The Raptors and the 2015 Draft

[big boi]

WCS is a 5, PF are expected to have some offensive skills. The only exception was Ben Wallace who was listed as a C but was a help defender with Rasheed defensively. Only way to play Stein at the 4 is to pull the C out of the paint but not play high low either.

Yeah. I've been watching and playing basketball for a long time. That isn't the case. The stretch 4 has become important in this NBA but these things all go in cycles. From a guard focused league to a big man focused league and back again. And not every team starts a stretch 4. Patterson is a bench player on our team. And I could do without Amir's summer 3 thank you. WCS would fit quite nicely as a 4 on our team.

[big boi]

Which is probably why I said WCS will be like Joakim Noah. Not entirely sure why you are harping on about Davis.

Classic straw man argument. Build an argument, somehow assign it to others, tear it down.

[Letter N]

Uh Rodman was a PF. PF used to be a defensive position. They were the mobile defender that most centers were not. We're talking less than 10 years that the PF has turned into an offensive position. Look at Amir, he never has plays run for him. He only started shooting 3's last year. You're telling us that WCS couldn't set screens, guard the more mobile big, and get garbage buckets?

Personally, I don't care if a player is a stretch big or not. Whether they are an offensive stud or not. The Raps are a team with serious defensive issues. If an option to resolve those issues is grabbing a guy like WCS and playing him at the 4, to take advantage of his defense, then do it.

Those days are gone now, PFs need to be able to stretch the D or else they become undersized Cs which limits what a team can do. Teams can't afford to have 2 guys on the floor that can't shoot from 10 feet out anymore.

[Kuh]

And I could do without Amir's summer 3 thank you.

So you're saying you can do without our highest percentage 3-point shooter shooting threes?

Toronto Raptors 3 point percentages so far this year (I know, it sucks to introduce data):

Amir Johnson - 41%
Terence Ross - 38%
Greivis Vasquez - 38%
Patrick Patterson - 37%
Kyle Lowry - 34%
Lou Williams - 34%
Demar Derozan - 26%
James Johnson - 23%

Of course Amir doesn't shoot 3s anywhere near as much as TRoss or Lowry does, nor should he. And any time Amir feels it's a good shot for him to take, I'm 100% in favor of him taking it.

[92TillInfinity]

Dont let Casey see that data. Amir might end up standing in the corner waiting for the ball for 25 minutes a night.

[raptors999]

So you're saying you can do without our highest percentage 3-point shooter shooting threes?

Toronto Raptors 3 point percentages so far this year (I know, it sucks to introduce data):

Amir Johnson - 41%
Terence Ross - 38%
Greivis Vasquez - 38%
Patrick Patterson - 37%
Kyle Lowry - 34%
Lou Williams - 34%
Demar Derozan - 26%
James Johnson - 23%

Of course Amir doesn't shoot 3s anywhere near as much as TRoss or Lowry does, nor should he. And any time Amir feels it's a good shot for him to take, I'm 100% in favor of him taking it.

Why does it take Amir so long to wind up for a three. There's getting set and then there's moving furniture and sitting down before letting it fly

[blackjitsu]

Those days are gone now, PFs need to be able to stretch the D or else they become undersized Cs which limits what a team can do. Teams can't afford to have 2 guys on the floor that can't shoot from 10 feet out anymore.

Strongly, strongly strongly disagree. The time for non-mobile 5's like Bhullar are gone. PG's who can't shoot like the kid in Minnesota, from Spain are fading.

This is a league with defense specialists starting at every position. Houston's PG, Memphis' SF, etc. The idea that defense first PF's are mini centers is a misnomer. Especially since there are defense first C's in the NBA. Furthermore, this is a message board that has inappropriately championed Faried -- a small, poor defending, uber rebounding, low post PF who has no outside shot.

Are you saying Faried is a Center?

[raptors999]

Strongly, strongly strongly disagree. The time for non-mobile 5's like Bhullar are gone. PG's who can't shoot like the kid in Minnesota, from Spain are fading.

This is a league with defense specialists starting at every position. Houston's PG, Memphis' SF, etc. The idea that defense first PF's are mini centers is a misnomer. Especially since there are defense first C's in the NBA. Furthermore, this is a message board that has inappropriately championed Faried -- a small, poor defending, uber rebounding, low post PF who has no outside shot.

Are you saying Faried is a Center?

With guys like Towns, Okafor entering the league and Embid, Randle the traditional low post C will become more important. Howard and Noah both thrived when low post bigs weren't around. Even Monroe and Randolph would cause problems for guys who can't hold position. I like WCS but he works best in a trapping D vs guard offenses like the Raptors and nobody really know how good a rebounder he's going to be.

[Letter N]

Are you saying Faried is a Center?

No I'm saying Faried limits what a team can do and is usually not good for helping a team win, the only reason he is even talked about is because he's a physical freak but even that is showing to not make up for his shortcomings. The way he works best on a team is if you have a C who doesn't just clog up the middle, so at least one of your bigs needs to be a non-traditional one.

It's the same with Amir, he's slightly made up for it with his great defense over the year but it limits what a team can do on offense in the modern game.

[The Great One]

Everyone expects that Towns, Cauley-Stein, Lyles, Booker & Harrison twins will announce they're heading to the NBA at the UK presser at 2:30

— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) April 9, 2015

[tenforthewin]

I expect the Raptors to trade up for a PF in one of Myles Turner or Kevon Looney. i hate to see both guys getting drafted by teams with established PF like the Celtics or the Rockets when they already have guys like Sullinger (Celtics), Bass (Celtics), Josh Smith (Rockets), D-Mo or T.Jones (Rockets). I think both Turner or Looney would fit great in our system especially Turner. I really like his game and he could be our future PF. I wonder what will it take to grab one of these guys. T-Ross + our pick? I don't want us to draft Harrell, he could've declare last year but due to injury and immaturity, he stayed an extra year. Some compare him as the next Paul Millsap but I think that's a bit too farfetched. Although, I wouldn't surprise Masai getting the Brazilian Chris Paul/James Harden player in George Lucas with our pick, that would really build up another 2 years from being 2 years away by Fran Franschilla.

[magoon]

Chad Ford's current post-Madness draft board is as follows:

1. Karl-Anthony Towns
2. Jahlil Okafor
3. Emmanuel Mudiay
4. D'Angelo Russell
5. Kristaps Porzingis
6. Justise Winslow (up 4)
7. Willie Cauley-Stein
8. Mario Hezonja
9. Myles Turner
10. Kevon Looney (down 4)
11. Stanley Johnson
12. Kelly Oubre
13. Frank Kaminsky
14. Jakob Poetl (up 6)
15. Sam Dekker (up 10)
16. Bobby Portis
17. Trey Lyles
18. Devin Booker
19. R.J. Hunter
20. Kris Dunn
21. Jerian Grant
22. Cameron Payne (up at least 8)
23. Tyus Jones (up 5)
24. Montrezl Harrell (down 5)
25. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
26. Zhou Qi
27. Terry Rozier (down 4)
28. Delon Wright
29. Christian Wood
30. Demetrius Jackson

[raptors999]

Chad Ford's current post-Madness draft board is as follows:

1. Karl-Anthony Towns
2. Jahlil Okafor
3. Emmanuel Mudiay
4. D'Angelo Russell
5. Kristaps Porzingis
6. Justise Winslow (up 4)
7. Willie Cauley-Stein
8. Mario Hezonja
9. Myles Turner
10. Kevon Looney (down 4)
11. Stanley Johnson
12. Kelly Oubre
13. Frank Kaminsky
14. Jakob Poetl (up 6)
15. Sam Dekker (up 10)
16. Bobby Portis
17. Trey Lyles
18. Devin Booker
19. R.J. Hunter
20. Kris Dunn
21. Jerian Grant
22. Cameron Payne (up at least 8)
23. Tyus Jones (up 5)
24. Montrezl Harrell (down 5)
25. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
26. Zhou Qi
27. Terry Rozier (down 4)
28. Delon Wright
29. Christian Wood
30. Demetrius Jackson

Zhou Qi?

[stretch]

Zhou Qi?

He's 7'2' with a wingspan of 7'6". Zhou Qi is playing in the Nike Challenge on Saturday on the International team with Thon Maker and Jamal Murray.

[planetmars]

This team needs an injection of IQ badly. Kaminsky is my guy right now.. and hope some how Masai is able to trade up for him. I also like the fact that he's a senior and should be able to contribute right away unlike Bruno/Bebe/Daniels.