Draft Prospects (See Pg.7: Early Entries Announced!)

[mo-sales]

I agree that he should be, but they have Flynn, they love Flynn and Rubio is in no hurry to come over to Minny. Their franchise is already taking heat for the two years away from being good prognosis.

If they get number one and take John Wall, Rubio becomes expendable, even now I don't see how he fits into thier long term plan.

You don't think they would do Derozan and our number 12 pick for Rubio?

Build around a core of Wall/Flynn, Derozan, Brewer, Jefferson and Love. Thats pretty money.

[Apollo]

LOL, if they get #1 then add Flynn to the expendable list. Flynn would look nice in a Raptors jersey, huh?

[Dave]

You don't think they would do Derozan and our number 12 pick for Rubio?

I would do that deal in a heartbeat if I'm Toronto and I think Minny will be tempted by it too. Not sure if they take the deal but they'd definitely give it strong consideration.

Good idea.

[Dave]

I don't watch college basketball so I don't have much to add to this but based on what I've heard and read ... the main player I'd be looking at is Epke Udoh.

Other than Udoh, I'd probably look to trade down the late teens (Larry Sanders) or low twenties (Wille Warren/Paul George/David Ebanks/Damion James) and try to pickup an early second round pick in the process.

I'd also be crossing my fingers that someone like Ed Davis or Greg Monroe dropped and suddenly became available. Xavier Henry is somewhat interesting too but I'd have to see him play first to know whether he offers that much more than one of those wings who'll be available later in the round (another Brandon Rush? or more upside?) .

[Dave]

Players I'd be wary of:

Stanley Robinson -- sounds a lot like Hakim Warrick to me

Solomon Alabi + Hassan Whiteside -- raw seven footers taken in the middle of the first round rarely succeed

Motiejunas -- don't know enough about him but the Bargnani experience makes me hesitant to walk down that road again

Damion James -- I like him a lot as a late first round pick. He sounds very similar to a James Posey when Posey was coming out of Xavier. But I'm not sure I'd spend a late lottery pick on him.

Vesley -- Another guy I'd be wary of but don't know much about. He sounds like a younger bigger Jonas Jerebko. A great value pick around #20 but questionable as a lottery pick. I'd need to see him play and get a better understanding of his offensive game before I used a lottery pick on him.

Those are the players I'd be hesitant on.

[INFO]

Alright ill name my favourites..

I really like Jordan Crawford from Xavier. I think he's goign to be a really good player in the NBA. Im still not sure if he is going to declare but even though we have Demar, Crawford seems really nice. He can shoot, attack the rim, pass, rebound, he's a do-it-all SG.

Hassan Whiteside. If he's available at 12 he could be interesting. He's extremly lanky and he can flat out block shots. He could turn into the Defensive big man we all want.

Eric Bledsoe. He's really quick, plays hard defensively, and is a good passer. If BC wants to get rid of Calderon in the Summer he could easily replace him

Paul George. I really dont know why but i think he has the potential to be a good player. He is big, can shoot, really athletic. He can play the 3 or the 4. Played in a samall school.

Gordon Heyward . The guy made be a believer, he can rebound and score pretty well. He's kinda skinny. But he really did have a nice run in the tourney.

[KakashiPrince]

Cole Aldrich, Patrick Patterson, Hassan Whiteside, Jan Vesely (bargnani similarities), Gani Lawal... or maybe even Donatas Motiejunas will slip..

for me i think Hassan Whiteside (need to learn post moves) or Patrick Patterson

Donatas Motiejunas? another bargnani?

What happen if we draft both Donatas Motiejunas and Jan Vesely...lol we will be doom...lol

[Apollo]

I am of the belief that the team has to draft the best player available. If that happens to be Donatas Motiejunas then so be it. They can make a move later to sort ii out but the team needs to collect the best assets possible. I think back to when the team drafted Joey G. They passed on Granger because there was a question about his knee. Well, they passed on the best player available. How are Joey and Danny doing these days? Oh and then there is the drafting of Hoffa over Iggy... Take the best player. Always take the best player.

[KakashiPrince]

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/...tiejunas-1300/

Best Case: Andrea Bargnani
Worst Case: Channing Frye

wow i thought they might say:
Best case: Dirk
Worst Case: Andrea Bargnani

[Apollo]

Well then he would be a can't miss top ten draft pick out of the Raptors range.

[KakashiPrince]

Is there any similarities :P

Just wondering...Hassan Whiteside is he fast? or is he like Roy Hibbert? Is he offensively challenged like Hasheem thabeet

I know we need defensive center but how can we draft a center that is slow and who can't do any post moves, hook shot...when we are against strong defensive team who only let "crappy" shooter shot....

[Hotshot]

Our pick slated to be around the 12th position, not too shaby we can still pick up a useful player.

http://www.nbadraft.net

[Mack North]

I don't care if the guy selected ever becomes a star player, just be better than the Radojevic, Bradley, Graham picks of drafts past. A serviceable guy that comes in and does a solid job hustling and on defence is all I really care for now. A big man may take a while to adjust his game and I don't really have the patience(I know I don't have a choice) to wait 4 seasons to see if he has anything.

Jarvis Varnado is the guy I'd like in round 2 if he's still around. With the 12th I don't really have a specific guy, JUST DON'T DRAFT A BUST or it'll make the memories of this season even worse.

[bdl244]

We don't have a 2nd rounder due to the Marion-O'Neal trade.

So we are looking at 14th pick most likely. That's it.

[Edit] It's that conditional pick thing till 2014, if we made the playoffs this year, then Heat get our 1st rounder, if we don't then the Heat keep getting 2nd rounders until 2014 in which they get our 1st rounder (unprotected).

[Dave]

Excellent news indeed. The Raptors badly need any opportunity they can get to upgrade their talent base.

[Hotshot]

Excellent news indeed. The Raptors badly need any opportunity they can get to upgrade their talent base.

My only fear is that Colangelo might be tempted to package this pick (possibly to get rid of a big contract with it).

[KakashiPrince]

is that a good thing? Hedo turk contract is .....uhhh not good for that kind of production

[Hotshot]

is that a good thing? Hedo turk contract is .....uhhh not good for that kind of production

Yeah but we packaged way too many picks over the years that could have had an impact on the current team more so then the players we got back for our picks (Rudy Fernandez and Roy Hibbert could have been in a Raptor's uniform today not to mention the unknown player we are going to miss out in the next few years).

[KakashiPrince]

probably, but due to cap space right now and bosh situation..i think this year draft can be ignored if they find good pieces such as an ALLSTAR SG!

and Roy Hibbert...lol a faster center can go around him...lol

On another note....
I knew Delfino is a better player than marco >_< omg

[SCP0389]

Pretend your Bryan Colangelo on June 24th on the evening of the 2010 NBA draft in Madison square garden assuming these players I have chosen were available who would you pick to help turn this team around or would you trade the pick?
(I understand that some of these players might not be available by the time the raptors pick but its still to early to tell as a players draft stock could drop after pre draft measurements, workouts and interviews) also if you can, give a reason for your pick.

Our biggest needs are…well……pretty much every position on our team can use an upgrade but if we don’t obtain a veteran SG/SF I see no reason to pull a golden state and hinder the development of demar and sonny by clogging up the minutes at those positions if bosh leaves we definitely have to look at PF and we always had a need at C
With colangelos recent statements on a radio show one of our PG will be gone so keep that in mind only allowed 10 options so if the person you like isn’t there just tell us who you want be realistic.

Scouting reports courtesy of www.nbadraft.net

Xavier Henry SG http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hD2a...layer_embedded HIGHLIGHTS

Strengths: Eighteen year old freshman with an effortless, fluid style ... His body is NBA ready - built like a freight train possessing tremendous strength ... Ideal frame for a shooting guard or small forward at the next level. Naturally gifted scorer (28 ppg as a HS senior) with a deadly shooting eye. Prolific shooter from beyond the arc with tremendous range. Pure stroke with a quick, smooth release. No hitches ... Uses his legs very well on his shot getting good lift ... Effective slashing to the hoop where he can attack the rim and seek out contact ... Finishes extremely well, shrugging off defenders with ease ... Gets to the free throw line regularly and is automatic. Active on the glass ... Can be a terrific rebounding wing with his strength and freakish wingspan (6.7 per game in 2009 and 7.2 in 2008) ... A thief when playing off the ball defensively, reading passing lanes and intercepting passes (1.7 spg through his first seven collegiate games). Refreshing positive attitude on the court. Always smiling, seeming to truly enjoy the game of basketball ... Hard worker and very coachable, which is rare for a player of his stature.

Weaknesses: A strong athlete but not an elite level athlete ... Does not possess explosive speed, quicks or leaping ability, although his leaping ability is better than his foot speed ... His first step is mediocre and his face up game lacks creativity ... His options are limited when he puts the ball on the floor and is quite predictable ... Ball handling needs to improve drastically. Turnovers have been a bugaboo early on at 2 per game ... Needs to develop his right hand. Too left hand dominant on the dribble and on the finish ... Settles for too many long range shots. Should take advantage of his strength inside and attack more. Lack of comfort in the post game. He has the physical edge against any college SG or SF and would be wise to exploit it ... Defense runs through positive and negative patches. At times plays with excellent passion, and other times appears to be going through the motions ... Lateral quickness is not ideal, but his strength and length can mask that deficiency.


Cole Aldrich C http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4trsJcFNkw HIGHLIGHTS
Strengths: Smooth bigman with great length and developing skills who has quickly become the premiere center in the country ... Shows solid basketball understanding/fundamentals and a high motor ... Made a huge jump during his sophomore season (going from a 3ppg 3 rpg player to 15 ppg and 11 rpg) and appears ready to take his game to another level in his junior season ... His long arms (7'4 wingspan) allows him to play a few inches bigger than his 6'11 height and patrol the paint ... Has good agility for a player his size and is beginning to develop good body control and offensive moves ... His overall feel for the game has begun to come around. His footwork in the post is superb and his post game is starting to become highly efficient ... He employs an effective hook shot as well as the ability to step out and hit shots facing the basket ... But to his credit he is not overly enamored with drifting away from the basket and focuses on using his size, strength and touch to score easy baskets in the paint ... Though the mechanics on his shot aren't pretty, they are effective ... A bigman who runs the floor well and can finish on the break ... Shows excellent coordination with the ability to convert plays in both the half court and on the break ... Defensively he has become a real presence as a shot blocker using his huge wingspan to inhale close to 3 blocks per game ... He shows solid vision finding teammates when he gets doubled and does a good job of finding open teammates cutting to the basket ... Soft hands give him the ability to gather rebounds or post passes and limit any fumbling of the ball ... Developed very good consistency in his sophomore year scoring in double figures in all but 4 games, and at least 8 points in every game ... Highly efficient offensively, shooting close to 60% from the floor ... His free throw shooting has shown improvement (68% to 79%) and become very effective ... Very solid in most areas ... Appears to be all 6'11 that he's listed and could even potentially measure that barefoot making him a legit 7-footer ...

Weaknesses: Not overly explosive or a freakish athlete but his length and agility make him very effective ... His unorthodox shooting style (has a large range of motion on his shot and follow through) makes him appear to be less coordinated and less efficient than he actually is ... Not overly fiery. His demeanor is extremely even keeled ala Tim Duncan, but he shows a competitiveness when challenged ... Could look to extend his range out a little ways, but has shown nice development in his short to mid range shot ... Shows nice speed in the open floor, however his defensive speed laterally is a little slow. Granted most centers aren't as fleet of foot as other positions ... Has excellent strength for the college level, but will need to continue to bulk up and get nastier to contend with the beasts in the paint at the NBA level ... Added strength will also allow him to finish off plays around the basket even more effectively ... Developing a nastier on court disposition will help him. However, his choirboy appearance can be deceiving as he has no problem with physical contact ... Should focus on becoming more of a vocal and all around leader ...

Hassan Whiteside C http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl6q49ruwS4 HIGHLIGHTS
Strengths: A legit 7-footer with excellent size, strength and potential ... Has good agility and run/jump athleticism ... Very intriguing combination of physical attributes (7-feet and 230 lbs with a 7-6 wingspan) and an explosive athlete ... Imposing defensive presence due to his length and leaping ability ... Already a force defensively averaging 4.4 blocks per game in just over 20 minutes per game (through his first 7 games) ... An excellent rebounder, using his size and strength well on the glass at both ends ... Shows an exuberance for the game and should continue to develop as he gains experience ... Shows some nice things offensively with developing post skills and touch on his shot ... He is still in the early stages in his offensive development, so sticking around college 2-3 years would benefit him in the long run ...

Weaknesses: Still a work in progress offensively. At times looks awkward in the post but appears to be gaining confidence ... He's born in 1989, so he's nearly 2 years older than the average freshman. But his upside is unmistakable ... Needs to work on his free throw shooting (currently shooting below 40%) ... Feel for the game is still raw, but not terrible ... Still needs to develop his upperbody strength (at 230) but has a solid frame and muscle mass to work with ... Needs to develop his passing skills to find teammates when doubled ... Should work on his post skills and develop better range on his shot ... Also must look to become more sure handed and cut down on turnovers, although he shows soft hands, and should be fine as he gains experience ...

Patrick Patterson PF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlLf5TzDwFI HIGHLIGHTS
Strengths: Patterson is an exceptionally aggressive and athletic player in a man-child NBA body. His pogo-stick leaping ability allows him to be a creative finisher around the basket where he is almost automatic and can finish with either hand. He uses the glass well and is a very powerful dunker. Patterson has great hands that the ball seems to stick to. His brute strength allows him to bang down low with power forwards and be a menace on the boards. However, he is also very quick and should be able to defend the small forward in the NBA. He can pass very well, especially out of double teams, and is a team player with well-rounded statistics. He was measured with a 7-1 wingspan
Weaknesses: Patterson is an amazing talent but does lack some important skills. He is very efficient with the ball and thus does not show extensive ball handling and dribbling skills. He also has not shown an ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter well. Short jumpers are fine, where he sometimes shoots one handed, but he seems even a bit tentative around 15 feet from the hoop and out. He is close to being between positions due to limited perimeter skills and measuring in at just 6-8 without shoes; however players with his package of strength, length, and athleticism don’t come along often. There is surely a spot for him in the NBA.

Ed Davis PF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o980Awigm7c HIGHLIGHTS
Strengths: Long, athletic, lefty post player who shows a great deal of potential due to his length, athleticism and skill level … An underrated athlete who has very “live” legs and a high motor … Has a great feel for playing in the post offensively, with crafty fakes and up and under moves. Appears comfortable operating in close as well as 8-10 feet away from the basket … Can score in a variety of ways and has tremendous footwork for his age … Shows excellent touch in the paint converting lefty hook shots and looks to dunk everything … His offensive game, while still unproven, shows a great deal of upside … His long arms and explosive leaping ability allow him to finish with explosive dunks even when attacking the basket from a few feet out … Strong rebounder. Hits the glass hard and shows a willingness to battle inside … Runs the floor well with both speed in the open floor and good lateral quickness … He’s a top notch shot blocker for a forward due to excellent timing, explosiveness and length … Appears to have a 7-foot-2 wingspan, or close … Does not have a superstar attitude, he has a workman's approach to the game that is refreshing to see from such a talented player …

Weaknesses: Needs to add strength … Does not have a big (wide shoulders) frame so he's never going to be an overpowering type of post guy, but he can certainly add 20-25 lbs and be a finesse type of 4 ala Chris Bosh ... As a freshman he was unable to finish well through contact when attacking the rim on dunks. Added strength will make him a terror around the basket as he’ll be able to fully utilize his great length and improve his finishing ability … Should look to extend his range, developing a consistent mid-range shot … He has good touch and it will likely be a matter of practice and repetition and he will be able to develop a reliable J. His lefty jump hook shot shows nice potential but he often came up short on attempts as a freshman …


Notes: Was overshadowed by Tyler Hansbrough in his freshman season but played a key role for UNC's title run coming off the bench and bringing energy and shot blocking … Should be one of the nation’s break out stars and top bigmen in his sophomore year …


Paul George SF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERcmF...layer_embedded HIGHLIGHTS
Strengths: Has great length and athleticism ... Smooth player, makes plays look effortless ... He has good court vision and is an excellent passer ... His length combined with his release point make his jump shot difficult to contest ... Can finish around the basket with finesse or power and can do so with either hand ... Outstanding three point shooter, shot 44.7 percent from behind the arc as a freshman ... His greatest strength may be his ability to play the game with maturity and understanding of someone well beyond his years ... Allows the game come to him, does not force plays and rarely takes bad shots ... He's a good rebounder because of his length and timing, and should be even better as he adds weight to his frame ... Led Fresno State as a freshman with six double-doubles ... His wingspan and basketball IQ allow him to disrupt the game on the defensive end of the court ... Has a tremendous basketball frame with huge wingspan and the ability to put a lot of weight on his wide shoulders ... He averaged 1.7 steals and 1.0 block per game last season in the Western Athletic Conference.
Weaknesses: Listed at 6'7" 185, he'll need to add weight in order to absorb contact at the NBA level ... His first step and overall game is smooth rather than explosive, although strength should help him to become more explosive ... Has a tendency to play vertical, looks stiff at times on the court ... Good shooting percentages, but may need to speed up the release on his jump shot at the next level ... At times he can be unselfish to a fault ... Forty percent of his offensive attempts as a freshman were from the three point line, needs to become more adept at putting the ball on the floor ... Playing at Fresno State, there will be some criticism about his level of competition ...


Eric Bledsoe PG couldn’t find any highlight reels
Strengths: Freshman point guard blessed with rare athletic gifts ... Combines great length with tremendous explosiveness ... Has a lightning quick first step that makes him almost impossible to stay in front of ... Makes his moves very decisively and changes direction abruptly without losing stride ... His speed with the rock, especially in the open court, is remarkable ... Has a powerful, chiselled frame for a guard that helps mask his height deficiency ... When he gets a full head of steam - look out. He's like a running back in the open field ... His upper body strength allows him to finish through punishing blows ... Uses his left hand very adroitly around the rim ... An impressive leaper, rising to the rim with relative ease and throwing down some impressive jams ... Exhibits the ability to hang and adjust shots mid-flight ... Has a knack for hitting shots of the circus variety on a fairly regular basis. Never loses sight of the hoop, even when contorting his body. Despite being asked to fill more of a scorer's role than he’s accustomed to (11 point per game), has not forced his offense. Shot 47% on 9 shots per contest this season ... Three point accuracy has been a pleasant surprise, knocking down 41% on nearly 4 attempts per game. (showed improvement late in the year) ... A solid passer (3 assists per), especially in transition where he can use his instincts rather than reading defences ... His superb lateral quickness, foot speed and freakish wingspan make him a potential lock down defender ... Clutch. Has stepped in the NCAA tournament showing his ability to play well in pressure situations ...

Weaknesses: Turnovers have been a problem at 3 per game ... Decision making has been questionable at times, as he tends to continually play on fast forward- this can be partially attributed to the chaotic style Kentucky plays ... Goes through phases where he has tunnel vision towards the basket, dribbling with his head down and not paying any attention to the defensive alignment ... Leaves his feet to pass on many occasions, which often results in an offensive foul or no place to pass and a turnover ... Despite his strength, settles for too many wild layups in an attempt to avoid contact when he should be seeking it out (attempts only 3 FT's per) ... Extremely limited elevation on his jumper, shooting more of a set shot (should look to adjust his shooting form ... Has a slow release and takes too much time getting his body underneath the shot ... Rarely takes advantage of the mid-range game- will take the occasional short jumper only if left unguarded ... While he's had some massive performances this year, there are too many clunkers thrown in ... When he struggles in the early going of games he can mentally check out for the remainder ... Needs to find ways to impact the result when not on his A game.

Notes: Blesdoe was recruited as a point guard out of High School, but with the presence of John Wall has played mostly two guard. It's difficult to appraise his floor leadership and game management until he has the full lead guard reins. Due to that he is regarded as a high risk, high reward, potential based draft pick ...