SkywalkerAC

the draft is a cheap way to pick up a backup center but i think almost all of the elite teams in the L have built their backup big collection based around veterans and you've got to compensate for AB with a veteran presence.

thabeet is a freak i guess. like, what's he got hiding under that t=shirt? does this guy even know how to hold a basketball yet? but what project centers have worked in the past decade? do you remember pavel podkolzine?

the draft is really fun/unpredictable at this stage of team development. we're deep enough to question the playing time available to any rookie yet we're in need of an upgrade at any position. yes, even point guard - duh duh duuuuhhhhh

the most irrelevant draft in raptor history, as we've never had this much talent depth (sad, i know) will also be our most important? can BC turn around the team with this draft? is this the draft that his legacy is based on?

i firmly believe that this pick will define BC's era in toronto. the t.dot scouting team is among the best in the L and BC has the wherewithal to get the guy he wants. the draft is where the rich get richer and we stand to benefit nicely from any injection of young talent. just see how other young talents seem to blossom in Sams's system.

i saw a nice interview with Calipari today regarding the evolution of the game and the unguardable nature of the dribble drive. he called it (his system) the Princeton offense on steroids. ball movement is important but more important is where the ball is being driven from.

we've all seen space for Sam's players to put the ball on the floor and move into the lane. Bonner and Kapono were both encouraged to put the ball on the floor and take the shot off the dribble. jamario and andrea often get the space to step in and shoot. a guy that could step in, fake the shot, dribble into the lane and create/finish would be invaluable at this stage of our development.

fact is, we'll be hard pressed to find a wing in the draft better than Joey going into next year. that's not a knock on the draft class - i genuinely think that JG has rounded into a strong, kinda-veteran player. yet i think think that's the position we need to look at most closely.

the team i'm worried about selecting in front of us is the Nets. they too have point guards and bigs, i think they're the team that will take a chance on batum.

maybe that will leave ty smith for us though...

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AC