The Raptors and the 2014 Draft

[isaacthompson]

@DraftExpress2: PJ Hairston scored 22 points in 28 minutes on 9-16 from the field while recording 6 steals in his @nbadleague debut last night.

Probable mid-1st rounder. Worth a look.

[ceez]

I don't really see that scenario happening, those guys are just too good to drop that far. However, if it does, then the benefit might be a domino effect where all the PGs slide a bit. While moving up high enough to grab Exum or Smart might not be possible, moving up to grab Ennis dropping to the mid teens should be doable. This is potentially such a deep PG class: Exum, Smart, Ennis, Christon, LaVine, Micic, Carson, Clarkson, Napier, Hanlan, Burton... all those guys have potential to make an impact. (Not all thsoe guys will declare for this year, of course). Anyway, packaging that early second-rounder might be enough to move up into the late teens, but there will be some very good PG prospects available when we draft.

Why would Ennis drop? He's been arguably the best PG in the NCAA. If anything I see him being a top 8 pick at the end of the day.

[octothorp]

In the scenario that the writer suggests, he's talking about nobody in the top 10 selecting a PG. If that happens, Exum and Smart are still going to go ahead of Ennis. Hence Ennis drops to at least 13th and possibly around 15th.

As I said, I don't see his scenario happening. But if it did, Ennis makes a more realistic target than Exum or Smart.

[Mack North]

Why would Ennis drop? He's been arguably the best PG in the NCAA. If anything I see him being a top 8 pick at the end of the day.

I see this happening as well, especially with the way his team is playing.

[Jamshid]

People should stop dreaming about these top players dropping in the draft
Lets face it, we are wining our way out of this draft but hey, we are "evaluating".

[BigCamB]

In the scenario that the writer suggests, he's talking about nobody in the top 10 selecting a PG. If that happens, Exum and Smart are still going to go ahead of Ennis. Hence Ennis drops to at least 13th and possibly around 15th.

As I said, I don't see his scenario happening. But if it did, Ennis makes a more realistic target than Exum or Smart.

It's highly, highly unlikely that happens though. But yeh, can't see Ennis going ahead of Exum, too much physical upside there.

[isaacthompson]

Ohio State-Nebraska on right now. Craft has been invisible.

[Balls of Steel]

The tanking teams may be in for a rude awakening.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/n...014-nba-draft/

[Axel]

SI on Embiid's climb and NBA comparables and notes about other prospects. Tyler Ennis included. Good read.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba...ins/?eref=sihp

[Nilanka]

SI on Embiid's climb and NBA comparables and notes about other prospects. Tyler Ennis included. Good read.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba...ins/?eref=sihp

Alonzo Mourning averaged 7.0 blocks per game (per 40 mins) as a freshman. That's insane.

[The Great One]

Baby Olajuwon you say? I wonder who has a higher ceiling, Valanciunas or Embiid?

Oh Embiid easily. He already has a better post up game than JV. His footwork is sensational for a player that just started playing bball 4 years ago. He's a great shot blocker. And he's already a better defender than JV.

The only thing that JV does well right now than Embiid is he's a better rebounder. He's also a better whiner.

[Axel]

Alonzo Mourning averaged 7.0 blocks per game (per 40 mins) as a freshman. That's insane.

That is pretty nuts, wonder what his block % was. Embiid's FG% is also crazy, 69%.

[tenforthewin]

The Awesomeness of Late 2nd Round Pick

Now Isaiah Thomas was drafted 60th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by Sacramento Kings. And it looks like this year, we have a Isaiah Thomas clone in the late draft.

Ian Miller - a once jawbreaking freak of an athlete back in highschool who was supposed to go Top 10 in this year's draft has fallen off the radar. He was hyped to be the next Russel Westbrook and Rajon Rondo clone but injury has sidelined him for two years, although he will be entering in this year's draft and it looks like he's a late 2nd round bloomer.

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/ian-miller

If we are to keep our two picks, I say go for a backup Center or SF and grab I.Miller in the late 2nd round pick. He will be our Isaiah Thomas moving forward

[mcHAPPY]

Lots of good stuff in Chad Ford's chat yesterday.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat...ider-chad-ford

Worth the click. All questions are pretty good to be honest.

Most interesting one for me:

Jack (Chicago)

Vonleh has been looking great lately for IU, I know it is really early but what are you hearing about him and leaving after one year when he could possibly go higher next year


Chad Ford
(1:54 PM)

I'm falling in love. Been watching him a lot lately. He's been shooting the three lately and his stroke looks really pure. With his size and athletic ability, he becomes a very interesting prospect. In some ways, and Kevin Pelton and I were emailing about this a bit last night, I think there's an argument to make that he might be a better long-term power forward prospect than Julius Randle. Most scouts don't agree with that yet, but I think there's some upside there that there might not be with Randle. He's a for sure Top 10 pick and might be the one guy who cracks into the Top 5.

[Axel]

Lots of good stuff in Chad Ford's chat yesterday.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat...ider-chad-ford

Worth the click. All questions are pretty good to be honest.

Most interesting one for me:

I agree about Vonleh possibly being better long term than Randle. Randle will be a solid 15-10 guy for a long term, but Vonleh looks like someone who could be something really special. Vonleh loves basketball more than anything else in life and loves being the in the gym (reminds me of Kevin Durant in this aspect) and physically reminds me of Bosh (size, movement, etc). I could see Vonleh being a star PF.