And Then There Was One: Thank Nation 2. Raps pick 23rd

[BoyzNTheHood]

Nigel Hayes should be on our radar as well as a 3/4 combo. He can stretch it out to 3 but his percentages are bad. The key for him is his defense, he's top notch on that end.

2013/14 - ORTG 106.9/DRTG 98.5
2014/15 - ORTG 127.7/DRTG 98.3
2015/16 - ORTG 107.0/DRTG 101.1
2016/17 - ORTG 121.9/DRTG 95.0

[CoachJReturns]

Nigel Hayes should be on our radar as well as a 3/4 combo. He can stretch it out to 3 but his percentages are bad. The key for him is his defense, he's top notch on that end.

2013/14 - ORTG 106.9/DRTG 98.5
2014/15 - ORTG 127.7/DRTG 98.3
2015/16 - ORTG 107.0/DRTG 101.1
2016/17 - ORTG 121.9/DRTG 95.0

He's actually rated very low right now in mock drafts. He might be available in the mid-late 2nd round.

[WhatsaTDot]

As we stand with the 26th & 27th pick today, I cant wait for the reaction of the masses when X highly touted player has dropped and he's not selected in either back to back picks.

"Clearly Masai not watching enough YouTube highlights!"

[BoyzNTheHood]

As we stand with the 26th & 27th pick today, I cant wait for the reaction of the masses when X highly touted player has dropped and he's not selected in either back to back picks.

"Clearly Masai not watching enough YouTube highlights!"

Yeah, like Andre Iguodala, Lamarcus Aldridge, Andre Drummond & Rodney Hood.

Although, Masai has taken a lot of picks I've liked such as Powell, Poeltl, and even Siakam to a lesser extent.

And to be fair, a lot of people here watch entire games. Those who only come in with highlight clips are often over looked or gone away.

[WhatsaTDot]

As we stand with the 26th & 27th pick today, I cant wait for the reaction of the masses when X highly touted player has dropped and he's not selected in either back to back picks.

"Clearly Masai not watching enough YouTube highlights!"

Yeah, like Andre Iguodala, Lamarcus Aldridge, Andre Drummond & Rodney Hood.

Although, Masai has taken a lot of picks I've liked such as Powell, Poeltl, and even Siakam to a lesser extent.

And to be fair, a lot of people here watch entire games. Those who only come in with highlight clips are often over looked or gone away.

Lottery =/= end of first round. I'm thinking more Skal Labissiere types.

[BoyzNTheHood]

As we stand with the 26th & 27th pick today, I cant wait for the reaction of the masses when X highly touted player has dropped and he's not selected in either back to back picks.

"Clearly Masai not watching enough YouTube highlights!"

Yeah, like Andre Iguodala, Lamarcus Aldridge, Andre Drummond & Rodney Hood.

Although, Masai has taken a lot of picks I've liked such as Powell, Poeltl, and even Siakam to a lesser extent.

And to be fair, a lot of people here watch entire games. Those who only come in with highlight clips are often over looked or gone away.

Lottery =/= end of first round. I'm thinking more Skal Labissiere types.

Oh yeah, the guy who's less than half way through his first NBA season.

[metafisical]

As we stand with the 26th & 27th pick today, I cant wait for the reaction of the masses when X highly touted player has dropped and he's not selected in either back to back picks.

"Clearly Masai not watching enough YouTube highlights!"

Happens every year, every draft. If RealGMers on this board had sway over draft selections, I am convinced that the majority of selections would end up being busts, most of the remainder end up being bench players at best, and some rare starters (once every 20 draft picks or so).

[WhatsaTDot]

Yeah, like Andre Iguodala, Lamarcus Aldridge, Andre Drummond & Rodney Hood.

Although, Masai has taken a lot of picks I've liked such as Powell, Poeltl, and even Siakam to a lesser extent.

And to be fair, a lot of people here watch entire games. Those who only come in with highlight clips are often over looked or gone away.

Lottery =/= end of first round. I'm thinking more Skal Labissiere types.

Oh yeah, the guy who's less than half way through his first NBA season.

My mistake, I assumed you were new here.

Damien Inglis, Kyle Anderson, Perry Jones III, Quincy Miller, etc...

[BoyzNTheHood]

Lottery =/= end of first round. I'm thinking more Skal Labissiere types.

Oh yeah, the guy who's less than half way through his first NBA season.

My mistake, I assumed you were new here.

Damien Inglis, Kyle Anderson, Perry Jones III, Quincy Miller, etc...

Anyone who wanted any of those guys outside of Kyle Anderson just don't know basketball. At least Anderson had Boris Diaw tendencies. But Inglis had done nothing against nobodies, Jones was pure potential and showed very little effort, and Miller was broken plus he had a low release and performed poorly in college.

[lilswift01]

If paul gets hurt, i can see the clippers going on a losing streak. They seem weak mentally.

[CoachJReturns]

As we stand with the 26th & 27th pick today, I cant wait for the reaction of the masses when X highly touted player has dropped and he's not selected in either back to back picks.

"Clearly Masai not watching enough YouTube highlights!"

I think most of us are 50/0 and let's be honest, nobody would have picked Hoffa over Iggy or J Smooth, or Ross over Drummond(thankfully Ross is having a great year) or Bruno over any of Hood, Anderson, Capella.

I'm not great at drafts myself. I wanted J Smooth a little more than I wanted Iggy. I wanted Gay in the Barge draft. Drummond was my 3rd favorite prospect after AD and Beal, though I liked Ross more than most. I didn't know much about Capella who looks like the center Casey needs. Anderson was my pick.

Past 2 years I've picked okay. I wanted Delon, figured we'd take Poeltl. Didn't expect us to pass on Skal. Lol.

[WCCC]

Yeah, like Andre Iguodala, Lamarcus Aldridge, Andre Drummond & Rodney Hood.

Although, Masai has taken a lot of picks I've liked such as Powell, Poeltl, and even Siakam to a lesser extent.

And to be fair, a lot of people here watch entire games. Those who only come in with highlight clips are often over looked or gone away.

Lottery =/= end of first round. I'm thinking more Skal Labissiere types.

Oh yeah, the guy who's less than half way through his first NBA season.

Skal is a perfect example of clueless fans who came in looking at mock drafts and youtube highlights. Some fans were so blinded and caught up in the hype that basic reason couldn't sink in. I bet those fanboys are still in denial and would take him at #9 despite knowing he'd be available until #28.

In general, I never understood the mindset delirious fanboys. When reality doesn't match their expectations, they make irrational excuses and become completely illogical. It's a disturbing pattern of fanatics everywhere.

[CoachJReturns]

Lottery =/= end of first round. I'm thinking more Skal Labissiere types.

Oh yeah, the guy who's less than half way through his first NBA season.

Skal is a perfect example of clueless fans who came in looking at mock drafts and youtube highlights. Some fans were so blinded and caught up in the hype that basic reason couldn't sink in. I bet those fanboys are still in denial and would take him at #9 despite knowing he'd be available until #28.

In general, I never understood the mindset delirious fanboys. When reality doesn't match their expectations, they make irrational excuses and become completely illogical. It's a disturbing pattern of fanatics everywhere.

Your post suggest you're more fanatical than most on these boards.
Rather than going on a pointless rant, why not point out some statistics like the production of Poeltl, Skal and Siakam.
Poeltl appears to have been the right selection at 9th and any of us(myself included) who were leaning toward Skal, should at least be okay with Poeltl now. He looks like a future two way center and those always have value. I'm hoping to see him get a couple games in D League at some point just to try and use his jumpshot, which he did use in international play, against tougher competition. Jakob is already rather scrappy and has a nice touch around the basket along with nice rim protection potential, so there's a lot to be excited about. He may have been greatly undervalued by some at the draft.

Siakam right now is just a hustle big. His potential to defend multipled positions appears to be his strongest asset, though his rebounding has been disappointing. For someone who plays with so much energy, he is not a good rebounder at all right now.

Skal, if you've bothered to pay any attention, is actually playing rather well thus far in D League despite his raw skillset and underdeveloped frame. 14 points, 7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks isn't setting the world on fire, but he's certainly not been a dud and has pretty much performed as most would have predicted in his first year. He was a high bust and high reward pick, so nobody expected much from him in his first year. At the very least he needs two years to fill out a little more.

The last guy, who I suppose I should mention is Marquese Chriss. He was not available with the 9th pick, but we certainly could have put together a better package to take him if Masai liked him enough. So far he's been okay, same as Poeltl and the rest. Chriss is averaging the most points and the most points per 36 minutes of action among the guys getting NBA minutes, but Pascal, with his great rim running has the best field goal percentage. None of these guys has really established themselves as being clearly better than the other just yet.

The point of all this is to say you are being overly dramatic in your post and the jury is still out on all 3 of these guys, though it appears Masai didn't draft any duds which is always a good thing. Also, Masai is good but he isn't perfect. Where he truly excels is in maximizing trade value as he has come out ahead in every single trade he has made since becoming Raptors general manager. His picks have been solid the past two years and in the case of Powell, you could argue spectacular in terms of value at selection spot, but he also drafted Bruno ahead of guys like Hood, Capella and Anderson. He's good, but to suggest everyone on this board is clueless while implying Masai is infallible is great exaggeration.

[MavCarter]

Read on Twitter

Came across this on twitter. Masai was out scouting luka doncic, apparently he's a 2018 lotto pick

[CoachJReturns]

Read on Twitter

Came across this on twitter. Masai was out scouting luka doncic, apparently he's a 2018 lotto pick

That's one angry look he's giving him. lol. Was he disappointed in what he saw and not happy he flew there?

[LonZoBallin]

Read on Twitter

Came across this on twitter. Masai was out scouting luka doncic, apparently he's a 2018 lotto pick

That's one angry look he's giving him. lol. Was he disappointed in what he saw and not happy he flew there?

I doubt he was disappointed. Luka played great and was very clutch. Finished with 17 points, 4 assists and 4 blocks. For a 17 year old to be putting up these #'s on Real Madrid is beyond impressive. To be making clutch shots as a 17 year old is crazy. He won the game for them.

Ayton was the best player in High school basketball last year as a Junior. That's with Seniors Josh Jackson, Harry Giles, Tatum, Dennis Smith, Ball, Fultz, Monk, Fox. Ayton was considered better than him all. He'll have just as much hype going to Arizona next year as Wiggins had.

That's the only reason I don't see Luka going #1 in the 2018 NBA draft. There is still plenty of time until then but one thing is for sure, having a top 2 pick in 2018 could possibility get you that Franchise guy worth tanking for.

[Kevin Willis]

Doncic is going to be better than Saric. He recenctly had a 23 point, 11 assist game. He's a beast.

[CoachJReturns]

Read on Twitter

Came across this on twitter. Masai was out scouting luka doncic, apparently he's a 2018 lotto pick

That's one angry look he's giving him. lol. Was he disappointed in what he saw and not happy he flew there?

I doubt he was disappointed. Luka played great and was very clutch. Finished with 17 points, 4 assists and 4 blocks. For a 17 year old to be putting up these #'s on Real Madrid is beyond impressive. To be making clutch shots as a 17 year old is crazy. He won the game for them.

Ayton was the best player in High school basketball last year as a Junior. That's with Seniors Josh Jackson, Harry Giles, Tatum, Dennis Smith, Ball, Fultz, Monk, Fox. Ayton was considered better than him all. He'll have just as much hype going to Arizona next year as Wiggins had.

That's the only reason I don't see Luka going #1 in the 2018 NBA draft. There is still plenty of time until then but one thing is for sure, having a top 2 pick in 2018 could possibility get you that Franchise guy worth tanking for.

I'll try to find some time to watch video of him later. Ayton is a beast though!

[SwiftyV]

Any time frame on Harry Giles return from injury?

I haven't heard anything, but hoaly would he be the perfect PF of the future. Top-5 talent that DX has already dropped to 13th because of his injuries. if he keeps dropping to maybe late teens, I wonder if we could trade up for him.

December 19th is a potential game for him to come back.
The staff has been extremely cautious with Harry. The good thing is that this surgery he had recently wasn't anything serious. Just a clean up procedure.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Another name that should be on our radar is Josh Hart. He just gets it done, but is ranked lower because he stayed in college, plus he doesn't have those amazing tools like length.