2 Raptors made the list. This was in the Insider section of ESPN:
DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
DeRozan is a problematic player. His physical gifts are unquestioned. However, his production has stagnated over his three NBA seasons. Last season, he used up a quarter of possessions while he was on the floor for Toronto. You expect a hit on efficiency when a player moves into a higher-usage responsibility, but DeRozan's efficiency went into the toilet as he posted a .503 true shooting percentage that was way under the league average. The lack of development is troubling as he enters the fourth season of his rookie contract, the time when teams have to make hard decisions regarding their young talent. Ford has the Raptors taking wing player Dion Waiters at No. 8, something that might punch DeRozan's eventual ticket out of town.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors
Johnson is the type of player who is useful if deployed appropriately, but if he's one of your starting big men, you're always going to be looking for an upgrade. The main reason the Raptors can go small with that eighth pick is that last season's first-round pick, Jonas Valanciunas, will be coming over to the Western Hemisphere to team with Andrea Bargnani on the Toronto front line. Unlike Bargnani, who is the prototypical European perimeter-floating big man, Valanciunas is more of a traditional NBA pivot. He's also young, which could preserve Johnson's starting job for a spell, but long term Valanciunas is going to take over the center position in Toronto.
DeRozan is a problematic player. His physical gifts are unquestioned. However, his production has stagnated over his three NBA seasons. Last season, he used up a quarter of possessions while he was on the floor for Toronto. You expect a hit on efficiency when a player moves into a higher-usage responsibility, but DeRozan's efficiency went into the toilet as he posted a .503 true shooting percentage that was way under the league average. The lack of development is troubling as he enters the fourth season of his rookie contract, the time when teams have to make hard decisions regarding their young talent. Ford has the Raptors taking wing player Dion Waiters at No. 8, something that might punch DeRozan's eventual ticket out of town.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors
Johnson is the type of player who is useful if deployed appropriately, but if he's one of your starting big men, you're always going to be looking for an upgrade. The main reason the Raptors can go small with that eighth pick is that last season's first-round pick, Jonas Valanciunas, will be coming over to the Western Hemisphere to team with Andrea Bargnani on the Toronto front line. Unlike Bargnani, who is the prototypical European perimeter-floating big man, Valanciunas is more of a traditional NBA pivot. He's also young, which could preserve Johnson's starting job for a spell, but long term Valanciunas is going to take over the center position in Toronto.
Comment