The starting centre for your 2011-2012 Raptors is...

[Rg1990]

Bargnani. He isn't going anywhere any time soon.

[Nine New Faces]

For a long term solution, I like Kanter. He might not have the kind of athleticism and possibly motor you'd ideally want in a 5, but the part of his scouting report that I like most is that he's an intelligent player who defends well positionally. If you've got Johnson and Davis alongside him at the 4, you've got good weak side shot blocking and can live with the lack of quickness. Everything else about his game I like. Especially after seeing how pumped up he got during the win at the Nike Hoop Summit and how he interacted with his teammates. This team could use some of that swagger.

At this point I'd probably take him second behind Kyrie Irving and Perry Jones (as long as he projects to be an NBA 3 and not a 4) unless Kanter's physicals show him to be way too slow for the NBA.

[Scarsville]

You think the other centers are pipe dreams but you think Sacramento would trade Dalembert and his expiring contract for Kleiza? Or that Philly would trade Calderon and Evans for Iguodala?

Actually yes I do....they are much like us and they are trying to compile assets. The TPE would help with the cap space and they could bring in a somewhat established yet still somewhat young player in Kleiza for Dalembert who is not in their longterm plans. Gasol is a RFA...he's not leaving. Chandler...not moving....Pryzbilla is getting old and although I like him is too slow for this team. Kendrick Perkins....pretty sure he's not coming to Toronto after playing for a team like Boston. DeAndre Jordan...not proven and I highly doubt he leaves the Clips because I don't think he's as good without Blake beside him.
So again yes I do...and we keep him long enough till we find someone better or the kid from Brazil is ready to play.

As far as Iggy. I think Philly would be open to the idea of adding Jose and maybe another piece (like Sonny for example) to a team with no true PG. Holiday is nice but cannot run a team, plus they would get the expiring contract in Evans. So again yes.

[mcHAPPY]

Do you know what is the concern with his knees? I keep reading that there are some concerns, but at other moments I read that those concerns are minimal and that there is nothing structurally wrong. Not sure what to think. When I read such conflicting reports (with nothing specific in regards to what the concern is), I get more of a DeJuan Blair feel then a Brandon Roy. If you know anything specific about his knee situation, please let me know.

In regards to DeAndre Jordan, he is only party considered a Restricted Free Agent. Due to being a Second Round Pick and signing a 3-yr deal, I believe he is only a RFA up to the amount of a mid-level exception. If he was willing to sign in Toronto (or somewhere else for that matter) for more then the MLE then the Clippers would not be able to hold onto him and the contract would stand with the new team.

I don't know any specifics. The comment is there on pretty much all discussions of him. I would be very skeptical and look for 2nd and 3rd opinions before drafting him. Look at Portland.... things are already rough enough!

[Multipaul]

Andrew Bynum

[MangoKid]

Actually yes I do....they are much like us and they are trying to compile assets. The TPE would help with the cap space and they could bring in a somewhat established yet still somewhat young player in Kleiza for Dalembert who is not in their longterm plans. Gasol is a RFA...he's not leaving. Chandler...not moving....Pryzbilla is getting old and although I like him is too slow for this team. Kendrick Perkins....pretty sure he's not coming to Toronto after playing for a team like Boston. DeAndre Jordan...not proven and I highly doubt he leaves the Clips because I don't think he's as good without Blake beside him.
So again yes I do...and we keep him long enough till we find someone better or the kid from Brazil is ready to play.

As far as Iggy. I think Philly would be open to the idea of adding Jose and maybe another piece (like Sonny for example) to a team with no true PG. Holiday is nice but cannot run a team, plus they would get the expiring contract in Evans. So again yes.

1. Philadelphia is not going to do Calderon and Evans for Igoudala. That's not a good deal for them. I don't know what you mean when you say that Holiday cant run a team. He's play has been really solid for a guy who's finally getting PT. 13 and 7 isn't anything to sneeze at. Plus he's getting 4 rebounds and 1.5 steals.

2. Barbosa and the TPE for Dalembert is a pretty bad deal for us. At least i wouldn't do it. Barbosa could fetch a lot more. And the TPE could be use at the draft. The Kings wouldn't take Kleiza.

3. As for drafting Rodrigo Noguiera (the Brazilian kid as you like to put it), that's assuming he's still around at the time the second pick is up. He's VERY raw. He's not gonna come in and take control. He's just as much of a project as Ajinca or Alabi is.

[Multipaul]

1. Philadelphia is not going to do Calderon and Evans for Igoudala. That's not a good deal for them. I don't know what you mean when you say that Holiday cant run a team. He's play has been really solid for a guy who's finally getting PT. 13 and 7 isn't anything to sneeze at. Plus he's getting 4 rebounds and 1.5 steals.

2. Barbosa and the TPE for Dalembert is a pretty bad deal for us. At least i wouldn't do it. Barbosa could fetch a lot more. And the TPE could be use at the draft. The Kings wouldn't take Kleiza.

3. As for drafting Rodrigo Noguiera (the Brazilian kid as you like to put it), that's assuming he's still around at the time the second pick is up. He's VERY raw. He's not gonna come in and take control. He's just as much of a project as Ajinca or Alabi is.

I think we should go after Antionio Rogerio Nogueira.......Little Nog

[Shantz]

I don't know any specifics. The comment is there on pretty much all discussions of him. I would be very skeptical and look for 2nd and 3rd opinions before drafting him. Look at Portland.... things are already rough enough!

I would certainly agree that due diligence needs to be done before we draft someone, and that certainly includes doing good and proper physicals to ensure that the player is healthy. If his knees check out, then he should really be on the Raptors radar. I simply struggle with the notion that people say he has bad knees, but there is no specific records. At least with both Roy and Oden there were significant injury question marks (Oden having one shorter leg, Roy with several problems in College) that were documented, Kanter's situation does not have that concrete element to it.

[MangoKid]

I don't know any specifics. The comment is there on pretty much all discussions of him. I would be very skeptical and look for 2nd and 3rd opinions before drafting him. Look at Portland.... things are already rough enough!

I heard about Kanter's knee issues as well. NBAdraft.net is reporting it.

Weaknesses: One of the big concerns scouts have with Kanter is his physical health. He has had a history of knee problems and there are concerns about his knees not checking out 100% when he has NBA physicals

Not exactly to what extent the problems are.

[Tim W.]

Actually yes I do....they are much like us and they are trying to compile assets. The TPE would help with the cap space and they could bring in a somewhat established yet still somewhat young player in Kleiza for Dalembert who is not in their longterm plans. Gasol is a RFA...he's not leaving. Chandler...not moving....Pryzbilla is getting old and although I like him is too slow for this team. Kendrick Perkins....pretty sure he's not coming to Toronto after playing for a team like Boston. DeAndre Jordan...not proven and I highly doubt he leaves the Clips because I don't think he's as good without Blake beside him.
So again yes I do...and we keep him long enough till we find someone better or the kid from Brazil is ready to play.

As far as Iggy. I think Philly would be open to the idea of adding Jose and maybe another piece (like Sonny for example) to a team with no true PG. Holiday is nice but cannot run a team, plus they would get the expiring contract in Evans. So again yes.

After this season, Kleiza is still owed $13.8 million over the next three years. And he just had microfracture surgery on his knee and won't even play for 9-12 months. And he was looking like a bad signing BEFORE the surgery. Explain to me why Sacramento would want that for an expiring contract?

As for Iguodala, you don't think other teams have offered better deals than that for him? I like Calderon more than most, but even I wouldn't trade Iguodala for him and Reggie's expiring contract.

I agree that many of those centers are probably pipe dreams but so are your trade proposals.

And people are already starting to put too much hype behind tall, athletic, raw, skinny big man who has done very little to make me confident he's going to be anything more than the next Mouhamed Sene or Kosta Perovic or Martynas Andriuskevicius or even Rashard Griffith or any other athletic big man who got far too much hype too early and never turned into the player people thought. He COULD end up being a good player, but if he he really has that much potential, then chances are he'll be gone before Miami's pick.

[Employee]

Dalembert is a terrible choice. Guy is famous for making a scene and crying on every team he plays on.

Although the awkwardness between him and Leo every game might be worth it.

[mcHAPPY]

I think we should go after Antionio Rogerio Nogueira.......Little Nog

That is not a bad idea with a very late first round pick. Stash him in Europe for a season or two. He could be the Raps version of Ibaka.

[RaptorsFan4Life]

I really like the idea of DeAndre Jordan. He is athletic, quick, good defender, strong rebounder, and plays with passion. But my top pick would be if we can acquire another strong draft pick would be to get Enes Kanter. He would be a great fit with the Raptors as he is a strong/physical defender, excellent rebounder, and good offensively. The difference between him and Jordan is that Kanter can also make the mid-ranger jumper as well.

My top pick for drafting is still Kyrie Irving, but if he is already gone, or we can acquire another high pick (trading Bargs or Bayless?), then adding Kanter would be great.

No to Kanter. They guys is injury prone. I wouldn't draft a injury prone player with shitty knees with a high draft pick.

[Tim W.]

No to Kanter. They guys is injury prone. I wouldn't draft a injury prone player with shitty knees with a high draft pick.

Well, I don't think anyone would, but the point is that we don't know whether his knees are bad or not. If they check out and are healthy, then there's no reason not to draft him.

[philwill]

I don't know why, but I'm more inclined to draft a 3 than a 1.

I would use the first pick on a 3, and hope Kanter drops to the second round because of injury fears. With the second pick, I'd try for a steal, maybe if Kanter is still projected to go in the first round I'd pick him, but I like the odds surrounding Nogueira too.