The Raptors and the 2014 Draft

[MACK11]

The way he moves

[rocwell]

The way he moves

yeah... without official medical report...

[WJF]

Just thought, since some guys people around here want would be considered a reach at 20. Would it be possible to trade the 20th pick for like 2 early seconds? I honestly wouldn't mind. Getting stokes inglis and maybe Levine if he slips to the 2nd round. That would be an amazing draft and none of our picks would be reaches

The most recent on Levine is that he could sneak into the top 10, no way he slides to the second round. He is showing well in his workouts, has very good size for an NBA 2 guard and brings top of the league athleticism.

[KHD]

Another wing would have to hide on D

Are you saying that we have to hide Landry Fields on defence?

[yabadabayolo]

The most recent on Levine is that he could sneak into the top 10, no way he slides to the second round. He is showing well in his workouts, has very good size for an NBA 2 guard and brings top of the league athleticism.

Yea I was just basing it on what was reported before. We could still get a player who slipped in the early second

[stretch]

Are you saying that we have to hide Landry Fields on defence?

It's McDermott and his perceived defensive liabilities being referred to. I can't see McDermott as a good fit for the Raptors with coach Casey preferring athletic, defensive minded players for rotation. Novak, Augustin, and Daye can all score but rarely saw floor time last year.

[Chr1s1anL]

Good article about Bill Donavan on Jarnell Stokes

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/feature...:specialsfull4

Even as he was praising Stokes for being dominant -- "There was nobody there that could match up with him," he said -- Donovan, ever the coach, talked about how much more dominant Stokes could become. This was no brief summation; Donovan talked more about Stokes than he did his own players

"I told Jarnell, 'I'm not holding back any punches with you,'" Donovan said. "The only thing I'm going to hit you with is the truth."

Donovan's truth was to tell the 6-foot-8, 260-pound Stokes there would come a time when he faced players he couldn't overpower. That wasn't going to happen in international competition -- as Donovan found out a year later when Stokes helped Donovan and Team USA win another gold medal, this time in the FIBA U19 World Championships. And it probably wasn't going to be in college, either.

Donovan was talking about the NBA, where Stokes would be vertically challenged to play power forward and would have to rely on his rare combination of bulk, power and finesse.

"You've gotta be Karl Malone," Donovan told Stokes. The implication was that Stokes still had to learn how to go to work the way The Mailman did.

Stokes took that conversation to heart. And Donovan's advice wasn't news to former Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin, who was kept abreast of Stokes' progress by a steady stream of text messages and would continue the mantra: Get in the best shape of your life. Play harder than your opponent.

For the better part of the last two seasons, Stokes did exactly that. He used the weight room to streamline his body, but not at the expense of his size advantage. He still managed to hover around 260, but as his body fat reduced, he became chiseled, and quicker on his feet. His tree-trunk legs and size 20 feet helped him establish and maintain position.

The result: From Jan. 26 to March 9 of his sophomore season, Stokes racked up 11 double doubles, including seven in a row. He became a rebounding machine, with an 18-board effort against the Crimson Tide, 16 against Texas A&M, 14 against Florida, 13 against Missouri. SEC coaches were hard-pressed to keep him off the glass, or prevent him from getting to whatever spot on the floor he wanted.

"So big and so wide," Ole Miss' Andy Kennedy said. "When we played them, it was all about beating him to spots. Because if he got low-post position, it was difficult to get around him."

"He's very, very effective," Vanderbilt's Kevin Stallings said. "He has tremendous strength, but the underrated part about him is how good his hands are. You can't teach great hands."

If SEC coaches thought they were dealing with a monster before, Stokes was even better this season. In earning first-team All-SEC honors, Stokes racked up 22 double-doubles -- which tied Bernard King's school record -- and he was one of only three players to average a double-double (15.1 ppg, 11.1 rpg) in conference play. He was a monster in March as the Vols squeezed into the NCAA tournament and reeled off three wins before losing to Michigan. In Tennessee's final 10 games, Stokes averaged 16.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists and shot 57.3 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Martin and his staff figured out how to best utilize Stokes, allowing him to put the ball on the floor from the free-throw line extended, a position from which he could either get all the way to the rim or pull up for short- to medium-range jumpers, even a few floaters now and again. Stokes learned that the backboard was his friend, and that once he established scoring angles, banking the ball could be deadly.

[mcHAPPY]

Embiid #1 talk at a fever pitch yesterday and today:

[ReubenJRD]

I feel like one of the three of Tyler Ennis, Nik Stauskas, or Gary Harris could fall to us. The draft is so deep, there are bound to be higher teams outside of the top 6-7 that will fall in love with someone and reach. Much like us with Terrence Ross.

Oh yeah, James Young is also a question mark, I'd really like him too.

[ReubenJRD]

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2014/

Looking at Draft Express' mock, with our current picks, I'd like to reach and grab Glenn Robinson III at all costs; he's got incredible athleticism and very reliable shooting ability. Reminds me of Hardaway JR. (funny, they were team-mates a year ago) Kyle Anderson is a versatile player, and he might be my second choice looking at who's available with the mock.

At 37, not sure if Buycks, Stone, or De Colo are going to stick around, but Russ Smith is someone I'd look into deeply, likely my first choice at that pick, followed by DeAndre Daniels from UConn, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo.

[OldSkoolCool]

Looking at Draft Express' mock, with our current picks, I'd like to reach and grab Glenn Robinson III at all costs; he's got incredible athleticism and very reliable shooting ability. Reminds me of Hardaway JR. (funny, they were team-mates a year ago) Kyle Anderson is a versatile player, and he might be my second choice looking at who's available with the mock.

I like GRIII. He is definitely on my radar for a role player 3.

Also watch out for Hood, he is a legit 3 who can shoot and run the offense out of the pick and role. He has a quick first step and a good handle and can get into the pain and is unselfish and able to pass when he gets there, he is also able to finish with both hands. He is a taller version of James Harden. Only concerns are his short arms and lack of defensive prowess.

The players on my Raptors radar are (in no order):
Ennis, Stauskas, Payton, LaVine, Hood, GRIII, Harris and Napier (late round pick for him only, 20 is a reach)

[Jordan Evans]

Draft/trade up for Ennis.
Resign Lowy.
Trade Lowry.
Done.

[stretch]

Draft/trade up for Ennis.
Resign Lowy.
Trade Lowry.
Done.

Draft/trade up for Payton.
Resign Lowry.
Keep Lowry.
Done.

[Jordan Evans]

Draft/trade up for Payton.
Resign Lowry.
Keep Lowry.
Done.

Wouldn't hate that option.

[stretch]

Wouldn't hate that option.

I like your take on the draft also minus trading Lowry.