The Raptors and the 2014 Draft

[magoon]

I have to disagree. Phoenix is being smart by trading the pick because they have too many picks to use right now with their young players. We're in a different boat: we're looking for young assets we can push right now because this isn't yet a team with a star player on it and we need as many kicks at the can as we can get.

New York's pick in 2016 will be the season after the 2015 free agency rush, when they will most likely have between $50 and $70 million in cap space to work with (depending on whether Melo resigns or not) in a year where there will be many, many, MANY high-quality free agents at every position.

PG: Rajon Rondo, Goran Dragic, Jeremy Lin, Brandon Knight
SG: Klay Thompson, Wes Matthews, Gary Neal, Lou Williams
SF: Jeff Green, Mike Dunleavy, Aaron Afflalo, Kawhi Leonard, Jared Dudley
PF: Kevin Love, LMA, Paul Millsap, Thaddeus Young, Kenneth Faried, the Morris twins, Amir
C: Marc Gasol, Al Jefferson, Tyson Chandler, Omer Asik, DeAndre Jordan, Anderson Varajao, Kosta Koufos, Robin Lopez

Even though we're all LOLKNICKS because they're the Knicks and Dolan is an asshat - they should be able to field a strong team in 2015-16, because they'll effectively be building it from scratch, most likely using 2014-15 as a working year to give their young players as much burn as possible (and the Knicks will be looking to buy second-rounders this year with cash, and someone will go for it) and to get the triangle mindset into the team. They'll probably have a lottery pick in the 2015 draft as well to make their 2015 team even stronger. I'd bet on the 2016 pick being a 20+ pick, and probably about equivalent in strength to this year's #27 since this year's draft is very deep.

I'd much rather have the #27 now instead of the #20 in two years. We need rooks now because we're still developing - we might be developing on a different curve than average, but we're still developing. In 2016 we're going to be chasing after big-name free agents, not looking to give rooks burn.

[Dino4life]

Rondo, Dragic, Thompson, LMA, Millsap, Jefferson, Gasol, Amir, Kawhi, Jordan are in a much better situation then New York.
If Carmelo leaves they have absolutely nothing to pitch to them, even if Carmelo is there, that's not a strong pitch.

Kevin Love wants to win now he is not going to a rebuilding project that's 100%, he even dissed the lakers when the media was circulating all the rumors, that he might as well stay in minni because they are better then them.

they can sign everyone else on the list, serviceable role players, but that's not a playoff team.

2016 is a long time away, the knicks can win the championship for all i know (LOL) things will happen, things need to happen in NY, but with the information available in June 2014, the NY 2016 is way more valuable then the 27 pick.

When they say its a deep draft, its because you can get "potential" superstars all the way up to 7 instead of top 2-3, you can get players that can contribute right away throughout the first round, but it doesn't change the fact that #27, 9.9 times out of 10 will be a role player. You don't trade a potential lottery pick for a role player to sit on your bench you can sign in free agency. Lets not talk development, if we're already struggling giving minutes to our young players and we have another pick joining the team already.

I'm not saying we will draft a stud with that pick, but if we're going to trade it, we can get much better then a OKC, Heat, SA pick.

[Eric Montross 00]

Since Wolves, Hornets, and Bucks all need a shooter, I believe we can get one of their multiple second round picks for Steve Novak, Bucks'#36th, Wolves'#40 or 44th, and Hornets'#45th

[Chr1s1anL]

Chad Ford Big Board 11.0

13Elfrid PaytonCOLLEGE: Louisiana LafayetteHT: 6-4WT: 185POS: PG
2013-14 STATSPPG 19.2RPG 6APG 5.9
Payton continues to be this year's high riser. I walked away from a workout with him in Thousand Oaks wowed by his quickness, ability to get to the basket at will and his defensive tenacity. He's improved his mechanics on his jump shot as well. Given his size, length and age (he's young for his class), I think there's a very good chance he's the third point guard taken off the board after Exum and Smart. His range starts with the Kings at No. 8 and I doubt he slides past the Raptors at No. 20.

14Tyler EnnisCOLLEGE: SyracuseHT: 6-3WT: 182POS: PG
2013-14 STATSPPG 12.9RPG 3.4APG 5.5
Ennis is Payton's primary competition for the next point guard off the board after Exum and Smart. He could not be more different from the rest of the PG group. He's the steadiest player of the four. He rarely makes mistakes and has a great feel for the game. He lacks the flash or upside of the other point guards mentioned here, but he also might be the most NBA-ready from day one. His range is essentially the same as Payton's (No. 8 to No. 20).

15Zach LaVineCOLLEGE: UCLAHT: 6-6WT: 181POS: PG
2013-14 STATSPPG 9.4RPG 2.5APG 1.8
LaVine looked super athletic at a workout in Santa Monica last week. But that comes as no surprise. After the combine I think it's safe to say that he's one of the two or three best athletes in this draft. His shooting stroke was a bit more inconsistent and the one-on-none nature of the workout didn't tell us much about his point guard skills. He has the size to play both positions and, based on sheer upside, probably is a top-10 pick. But some teams see him as a project, which hurts his stock a little. I think his range starts with the Sixers at No. 10 and ends with the Jazz at No. 23.

Seems like more and more likely that Ennis will be available 20th. With Payton rising of late and Lavine also rising. Seems like the GM's a head of us will lean toward what's the new flavour in the league. It seems like the priority of this draft is PG cause, of the amount of PG's with brought in. I think it's pretty safe to say that will leave will leave the draft with a PG. It seems like either Ennis/Payton/Lavine with be there at 20. I only see them passing on Lavine.

[blackjitsu]

Chad Ford Big Board 11.0







Seems like more and more likely that Ennis will be available 20th. With Payton rising of late and Lavine also rising. Seems like the GM's a head of us will lean toward what's the new flavour in the league. It seems like the priority of this draft is PG cause, of the amount of PG's with brought in. I think it's pretty safe to say that will leave will leave the draft with a PG. It seems like either Ennis/Payton/Lavine with be there at 20. I only see them passing on Lavine.

Yeah, of the 3 Ennis came in for a workout, Payton was interviewed by the Raps at the combine (according to fansided), but I couldn't find anything linking Raptor scouts to LaVine. Anecdotally it looks like he's not on their radar -- but this isn't the time of year that executives show their hands.

[mcHAPPY]

For those with serious time on their hands today I present the history of every NBA draft pick, 1 through 60:

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/hi...draft-by-pick/

[imanshumpert]

So much mediocrity at the #2 pick, a lot of busts also. Only 2 legit stars (KD and Aldridge) in the 2000s.

[Puffer]

Three weeks away and I am getting more and more pumped. The tide is a long way off and we are all busy building castles of sand (maybe or maybe not ). A fun time of year.

[mcHAPPY]

Additional teams in attedence

As has historically been the case, the EuroCamp will include a few additional teams attending as a way to prepare for FIBA Competition this summer. Last year, the U-19 national team of Serbia and U-20 team of France will both be present in Treviso. This year, the U-20 French National Team will be attending once again, but will be joined by Carleton University, a Canadian program which competes in the country's NCAA equivalent, the CIS.

Carleton University 2013-2014 Roster

PLAYER HT POS HOMETOWN YEAR
Brody Maracle 6'7" F Napanee, ON 1
Victor Raso 6'3" G Hamilton, ON 4
Gavin Resch 6'2" G Ottawa, ON 4
Josh Millar 6'6" F Ottawa, ON 1
Cole Penman 6'4" G Vancouver, BC 1
Jean Emmanuel Pierre-Charles 6'8" F Ottawa, ON 2
Brett Stockton 6'1" G Bay City, MI 1
Cameron Smythe 6'11" F Vancouver, BC 1
Connor Wood 6'4" G Guelph, ON 2
Guillaume Payen Boucard 6'5" G Montreal, QC 3
Philip Scrubb 6'3" G Richmond, BC 4
Thomas Scrubb 6'6" F Richmond, BC 4
Clinton Springer-Williams 6'4" G London, ON 4
Kevin Churchill 6'7" F Toronto, ON 5
Tyson Hinz 6'7" F Ottawa, ON 5


There are two things worth nothing about Carleton University's roster. First, it features a number of 5th year players, which is because CIS institutions operate with a 5-year eligibility clock unlike the 4-year eligibility clock of the NCAA. Second, it includes Phil Scrubb, who has won the last 3 CIS MVP awards. Scrubb was invited to training camp with Canada's Senior National Team a summer ago, and while he was cut after a pair of scrimmages, he returned to Carleton where he averaged 18.6 points per-game while shooting 47% from beyond the arc this season and is certainly a prospect.

Grantland's Jordan Conn detailed Carleton's decade-long run of success in the CIS a few months ago. It is unclear which members of the team will be attendance at the EuroCamp, but it will be interesting to see how this team performers, whether this is a platform on which Scrubb can generate some buzz among NBA scouts, and what impact this may have on the perceived quality of play in the CIS.

It has been some time since a CIS player was drafted by a NBA franchise and even longer since one has appeared in a regular season game. William Njoku of St. Mary's University (Halifax), who was drafted by the Pacers with the 41st overall pick in 1994 but never played in the NBA, is the association's most recent draftee, while Jim Zoet, an Ontario native who started his career at Kent State but finished it with Lakehead (Thunder Bay) became the last CIS graduate to play in the NBA when he appears in 7 games during the 1982-1983 season.

Despite its lack of recent NBA players, the CIS has produced a number of quality pros who have enjoyed long careers overseas. University of Ottawa product Warren Ward is one of the league's recent hoops success stories. He finished up his rookie year in the German 1st Division with TBB Trier a month ago.

This is a great opportunity for NBA scouts to gauge the level of play in Canada, and for these athletes to showcase themselves. Gherardini's longtime role as assistant GM of the Toronto Raptors undoubtedly played a part in this decision, and it will be interesting to see how things play out.

Draft-Eligible prospects in our Top-100 that seemingly declined the EuroCamp invites and won't be in attendance: Dante Exum, Clint Capela, Kristaps Porzingis, Walter Tavares, Artem Klimenko, Damien Inglis, Nikola Jokic, Rasmus Larsen (injured), Ondrej Balvin, Maximilian Kleber (injured)

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/...Breakdown-4587


It seems the Euro Camp is going to the way of the NBA combine.

[Scraptor]

So much mediocrity at the #2 pick, a lot of busts also. Only 2 legit stars (KD and Aldridge) in the 2000s.

Interesting how much of a crapshoot things became after the Spencer Haywood decision changed eligibility in 1971. Before then you got guys like Pettit, West, Howell, and then in four consecutive years... Barry/Bing/Monroe/Unseld. Unreal.

[DanH]

Big workout today. Here are our SF options for the #20 pick, and possibly a couple second round guys as well.

Today's workouts: Kyle Anderson (SF), DeAndre Kane (PG/SG), K.J. McDaniels (SF), Jordan McRae (SG), DeAndre Daniels (SF) and C.J. Fair (SF/PF)

Kyle Anderson (SF): Strange player. Played PG mostly in college, ran his team's offense. Does not have the quicks for PG, and some doubt he has them for SF, but he doesn't have the size or strength for bigs. 6'8", 230 lbs. Practically non-existent athleticism. Decent 7'2" wingspan. Cerebral player - good scorer, great shooter from 3 (almost 50% on a couple attempts per game), rebounds well (9 per game), averaged 6.5 assists to 3 turnovers. All around player who is very promising. Not considered a plus defender, and has a fairly undefined position in the NBA. Big upside, big bust potential. Projected at 23. 20 years old.

DeAndre Kane (PG/SG): Solidly built PG (6'4", 200 lbs), although he plays a bit of a tweener game (more of a scorer than passer). Solid athleticism. All-around game, with decent points, rebounds and assists per game, and has improved a lot through his long college career. Gets to the line very well, though doesn't convert as well as you'd like. Defensively solid, though not a particular strength of his. Late 2nd round pick if anything. Projected 86. 24 years old.

KJ McDaniels (SF): My pick at 20. But here's my unbiased scouting report. A bit small for a SF (6'6", 200 lbs), but with big wingspan to make up for it (a hair under 7'). Good athleticism (37" max vert, fastest sprint among SF's). Below average 3 pt shooter (30%), but not terrible. Scores efficiently inside the arc and gets to the line, where he converts at a high rate. Averaged almost 3 blocks and 1.4 steals, and 7 rebounds a game. Only an average ball-handler. Considered potentially a lock down defender at the NBA level. Projected at 22. 21 years old.

Jordan McRae (SG): 6'5", 7' wingspan. Long SG, far too thin to play SF (175 lbs). Not a very efficient scorer, though decent from 3 (34%). Below average rebounder, not much of a playmaker. Solid athleticism. OK defender. Has the length to be a solid defender, but his strength and quickness are lacking a bit. Some doubt whether he can fill out and compete at the NBA level due to his wiry frame. Sort of a jack of all trades, master of none. Projected at 59. 23 years old.

DeAndre Daniels (SF): Good size for a SF (6'8", 200 lbs) with very good length (7'2" wingspan). Overall solid athleticism, though not much of a leaper (max vert 32"). Rebounds fairly well, not much of a playmaker at all, scores, though not particularly efficiently, but has a good three point shot (41%). Projects as a possible 3+D guy. Inconsistent defender, but showed promise down the stretch. Projects at 46. 22 years old. Good fallback plan if we pass on McDaniels in the first with our 37th pick.

C.J. Fair (SF/PF): SF size, PF game. 6'8", 220 lbs. Not much of a shooter (27% from 3, only 46% inside the arc), OK rebounder (6 per game), not really much of a playmaker and doesn't draw a lot of fouls. Might be an OK defender at SF, but will struggle against big PF's, and really needs to play PF offensively. Projected at 72, 22 years old.

McDaniels is the big name here in my opinion, with Daniels an interesting backup plan. Anderson is crazy intriguing, but I'm terrified of picking him - big bust potential. But the highest potential you are going to see at 20th.

[OptimalOptimist]

Hope we get him with our late 2nd rounder.

[Mediumcore]

Big workout today. Here are our SF options for the #20 pick, and possibly a couple second round guys as well.

Today's workouts: Kyle Anderson (SF), DeAndre Kane (PG/SG), K.J. McDaniels (SF), Jordan McRae (SG), DeAndre Daniels (SF) and C.J. Fair (SF/PF)

Kyle Anderson (SF): Strange player. Played PG mostly in college, ran his team's offense. Does not have the quicks for PG, and some doubt he has them for SF, but he doesn't have the size or strength for bigs. 6'8", 230 lbs. Practically non-existent athleticism. Decent 7'2" wingspan. Cerebral player - good scorer, great shooter from 3 (almost 50% on a couple attempts per game), rebounds well (9 per game), averaged 6.5 assists to 3 turnovers. All around player who is very promising. Not considered a plus defender, and has a fairly undefined position in the NBA. Big upside, big bust potential. Projected at 23. 20 years old.

DeAndre Kane (PG/SG): Solidly built PG (6'4", 200 lbs), although he plays a bit of a tweener game (more of a scorer than passer). Solid athleticism. All-around game, with decent points, rebounds and assists per game, and has improved a lot through his long college career. Gets to the line very well, though doesn't convert as well as you'd like. Defensively solid, though not a particular strength of his. Late 2nd round pick if anything. Projected 86. 24 years old.

KJ McDaniels (SF): My pick at 20. But here's my unbiased scouting report. A bit small for a SF (6'6", 200 lbs), but with big wingspan to make up for it (a hair under 7'). Good athleticism (37" max vert, fastest sprint among SF's). Below average 3 pt shooter (30%), but not terrible. Scores efficiently inside the arc and gets to the line, where he converts at a high rate. Averaged almost 3 blocks and 1.4 steals, and 7 rebounds a game. Only an average ball-handler. Considered potentially a lock down defender at the NBA level. Projected at 22. 21 years old.

Jordan McRae (SG): 6'5", 7' wingspan. Long SG, far too thin to play SF (175 lbs). Not a very efficient scorer, though decent from 3 (34%). Below average rebounder, not much of a playmaker. Solid athleticism. OK defender. Has the length to be a solid defender, but his strength and quickness are lacking a bit. Some doubt whether he can fill out and compete at the NBA level due to his wiry frame. Sort of a jack of all trades, master of none. Projected at 59. 23 years old.

DeAndre Daniels (SF): Good size for a SF (6'8", 200 lbs) with very good length (7'2" wingspan). Overall solid athleticism, though not much of a leaper (max vert 32"). Rebounds fairly well, not much of a playmaker at all, scores, though not particularly efficiently, but has a good three point shot (41%). Projects as a possible 3+D guy. Inconsistent defender, but showed promise down the stretch. Projects at 46. 22 years old. Good fallback plan if we pass on McDaniels in the first with our 37th pick.

C.J. Fair (SF/PF): SF size, PF game. 6'8", 220 lbs. Not much of a shooter (27% from 3, only 46% inside the arc), OK rebounder (6 per game), not really much of a playmaker and doesn't draw a lot of fouls. Might be an OK defender at SF, but will struggle against big PF's, and really needs to play PF offensively. Projected at 72, 22 years old.

McDaniels is the big name here in my opinion, with Daniels an interesting backup plan. Anderson is crazy intriguing, but I'm terrified of picking him - big bust potential. But the highest potential you are going to see at 20th.

Thanks for these updates Dan. I'm intrigued by Kyle Anderson, but you're on point about the bust potential. Any comparison to be made with J. Kidd here? High basket ball IQ maybe?

[mcHAPPY]

Quite the workout group for Raptors today. Chance for McDaniels and Anderson to sell themselves. Per a source, Raptors high on both.

— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) June 5, 2014

[imanshumpert]

Thanks for these updates Dan. I'm intrigued by Kyle Anderson, but you're on point about the bust potential. Any comparison to be made with J. Kidd here? High basket ball IQ maybe?

Zero. Jason Kidd in his prime was one of the fastest players with the ball in the open floor and could change directions quicker than anyone. Was also elite on the defensive end. Kyle Anderson is capable of neither of these things (at least not at PG).

I'd compare him more to Diaw or maybe Odom.