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Nilanka wrote:
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I think of the acquisition of Davis as addition by subtraction. By acquiring Davis there is a greater probability that Bryan will finally trade Bargnani. And that reason alone is why I'd prefer Davis over MKG. But I like your thought process too. -
I have been thinking the same thing myself. Maybe part of it is the thought of years of staring at the uni-brow.Nilanka wrote: View PostComment
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Not sure who the Raptors will go with on draft night, but it's amazing that all the players people are hoping for or bashing are so talented. Whether it be Beal, Barnes, MKG, PJ3 etc... the team can only get better. I'm already hyped for training camp next season. You add Jonas and a potential veteran free agent and this team will be stacked. Plus Ed will have had another summer to put some muscle on, DeMar more time to work on his handles and Barg healthy....and who knows whats happening with the 2 second round picks. This team could make some noise next year.Comment
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There's definitely potential for the stars to align nicely. But I'm trying not to get too excited before the first domino falls.
All it takes is for us to drop to 8th in the draft for me to curl up in the fetal position.Comment
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We'll be in the race for the 8th spot next season. Beating the bucks and celtics shouldn't be too hardComment
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I'm not hating on MKG but, every I go I see his best case i is Gerald Wallace. What ceiling are you talking about?Nilanka wrote: View Post@Chr1st1anLComment
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If he can become an offensive threat, I'm seeing a combination of Gerald Wallace (on defense), and Rudy Gay (on offense)....in their primes, of course.Chr1s1anL wrote: View Post
That's a franchise player in my books.Comment
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I have also seen "a taller version of James Harden" (paraphrase). Harden is somewhat suppressed at OKC because of all the ball .hogging and talent there. The only deficiency he has now is his 3 pt %age. But his form/mechanics are sound so with practice...Nilanka wrote: View PostComment
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With how bad Andrea's been playing, player like T-R0b and Andre Drummond seem like they would look pretty good in that Red n Black(ruling out us winning the Lotto)@Chr1st1anLComment
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WTF, that's still 64 days away!Matt52 wrote: View Post
The playoffs better be entertaining for us impartial fans...Comment
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It is late. I recall it being in the May 15-20 range in the past. I could be wrong though.Chr1s1anL wrote: View Post
It was usually during a 2nd round or conference final half time, I think.Comment
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Chisholm: Raptors destined to draft Barnes?
No matter what happens to these two parties this much seems almost inevitable: Toronto will take Harrison Barnes in the NBA Draft.
Whatever the reason, it seems like these two are destined to be together.
The fact is that it isn't a horrible match. Barnes is a pure scorer who can shoot, and the Raptors desperately need shooters on the wing. He's got some size and plays defence, and he is a very sharp player, but he never dominated at the college level like people expected him to and he too often seems content to play the game at 70 per cent rather than maxing out his talents while on the court.
There is also the fact that over the course of the season two other wing players, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bradley Beal, simply made themselves better fits for Toronto than Barnes did. Kidd-Gilchrist is like Dwane Casey's dream player; a natural leader at the small forward spot that plays all-out all of the time, excels at playing defence, rebounding and driving the ball to the hoop. Beal is a shooting guard with NBA range, a relentless offensive motor and is a solid passer and playmaker.
If the Raptors got one of those two guys they could make fans feel like the losing this season was worth it. With Barnes... well with Barnes they'd be thankful that they had Jonas Valanciunas coming over. They could continue to sell him as the key incoming asset and let Barnes slide into a more complimentary role behind him.
Unless the lottery gods smile on Toronto in May, there is a good chance that the only player on their radar that they'll have a shot at is Barnes, because his stock seems to have fallen far enough to land in Toronto's range. Sure they'll try to trade up to take one of the more attractive assets, but the price may prove too steep that high in the draft to move up even one or two spots for a shot at Kidd-Gilchrist or Beal. It's not like landing Barnes is a sickening fate, and if the Raptors do so outside of the top-five then they are actually probably getting him at about his proper value. Getting him this year, though, carries a much different perception than getting him last year would have, and perception is key as the club looks to win back the fans it sacrificed to go down the rebuilding rabbit hole after Chris Bosh bolted for Miami.
Of course, things could be worse. The Raptors could wind up selecting seventh or eighth in the draft, losing out on Barnes and having to pick from guys like Perry Jones, Jared Sullinger, Jeremy Lamb or Terrence Jones. Heck, at that point the club may explore trading out of the draft altogether. That fate doesn't seem likely, though.
No, Barnes and the Raptors have been on a collision course for over a year now, and we're just counting down the final months until it happens. It's almost time to stop fighting it. Both parties have shifted in their respective spheres and yet both still seem aligned with one another. It's not a matter of good or bad or right or wrong, it's just inevitability. We'll have to wait until May 30 for the next sign of this impending union, but at this point it just seems like a formality.
Barnes and the Raptors aren't an ideal fit (especially from Toronto's perspective), but it's good enough and that will probably be all it takes to make Barnes a Raptor at the end of June. They're just a little too potent and Barnes is just a little too underwhelming for it to happen any other way.
Source: Tim Chisholm, TSN.ca
I think Chisholm is getting ahead of himself given the implications of May 30th but it is hard to argue with the logic.
Who knows what will happen in the combines and individual workouts to alter the big board between now and June 28th.
Players like Davis, Beal, MKG, Drummond, Robinson, Sullinger, and Barnes are all reasonable bets to go top 5 at this present time. Players like Perry Jones, Terrence Jones, and Jeremy Lamb could all have reasonable cases to jump ahead of any of the previous players mentioned. GM's could easily fall in love with a player like Cody Zeller or James McAdoo and surprise everyone with an earlier than expected selection (surely a Charlie V. situation couldn't happen again though, could it?).
Either way, so much is unknown. For me, this is the most highly anticipated draft since the last one, haha. I am very eager to find out where the Raps pick though. Nothing like a little bit of clarify on a foggy highway.Comment
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Agreed on all points. I read that Chisholm article last night and found it made sense... maybe a little too much so.Matt52 wrote: View Post
With practically infinite draft day scenarios available, I have two hopes. First, that the Raptors get a top-3 pick. Second, that the Raptors use their assets (some combo of cap space, TPE, 2 2nd round picks, Bayless, Amir/Davis, future 1st round pick) to acquire an additional lottery pick. That way the Raps can get MKG or Beal AND Marshall... wing and PG of-the-future all at once. That's it. I'm not asking for too much, am I??? lolComment
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