DOUG SMITH on the draft. says raps take KEMBA @ 5

[Quixotic]

I see what you're saying but first of all the difference between the 40 million I say we owe next year and the 45 million you say we have committed next year are the qualifying offers for julian wright and joey dorsey which we do not have to commit to, thats how I understand it atleast. SO if I understand it correctly means we will have 18 million enough to sign a max salary guy.

The math here hurts my head. Did you even try to add up the salaries? Half a minute of plugging the numbers in a calculator would have shown your understanding to be incorrect.

Assuming the players win the CBA negotiations completely by keeping everything the same, this is what we would have for next year:

http://raptorsrepublic.com/forums/sh...ll=1#post85470

Of course, I don't expect the players to win without conceding anything, so the number will probably be smaller. Probably ~$5 mil even without the #5's contract, if not less.

I'm also really wondering who you're considering to be a "max salary guy" for us to sign. You should check the list of 2011 free agents. Caron Butler?

Please don't mention Chicago as an example. Our young guys are nowhere near the level of theirs. DeRozan and Davis are nice prospects, but they're no Rose and Noah.

[brothersteve]

All it takes is one team to do something unexpected. If Golden State hadn't picked Udoh 6th, then Ed Davis probably doesn't fall to 13. Hell, Golden State should have picked Davis at 6th! Look at it this way. Kahn picks #2, and no one ever knows what the hell he is going to do. Utah picks third, and they selected Gordon Hayward last year when Davis, and Paul George were available. And I still have no idea who the guy is who's running the Cavs.

Plus, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if one or more of the top five picks were traded. Maybe even to the Raptors!

Absolutely no one will be shocked if something unexpected happens with the lottery picks. We are expecting the unexpected. (kind of strange to say)

[brothersteve]

I will be shocked if there isn't a trade in the top four. And the Raptors won't take Kemba, it's Knight all the way for them.

Jim Kelly made it quite clear that the Raps love Knight and hope he falls to them - they really just don't know if its going to happen.

[brothersteve]

No way Calderon is enough to get the #4 pick. Maybe Bargnani.

No way the Raps would let Bargnani go for ANY draft pick in this draft including #1 or #2. There isn't one guy in this draft that you could say for sure will be as valuable as Bargs after 4 years - some maybes but no sure things.

[pesterm1]

Well we can respectfully agree to disagree. The reality is no matter what we decide on this forum we are not the GM, so time will tell who is right.

I dont think the raptors are as far from being a good team as many others do, so no matter what happens whether we get another top 10 pick, or trade our 5th pick, or just draft the 5th, I think the raptors will be a good team next year (playoffs).

I agree with TIM. I think Super is generously over valuing the players on our team. we only won 22 games... that was good for 3rd worst in the entire league and we barely did better then the bottom 2 teams. the raps are showing potential but ur comparing players like bargnani ( offense) to noah ( defense) and derozan ( great sophmore) to rose ( MVP) that argument alone tells me you dont know what ur talking about. i like that your very optimistic but i think you will be dissapointed this comming season, the same way many other raps fans were dissapointed when they thought we'd be a playoff team this year but didint even come close. At this point Tims reality looks much more believable and down to earth. Super your still in the dream world.

[Tim W.]

No way the Raps would let Bargnani go for ANY draft pick in this draft including #1 or #2. There isn't one guy in this draft that you could say for sure will be as valuable as Bargs after 4 years - some maybes but no sure things.

Gotta disagree here. Not that I think Bargnani WILL be traded for a top 3 pick, but as long as the player plays both ends of the court, I think he'll be more valuable than Bargnani. Definitely Irving. Williams is probably going to be at least the scorer that Bargnani is and should be a better rebounder and defender. I'd take Kanter over Bargnani on my front line, as well. Plus, none of those guys are going to be making $9 million next season.

[Hassan]

none of the youth we have are allstars except maybe derozan. thats why we need stockpile young talent and hope we get one of them to be an allstar

[knowledgep]

The fact is that our superstar or "franchise" player is most likely in the 2012 draft. I say we hope that Kanter's available at our pick and we get him some experience next year. The last thing we should be doing is fast forwarding this rebuild by trading the 5th pick for a vet.

[NoPropsneeded]

i hope we choose james macadoo next year.

[Maleko]

The fact is that our superstar or "franchise" player is most likely in the 2012 draft. I say we hope that Kanter's available at our pick and we get him some experience next year. The last thing we should be doing is fast forwarding this rebuild by trading the 5th pick for a vet.

i hope we choose james macadoo next year.

Except with potential (and likely) changes to the CBA it appears the age limit will change, and therefore Mcadoo will not be in next year's draft due to ineligibility and would instead be in 2013. In fact, of the projected lottery picks for next year, 9 of them (Mcadoo, Anthony Davis, Marcus Teague, Quincy Miller, Myck Kabongo, Brad Beal, Austin Rivers, Michael Gilchrest and Adonis Thomas - from nbadraft.net) would not be eligible. While I agree with the proposed rule, it's timing sucks if it goes in in 2012!!

[Tim W.]

Except with potential (and likely) changes to the CBA it appears the age limit will change, and therefore Mcadoo will not be in next year's draft due to ineligibility and would instead be in 2013. In fact, of the projected lottery picks for next year, 9 of them (Mcadoo, Anthony Davis, Marcus Teague, Quincy Miller, Myck Kabongo, Brad Beal, Austin Rivers, Michael Gilchrest and Adonis Thomas - from nbadraft.net) would not be eligible. While I agree with the proposed rule, it's timing sucks if it goes in in 2012!!

Yes, I've changed my mind about raising the age limit. Now I think it's a bad idea. I may revisit that after the next draft, though.

[Matt52]

Except with potential (and likely) changes to the CBA it appears the age limit will change, and therefore Mcadoo will not be in next year's draft due to ineligibility and would instead be in 2013. In fact, of the projected lottery picks for next year, 9 of them (Mcadoo, Anthony Davis, Marcus Teague, Quincy Miller, Myck Kabongo, Brad Beal, Austin Rivers, Michael Gilchrest and Adonis Thomas - from nbadraft.net) would not be eligible. While I agree with the proposed rule, it's timing sucks if it goes in in 2012!!

2006 all over again.

[Marz]

2006 all over again.

Oh come now. All we missed out on was Greg Oden/Kevin Durant.