Everything Draft 2021

[TrueTorontoFan]

Sure, but FVV being a small SG just means we have our starting SG locked in. Him being a functional PG as well, though not his best role, also unlocks the ability to play a young PG beside him, or bring in another combo guard to fit beside him.

I am still working on my deep dive of guys outside the top 5, but early returns are I'm not a huge fan of Mitchell. Leaning Keon, maybe Barnes. Long way to go though.

I think where I was going with is the notion that we should realistically draft a two way player but on the offensive end place special emphasis on playmaking ability.

[SkywalkerAC]

I'm still not getting this idea that Fred "isn't a true point guard". Are there any good stats to back that up? I'd much rather have him next to a tall shooting guard than a point guard or "combo guard".

[TrueTorontoFan]

I think I might agree with TRex here. Lotto picks are few and far between. Very much disagree with using them on the sort of guy you might target with the MLE most offseasons. Specialist shooters or rebounders, that sort of thing. Jason Kapono. Reggie Evans. These are not the guys you use lotto picks on. Better to take a swing, IMO. You only get so many at-bats in that pick range.

Now, there is a point to be made about an established good player rather than a bad player who might be great later, but I also think that's a different discussion than specialist versus a more all-around player. Gotta be thinking the guy you get in the lotto can at least have the potential to be a starter, so decent enough at both offense and defense not to be a liability, while also having the potential to be much better than good at one of them.

(Also, I think you are selling JO short. He was amazing until he got injured.)

You made two solid points here.

First, the specialist or "fit" type thing. I agree. You can draft for fit if needed if you are in a different position than we are. It seems as though everyone is getting afraid of taking a swing because of GSW going for Wiseman and not getting the BEST early returns. I still think Wiseman works out for them. That said, I think even that is a good example. They had no center and I feel as though they went for that. If they had picked Lamelo ohh man.. that would have been a totally different type of team right now that we are talking about. Either way, focusing things back on the Raptors, You don't often get an opportunity similar to the one we have right now. We are a top 4/5 team. Possibly better depending on standings and injuries and the like. Yet, all that said we are that good or decent AND have a good draft pick with a chance at a top-4 pick. Worst case scenario it is a top 10 pick. That is the chance of a lifetime. This pick could both raise the floor and ceiling of this franchise into contention within 2 years if it is the correct pick. It could mean that we could be in a position to either run with this squad plus the pick or make a later trade from the current squad to upgrade to push us over the top.

When you are in that position. You just go for it. You swing for the fences. Worst case scenario you get a player that will not push you over the top now but will be a foundational piece moving beyond this.

Worst case scenario if it is a rebuild you can rebuild around OG minus Siakam and Fred. OG is young enough to fit within the younger timeline of this team.


Franz W., and Corey Kispert, represent people who could plug into this team but won't be foundational moving forward. Is there a chance I am wrong about them? Possibly but I haven't heard any sort of consensus about that. I would put Mitchell into that as well. He doesn't seem to project out to be a transformational player. Just someone who fits well into our system.


Keon Johnson, Barnes, Giddey, Springer, Kai Jones, James Bouknight. That isn't my specific order but yeah. Those should be picked above. Also Moses Moody too. All of those should be picked above specialists without question. A specialist would have to be Klay Thompson level and play decent defense too. If that was the case that wouldn't be considered a specialist.

[LJ2]

Bouknight folks. Natural scorer that hasn't even developed a great shot yet. If Freddy and Pascal can avg 20 ppg in this league, I have faith Bouknight can eclipse that in due time. I hope Raps take a close look at him and he meets their standards for drive and mentality to succeed.

[SkywalkerAC]

its honestly pretty bad.. he also has no jumping ability so it makes it harder for him to get off a shot too. On offense he is probably closer to demar when he first came into the league super raw.. but with no chance of even raising to a demar level offensively.

No lift on his jumper maybe but no jumping ability?

[LJ2]

I'm still not getting this idea that Fred "isn't a true point guard". Are there any good stats to back that up? I'd much rather have him next to a tall shooting guard than a point guard or "combo guard".

Perhaps what they mean is he is not a pure point guard like CP3 or LaMelo. There aren't that many pure point guards out there to begin with so I'm not concerned with Freddy at that spot. He Just needs to play next to someone that's can be a dominant scorer...Freddy' usage is too high right now.

[SkywalkerAC]

Bouknight folks. Natural scorer that hasn't even developed a great shot yet. If Freddy and Pascal can avg 20 ppg in this league, I have faith Bouknight can eclipse that in due time. I hope Raps take a close look at him and he meets their standards for drive and mentality to succeed.

Yeah, those look like pretty elite scoring-guard skills. Plus decent size and good athleticism.

[LJ2]

Yeah, those look like pretty elite scoring-guard skills. Plus decent size and good athleticism.

Poor defender though which is not a Raptor quality. I just don't think you're going to find an elite scoring threat AND a good defender in one player in this draft.

[A.I]

All of these rookies will have weaknesses in their game, they are just about to enter the NBA after all. Some won't have a jump shot, some won't play good defense, some won't have good handles. You just have to hope the player the Raptors draft does turn into something special. You can teach and work on shooting and ball handling but things like athleticism and length are genetic and talent.

[SkywalkerAC]

Perhaps what they mean is he is not a pure point guard like CP3 or LaMelo. There aren't that many pure point guards out there to begin with so I'm not concerned with Freddy at that spot. He Just needs to play next to someone that's can be a dominant scorer...Freddy' usage is too high right now.

Even just running back FVV/Trent/OG/Pascal/Centre, Fred looks projects just fine as the lead guard.

[TrueTorontoFan]

No lift on his jumper maybe but no jumping ability?

I mean sorry I misspoke. He doesn't jump out of the gym. I mean but realistically he isn't jumping super high there.

[big boi]

Yeah he's older but pretty much locked up Suggs in the tourney didn't he? He locked up a lot of good players in the tourney if I read correctly.

All year. Thus the nickname, “Off night”. You’re gonna have an off night when matched up against him.

[TrueTorontoFan]

I'm still not getting this idea that Fred "isn't a true point guard". Are there any good stats to back that up? I'd much rather have him next to a tall shooting guard than a point guard or "combo guard".

he struggles with his playmaking. Has improved but you can never have too much playmaking in my opinion. someone who can open things up and see the game really has a unique ability to improve things around them.

[LJ2]

he struggles with his playmaking. Has improved but you can never have too much playmaking in my opinion. someone who can open things up and see the game really has a unique ability to improve things around them.

There just aren't that many great play makers in the league. Most point guards are score first type guys and Fred is in that category. The majority of guys considered to be better play makers than Freddy, but not pure PG's are guys like Luka who are so good on offense they draw a tonne of attention leading to open shots for others.

When you drop to that next level of PG's (non super stars) FVV is right there among the better ones in my opinion.

[golden]

There just aren't that many great play makers in the league. Most point guards are score first type guys and Fred is in that category. The majority of guys considered to be better play makers than Freddy, but not pure PG's are guys like Luka who are so good on offense they draw a tonne of attention leading to open shots for others.

When you drop to that next level of PG's (non super stars) FVV is right there among the better ones in my opinion.

My idea of a playmaker is a guy who gets easy baskets for his teammates... ideally at the rim. Fred rarely does that. It's all drive and kick to the perimeter. Or worse, toss the grenade with 5 seconds left on the clock to an unsuspecting teammate. That's the complete opposite of getting your teammates easy baskets. At best, Fred is highly predictable, which the Celtics exploited in our bubble playoff series.

There are lots of better non-superstar playmakers than Fred. Just off the top of my head, you have guys like Rondo, Mike Conley, Ricky Rubio. LaMelo, Garland, Ja Morant, Draymond and of course our own Lowry. Fred is in the class of Schroeder, Devonte Graham, Brogdon and Lonzo Ball... a level below the guys I mentioned above.

And if we're talking pure PG, then even rookie Malachi has flashed more natural talent at pick and roll, throwing lob passes and finding his teammates in rhythm (early in the clock). It's more about timing and touch. Fred's style is more of a straight-ahead bull into the paint and get to the rim, or pass to the perimeter and then pass to Pascal or Lowry.