2011 Draft Rumors & Discussion

[Tim W.]

The average NBA center has a 0.88 A:T ratio so Bargnani's 0.78 is not that far off.

It seems to me Dwight Howard has the ball in his hand at least as much as Bargnani and yet I never heard any criticism of his lower assist output (1.5 per 40 minutes) or his awful A:T ratio (0.39).

Selective unsupported criticism of the one player you WANT to be traded?

Quixotic said it as well as I could have. Howard also is a horrible free throw shooter, but he's also easily the best center in the NBA and a top 10 player.

Besides, I was simply giving more information about a point YOU brought up. No one has ever called Howard a good passer. If someone does, I'll be glad to debate them about it.

[Tim W.]

I'd like thompson buuuuuut there's a few other dudes I'd rather have.

Aren't you married? Isn't this a conversation you should be having with your wife?

[RaptorDan]

Kemba's flipper arms

[Joey]

HAHAHAHA

That is by far one of the more enjoyable things I've ever seen.

[Chr1s1anL]

BACK to basketball

[ceez]

Shhh!

[Tim W.]

Shhh!

Your secret is safe with me.

[jeff_hostetler]

Leaning Towards Knight?

From The Hoops Report, in discussing events from the combine:

The Toronto Raptors took Brandon Knight out to dinner, rather than just interview him at the hotel. A source said the Raptors are very interested in drafting Knight at No. 5 to replace Jose Calderon as their franchise point guard.

http://www.thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=728

[ceez]

Awesome

[Chr1s1anL]

From The Hoops Report, in discussing events from the combine:



http://www.thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=728

Hopefully Utah don't pick him up at 3.

[Chr1s1anL]

he main topic: Jonas Valanciunas of Lithuania. He is considered by most teams to be the most intriguing of the bunch. At 6-11, with a reported 7-6 wingspan and a Joakim Noah(notes)-type motor, he's the type of prospect NBA teams have a difficult time getting their hands on outside of the draft. He has repeatedly indicated his desire to move to the NBA and only the NBA, which separates him from the Ricky Rubios and Fran Vazquezes of the world.

Seeing solid playing time for a BC Lietuvos Rytas team that made the top 16 of the Euroleague, and leading the competition in rebounding per minute, he's been seen by everyone. For him, it's his buyout, or lack thereof, that has teams worried.

Rytas has taken a major step forward in resolving the buyout issue in recent days by hiring a European lawyer with significant experience in NBA buyout negotiations. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, Rytas will attempt to structure the buyout on a sliding scale depending on where he gets picked, and are willing to be flexible with Valanciunas on when he can leave the team in case of an NBA lockout, even giving him the opportunity to stay with the team until he signs his rookie contract.

If his buyout situation will be resolved in a timely fashion, look for Valanciunas to be drafted somewhere between Nos. 3 and 8 overall. He's ahead of Enes Kanter on both Cleveland and Toronto's boards according to reports and has huge fans in Detroit's front office as well.

Valanciunas has three more years on his contract after this current season, with no buyout option. His American agent Leon Rose of CAA has been negotiating with the team for the better part of the year Most of the dispute revolves around when the buyout will be paid. The team, which is in serious financial trouble, wants the money now, not when he joins the NBA. It's asking for a percentage of Valanciunas' rookie contract. An agreement could have already been reached some time ago but the team has sent mixed messages.

Most expect a deal to be struck no more than a week before the draft. Valanciunas falling in the draft will only hurt Rytas' cause as not only will it lose significant respect from fans and constituents in basketball-crazy Lithuania, but it'll also hurt its chances of landing the next great young local prospect with NBA aspirations. Furthermore, being drafted lower results in a smaller contract.http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...ug=ycn-8514315

Details into Jonas Valanciunas contract.

[northgrantballer]

Raptors' 4 Draft Options

With a mediocre pick and a weak draft, the Raptors are once again left to guess. In my opinion there are four options. 1. Kemba Walker 2. Jan Vesely 3. Jonas Valanciunas, and 4. Trading the pick
1. Kemba Walker though thought to be extremely undersized in the transition to the NBA, is actually a respectable point guard height at 6'1. Walker has proven himself in big games and has shown he is a clutch player
2. Jan Vesely is an underknown international player who, unlike the bulk of international players, plays an energy/dunking game. Vesely is a steller 6'11 and can play the PF or the SF(where we need help). He can also controll the ball fairly well, and has drawn comparisons to Andrei Kirolenko.
3. Jonas Valanciunas. Jonas is a 6'11 force inside the paint weighing in at only 240. He has very high potential, but will be nothing in the NBA if he doesn't bulk up.
4. Trading the pick. This was the option that immediately came into many Raptors fans' heads after the lottery. Trading down would probably be the best option and it is a weak draft, and we could get another peice in the deal.

It will be interesting to see what plays out before the fifth pick in the 2011 NBA draft is selected, and I would like to know what you guys/girls think we should do.

[Tim W.]

Trading the pick would be a last resort. And I don't even know if it would that. The value of any pick in this draft is low, and you'd have a better chance at finding a diamond in the rough then of getting fair value for the pick. No one is going to want to get a #5 pick and have to pay the player close to $4 million a season for a player who probably won't even be a starter.

I really don't see Walker as the 1st option. I hope he's not. He's proven to be a good NCAA player, but I have WAY too many question marks about how that translates to the NBA.

Kanter is my 1st option. IF he is hesitant to come to Toronto, that will probably change if Bargnani is traded and he's given the starting center position. Valanciunas might be my second option, but I don't know about his hands. He seems to have trouble handling passes and doesn't have the softest hands.

Leonard would definitely be an option. Probably higher on my list than Vesley, who doesn't have good handles and doesn't seem to do much more than dunk. I also wonder how he'll be able to defend NBA small forwards.

[SCass]

I just looked into my crystal ball and this is what will happen:

TOR trades Amir & Calderon to MIN for the #2 pick, selecting Derrick Williams.

UTAH takes Kantar, CLE takes Vesely or Vas

TOR gets Brandon Knight #5

Knight/Bayless
DeRozan/Barbosa
Williams/Johnson
Bargnani/Davis
Center on the Market (Kaman or Chandler)

[northgrantballer]

I also love Kanter, but I can't see him slipping to 5