How the Raptors found

[Legends66NBA7]

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/08/01/bru...rs-masai-ujiri

[QUOTE]Cobbling together mock drafts is an inexact science. For most mock drafters -- this one included -- projecting a 30-player first round requires a combination of exhaustive reporting, scouting and, frankly, guesswork. But even then, it

[BRabbiT]

liked what i saw in SL.

don't disagree w/the logic of rolling the dice w/the 20th pick.

but using a roster spot this year & starting his "arbitration clock" in '14, could be a mistake.

[Grey Dawn]

Still don't know what to think, 20 just seems too high still

[Jballer]

I - of course - ranted at - and against the pick.

Bruno who ? "Dear MLSE"

With a month or so to cool down I suppose that I am no longer so upset by the pick.

[COLOR="Indigo"]The off season moves including the trade with Atlanta, re-signings (Kyle, PP, Gervais), and Joe Johnson, have tempered my anger at "toying with home run displays" through the draft.

I mean lets be honest. Will Rodney Hood or Kyle Anderson actually contribute more in the next 2 seasons than Joe Johnson or Sweet Lou ? Highly unlikely.[/COLOR]

However I am still miffed at the "toying with home runs philosophy".

We have debated constantly on this board how to build a consistent competitive team that maintains momentum season to season. In the NBA the model everyone can choose to follow is : (1) San Antonio (2) Miami or the big three concept. Most or all of the posters on this board seem to prefer the San An Model.

San An does not try to hit home runs in the draft. They don't reach for their picks. They pick at their spot the most talented player they can and mold them into a "Spur" over time with seasoning, exposure, and occasionally overseas play. They also move up the draft when they deem they have identified the guy they "need" (a'la Kahwi Leonard - 15th - Indiana Pacers) and are prepared to move down or trade the pick for another player they can mold (Goran Drajic, Tiango Splitter Nano De Colo).

I note that Hood, Anderson, or McDaniels are statisically more likely to be the sort of player noted above.

Its easy to say that Bruno had lots of interest from X , Y and Z but the fact is even those teams would be open to some deal to trade up or down if you felt there was a risk. If the Suns were really going to pick him at 25 - well you just had an aborted deal for Ennis go flat. I strongly suspect that the Raptors could have had Bruno anywhere with any team from 21 - 30 for "Kyle Anderson and a 2nd round pick in 2015". Few or no NBA teams are so devoted to a pick at 25 that no deal was possible

I could be very wrong in 5 years and look foolish for posting this. I accept that risk too...

..but reaching for a pick and not taking a "notional 20 talent in a deep draft" with an eye to developing a Raptor/Spur type player (aka Big Red - Mat Bonner drafted 43 overall by the Chicago Bulls) or trading the asset for a stockpile of other future assets is not the "San Antonio model".

[bk33]

I remember when the grizzlies drafted this european big man and the draft day comments were "raw, 3 years from contributing" and then he would go on immediately averaging 18-8, 2 bpg, winning ROY, Pau Gasol.

After the summer league, I think there's a good chance the "2 years away from 2 years away" dude is gonna eat his word.

[Jballer]

I remember when the grizzlies drafted this european big man and the draft day comments were "raw, 3 years from contributing" and then he would go on immediately averaging 18-8, 2 bpg, winning ROY, Pau Gasol.

After the summer league, I think there's a good chance the "2 years away from 2 years away" dude is gonna eat his word.

A fair point...

But in deference... big men are always considered projects. Look at Val for projections and analysis.

The difference is Bruno is a swing man. Most swing men are generally projected to come in and have some impact. Demar et al.

The last project swing man that I can recall is Kobe drafted as a high schooler.

[kmart]

I appreciate the Raptors for taking that risk. They are taking a risk on a guy with a 7'6 wingspan that can shoot. He's raw, but theres one thing that can take you far in the NBA and it is size.

[Legends66NBA7]

Here's a break down of his summer league play.

[Zan Tabak]

Here's a break down of his summer league play.

Is this a joke?...or did you forget to post the link?

I'm actually curious to know how he played in the summer league, haven't heard much.

[Legends66NBA7]

Is this a joke?...or did you forget to post the link?

I'm actually curious to know how he played in the summer league, haven't heard much.

My bad, I forgot to post the link.

Here you go:


http://youtu.be/HucuLYUaecg

[Zan Tabak]

My bad, I forgot to post the link.

Here you go:


http://youtu.be/HucuLYUaecg

Awesome thanks man!

[BRabbiT]

[QUOTE]
...Back in Toronto after stints in Vancouver & Las Vegas for workouts and basketball camps, Caboclo is serving as a guest counselor at the Americas Team Camp being held at Ryerson

[BRabbiT]

[QUOTE]...the only person at the draft who seemed to know anything about Caboclo was ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla, who specializes in covering international draft prospects. But even Fraschilla didn