ESPN Insider gives its take on the Raptors draft:
Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are one of the teams that have to be just sick that Harrison Barnes is not in this draft. They would have had to give him strong consideration at any spot they are selecting, including the No. 1 spot. Toronto was a bad offensive team last, but it was the worst defensive team in the NBA. There was no candidate better suited to help the Raptors than Barnes, especially considering the huge hole they have at small forward .
The absence of a perfect fit means they'll have to take Derrick Williams. Even though they have two mainstays at the big spots in Andrea Bargnani and Ed Davis, who had an excellent rookie season, Williams would give them a strong scoring presence who is willing to compete on defense. He's powerfully built, something the Raps need in a player, and can certainly play small forward some, allowing Toronto to go big without giving up much. He's not a great rebounder as a 4 but would be better there than playing the 3. The big Euros are in the running here, but Toronto needs some explosiveness too, something Williams brings to the table, and his toughness might be more in need than anything else. If Williams, Davis and Amir Johnson are three of your top four bigs, your team has a bright future.
The absence of a perfect fit means they'll have to take Derrick Williams. Even though they have two mainstays at the big spots in Andrea Bargnani and Ed Davis, who had an excellent rookie season, Williams would give them a strong scoring presence who is willing to compete on defense. He's powerfully built, something the Raps need in a player, and can certainly play small forward some, allowing Toronto to go big without giving up much. He's not a great rebounder as a 4 but would be better there than playing the 3. The big Euros are in the running here, but Toronto needs some explosiveness too, something Williams brings to the table, and his toughness might be more in need than anything else. If Williams, Davis and Amir Johnson are three of your top four bigs, your team has a bright future.
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