The Raptors and the 2015 Draft

[Superjudge]

well it is the nba, and hell knows they arent shy about rigging the production for profit. so, biggest blockbuster ever, with raptors as stars is released just as Toronto gets asg,they couldnt rig a draft, but, maybe they rig it anyhow.....bout time no??

[DanH]

I hope too, but every single workout so far has had the names announced at the last minute, with the exception of one or two names total leaking early.

[Bonus Jonas]

How crazy would it be if they put the names out and it's Mudiay, Winslow, WCS and Porzingis.

Pretty sure this forum would go insane

[GuiJaeger]

I get that Russell is a pipe-dream, but please Masai, please, try to move up to get Hezonja. Even if he obviously has a chance to fail because of his attitude, he got superstar potential written all over him. We need that.

[FromDeep]

HPBasketball (Matt Moore) put out these two tweets today in reference to Aaron Gordon:

@HPbasketball: It’s weird that we assume that to play positions you MUST be able to certain things.

@HPbasketball: If 4’s are going to be shooters and playmakers, why do 3’s have to be shooters and playmakers?

I immediately thought of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. If he had a capable jumpshot he would be towards tomhe top of the draft, and this because small forwards are supposed to be shooters.

Even if he tops out near a Kidd-Gilchrist offensively, that's still a heck of a player at 20 due to his defensive potential. Charlottes problem isn't necessarily MKG's lack of shooting, it could also be viewed as a lack of shooting around him.

Granted, Toronto isn't chock full of exceptional shooters either (although Pat-Pat stretching from the four helps a little), buts also done think that we are a good enough team to draft based on fit with any particular player on the roster.

For example, saying we need a shooter at SF because of DeMar's lack of range. We could make this decision to simply see him leave next offseason.

I still believe that if RHJ can rebuild his shot (by all accounts he is a hard worker and is already putting in the time on this area of his game) to a functional level then whoever picks him could have a scary player on their hands. Even if he doesn't though, you still walk away with a player who can contribute with specific skills.

High ceiling, high floor.

%100

[magoon]

Yeah, I'm pretty sold on RHJ (or Hunter) being our pick at #20.

I do, however, think we should try to snag a higher pick in this draft by trading one of Lowry or DeRozan as well.

[TacoHD]

Lowry + Ross for 3rd Pick and a 2nd rounder ? we pick Russell and RHJ with the 20 and pick a 2rd project like Wood if he falls since he's been falling on mock drafts or even Tokoto

Russell/GV
DeRozan/???(Tokoto)
RHJ/ JJ/ Bruno
??/ PPAT(Wood)
JV/Beve

with moving Lowry and Ross we gain more cap space for this year and can sign a legit starting 4 (or 3 just put RHJ in starting because Casey hates JJ but most likely gonna be in d league or deep rotation ) and have enough cap space hopefully to sign some decent role players

[BobLoblaw]

Lowry + Ross for 3rd Pick and a 2nd rounder ? we pick Russell and RHJ with the 20 and pick a 2rd project like Wood if he falls since he's been falling on mock drafts or even Tokoto

Russell/GV
DeRozan/???(Tokoto)
RHJ/ JJ/ Bruno
??/ PPAT(Wood)
JV/Beve

with moving Lowry and Ross we gain more cap space for this year and can sign a legit starting 4 (or 3 just put RHJ in starting because Casey hates JJ but most likely gonna be in d league or deep rotation ) and have enough cap space hopefully to sign some decent role players

Philly? No chance.

[TacoHD]

a man can dream

[koncept]

Lowry + Ross for 3rd Pick and a 2nd rounder ? we pick Russell and RHJ with the 20 and pick a 2rd project like Wood if he falls since he's been falling on mock drafts or even Tokoto

Russell/GV
DeRozan/???(Tokoto)
RHJ/ JJ/ Bruno
??/ PPAT(Wood)
JV/Beve

with moving Lowry and Ross we gain more cap space for this year and can sign a legit starting 4 (or 3 just put RHJ in starting because Casey hates JJ but most likely gonna be in d league or deep rotation ) and have enough cap space hopefully to sign some decent role players

"Get that gahhhhbage outta heeere"

[octothorp]

Didn't see this posted yet, but FiveThirtyEight (stats website) posted a top 50 projected +/- for the draft class (college players only), by comparing key statistical indicators to past draft classes. The fascinating thing about it is that it projects probability of a player being a star, starter, roleplayer, or bust.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/...a-draft-class/

Russell, for example, is projected as being most likely to become a star in the draft, but also more likely to become a bust than any other high picks.

Amongst players possible to be available for Toronto:
Portis - (0, 25, 39, 36) - low starter probability, good roleplayer probability
Jones - (2.7, 42, 28, 27) - excellent starter probability, solid star potential
Grant - (0, 13, 35, 52) - huge bust potential
Looney - (1, 36, 38, 26) - moderately good starter probability
Hunter - (0, 15, 39, 47) - huge bust potential
RHJ - (2, 37, 39, 22) - lowest bust potential, good starter potential, sold roleplayer potential, star potential is pretty good comparitively
Vaughn - (2, 24, 37, 37) - trending towards roleplayer
Harrell - (0, 20, 41, 38) - poor starter potential
Anderson - (0, 16, 41, 43) - bust potential, low starter potential
Wright - (0, 17, 36, 47) high bust potential
Upshaw - (0, 9, 38, 53) - extremely high bust potential
Wood - (1, 31, 39, 29) - lower bust potential, okay starter potential,
D. Johnson - (2, 37, 42, 19) - big outlier, great starter/roleplayer potential, low bust potential
Alexander - (1, 29, 41, 29) - another guy who does pretty well in this projection compared to mocks

If you were placing much value in this, there's a few clear tiers in the above list:

Jones, Looney, RHJ, Wood, and Johnson all have star potential of 1% or above, starter potential in the 30% or above, and bust potential below 30%.

Portis, Vaughn, Harrell, Alexander all have middling scores with starter potential if the 20-30% range, and bust potential in the 30-40% range (slightly power for Alexander)

Grant, Hunter, Anderson, Wright, Upshaw all have starter potential of less than 20%, and bust potential in the 40% or greater range.

[Just Is]

Didn't see this posted yet, but FiveThirtyEight (stats website) posted a top 50 projected +/- for the draft class (college players only), by comparing key statistical indicators to past draft classes. The fascinating thing about it is that it projects probability of a player being a star, starter, roleplayer, or bust.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/...a-draft-class/

Russell, for example, is projected as being most likely to become a star in the draft, but also more likely to become a bust than any other high picks.

Amongst players possible to be available for Toronto:
Portis - (0, 25, 39, 36) - low starter probability, good roleplayer probability
Jones - (2.7, 42, 28, 27) - excellent starter probability, solid star potential
Grant - (0, 13, 35, 52) - huge bust potential
Looney - (1, 36, 38, 26) - moderately good starter probability
Hunter - (0, 15, 39, 47) - huge bust potential
RHJ - (2, 37, 39, 22) - lowest bust potential, good starter potential, sold roleplayer potential, star potential is pretty good comparitively
Vaughn - (2, 24, 37, 37) - trending towards roleplayer
Harrell - (0, 20, 41, 38) - poor starter potential
Anderson - (0, 16, 41, 43) - bust potential, low starter potential
Wright - (0, 17, 36, 47) high bust potential
Upshaw - (0, 9, 38, 53) - extremely high bust potential
Wood - (1, 31, 39, 29) - lower bust potential, okay starter potential,
D. Johnson - (2, 37, 42, 19) - big outlier, great starter/roleplayer potential, low bust potential
Alexander - (1, 29, 41, 29) - another guy who does pretty well in this projection compared to mocks

If you were placing much value in this, there's a few clear tiers in the above list:

Jones, Looney, RHJ, Wood, and Johnson all have star potential of 1% or above, starter potential in the 30% or above, and bust potential below 30%.

Portis, Vaughn, Harrell, Alexander all have middling scores with starter potential if the 20-30% range, and bust potential in the 30-40% range (slightly power for Alexander)

Grant, Hunter, Anderson, Wright, Upshaw all have starter potential of less than 20%, and bust potential in the 40% or greater range.

I really tend to like stuff like this. Interesting that the player who has the highest chance of being a star in this draft also possesses one of the highest bust chances.

[GinobilisBaldSpot]

Any guesses on who's coming in for workouts on Tuesday?

[DogeLover1234]

How crazy would it be if they put the names out and it's Mudiay, Winslow, WCS and Porzingis.

Pretty sure this forum would go insane

Stop getting my hopes up..

Too late

[Mess]

How crazy would it be if they put the names out and it's Mudiay, Winslow, WCS and Porzingis.

Pretty sure this forum would go insane

Pretty sure all the forums would go insane.

But really, those players would not come in for the workout - not individually and absolutely not as a group...and if you've made a deal to trade up for a pick I'm pretty sure you should already know who you want to take.