Toronto Raptors Win The Lottery

[chaps]

The Raps won...

Who do you guys think they'll take?

 

[Kings113]

Marcus Williams or LaMarcus Aldridge (can play center, they don't have a center other than Araujo).

PG and center are their needs and where they lack depth.

 

[BMiller52]

DANGIT! I wanted Portland to win. Freaking Canada>_<

 

[chaps]

good for the raps. it was about time they caught a lucky break.

 

[atxrocker]

bet new york wishes they had not traded away their pick. if i had #1 i would take aldridge.

 

[VF21]

It's gonna take a lot more than the #1 pick to fix the Raptors.

 

[x 213 x]

Didn't the Raps say they were willing to trade their 1st round pick?

 

[Kings113]

yes.


Lottery draft predictions, mainly going by team needs:

Raptors - Aldridge/Marcus Williams/Bargnani

Bulls - Aldridge if available, if not, Brandon Roy.

Bobcats - Adam Morrison

Blazers - Tyrus Thomas

Hawks - Marcus Williams if available, if not.. I don't know, O'Bryant or Bargnani? Hawks need a big or PG though.

Wolves - Rudy Gay

Celtics - Rodney Carney. Celts have a lot of young guys, but not an SG like Carney, or really an SG other than Tony Allen, who's probably a 6th man.

Rockets - Randy Foye.

Warriors - Mardy Collins? I dunno really. They already have a lot of young talent, but not someone like Collins.

Sonics - Ronnie Brewer. I'd guess they need a swingman... Wilcox I think stays, maybe need a PF for bench.

Magic - JJ Redick or Mardy Collins if available.

Hornets - Patrick O'Bryant

Sixers - Shelden Williams

Jazz - Maurice Ager

 

[chaps]

It's gonna take a lot more than the #1 pick to fix the Raptors.

They're in great shape for the future though. Bosh is a stud. Charlie was last year's best rookie not named Chris Paul. If they draft LaMarcus Aldridge they'll have the NBA's best frontcourt in a few years. They got Colangelo to pull all the right moves and some cap space and draft picks for him to work with.

Make no mistake, the Raptors will make some noise in the years to come.

 

[Fillmoe]

It's gonna take a lot more than the #1 pick to fix the Raptors.

they have a good chance of making the playoffs next year.... all they need is a C and a PG

 

[Kings113]

Just as importantly, defense. Hopefully for them the PG and center can provide that. Along with Mo Peterson and Joey Graham has shown he can be, Bosh (not sure about his post d, but he's a good rebounder/blocker), Sow (showed he could be a rebounder/blocker at least). Eric Williams didn't play near enough to make an impact, some team will want him though. Namely Philly.

 

[SacTownKid]

Bargnani. They have even watched their team play against the guy. Just too perfect.

 

[captain bill]

It's gonna take a lot more than the #1 pick to fix the Raptors.

Nah, they can get good fast. Villanueva, Bosh, new #1 (or whoever they might trade it for) + enormous cap space for FA or a big trade (Colangelo already alluded to that), and some other decent guys in Mike James (FA though) and Morris Peterson, I'd say they're not in all that bad of a shape. Their GM is good, I'd say with a couple good signings (role players) and the right player in the draft, they could be a boderline playoff team in the soft-bottom east. If not, add another lottery pick to a great young team and they could be good in a few years under Colangelo's guide.

 

[OvechKiN]

Lets not forget about Roko Ukic.
Most people may be unfamiliar with him, but he was touted to go at about #16 but fell all the way to #41 where the Raps picked him up.
6'5" PG who can shoot and is a pass first guy with tremendous foot speed. Also a stud defensively. Currently playing in Spain and hopefully the Raps can bring him to NA soon.

The Toronto Raptors will be a good team for years to come.

 

[Kings113]

Oh yeah, I forgot about him... well I expect Aldridge then. Bargnani I don't think fits the Raps, regardless of them going to see him. As well as Bosh not wanting him and wanting a banger/rebounder/blocker.

 

[4cwebb]

Oh yeah, I forgot about him... well I expect Aldridge then. Bargnani I don't think fits the Raps, regardless of them going to see him. As well as Bosh not wanting him and wanting a banger/rebounder/blocker.

I haven't paid too much attention to the foreign players qualified to be drafted that high, but I'd be interested in seeing the Raptors take Brandon Roy (maybe they could trade down and still get him) --- with Bosh at the PF/C and Charlie V. and the SF/PF, unless they can get a true C that is going to make an immediate impact (i.e., someone a little bit better than Bogut), I think they need a quality guard, and from watching Roy in the NCAAs, that is exactly what they'd get if they drafted that guy. Any chance they can swing a deal with Milwaukee to get Magloire? I seem to recall hearing that the Bucks weren't exactly thrilled with his past season, and he's Canadian.

 

[VF21]

Nah, they can get good fast. Villanueva, Bosh, new #1 (or whoever they might trade it for) + enormous cap space for FA or a big trade (Colangelo already alluded to that), and some other decent guys in Mike James (FA though) and Morris Peterson, I'd say they're not in all that bad of a shape. Their GM is good, I'd say with a couple good signings (role players) and the right player in the draft, they could be a boderline playoff team in the soft-bottom east. If not, add another lottery pick to a great young team and they could be good in a few years under Colangelo's guide.

Okay, you're pretty much proving my point. The draft pick ALONE is not going to make the difference. They're going to need to make some other good moves before they'll be able to compete with the other teams in their division.