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Not to take away from the playoff excitement, but it's an off day. Looking through many mock drafts, I came across these three names in and around the number 20 pick. If all three players were available, who would you choose.
I'm leaning toward TJ Warren. Apparently, he can flat out score and really shoots the ball well. With Salmons likely being bought out he can come in and back up the wing spot with fields and de colo, neither of which can score the ball.
I like Warren too. You always want to simply take the best talent available but the SF spot would be weighed a bit more while C and PG (assuming Lowry re-signs) a bit less for the Raptors. You'd prefer to have an SF that shoots the 3 better than Warren if Derozan is the plan going forward at SG but who knows, maybe he can increase the range on his shot. He didn't take many 3's in college so it's a fairly small sample.
I know almost nothing about Capela though. Not a big fan of Payne.
I think TJ Warren is going to be a real good player in the league, so I think he'd be a great pick at #20.
Adreian Payne I think could be a good bench contributor. I see the comparison to a poor man's Robert Horry and I think that could be accurate. I feel like he'd be suited as a stretch four off the bench on a contender. Raptors may not be the best fit with the current rotation of bigs, but I don't think he'd necessarily be a bad pick. That said, I think he also has a high potential to bust.
Clint Capela; all I know is that he was widely regarded as a lottery pick for awhile, and then in the most recent prospects camp/game he shit the bed, so I really don't know what to think of him at this point. The jury is still out.
I'm not just saying this because he's Canadian, but I feel like Nik Stauskas would be a great fit. He can shoot the three at a high rate, has good size for a SG and, at least in the NCAA, can get to the rim. I feel like he'd be a great backup for DeRozan.
What about Napier if he falls to us? He's supposed to go into the late teens. I know he is undersized and we already have Lowry and Vasquez (Assuming Both Resign), but he is a baller!
[QUOTE=Qwyjibo] You always want to simply take the best talent available but the SF spot would be weighed a bit more while C and PG (assuming Lowry re-signs) a bit less for the Raptors.[/QUOTE]
So my take is slightly different.
If the best talent is a PG I say grab him. In fact I say try to trade up for Ennis if he is still around at pick 15 for example.
1) KLow seems to be pretty much a lock down signing - the way the team president is talking - but will be > 30 by the time the contract is up
2) [COLOR="Purple"]We will try to qualify Vasquez but I am willing to bet that Vasquez will get a better offer on the market than Toronto can match [/COLOR]given our cap situation. I assume in no particular order that the Lakers / Rockets / Pelicans / Pistons can all make an offer that is about $1MM ++ per year richer than Toronto can make.
3) Decolo / Stone / Bucyks are not back up calibre of Vasquez talent level.
We have depth at the 2-3 position with Derozan/Ross/Fields. Even acknowledging we cut Salmons you can play Decolo as a 2 for example. Secondly there is a lot more talent available as an effective 2/3 signing. I mean we could go out and probably afford and get an "Alan Anderson" type player within cap space money until the next 2 drafts where we have 3 picks.
Bottom line if the best talent is a 1 grab him. Develop him slow and or if Vasquez stays in Toronto an a QO - dangle the new PG as trade before trade deadline if it helps you unload Fields / Novak / Cedric
I think you should be looking at a guy like KJ MCdaniel. Athletic big plays defense. His offense will come around as he's not the greatest ball handler, but he has all the tools to be a good player
I say just pick the best player available regardless of position(Will most likely be Grant, Warren, or Payne) and grab their perimeter defender through free agency or trade. It's not like they need a shut down defender like Tony Allen but someone with length/size with decent defense.
I wouldn't mind Warren. However, I keep hearing Clint Capela's name coming up so I've been doing some research into him.
Personally, I think he's got that Giannis vibe to him a bit. Nobody really knows who he is, although he was at one point projected as a lottery pick. He's extremely raw, but a freakish athlete and has elite defensive potential. Almost in the mold of Amir Johnson(who I've seen him compared to).
He's got that potential to be a high reward pick, however, his bust potential is also pretty high. Sometimes you have to swing for the fences in the draft and he would be a gamble.