Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

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

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Are you saying that a 19 year old is fully developed & thus unable to "grow & mature"? Most of them have been hearing for last 5,6 years how great they are & that they are destined to be NBA players.
    You can't teach talent, but with good surrounding (teammates, management, family) & solid (&firm) coaching -sky is the limit for say PJ3, Drummond...).
    In summary, if we cannot get the player we want (I assume Davis, MKG, Beal, Barnes..) -go with talent & potential (you can teach the rest) -you have a chance at an all star. If you want a "sure thing" at No 8,9,10 -Go with coach's son or another safe pick that can become decent bench player at best.
    Last edited by Mapko; Fri May 25, 2012, 08:35 PM.

    Comment


    • e2thed wrote: View Post
      Sullinger = Big Baby Davis minus 15 footer
      And double (at least) "gray matter"

      Comment


      • http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba2-injur...-clippers-next

        The Eighth Pick In the 2012 NBA Draft

        If the NBA Draft Lottery goes as the odds say they should (which it rarely does), the Toronto Raptors should have the eighth overall pick in this summer’s NBA draft. Assuming they actually do land the eighth pick, which player best fits their needs?

        HOOPSWORLD’s latest Mock Draft has HOOPSWORLD’s four mock drafters all selecting completely different players, so let’s take a look at which would be the best fit in Toronto.

        Terrence Jones, Perry Jones and Jared Sullinger are all tabbed as possible picks for the Raptors, but given that we had Jones possibly going to Golden State yesterday, and the Raptors lack of a need in the paint, where Sullinger roams, let’s take a look at the player who would best fill Toronto’s biggest hole: small forward.

        The Raptors have a great deal of interest in UNC’s Harrison Barnes, and if they move up in the draft he is their likely pick, but the next best small forward after Barnes and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the class is unquestionably Kentucky’s Terrence Jones.

        Jones is actually capable of playing both forward positions, standing 6’9″ and weighing in at 249 pounds. His footwork, versatility, ability to put the ball on the floor and create, and his ability to shoot from outside make him a prime candidate for the three. Despite seeing fewer touches last season due to an influx of higher-priority scorers, Jones ranked in the 78th percentile scoring in isolation, 74th when posting up, and 70th in spot-up situation, so he can hurt opposing teams in a number of different ways.

        He has also shown an ability to guard multiple positions, which would make him an invaluable piece of the defensive-minded Dwane Casey’s lineup. He ranked in the 94th percentile in defending through screens, 95th in pick-and-roll, 86th in defending against isolation plays and 81st in defending spot-up shooters and 71st in post-up. Jones is an outstanding defensive player.

        As is the case with so many young players, Jones’ motor is in question. He has a tendency to get discouraged and take plays off, a behavior that John Calipari often rewarded with an early trip to the bench. It will be important for the Raptors to get a good feel for who Jones might be going forward as they go through the work out and interview process.

        Due diligence is the key to making the right pick in the draft, no matter which spot you’re choosing, and it will be even more crucially important for Toronto this year. They are poised to be one of the most-improved teams in the NBA in 2012-13, and the player they choose in this year’s draft will be a huge part of that improvement.

        Comment


        • jbml wrote: View Post
          http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba2-injur...-clippers-next

          The Eighth Pick In the 2012 NBA Draft

          If the NBA Draft Lottery goes as the odds say they should (which it rarely does), the Toronto Raptors should have the eighth overall pick in this summer’s NBA draft. Assuming they actually do land the eighth pick, which player best fits their needs?

          HOOPSWORLD’s latest Mock Draft has HOOPSWORLD’s four mock drafters all selecting completely different players, so let’s take a look at which would be the best fit in Toronto.

          Terrence Jones, Perry Jones and Jared Sullinger are all tabbed as possible picks for the Raptors, but given that we had Jones possibly going to Golden State yesterday, and the Raptors lack of a need in the paint, where Sullinger roams, let’s take a look at the player who would best fill Toronto’s biggest hole: small forward.

          The Raptors have a great deal of interest in UNC’s Harrison Barnes, and if they move up in the draft he is their likely pick, but the next best small forward after Barnes and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the class is unquestionably Kentucky’s Terrence Jones.

          Jones is actually capable of playing both forward positions, standing 6’9″ and weighing in at 249 pounds. His footwork, versatility, ability to put the ball on the floor and create, and his ability to shoot from outside make him a prime candidate for the three. Despite seeing fewer touches last season due to an influx of higher-priority scorers, Jones ranked in the 78th percentile scoring in isolation, 74th when posting up, and 70th in spot-up situation, so he can hurt opposing teams in a number of different ways.

          He has also shown an ability to guard multiple positions, which would make him an invaluable piece of the defensive-minded Dwane Casey’s lineup. He ranked in the 94th percentile in defending through screens, 95th in pick-and-roll, 86th in defending against isolation plays and 81st in defending spot-up shooters and 71st in post-up. Jones is an outstanding defensive player.

          As is the case with so many young players, Jones’ motor is in question. He has a tendency to get discouraged and take plays off, a behavior that John Calipari often rewarded with an early trip to the bench. It will be important for the Raptors to get a good feel for who Jones might be going forward as they go through the work out and interview process.

          Due diligence is the key to making the right pick in the draft, no matter which spot you’re choosing, and it will be even more crucially important for Toronto this year. They are poised to be one of the most-improved teams in the NBA in 2012-13, and the player they choose in this year’s draft will be a huge part of that improvement.
          I'm a fan of Terrence Jones. I feel that he could bring what James Johnson brought to this team in his rookie year. I think he'd be a little bit of a better shooter. I think that's great seeing his like 4 years younger.
          @Chr1st1anL

          Comment


          • Good read about Scott Machado. Are second round pick?
            http://www.nba.com/2012/news/feature...ado/index.html

            Are great point guards born or are they made?


            Having watched over the course of many years numerous college coaches try to convert shooting guards to the point without much success, the answer to that question seems obvious: A point guard either has the inclination and the vision to pass or he doesn't. It's difficult, if not impossible, to rein in a player with a scorer's mentality and convince him to become a set-up man.
            Right?

            That tidy little hypothesis gets blown up by Scott Machado, who this season led the nation in assists and Iona to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006. That's because the 6-foot-1 Machado is a natural point guard who had to be reminded of that fact by his coach. Thus, he was born with the requisite point guard skills but later reconfigured for the job after being hardwired to believe the only way to get attention is by scoring.
            When former Iona coach Kevin Willard left for Seton Hall in 2010, Machado briefly considered following him to the Big East. Then Machado heard who Iona was hiring to replace Williard -- Tim Cluess, who had coached Machado as a freshman at St. Mary's High School in Manhasset, N.Y.

            In fairness to Willard, who needed Machado to score, Cluess -- who had left St. Mary's and achieved considerable success at NCAA Division II C.W. Post, where he compiled a 98-23 record in four seasons -- knew his new point guard was capable of ramping up his assist totals.

            "He has the ability to see the floor well that not every player has," Cluess said. "It's a gift."
            Cluess reintroduced Machado to his gift just in time for the 2010-11 season. Cluess runs an up-tempo offense with a strong emphasis on sharing the basketball. His teams always score a lot of points, rack up a lot of assists and convert a high percentage of their shots. Cluess knew that in Machado, he had a set-up man with the potential to play in the NBA -- as long as he didn't suppress his natural talent.

            "Coach asked me to be a pure point guard," said Machado, who has been training in California preparing for individual workouts with NBA teams. "I just took it to heart. I had to play more like a point guard and get all my teammates involved."

            As a sophomore under Willard, Machado passed for 122 assists. A year later playing for his old high school coach, Machado handed out 281 assists. Iona finished 25-12 and was runner-up in the CIT.
            The lesson Machado learned was reinforced last summer, when he played for Brazil in the World University Games.
            "He got to see how other players attacked the position," Cluess said. "He heard another voice telling him the same thing -- that passing can get you where you want to be. He came back with the attitude that he wanted to pass."
            "I saw how the game was played [on the international level]," Machado said. "And how serious it was to them. It helped me focus at a whole other level."

            Besides his World University Games experience, Machado put in a lot of time on his own, losing 13 pounds and hoisting 1,000 3-point shots a day because Cluess had told him there's no way to be an effective point guard without being a threat to score from the perimeter.

            The hard work paid off. Machado increased his assist total again, to 327 (9.9 apg), coming within a tenth of a percentage point of being just the fifth player -- and the first since 1995 -- to average double-figures assists since the NCAA began keeping the statistic in 1983. A career .318 shooter from 3-point range, Machado shot .408 from behind the arc.

            With targets such as acrobatic senior forward Mike Glover and Arizona transfer MoMo Jones to throw the ball to, Machado led Iona to the NCAA Tournament as a rare at-large team out of a mid-major conference (the MAAC). And as Machado's assist totals mounted, NBA scouts began flocking to Iona games.
            "It was just like we told him," Cluess said. "If you're a player from the MAAC, no one's going to notice you if you average 18 points and three assists. But if you average 14 points and eight assists, nine assists, you're going to get noticed."

            The attention started early as the Gaels' began their season in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The assist record in that three-day event had been 22. Playing against Purdue, Western Michigan and Maryland, Machado passed for 41 assists -- 15 each against the Broncos and Terps -- and committed just six turnovers as Iona finished 2-1. In a home game three days after Iona's last game in Puerto Rico, Machado torched Saint Joseph's for 33 points and 10 assists. He knocked down 4 of 6 3-pointers in that game while showing off his newly improved jumper.
            "Whenever you have a point guard like Machado, you can do an awful lot of things," Saint Joe's coach Phil Martelli said after that game.

            Machado was in a groove, and he stayed in it all season. Passing had become his focus and his obsession.
            "It was fun," Machado said. "You get the oohs and ahs just like when somebody gets dunked on, or crossed over. Everybody realizes, 'Oh my God, that pass was outstanding.' I started to get my thrills off that."
            Machado is hoping those thrills will continue in the NBA. Cluess thinks that will happen, though he's heard mixed signals from scouts.

            "Half the teams I've spoken to really love him," Cluess said. "Half think he's OK, but that he's just a little undersized or not quite quick enough or athletic enough."
            Cluess has a ready comparison when talking about whether Machado can play in the NBA.

            "Jeremy Lin can run a pick and roll," Cluess said. "Scott can run pick and roll offense to death. In all fairness to our team, we were maybe a mid-major team. Scott wasn't throwing the ball to pros. If guys caught the ball and made layups, he could have averaged 14 assists a game."

            All this brings us back around to the question of whether a true point guard is born with the ability to make other players better, to find them in positions where they can best utilize their particular talent to score.
            "It's a rare kid who, one, understands passing and wants to pass," Cluess said. "Two, it's the vision to pass. A lot of guys look at the rim and how to get by their guy, and that's it.

            "To me, an average point guard passes to the color of the uniform. A great point guard passes to who's wearing the uniform."
            By that definition, Machado is a great point guard. Like Cluess, he believes the talent to play the position is inborn. He's gotten proof of that watching his 14-year-old brother Junior compete in AAU games.
            "He's a smart kid," Machado said. "He picked up basketball very fast. Watching him play, you
            @Chr1st1anL

            Comment


            • Terrence Jones Comparison from Swish Scout:

              Best Case Scenario: Josh Smith (less high-flying)
              Worst Case Scenario: James Johnson
              in masai we trust

              water covers 98% of the earth, Mitchell Robinson covers the other 2%

              Comment


              • If theses Nash rumor are true, than we draft a PG. Who do we pick though?

                Most pro types expect Marshall -- a 6-foot-4 sophomore who won the Cousy Award as the nation's top college point guard and set the ACC's single-season assists record -- to keep his name in the Draft after announcing he'd take a look at the pros along with teammates Harrison Barnes and John Henson last week.

                "He's not a great athlete," a Pacific Division exec says of Marshall, "but damn, I haven't seen anybody pass it like that in a long time. And obviously he makes that team go. His game is not going to change by going back, and it's not going to change his shooting and it's not going to change his athleticism."
                He is the prototypical make-everyone-else-better point guard.

                If you must compare Marshall to a pro, compare him to Andre Miller, who is just as (not) fast as he was a decade and a half ago in college, but is still just as effective because he is smart, strong and knows how to play.
                Marshall's size makes up for his lack of quickness.

                "If he was 6-1 and slow he wouldn't make up for it," a Central Division scout said. "But 6-4, at the position helps him. He's shown some slight improvement in his ability to make a shot from the outside. At 6-4, he can afford to be a step slow. Because he can space some guys, maybe more than a smaller point guard who would have contested shots. With smaller guys on him he can see over top of them."

                Marshall's absence in the later rounds of the NCAA Tournament after breaking his right wrist was clearly the difference between the Tar Heels making a title run and getting bounced in the regional final by Kansas. One former ACC coach, whose team played against Marshall, was "stunned" Marshall came out early -- considering the questions remaining about his defense.

                "Even Marshall, as good as he is, you wonder about his quickness," an Atlantic Division executive said. "Will he be able to get in the lane and do what he can do against NBA players? But he has a fantastic court awareness that you haven't seen in a long time. It's hard to find a guy in the NBA who plays like him, because most of the guys in the NBA want to score."

                In that way, Marshall is a throwback. With the NBA's new rules, scoring point guards are the rule, not the exception.
                "It's not really where the game's going," a Southwest Division executive said, "but generally speaking, coaches like having a pass-first, pass-second, reluctant-shooter third guy on their team. (Marshall) will be good with deflections and steals, because he has good instincts, and he's a pretty good kid, too."

                Weber State's Lillard is ranked just as highly as Marshall by some teams -- "Lillard's probably my favorite," a Central Division executive said -- though he doesn't have Marshall's natural passing skills. But Lillard, who finished second in the country in scoring (24.5 points per game), is a big-time scorer who does it efficiently, a skill that will serve him well in the NBA, though he may not wind up being a lottery pick.

                "He almost lets the game come to him," a Northwest Division scout said. "You like guys who let the game come to them. But he almost did it to a fault. I wouldn't call him a selfish scorer. He's a willing passer, but I don't know if he's a natural passer."

                That is OK with some talent evaluators.

                "He's got a better feel for the point guard position, but he reminds me a little of Mo Williams -- similar size, can shoot," a Central Division evaluator says. "He's going to be able to manage the point guard position a little more. He plays on a team where he probably could take seven or eight more shots, but he makes the right basketball play. I watched him in a game and he had a quiet 25 -- and they won, too."

                Some compare Lillard to Detroit combo guard Rodney Stuckey. Coming out of Eastern Washington, he had to show he could make the adjustment to the NBA from a smaller school.

                "Even though he's small college [guy], with guys like Stuckey and George Hill having success Iike they have, I don't think that's held against you like it used to be," a Southwest Division executive said.

                But some have questions. One Pacific Division executive believes Lillard is, at best, a backup.
                "As a point guard, you want guys to be more assertive, more aggressive, and he's more passive, which is a rarity," a Northwest scout said.

                After Marshall and Lillard, the prospects generate much less unanimity.
                I'm Lillard fan myself.
                @Chr1st1anL

                Comment


                • Jeremy Lamb

                  Some scouts have Lamb rated ahead of Rivers. Lamb, who contemplated entering the Draft after starring as a freshman on UConn's championship team a year ago, is skinny, but he is skilled, long and can make plays. He finished third in the Big East in scoring (17.7 per game) and was one of the few bright lights on a Huskies team that fell apart and got bounced in the second round of the NCAAs.

                  UConn fell apart, but that shouldn't all be put on Lamb's shoulders -- even though much was expected from him.

                  The first-team all-Big East selection shot a solid 48 percent, and scored 20 or more points 10 times, including 32 against Villanova. He is just the sixth sophomore in Connecticut history to score more than 1,000 points.

                  "He's really talented," a Northwest Division scout said of Lamb. "He's a little laid back as a kid but he's a really talented kid."

                  Some question whether Lamb is too laid back. He has been painted with the "S" word by many evaluators: soft.

                  "I think that's his deal," said a Central Division executive. "It gives you a little bit (of concern) but that program's turned out a lot of good players. I think you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. If you can play for [coach Jim] Calhoun you can play for a lot of coaches. He's got some tools. He's really athletic. And people seem to like the kid, too. He's just pretty passive."

                  Said a Southeast Division scouting head: "I like Lamb. But he plays that style, that silky smooth style. If you play that way, you better be real good. Because that's a high switch position."

                  One college coach whose team played Connecticut this year said he doesn't like Lamb's motor.

                  "When you give him space and you let him do his thing he's got it going pretty good," the coach said. "But when you get up in him and deny him the ball and make him work for his shot, he doesn't seem to be the most competitive guy. But he's good. He can shoot it. It just depends on how competitive he's going to be on that given day."

                  But Lamb is likely to be very impressive in interviews and in drills at the Chicago pre-Draft camp and individual workouts. Despite all the qualms, Lamb is almost certain to go in the top half of the first round.
                  Been a big fan of Jeremy Lamb. When we finally feel too 8th I knew he would be a great pick there. I'm glad that others like Matt have jumped on this bandwagon.
                  @Chr1st1anL

                  Comment


                  • With so many good players to choose from we really can't go wrong in this draft. Whether it's T. Jones, Lamb, PJ3 etc. the talent level on the roster is about to get a serious boost.

                    Say ping pong balls go our way and we get the second pick. Davis will be off the board and it will be a decision between Beal and MKG. Who do you pick? You could make a case for either being the bpa. Which need do you feel the Raptors need to fill the most? SG or SF?

                    Comment


                    • Mediumcore wrote: View Post
                      With so many good players to choose from we really can't go wrong in this draft. Whether it's T. Jones, Lamb, PJ3 etc. the talent level on the roster is about to get a serious boost.

                      Say ping pong balls go our way and we get the second pick. Davis will be off the board and it will be a decision between Beal and MKG. Who do you pick? You could make a case for either being the bpa. Which need do you feel the Raptors need to fill the most? SG or SF?
                      That's actually a tough one personally I don't think any rookie we draft will start next year. I feel that that 3 spot is going to be solved b4 the draft. In that case I would say Beal. He could contribute better off the bench than MKG and has the 3 pointing that Casey wants.
                      @Chr1st1anL

                      Comment


                      • Chr1s1anL wrote: View Post
                        I'm a fan of Terrence Jones. I feel that he could bring what James Johnson brought to this team in his rookie year. I think he'd be a little bit of a better shooter. I think that's great seeing his like 4 years younger.
                        I also like T. Jones at #8. I think he's a multiple tool guy who makes others on the team better. He is also a tough defender. He would be a nice complement to AB and JV, and if he plays the 3 would provide formidable size for the Raptors. The main question about him is his attitude and how he will respond to NBA coaching. If the the pre-draft assessments are positive on that front, then I think he will end up being a high pick.

                        Comment


                        • Chr1s1anL wrote: View Post
                          Good read about Scott Machado. Are second round pick?
                          http://www.nba.com/2012/news/feature...ado/index.html
                          Machodo would be a GREAT selection with one of our 2nd round picks. I'm all for it.

                          Comment


                          • Mediumcore wrote: View Post
                            With so many good players to choose from we really can't go wrong in this draft. Whether it's T. Jones, Lamb, PJ3 etc. the talent level on the roster is about to get a serious boost.

                            Say ping pong balls go our way and we get the second pick. Davis will be off the board and it will be a decision between Beal and MKG. Who do you pick? You could make a case for either being the bpa. Which need do you feel the Raptors need to fill the most? SG or SF?
                            If it's up to me, I'd take MKG over Beal simply based on MKG's superstar potential. Beal's easily more NBA-ready, but MKG's motor and passion, combined with his developing skillset, it too much to pass up.

                            There's a small part of me who would consider MKG with the 1st pick too.

                            Comment


                            • Nilanka wrote: View Post
                              If it's up to me, I'd take MKG over Beal simply based on MKG's superstar potential. Beal's easily more NBA-ready, but MKG's motor and passion, combined with his developing skillset, it too much to pass up.

                              There's a small part of me who would consider MKG with the 1st pick too.
                              I love MKG for the Raptors, or any franchise. He has "winner" stamped all over him. The probability that the Raptors will be able to get him is very low, though.

                              Comment


                              • MKG is a unique payer in the sense that he projects to be a lock down defender, but being that he is a perimeter player he can't impact a game on the defensive end which big men prospects like Duncan, Shaq, Oden were coveted for coming into the league. And he's not a player that currently has the capability to score easily at the NBA level. Yet professional scouts are really high on him and most mock drafts have him pegged to go second. I'm really interested to see how his career unfolds and see if he acheives the super star status so many beleive he will reach.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X