The Raptors and the 2014 Draft

[stooley]

OMG get Tavares in the second round. Any 7'3 player who's coordinated is going to have a long career, whether it's as a backup or starter.

Also, I think Aaron Gordon could be a great fit at our 4. He's 6'8, but way longer than Griffin. His standing reach is higher than Griffin's and he's a lock down defender.

Pairing him with JV gives us one incredible athlete, and a more traditional 7 footer. Love it.

[Chr1s1anL]

I have no real objection to drafting a guy with so much potential.. but this brings me back to a previous point I had.. would MU draft a project? Would Casey help develop a project? The Raptors have had many centers that ended up becoming stiffs.. with Alibi being the most recent.

If MU still think this team needs young raw talent then sign me up.. but then we need another coach. If MU wants to build on to this season by getting NBA ready talent then he'd be the wrong guy to go after (in my opinion).

I'm sorry but, didn't Coach Casey help develop two sophomores? Who are starting on the 3rd best team in the east. You have to give Casey some credit on their play.


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[Chr1s1anL]

OMG get Tavares in the second round. Any 7'3 player who's coordinated is going to have a long career, whether it's as a backup or starter.

Also, I think Aaron Gordon could be a great fit at our 4. He's 6'8, but way longer than Griffin. His standing reach is higher than Griffin's and he's a lock down defender.

Pairing him with JV gives us one incredible athlete, and a more traditional 7 footer. Love it.

I like Aaron Gordon as well but I just don't see him falling out of the lottery.


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[planetmars]

I'm sorry but, didn't Coach Casey help develop two sophomores? Who are starting on the 3rd best team in the east. You have to give Casey some credit on their play.


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True, but would Ross still be a starter if Gay was still on the roster? And would JV get as many minutes as he does if the team still had Bargnani?

[Chr1s1anL]

I feel like one PG of the Exum/Smart/Ennis/Lavine will fall to us at 19/20. Not that many teams need PGs and their are so many intriguing Bigs in this draft. We all know Bigs rise around the draft. Same thing with big athletic PG. I can see a scenario where Ennis drops to us.


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[blackjitsu]

Probably draw the ire of a lot of people here but I don't see what's so special about Lavine. What makes him any different than Jimmer? He basically has the same skill set. Am I missing something?

[stooley]

Probably draw the ire of a lot of people here but I don't see what's so special about Lavine. What makes him any different than Jimmer? He basically has the same skill set. Am I missing something?

Much better athlete. Is 6'6 and expected to play the point at the next level.

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/zach-lavine

[Chr1s1anL]

Just in case we're not able to resign 2-Pat. AP would fill in just fine. His definitely NBA ready. Same skill set as 2-pat but a little more athletic.

http://youtu.be/NDFLdWc8CWc


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[blackjitsu]

Much better athlete. Is 6'6 and expected to play the point at the next level.

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/zach-lavine

But he doesn't play the point that much for UCLA, rarely changes speeds when handling the ball when he does run plays, and I've yet to see him drive and kick -- or a plethora of many other standard PG moves. When I watch his game I just think, "Ah, so that's how Jimmer would play if he was taller."

[isaacthompson]

Melvin Ejim with 48 and 18 rebounds today. Jeez.

[Axel]

But he doesn't play the point that much for UCLA, rarely changes speeds when handling the ball when he does run plays, and I've yet to see him drive and kick -- or a plethora of many other standard PG moves. When I watch his game I just think, "Ah, so that's how Jimmer would play if he was taller."

Westbrook didn't play much point for UCLA either and he worked out pretty good.

[BigCamB]

But he doesn't play the point that much for UCLA, rarely changes speeds when handling the ball when he does run plays, and I've yet to see him drive and kick -- or a plethora of many other standard PG moves. When I watch his game I just think, "Ah, so that's how Jimmer would play if he was taller."

Freakish athleticism for starters is the obvious difference, regardless of whether he is using it to his advantage or not at this stage. All about the Upside/potential!

[blackjitsu]

Melvin Ejim with 48 and 18 rebounds today. Jeez.

Ejim has been playing well this season but he's been slightly over-shadowed by Kane. Is he a senior? If he enters the draft you got to think someone grabs him in the mid/late second at least...

Westbrook didn't play much point for UCLA either and he worked out pretty good.

UCLA hasn't run a system that features the point guard well since I was a kid, but, change of speed, the odd drive and kick these are things that you could see with Westbrook. No one knew he was THIS good, but all the subtle stuff was there.

Freakish athleticism for starters is the obvious difference, regardless of whether he is using it to his advantage or not at this stage. All about the Upside/potential!

Buycks has potential. If the Raps are going to draft a PG they will probably have to replace one of Vasquez or Lowry. That means they need to be at least capable of calling plays, running plays, and penetrating defenses. They don't have to be finished products, but Lavine isn't even far enough along for him to do that much. Right now he's a spark off the bench. I wouldn't get upset if the Raps drafted him, but I would question how a spark plug with outside shooting and little else fits a need.

Yes, he's athletic but he doesn't explode through holes-- it's all the same speed. He'd do great on a team like the Bobcats where the offense is more system oriented and the change of pace is generated by the PG, allowing him to play the wing. But, his current style of play does not fit the system that the Raptors play.

[BigCamB]

Ejim has been playing well this season but he's been slightly over-shadowed by Kane. Is he a senior? If he enters the draft you got to think someone grabs him in the mid/late second at least...



UCLA hasn't run a system that features the point guard well since I was a kid, but, change of speed, the odd drive and kick these are things that you could see with Westbrook. No one knew he was THIS good, but all the subtle stuff was there.



Buycks has potential. If the Raps are going to draft a PG they will probably have to replace one of Vasquez or Lowry. That means they need to be at least capable of calling plays, running plays, and penetrating defenses. They don't have to be finished products, but Lavine isn't even far enough along for him to do that much. Right now he's a spark off the bench. I wouldn't get upset if the Raps drafted him, but I would question how a spark plug with outside shooting and little else fits a need.

Yes, he's athletic but he doesn't explode through holes-- it's all the same speed. He'd do great on a team like the Bobcats where the offense is more system oriented and the change of pace is generated by the PG, allowing him to play the wing. But, his current style of play does not fit the system that the Raptors play.

I'm not saying the raptors should draft him or anything, like you I'd be okay with it. But players with his physical gifts often get drafted high even if they are raw, I'm sure you know that. On top of that he is a good 3 point shooter already which I'm sure is helping his draft stock.

[The Great One]

Anyone here watched the KU/WVU game earlier today?? one of the commentator says he sees Andrew Wiggins as a DeMar DeRozan type player. And then he goes on and praised DeRozan making the all-star team this year.

Interesting, because he's not the only that has compared Wiggins to DeRozan. Jalen Rose a couple months ago made the same comparison. Other NBA analysts as well.

I'm a big DeRozan fan obviously. But i still don't see the comparison.