2012 Draft Thursday, June 28th: Raptors select Terence Ross

[mcHAPPY]

So Chad Ford just dropped Mock Draft 10.0 at 3 A.M. for some reason.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft...aft-version-10

Here's how picks 1-7 play out:

Anthony Davis
Thomas Robinson
Bradley Beal
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Andre Drummond (!)
Damian Lillard
Dion Waiters

And with the 8th pick in the 2012 draft, the Toronto Raptors select...

Harrison Barnes! From the University of North Carolina

Here's what Ford had to say:



I think a lot of people would be pleased if the draft turned out this way.

Pleased?!?!?!

I'd lose control of all bodily functions momentarily.

[Fanchie]

What is the best way to see that Barnes slides past GSW?

Create a sense of demand and urgency for Waiters.

100% agree. I think this is a strategy to put pressure on 4-7 picks owners.

And a smart one since no team got the opportunity to work him out, so there's room for bluffing.

[KingMaxwell47]

I really hope this is smokescreen from BC. If we were to move above 7, Waiters isn't the guy I want. Barnes is the third or fourth best player in this draft for the Raptors, and it's looking increasingly more like he'll be available at 8.

[Fanchie]

I really hope this is smokescreen from BC. If we were to move above 7, Waiters isn't the guy I want. Barnes is the third or fourth best player in this draft for the Raptors, and it's looking increasingly more like he'll be available at 8.

If we end up drafting Barnes at #8, I will just slap myself for an hour or two to check that I'm not dreaming. I don't know what the guy will become, but considering all the hype he got for the past 4 years, this would be unbelievable.

[Quirk]

Pleased?!?!?!

I'd lose control of all bodily functions momentarily.

Have you read this?

http://wagesofwins.com/2012/06/18/th...spects-part-2/

[mcHAPPY]

Have you read this?

http://wagesofwins.com/2012/06/18/th...spects-part-2/

Interesting read.

My takes is that Toronto needs a shooter and scorer on the wing. It so happens that fits Barnes to a tee. The key to Barnes success, in my opinion, will be found at PG with whatever team drafts him. Many have said his game is also much better suited to the NBA than college - we shall see. Also he spent 2 years under a microscope with every team he faced preparing for him. He is not likely to be a #1 option in the NBA but seldom are #1 options being drafted at 8.

The money shot in my take is the author is assuming he goes top 5. I'm talking about the 8th pick.

[Quirk]

My takes is that Toronto needs a shooter and scorer on the wing. It so happens that fits Barnes to a tee.

The downside here is that shooting stats are not really good. He scored lots of points by taking lots of shots. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have Barnes than Rivers, Drummond or PJIII. But I'd much, much rather have Lillard or even Waiters, or even take yet another power forward like Henson and balance the roster with Trades.

That said, of all the players with unimpressive college stats, Barnes is the guy I'd give the most chance of improving and becoming a productive player.

Edit: By "productive" I mean he could be the next Mo-Pete, I just don't see star potential.

[saints91]

If Barnes somehow drooped to us, that be amazing. I'm not jeeping my hopes up though. It's an exciting day!

[WJF]

I we are really looking at moving up to pick this guy it means one of two things. The team is projecting him as a PG going forward, or DeMar Derozan will be shopped and shipped out, you don't move up to take a SG in the top 6 to have him be stuck behind DeRozan for the foreseeable future.

[mcHAPPY]

The downside here is that shooting stats are not really good. He scored lots of points by taking lots of shots. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have Barnes than Rivers, Drummond or PJIII. But I'd much, much rather have Lillard or even Waiters, or even take yet another power forward like Henson and balance the roster with Trades.

That said, of all the players with unimpressive college stats, Barnes is the guy I'd give the most chance of improving and becoming a productive player.

Edit: By "productive" I mean he could be the next Mo-Pete, I just don't see star potential.

Remember, though I'm sure you realize, we are talking pick 8. 1, 2, or 3 and I'd put more stock in to the numbers. I'm not expecting a franchise player at 8 and I think he has just as much upside as all the above mentioned (except Drummond) with much less risk.

I'm looking beyond the numbers at the many other 'intangibles' raw stats are not going to show:
1) poise, demeanour, character, drive to succeed, work ethic, ability to work under stressful and scrutiny.
2) surprising athletic numbers that came from combine (sprint, jump, etc).
3) prototypical NBA body at SF.
4) the fit on Toronto with JV, Bargnani, and DeRozan. He is a perfect compliment to what those 3 bring.
5) with his physical attributes (wingspan, height) and abilities and the teaching of Dwane Casey, he could become a lock down defender.


#4 is biggest for me with regards to the Raptors and losing my bodily functions.

[Red and White]

Yeah I do not buy this at all. He is just trying to pressure or influence someone into taking him.

[Letter N]

If we're trying to move up, especially to as high as 4, we should only be doing it for MKG

[jeff_hostetler]

The thing is....Harrison Barnes is pure mythology. His numbers, be they simple, advanced, regressed, compounded, fractaled - any - way you look at them, are weak.

If the Raptors drafted Barnes simply because they need a shooter at the 3, and at this point, that's pretty much ALL Harrison Barnes is good for, they could do way better by looking at dudes in the 2nd round, such as Kevin Murphy, or even later in the first, such as Terrence Ross, who both shoot much better than does Barnes. Did you know that Barnes shoots WORSE than Dion Waiters - both inside and outside the arc?

I don't understand at all what the big screaming deal is with Harrison Barnes. He's had 2 years of college in an elite program to show that he's got real b-ball talent. He was a complete and utter disaster - a DISASTER - without Kendall Marshall, both before he got promoted to the starting 5 and after he went down with a broken hand. Regardless, even with Marshall his numbers were only mediocore.

Tell me, please, why Harrison Barnes is better than Terrence Ross. Or, conversely, exactly why it would be okay to trade up to draft Barnes, but not okay to trade up to draft Waiters? And don't just respond with rhetoric. I want actual, legit evidence.

[jeff_hostetler]

Also, someone please change the thread title. It's draft day! I think it's time to drop the "promise to Rivers" banner.

[Profster]

So, who should the Raptors believe, your friend the Duke fan, or others?

Chris Broussard, on Twitter:

I'm sure Toronto have spoken to Coach K. If he was negative about Rivers they would know!