Chad Ford Mock Draft 6.0: Raptors STILL selecting Jan Vesely

[MangoKid]

Analysis: Bryan Colangelo saw both Vesely and Bismack Biyombo this weekend in New York. Biyombo is a much bigger leap of faith at No. 5 than Vesely is. Kemba Walker and Kawhi Leonard are in the mix as well. But Vesley has been the favorite for a while, and I think he still is.

Top 10:
CLE - Irving
MIN- DWilliams
UTAH - Knight
CLE - Kanter
TOR - Vesely
WAS - Leonard
SAC - Walker
DET- Biyombo
CHA - MMorris
MIL -KThompson

If the Raps know that they like Biyombo, but don't want to take him at 5, why not trade down with Sacramento at 7 - who really likes Walker, and pick up an asset in the process like Casspi?

[hateslosing]

Did Valanciunas kill someone? He went from 4 to out of the top ten.

[Employee]

Did Valanciunas kill someone? He went from 4 to out of the top ten.

It's cause he's playing another year in Europe.

[MangoKid]

It's cause he's playing another year in Europe.

Yup. He's made it known that he wants to play another year in Europe and that dropped his stock significantly. A lot of people pegged him to go 4 to Cleveland. Now a lot of people are saying he'll drop all the way to #14 to Houston.

[LBF]

ok, i'm going to put a stone cold guarantee that if kemba is available at 5. the raps are picking him.

[Tim W.]

Since there's a chance there won't even be a next season, who cares if Valanciunas is going to miss a season. It's not as if he doesn't want to come. The only reason he won't come next season is because his current team wouldn't let him. I'd rather see the Raptors take Valanciunas than Vesley, Walker or Knight.

[zulfi]

this year's draft sucks. my attention has been towards the draft since the middle of january, hoping raps pick up someone like sullinger, irving, barnes, or even perry jones...instead we get vesely or walker (players who will be come decent rotation or maybe even starters but nothinig special). part of me wants leanoard but next year's draft is stacked with SF so maybe next year is a better year to fill the SF void. I'd take Kanter at 5 if he's available though

[white men can't jump]

What the hell is up with Chad Ford's Vesely infatuation? I have a hard time believing he'd be ahead of Knight, Walker, Kanter or Valuncianas on the Raps board. I'd be surprised if he's even ahead of Kawhi

[Bendit]

Hope Vesley is a smokescreen for the Wizards who draft next and have been reputedly very interested in him. They of course dont have need for a pg and something could come out of making a switch with them.

[D-Money]

Valanciunas is a good pick and the best center in the draft..we are not gonna contend for the next couple years so whats the rush..wow we bring in a guy that helps us win 5 more games and only hurts are chances of getting teague,kabango or harrison barnes.

[G-locity]

I think vesely reminds chad ford his son...that he wishes that he has..

[ebrian]

David Thorpe will have you believe that Alabi will be a good center in 2 years, and some people in these forums believe he's part of this team's young core. Jonas Valanciunas is 2-3 years out and plays the same position. I cannot see Jan Vesely going top 5.

My money's still on Kemba Walker.

[RAPresenting]

Vesley is a very intriguing prospect but it's too much of a gamble at 5 I can't see BC taking him on a 2 year deal. I think it's gotta be Kantar, Walker or Leonard who he chooses from as Knight is off the board. Chances are he goes with Leonard and gives Bayless a year to show what he can do with the starters role. Casey is talking defense and Leonard seems like the most NBA ready defender of the group that will be available.

[dballa21]

Kemba is an excellent defender who led major point guard prospects in steals and blocks. He fits in better with our athletic core, and imo addresses more of a need than Leonard.

[yertu damkule]

Vesley is a very intriguing prospect but it's too much of a gamble at 5 I can't see BC taking him on a 2 year deal. I think it's gotta be Kantar, Walker or Leonard who he chooses from as Knight is off the board. Chances are he goes with Leonard and gives Bayless a year to show what he can do with the starters role. Casey is talking defense and Leonard seems like the most NBA ready defender of the group that will be available.

i don't buy the 'too much of a gamble' bit...in a weak draft, where the talent level is fairly even once you're past the top two picks, can anyone really be considered a 'gamble?' sure, there are guys who are slated as late first rounders that you wouldn't pick in the lottery simply because there are clear-cut better options available...but realistically, the guys grouped 3-12 are pretty close in ability. there's talk of kemba slipping past 10...and also going 3rd. how often does that happen? and it's the same with half a dozen guys in the lottery, the range is all over the place. i've always felt that you pick the best player for your particular situation, regardless of where he's ranked. if you like leonard, but feel he's not 'worthy' of the 5th (but is, somehow, worthy of the 7th, for example), then just take him (unless someone's giving you something of value to swap picks, and you KNOW he'll still be available with that later pick).

FWIW - i do like leonard, but fear he may be one of the biggest beneficiaries of some of the top prospects dropping out. he's got all the skills (even offensively, i don't think he's nearly as unpolished as others), but what bothers me is that he never really jumped out while at SDSt as 'the guy.' in his interviews, he seems very humble, and i know he's got a rep as a hard-nosed, get-after-it player...i just didn't see much of that in college. maybe it's just his style...not flashy, team-oriented, does the dirty stuff, etc. might be a perfect complementary piece ('cause you know you aren't getting a franchise-changer with the 5th pick in this draft).

[yertu damkule]

Kemba is an excellent defender who led major point guard prospects in steals and blocks. He fits in better with our athletic core, and imo addresses more of a need than Leonard.

kemba WAS an excellent (perhaps debatable) defender in college. he's not overly big, so how well he does defending in the pros has, obviously, yet to be determined. all signs point to him being - at worst - an average to above-average defender. not sure that he necessarily addresses a greater 'need' than leonard. while many disparage jose (myself included) and assume he's going to be traded, it's not as though jose was a primary reason for the team's suckitude. at least he's a starting calibre PG...not sure the raps have a starting calibre SF (unless demar puts on 20 lbs of muscle & they move him there, which is, IMO, what should happen eventually). that being said...who knows if leonard is the answer for their SF woes any more than kemba would be the answer to their PF woes? when a team wins 22 games, they suck, and there's a multitude of reasons shy, so you can't think that there will be some radical change by addressing just one or two (drafted player & new coach).

[Apollo]

I don't believe this, just like I didn't believe it the last five times. The Raptors won't pick this guy. It makes no sense to me given the other options.

[RAPresenting]

i don't buy the 'too much of a gamble' bit...in a weak draft, where the talent level is fairly even once you're past the top two picks, can anyone really be considered a 'gamble?' sure, there are guys who are slated as late first rounders that you wouldn't pick in the lottery simply because there are clear-cut better options available...but realistically, the guys grouped 3-12 are pretty close in ability. there's talk of kemba slipping past 10...and also going 3rd. how often does that happen? and it's the same with half a dozen guys in the lottery, the range is all over the place. i've always felt that you pick the best player for your particular situation, regardless of where he's ranked. if you like leonard, but feel he's not 'worthy' of the 5th (but is, somehow, worthy of the 7th, for example), then just take him (unless someone's giving you something of value to swap picks, and you KNOW he'll still be available with that later pick).

Agreed the overall consensus after the top 2 drops off. I personally agree with that but also see another gap after 3 with Knight being a better prospect then the next group. With the lockout looming lots of potential lottery picks have moved up no doubt. I agree with your thought on if you like a player and feel he's best for your team to pick him. I just can't see BC taking that big risk based on his length of contract. Kemba, Kantar and Leonard look to be solid but unspectacular pro's while Vesley could be incredible or bust.

FWIW - i do like leonard, but fear he may be one of the biggest beneficiaries of some of the top prospects dropping out. he's got all the skills (even offensively, i don't think he's nearly as unpolished as others), but what bothers me is that he never really jumped out while at SDSt as 'the guy.' in his interviews, he seems very humble, and i know he's got a rep as a hard-nosed, get-after-it player...i just didn't see much of that in college. maybe it's just his style...not flashy, team-oriented, does the dirty stuff, etc. might be a perfect complementary piece ('cause you know you aren't getting a franchise-changer with the 5th pick in this draft).

Agreed 100%! If he's drafted for the defensive end, crashing the boards and running the break I prefer his attitude to a player who demands the ball/attention. Leave the scoring to Demar and Dre and lets get some guys to do the dirt work.

[MangoKid]

Agreed 100%! If he's drafted for the defensive end, crashing the boards and running the break I prefer his attitude to a player who demands the ball/attention. Leave the scoring to Demar and Dre and lets get some guys to do the dirt work.

Then it fits in with the idea that the Raps are considering Biyombo. Personally, I believe if Knight is there at 5, he's the pick. Otherwise it's between Leonard and Biyombo. They're gonna go with uber athletic guys who put defense first - preferably someone with a high ceiling. The workout today in Detroit with Biyombo, Tristan Thompson and Markieff Morris will determine how high Biyombo goes.

Colangelo has always gone for the guys who not only fit what the team is trying to do, but also with athletic guys who have high potential. That's always been a Colangelo trait - picking the guy who not only is the Best Player available, but also who has the highest ceiling at that particular point. Now with Casey on board, they're going to select the guy who is not only coachable, but who doesn't mind putting defense first.

[white men can't jump]

With the hiring of the new coach for the Raptors it will be very interesting to see which direction they want to head in the draft. It would seem that taking a guy like Kawhi Leonard would be redundant as he sounds like a Derozan type player. A guy like Vesely doesn't sound like someone the new defensive minded Raptor coach would like to have starting at small forward and another European "big" man should be something the Raptors want to be getting away from probably. There are a lot of options to go to and I hope Bryan Colangelo makes the right decision because he hasn't made very many good ones in his time as Raptors GM.

http://chrisross91.wordpress.com/201...-chance-on-me/

Don't understand the redundancy argument. They're roughly the same size and both athletic. Other than that I don't see much else. Leonard is a defensive-oriented player and DD was an offensive player going into the draft. Leonard should be a better rebounder and it looks like he's already putting work in and improving his shot. I don't see the problem with having 2 athletic wings on the floor at the same time.

Redundancy is often a poor argument. Sometimes players are very similar. Sometimes it's mostly a size/athleticism comparison. Lots of people worried about the redundancy of Ed and Amir. I think anyone who watches knows their games are quite different, and the only redundancy is in their size and youth (and their ugly jumpers =p).