2012 Draft Thursday, June 28th: Raptors select Terence Ross

[Nilanka]

PJ doesn't appear to me to fit the "hit the ground running" mantra expressed by BC. Can or should this team take a gamble (based on 2 yrs of very high profiled visibility and scouting) on such a player at this stage of it's evolution? We already have a fairly passive team. I want a little fire! His own self evaluation confirms a lack of this very necessary ingredient to make the next step. What if he never overcomes this? I think it is an unnecessary gamble at #8.

The "hit the ground running" (a.k.a. NBA-ready) players I see are Davis, Beal, Robinson, Sullinger and Barnes (maybe Marshall). Unless Colangelo decides to trade the pick, there's a decent chance he drafts someone who requires a significant learning curve.

[ceez]

Sigh

[MangoKid]

he doesn't stress it as much as you guys say he does. He probably said it like once or twice and you guys over exaggerate it so it favors your argument

He doesn't have to say that he doesn't have a motor or that it's inconsistent. His game screams it. That's all you need.

[Mediumcore]

Picking 8th in the draft basically gives you the option of going with any number of solid role players because the sure fire all star players are in the top 3 - 5 range. Personally I'd like to see them take a shot on PJ3, but if not I hope it's atleast someone whom has the potential to be a star like Q. Miller because even if they don't turn into a star they will likely be solid role players based on talent alone. I haven't heard of many scouts raving about Lillard and Lamb and how they have all star potential. They are expected to be solid players but not stars, aka role players which we have enough of. If they can get a star from free agency then another role player to compliment them is a good move, but if you can't you have to take a chance on a star in the draft.

[Puffer]

huh uh!

Okay, this always bugs me. Maybe I am totally wrong, but when someone is saying "No" shouldn't the spelling be "unh uh?"

And when you are saying "yes", shouldn't the spelling be "uh huh?"

And when you are quoting, do the quotation marks go outside the punctuation "uh"? or inside "uh?" I remember from school that they were supposed to go outside, but I think that is one of those rules that has changed. Like the rule about no comma in the second last item in a list if you were using the word "and." As in sand, dirt and gravel. Now, apparently it is okay to write sand, dirt, and gravel.

And another thing...they've changed the national anthem about three times since I was forced to sing it in school. I don't even know what the right version is any more.

And another thing.....ah never mind. Don't get me started.

[saints91]

he doesn't stress it as much as you guys say he does. He probably said it like once or twice and you guys over exaggerate it so it favors your argument

I've heard Casey say numerous times (most recently yesterday in a interview with McCown) that it's an NBA skill that can't be taught. He puts a very strong emphasis the importance on this element.

It may not be in every interview, but it is in a majority of interviews about acquiring young talent.
He is extremely impressed by this facet of Jonas' game.

[saints91]

Are there any European prospects in this draft? On all the draft boards there is not one European player listed in the top 30. Is it usually later in the draft process that they come to light? It would be cool if some guys slipped into the top ten and moved some other talent back to us. (mainly Barnes lol)

[ceez]

not really, no.

[Soft Euro]

Are there any European prospects in this draft? On all the draft boards there is not one European player listed in the top 30. Is it usually later in the draft process that they come to light? It would be cool if some guys slipped into the top ten and moved some other talent back to us. (mainly Barnes lol)

No chance of an international player ending up in the lottery that I know of. Maybe Tomas Satoransky will be a late first rounder, but that's about it.

Most players have been scouted for years, an Ibaka who appears of out almost thin air doesn't come by very often.

Add: forgot about Fournier, he's projected in the first round by draftexpress and might go up a bit.

[Chr1s1anL]

Good Scouting video of Jeremy Lamb

[koncept]

From our draft position, which players could have the biggest pay off on potential if we took a gamble?

[ezz_bee]

From watching J. V.'s game one of his strengths is the Pick and Roll, if we go with a PG i'd be nice to get one who is also good at that.

[Miekenstien]

From our draft position, which players could have the biggest pay off on potential if we took a gamble?

miller, pj3 and white i think. and white is the monster of gambles, like on the first day of training camp you choose dwight howard to hit the game winning 3 ball of the seventh game of the 2nd round kinda gamble.

[Bouncepass]

miller, pj3 and white i think. and white is the monster of gambles, like on the first day of training camp you choose dwight howard to hit the game winning 3 ball of the seventh game of the 2nd round kinda gamble.

Yikes! Miller and White at #8 would be huge gambles and reaches. They could likely be taken by trading down a fair bit. PJ3 might not be a reach. It all depends on how teams find his demeanor in interviews and work-outs, and how much he shows in his skills in the workouts. It seems that he is "Drummond Lite" in this regard. If either of them seem to be sincere and hard-working in interviews and workouts and show good skills, they will have very strong supporters among GMs picking in the upper end of the lottery.

[Bouncepass]

PJ doesn't appear to me to fit the "hit the ground running" mantra expressed by BC. Can or should this team take a gamble (based on 2 yrs of very high profiled visibility and scouting) on such a player at this stage of it's evolution? We already have a fairly passive team. I want a little fire! His own self evaluation confirms a lack of this very necessary ingredient to make the next step. What if he never overcomes this? I think it is an unnecessary gamble at #8.

There aren't many in the draft that would be available at #8 that will "hit the ground running". In fact, I think that only Barnes and Sullinger might add something that would be an improvement over what the Raps have currently. I highly doubt that any of the PGs would come close to the effectiveness of Calderon / Bayless for a couple of years. A couple of the wings at 2/3 (Lamb, Rivers) might become better than DeRozan, but not immediately.

Barnes might be an upgrade at 3 very soon, at least with respect to spreading the floor with outside shooting. Sullinger isn't a favourite for me, but I think he will likely put up good rebounding and scoring numbers early in his career. He works hard and has skills. The problem might be fit, but a front court of JV, Bargnani, Johnson/Davis and Sullinger would provide quite a bit of scoring and rebounding. If Casey can get them to play good defence, it would be a hard front line to match up against.