, Nurkic, Hood, Gobert, Giannis, McCollum, Drummond, Fournier, Klay, Kawhi, Butler, George, Whiteside etc. Theses were all guys at 9+ that we're from 2010 til now, all obviously better than Sabonis and not a single year was missed where a great young player slipped through the cracks with the good majority happening within the top 15 where other teams elected for "safer" picks. Again the amount of names with high upside in this one is actually kind of crazy and if we did in fact pass on Sabonis instead do our due diligence and filtered out the garbage we could have a great player AGAIN (Ross/Drummond).

I agree with your philosophy here. We have a unique chance to add a game-changing future HOF talent to this roster with the #9 pick if we pick smartly. Yes that player may bust, but that is the risk you must take in this circumstance. Picking a low upside guy because he's more ready to "contribute now" is just a good way of locking in the ceiling on this Raptors team for the next 5 years or until the next full rebuild.

I'd much rather take a home run swing and miss than hit a single right now with this pick.

That all said, I take solace in the fact that these stories about Sabonis come from Steve Kyler's website. He's one of the select few basketball journalists who I'd actually rank lower than Steven A Smith in terms of credibility. So I don't think it's worth getting too worried about it yet.

[super_balls]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/742746650704154625[/tweet]

I see him as the next Ezeli/Mahimi type.. Not a big fan but the kid is huge and athletic.

[CoachJReturns]

I'd rather take a project player like Skal or a wing rather than Sabonis or Poetl at 9...I think the back end of the draft has a lot of solid and arguably comparable PF and C options

Project players are dangerous because you risk spending time, money, and a roster spot for years only to see the player finally figure it out later on a different team. An enormous part of the value of rookie contracts is that you're getting some kind of production for a cheap contract but projects that don't develop for years cost your team instead of delivering value.

Take the Charlotte Hornets. They developed Bismack Biyombo for 4 years while suffering through horrible offence that likely cost them wins before finally cutting him loose and seeing him succeed with us. It's actually worse than using a high pick on a player who becomes merely a decent rotation player because at least that player has value and can be traded.

I'm all for finding a balance between upside and low floor, but this is a unique situation for this team. We have multiple first round picks! Has that happened before? If so, it's been a while. We have a top 10 pick when we were in the conference finals and likely won't have another top 10 pick for a while. I don't know if Skal is the guy, but I think this is a prime example of when you take someone with potential to be great rather than just good. There are a ton of guys who can be rotational players at the tail end of the first round and into the early second round. We have the 27th pick to take one of them. Use the 9th pick on someone special instead. Or trade the 9th and 27th picks for 15 and 19 and take Skal or Maker at 15 and someone solid(Sabonis, Prince, Jackson etc.) at 19.
I'm not going to freak if we draft Sabonis because reports of his improved shooting are encouraging, but I do think we need to hit a homerun with a pick for the first time in a long time already.

[TheGoodDoctor]

Perhaps your assessment of the players is also contingent on the partial information you are operating with? You don't see any irony here? No? Not a bit? If not, please continue writing long posts about what MIGHT happen that MIGHT upset you. LOL

LOL, maybe you should wait for the draft before giving up on the team...P.S. I can read, I'm just amazed you can work yourself up into a lather while operating with a fraction of the information that the organization has at its disposal...

Again IF implies a contingency and in this case the contingency is a future event meaning I haven't done it yet (ie/ giving up on the team which also further elaborated on another potential future event of a "blockbuster trade" that also hasn't happened yet) meaning that I am NOT currently upset but would be should it happen - I feel like I'm teaching grammar to a 5th grader. Obviously in the context of my statement "if true" can only be confirmed in the FUTURE as would my subsequent actions that I laid out (hence why I also used the word "THEN").

I said "reading" to be kind but to be clear this time your comprehension of what you're reading is what needs some work

Congratulations on some more failed comprehension lol you claimed I should WAIT before doing something that I had not done YET n I had to give you a grammar lesson and that's the best you could come up with?! haha.... anyways the only irony in it is that I will definitely be ignoring your FUTURE posts no IFs about it. All the best!

[DreamTeam09]

Sabonis should not be taken at 9. I have pegged as the worst between

Chris / Skal / Ellenson

This is coming from a zags fans. He's not overly long or athletic. I have him as a taller hansborough and we can do better than that at 9

[MavCarter]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RfMR255Tag[/youtube]





[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-or__DqSibk[/youtube]





[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-or__DqSibk[/youtube]

[CoachJReturns]

If we take Sabonis we are essentially filling a need. Unless some believe he has a higher ceiling than a prime Scola with a 3 point shot. Which is a very good player by the way, just not enough to move the needle.

I'm just spitballing here, but what this team needs is: Kevin Garnett. A clone of him. Someone with absurd physical tools for a PF and a very intense mentality to win and succeed. Anything less will not raise the ceiling of this team.

The guy who comes closest to being such a player, in my eyes, is Thon Maker. Sounds very mature for his age and I don't think there is doubt about his age. His voice and face are that of a teenager still.
He's rail thin and an elite athlete like Garnett was. He can handle the ball like KG. He doesn't have his post game, but we have an ELITE post scorer already whether the coaching staff chooses to utilize him or not. Maker looks like the better perimeter shooter at the same age as KG.

The flip side is he could bust. He could be pretty meh, or worse. But we have 2 PICKS THIS YEAR! We can take someone safe at 27 this year. Heck we can take 1 or 2 more safe guys in the 20s next year as well. And the year after that.

Our last great pick was maybe Demar. I'd argue the last truly GREAT pick was Vince and T Mac before him. This team is already solid. It's deep. It has a lot of great role players and even has 2 all-stars. The one thing it lacks is a hall-of-fame level talent to take it any further than it's come thus far. Unless someone falls, I think Thon has more tools to get there than anyone available to us. The interviews, the measurements(including the record max vertical numbers for a big) and the handles are too hard to ignore!

Forgive me for sounding dramatic or naïve, but this is a pivotal moment in the history of this franchise. To not take advantage of it would be horrific from a sports fan perspective.

[MavCarter]

Not sure if i trust drafting any player from gonzaga in the lottery lol

[thunderforce]

Masai is going to Masai . I just hope he doesn't listen to Casey lol .

[BoyzNTheHood]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/742746650704154625[/tweet]

I see him as the next Ezeli/Mahimi type.. Not a big fan but the kid is huge and athletic.

The NBA is tailor made for his style of play. I think he'll be a much be pro than college player. However, there have been others like him who have flopped like Ryan Hollins for example. Athletic big men with jump out of the gym hops and the potential to go for 10 boards and 2-3 blocks every game.

His success will be up to him. Either he's a journeyman or one of the biggest steals in the draft.

I'd gamble on him sooner than a Sabonis though.

[Syd-TK3]

Only bigs I Want are Bender and Chriss
None of the others have me excited about what they can be later on.
Id rather gamble on Skal's bust/boom potential then take the other guys

[TheGoodDoctor]

If we take Sabonis we are essentially filling a need. Unless some believe he has a higher ceiling than a prime Scola with a 3 point shot. Which is a very good player by the way, just not enough to move the needle.

I'm just spitballing here, but what this team needs is: Kevin Garnett. A clone of him. Someone with absurd physical tools for a PF and a very intense mentality to win and succeed. Anything less will not raise the ceiling of this team.

The guy who comes closest to being such a player, in my eyes, is Thon Maker. Sounds very mature for his age and I don't think there is doubt about his age. His voice and face are that of a teenager still.
He's rail thin and an elite athlete like Garnett was. He can handle the ball like KG. He doesn't have his post game, but we have an ELITE post scorer already whether the coaching staff chooses to utilize him or not. Maker looks like the better perimeter shooter at the same age as KG.

The flip side is he could bust. He could be pretty meh, or worse. But we have 2 PICKS THIS YEAR! We can take someone safe at 27 this year. Heck we can take 1 or 2 more safe guys in the 20s next year as well. And the year after that.

Our last great pick was maybe Demar. I'd argue the last truly GREAT pick was Vince and T Mac before him. This team is already solid. It's deep. It has a lot of great role players and even has 2 all-stars. The one thing it lacks is a hall-of-fame level talent to take it any further than it's come thus far. Unless someone falls, I think Thon has more tools to get there than anyone available to us. The interviews, the measurements(including the record max vertical numbers for a big) and the handles are too hard to ignore!

Forgive me for sounding dramatic or naïve, but this is a pivotal moment in the history of this franchise. To not take advantage of it would be horrific from a sports fan perspective.

I want to +1 your post but gambling on Thon so early in the draft is pretty darn scary which is why personally I'm hoping more along the lines of Chriss or Furkan because I think they're more likely to pan out but I hear you on principle 100%.

BUT again to credit what you're saying if there was ever a time to gamble it is NOW, like you said n I think I did in this thread or another one this pick is just gravy, we're not even supposed to have it so if we look at that way n it's about as good of scenario as any when you would use a pick on a homerun swing.

I'm not fully advocating Thon as you are but I'm not totally opposed either because I think the mindset it's absolutely the right one. It's our lone lottery pick for years let's swing for the fences on a pick we weren't supposed to have, if we strike out it sucks but just getting on base or a double isn't winning us the game so to speak.

Now specifically speaking on Thon, my greatest concerns with him are a few things one of which could be a very easy solution n the other I can't tell if it's a major shortcoming or not understanding the context of his game. So a big issue with the easiest solution is his body. Besides the small hands which no pun intended isn't a huge problem but his core strength (IF he continues to play post) MUST improve and drastically. He's easily moved off the blocks n knocked around when guys use their hips n legs to box him out. He's shown with his upper body that he is capable of putting on mass but the issue is does that take away from other parts of his game by bulking up?! Will he be as fast or agile after?! For many players that's reduced.

Next is what position is it that he should play?! The conventional answer is PF/C because he is 7 foot but his actual skillset is far more like a SF that needs to continue to improve his shot but he has good mechanics. Even Durant said it, that he preferred to say he was under 7 ft (unless for the ladies lol) because there is a preconception of what position a 7ft player must play n it's true. Now I'm not saying he MUST be played as a SF but I think that's where he could really change everything unless he is able to put on good lean muscle for PF where he can retain his quickness n agility. Just as a SF, he doesn't have to worry as much about adding weight or being able to grind in the post for boards but fly in from the wings and will also be hell for his man to shoot over given that he has very good lateral quickness for his size better than vast majority in the league. If any of you actually watched his games he routinely picks guards n wings up full court or brings the ball up himself offensively much like a SF and he literally runs all over the court, perimeter etc which is incredible for a big man but ties into my last point..

I can't tell if his biggest shortcoming to me is a lack of awareness/trying to do too much or just that his team lacked good players given he played on a Canadian team which while good for Ontario isn't anything compared to American schools and his "supporting cast" isn't on the level although Matur is coming up. It's just I seen a few games Thon is picking up everybody n running everywhere (which is amazing gas tank, another great sign) but it seemed a bit out of sync. So perhaps he's almost trying to do too much or he doesn't understand the effect of where he's positioned on the court n how it effects the defence as a whole. That's something that certainly can be worked on but it's my greatest concern is his understanding of the game. But literally everything else is on point it's just the media ridicule that follows him that I don't understand because really I don't see how he's not at least in the lottery...he has great intangibles, great character, endless gas tank, every physical attribute you could want minus some added mass n great skillbase. Personally I think he just gets a bad rap that some won't let go of. Not saying totally undue but much exaggerated from the games I've watched of him.

[Blood Orange]

If we take Sabonis we are essentially filling a need. Unless some believe he has a higher ceiling than a prime Scola with a 3 point shot. Which is a very good player by the way, just not enough to move the needle.

I'm just spitballing here, but what this team needs is: Kevin Garnett. A clone of him. Someone with absurd physical tools for a PF and a very intense mentality to win and succeed. Anything less will not raise the ceiling of this team.

The guy who comes closest to being such a player, in my eyes, is Thon Maker. Sounds very mature for his age and I don't think there is doubt about his age. His voice and face are that of a teenager still.
He's rail thin and an elite athlete like Garnett was. He can handle the ball like KG. He doesn't have his post game, but we have an ELITE post scorer already whether the coaching staff chooses to utilize him or not. Maker looks like the better perimeter shooter at the same age as KG.

The flip side is he could bust. He could be pretty meh, or worse. But we have 2 PICKS THIS YEAR! We can take someone safe at 27 this year. Heck we can take 1 or 2 more safe guys in the 20s next year as well. And the year after that.

Our last great pick was maybe Demar. I'd argue the last truly GREAT pick was Vince and T Mac before him. This team is already solid. It's deep. It has a lot of great role players and even has 2 all-stars. The one thing it lacks is a hall-of-fame level talent to take it any further than it's come thus far. Unless someone falls, I think Thon has more tools to get there than anyone available to us. The interviews, the measurements(including the record max vertical numbers for a big) and the handles are too hard to ignore!

Forgive me for sounding dramatic or naïve, but this is a pivotal moment in the history of this franchise. To not take advantage of it would be horrific from a sports fan perspective.

I agree we need a KG type of player. However, I think that player is Skal in this year's draft. Skal already has the jump shot down, but he just doesn't have the mental toughness. I think with the right environment, culture, and teammates, he can develop that with no problem since we now have all those things to help accommodate him.

I think Masai should double up on his boom bust odds by drafting Skal @ #9 and Maker @ #27 and hope one of them pans out to be the KG-prototype that this team needs. And if we get 2 busts, I won't be mad but if we get 2 great players out of it, its all gravy.

[T-d0t]

I like my maz Korked please

[Psubs]

Masai is going to Masai . I just hope he doesn't listen to Casey lol .

Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray are from Washington...

[BoyzNTheHood]

If we take Sabonis we are essentially filling a need. Unless some believe he has a higher ceiling than a prime Scola with a 3 point shot. Which is a very good player by the way, just not enough to move the needle.

I'm just spitballing here, but what this team needs is: Kevin Garnett. A clone of him. Someone with absurd physical tools for a PF and a very intense mentality to win and succeed. Anything less will not raise the ceiling of this team.

The guy who comes closest to being such a player, in my eyes, is Thon Maker. Sounds very mature for his age and I don't think there is doubt about his age. His voice and face are that of a teenager still.
He's rail thin and an elite athlete like Garnett was. He can handle the ball like KG. He doesn't have his post game, but we have an ELITE post scorer already whether the coaching staff chooses to utilize him or not. Maker looks like the better perimeter shooter at the same age as KG.

The flip side is he could bust. He could be pretty meh, or worse. But we have 2 PICKS THIS YEAR! We can take someone safe at 27 this year. Heck we can take 1 or 2 more safe guys in the 20s next year as well. And the year after that.

Our last great pick was maybe Demar. I'd argue the last truly GREAT pick was Vince and T Mac before him. This team is already solid. It's deep. It has a lot of great role players and even has 2 all-stars. The one thing it lacks is a hall-of-fame level talent to take it any further than it's come thus far. Unless someone falls, I think Thon has more tools to get there than anyone available to us. The interviews, the measurements(including the record max vertical numbers for a big) and the handles are too hard to ignore!

Forgive me for sounding dramatic or naïve, but this is a pivotal moment in the history of this franchise. To not take advantage of it would be horrific from a sports fan perspective.

I agree we need a KG type of player. However, I think that player is Skal in this year's draft. Skal already has the jump shot down, but he just doesn't have the mental toughness. I think with the right environment, culture, and teammates, he can develop that with no problem since we now have all those things to help accommodate him.

I think Masai should double up on his boom bust odds by drafting Skal @ #9 and Maker @ #27 and hope one of them pans out to be the KG-prototype that this team needs. And if we get 2 busts, I won't be mad but if we get 2 great players out of it, its all gravy.

That would truly be swinging for a grand slam while down 1 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th. It's not necessary, but if you hit the grand slam everyone remembers your name as opposed to hitting the game winning single.

There truly is a through the roof chance that both Skal and Thon are busts. I'd say the chances of both of them panning out is less than 1%. But ok the outside chance that they both work out well and you potentially have a chance to run a lineup out there with three 7 footers you might have to bite the bullet. It's not really playing Russian roulette when you're as good a GM as Masai as he'd likely recover but fans will never forget.

I'd bring them both in on the same day against guys like Poeltl and Sabonis to see if there's anything there. If I like what I see I might take the risk.

My biggest issue though is that Thon has been dodging workouts against other guys which tells a lot about his concern that he'll flop. Skal not so much since he's worked out against others and his only real issues are fouling too much and weight issues.

[CoachJReturns]

Only bigs I Want are Bender and Chriss
None of the others have me excited about what they can be later on.
Id rather gamble on Skal's bust/boom potential then take the other guys

I'm not too interested in the other bigs as well. I'll try not to freak if we take someone like Poetl on the chance he can be a good asset, but I don't really want us to take someone who tops out as a rotation player.
Of course I've been wrong before. Maybe Sabonis becomes a great rebounder and a 40% 3 point shooter.

[CoachJReturns]

If we take Sabonis we are essentially filling a need. Unless some believe he has a higher ceiling than a prime Scola with a 3 point shot. Which is a very good player by the way, just not enough to move the needle.

I'm just spitballing here, but what this team needs is: Kevin Garnett. A clone of him. Someone with absurd physical tools for a PF and a very intense mentality to win and succeed. Anything less will not raise the ceiling of this team.

The guy who comes closest to being such a player, in my eyes, is Thon Maker. Sounds very mature for his age and I don't think there is doubt about his age. His voice and face are that of a teenager still.
He's rail thin and an elite athlete like Garnett was. He can handle the ball like KG. He doesn't have his post game, but we have an ELITE post scorer already whether the coaching staff chooses to utilize him or not. Maker looks like the better perimeter shooter at the same age as KG.

The flip side is he could bust. He could be pretty meh, or worse. But we have 2 PICKS THIS YEAR! We can take someone safe at 27 this year. Heck we can take 1 or 2 more safe guys in the 20s next year as well. And the year after that.

Our last great pick was maybe Demar. I'd argue the last truly GREAT pick was Vince and T Mac before him. This team is already solid. It's deep. It has a lot of great role players and even has 2 all-stars. The one thing it lacks is a hall-of-fame level talent to take it any further than it's come thus far. Unless someone falls, I think Thon has more tools to get there than anyone available to us. The interviews, the measurements(including the record max vertical numbers for a big) and the handles are too hard to ignore!

Forgive me for sounding dramatic or naïve, but this is a pivotal moment in the history of this franchise. To not take advantage of it would be horrific from a sports fan perspective.

I agree we need a KG type of player. However, I think that player is Skal in this year's draft. Skal already has the jump shot down, but he just doesn't have the mental toughness. I think with the right environment, culture, and teammates, he can develop that with no problem since we now have all those things to help accommodate him.

I think Masai should double up on his boom bust odds by drafting Skal @ #9 and Maker @ #27 and hope one of them pans out to be the KG-prototype that this team needs. And if we get 2 busts, I won't be mad but if we get 2 great players out of it, its all gravy.

I think I'd pass on Skal. We already have a raw boom/bust pick in Bruno(With similar strengths and weaknesses to Skal) and adding one more would already be a tough pill for Masai and management to swallow. Use one pick on a high upside guy(Maker for me) and the other on someone likely to help him save face if the upside guy busts.

[CoachJReturns]

If we take Sabonis we are essentially filling a need. Unless some believe he has a higher ceiling than a prime Scola with a 3 point shot. Which is a very good player by the way, just not enough to move the needle.

I'm just spitballing here, but what this team needs is: Kevin Garnett. A clone of him. Someone with absurd physical tools for a PF and a very intense mentality to win and succeed. Anything less will not raise the ceiling of this team.

The guy who comes closest to being such a player, in my eyes, is Thon Maker. Sounds very mature for his age and I don't think there is doubt about his age. His voice and face are that of a teenager still.
He's rail thin and an elite athlete like Garnett was. He can handle the ball like KG. He doesn't have his post game, but we have an ELITE post scorer already whether the coaching staff chooses to utilize him or not. Maker looks like the better perimeter shooter at the same age as KG.

The flip side is he could bust. He could be pretty meh, or worse. But we have 2 PICKS THIS YEAR! We can take someone safe at 27 this year. Heck we can take 1 or 2 more safe guys in the 20s next year as well. And the year after that.

Our last great pick was maybe Demar. I'd argue the last truly GREAT pick was Vince and T Mac before him. This team is already solid. It's deep. It has a lot of great role players and even has 2 all-stars. The one thing it lacks is a hall-of-fame level talent to take it any further than it's come thus far. Unless someone falls, I think Thon has more tools to get there than anyone available to us. The interviews, the measurements(including the record max vertical numbers for a big) and the handles are too hard to ignore!

Forgive me for sounding dramatic or naïve, but this is a pivotal moment in the history of this franchise. To not take advantage of it would be horrific from a sports fan perspective.

I want to +1 your post but gambling on Thon so early in the draft is pretty darn scary which is why personally I'm hoping more along the lines of Chriss or Furkan because I think they're more likely to pan out but I hear you on principle 100%.

BUT again to credit what you're saying if there was ever a time to gamble it is NOW, like you said n I think I did in this thread or another one this pick is just gravy, we're not even supposed to have it so if we look at that way n it's about as good of scenario as any when you would use a pick on a homerun swing.

I'm not fully advocating Thon as you are but I'm not totally opposed either because I think the mindset it's absolutely the right one. It's our lone lottery pick for years let's swing for the fences on a pick we weren't supposed to have, if we strike out it sucks but just getting on base or a double isn't winning us the game so to speak.

Now specifically speaking on Thon, my greatest concerns with him are a few things one of which could be a very easy solution n the other I can't tell if it's a major shortcoming or not understanding the context of his game. So a big issue with the easiest solution is his body. Besides the small hands which no pun intended isn't a huge problem but his core strength (IF he continues to play post) MUST improve and drastically. He's easily moved off the blocks n knocked around when guys use their hips n legs to box him out. He's shown with his upper body that he is capable of putting on mass but the issue is does that take away from other parts of his game by bulking up?! Will he be as fast or agile after?! For many players that's reduced.

Next is what position is it that he should play?! The conventional answer is PF/C because he is 7 foot but his actual skillset is far more like a SF that needs to continue to improve his shot but he has good mechanics. Even Durant said it, that he preferred to say he was under 7 ft (unless for the ladies lol) because there is a preconception of what position a 7ft player must play n it's true. Now I'm not saying he MUST be played as a SF but I think that's where he could really change everything unless he is able to put on good lean muscle for PF where he can retain his quickness n agility. Just as a SF, he doesn't have to worry as much about adding weight or being able to grind in the post for boards but fly in from the wings and will also be hell for his man to shoot over given that he has very good lateral quickness for his size better than vast majority in the league. If any of you actually watched his games he routinely picks guards n wings up full court or brings the ball up himself offensively much like a SF and he literally runs all over the court, perimeter etc which is incredible for a big man but ties into my last point..

I can't tell if his biggest shortcoming to me is a lack of awareness/trying to do too much or just that his team lacked good players given he played on a Canadian team which while good for Ontario isn't anything compared to American schools and his "supporting cast" isn't on the level although Matur is coming up. It's just I seen a few games Thon is picking up everybody n running everywhere (which is amazing gas tank, another great sign) but it seemed a bit out of sync. So perhaps he's almost trying to do too much or he doesn't understand the effect of where he's positioned on the court n how it effects the defence as a whole. That's something that certainly can be worked on but it's my greatest concern is his understanding of the game. But literally everything else is on point it's just the media ridicule that follows him that I don't understand because really I don't see how he's not at least in the lottery...he has great intangibles, great character, endless gas tank, every physical attribute you could want minus some added mass n great skillbase. Personally I think he just gets a bad rap that some won't let go of. Not saying totally undue but much exaggerated from the games I've watched of him.

I do think it would be better for Masai to trade 9th and 27th picks for 15 and 19. He wouldn't look so foolish taking Maker if he busts at 15 and getting someone very solid at 19. It's a deep first round as far as rotational players go, so someone like Prince, Sabonis, Jackson or Maker will still be available at 19.
As for position I fully see Maker as a KG type PF, with less post skills and some more 3 point shooting. As I mentioned that's totally fine and basically perfect as far as fit with JV goes. We need someone quick and skilled. Jonas is a bruiser of the first order already. Maker will need to gain weight(same as KG), but he doesn't need to be anywhere near the rebounder Garnett was for it to work. We saw Jonas go beast mode in the playoffs. When he's on, he's an elite rebounder. Maker can play spot minutes at SF and even center in certain matchups down the road, but I think his value as a help defender makes him interesting at PF.