<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Raptors have invited a couple of Canadians to pre-draft workouts this week at the Air Canada Centre. And not just to fetch stray basketballs. The Raptors are apparently high on Niagara University forward Juan Mendez, who finished his career with the Purple Eagles this season as the highest-scoring Canadian in NCAA history. Mendez averaged 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 2.1 blocks per game at Niagara, shooting 47% from the field, and was an honourable mention on the Associated Press all-American team. The Raptors have, in the past, invited Canadian kids to pre-draft workouts, usually out of courtesy to the player and the national program. But the talented Mendez is not a courtesy workout, though it still is doubtful he will be drafted June 28. "We think he's a good player and he deserves legitimate consideration," Raptors general manager Rob Babcock said. "We're looking for the best players possible." The Raptors will work Mendez out on Friday, along with three other forwards: Ryan Gomes of Providence, Wayne Simien of Kansas and Lawrence Roberts of Mississippi State. On Thursday, the Raptors will put Nate Doornekamp of Odessa, Ont., through his paces at the ACC. </div> Source
I really like Gomes, Simeon, and Roberts and I would like to see them downlow with Chris Bosh. I would like to get one of these three players.
but they're all pf. that would mean that they would be fighting for PT. imo, the raptors wouldnt pick a new pf over the boshdog...
Babs said he'll pick based on talent level, and that means even if the spot is being held by CB4, he will still get the player, possibly to keep as a trade asset.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Swish15:</div><div class="quote_post">Couldn't Bosh move to Center?</div> yes, but hes much better at PF, and he gets beat up at center
It slows Bosh's development playing at the center, maybe if one of those players is undersized or quite big we could play them at SF or C?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Swish15:</div><div class="quote_post">Couldn't Bosh move to Center?</div> ohh, hell no!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Dabigboshdog:</div><div class="quote_post">^^ werd and if we're picking on talent then we shouldnt be picking simien anways</div> I think Simien and most of the players that were being looked at today are second round prospects.
tru but imo i would take juan mendez...he seems good when i watched their only game in the dance...then again...he was playing in a weak division. I dont think that we would take simien just.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post">Pape Sow is the centre of the future for the Raptors....and I'm not joking.</div> Truly Sow! Sow and Bosh are gonna be the guys. we just need a hustler in the C position. like bonner at PF-SF spot. I want someone who is gonna do the dirty work. someone like a mark madsen mentality, i just love those kinda guys but seriously hoffa is definitely suited for the bench. he cant do SHIIIII@#$#t when it comes to starting and playing a vital role. but prove me wrong u crazy brazillian. hopefully this year we can draft on talent and get the positions we need filled. we should dump the Willliamses to the NO so that they can buy out contracts and we get picks for it. cuz they are like of no use to us or NO, well maybe... Fingers crossed for this draft guys.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting urbannomad23:</div><div class="quote_post">Truly Sow! Sow and Bosh are gonna be the guys. we just need a hustler in the C position. like bonner at PF-SF spot. I want someone who is gonna do the dirty work. someone like a mark madsen mentality, i just love those kinda guys but seriously hoffa is definitely suited for the bench. he cant do SHIIIII@#$#t when it comes to starting and playing a vital role. but prove me wrong u crazy brazillian. hopefully this year we can draft on talent and get the positions we need filled. we should dump the Willliamses to the NO so that they can buy out contracts and we get picks for it. cuz they are like of no use to us or NO, well maybe... Fingers crossed for this draft guys. </div> Hey don't forget there is a Alvin Williams too. I wouldn't want to dump him
You don't knock back a talented player just because you have someone else in that position. If he's worth the pick, then you pick him and deal with any potential logjams later.
Mendez I would consider taking with our second round pick if he's still around, but Doorenkemp definitely not. If anything, we could draft Mendez and let him play overseas for a few years, where he'll probably develop more of an outside game as that's the norm in Europe. With range and maybe some more quickness, Mendez could become a big SF, somewhat like Bonner.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Mendez I would consider taking with our second round pick if he's still around, but Doorenkemp definitely not. If anything, we could draft Mendez and let him play overseas for a few years, where he'll probably develop more of an outside game as that's the norm in Europe. With range and maybe some more quickness, Mendez could become a big SF, somewhat like Bonner.</div> I agree, I've only seen one of his games, and he impressed me, and we could get him to play the 3 maybe. At the very least the crowd has something to be happy about because he's Canadian.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pwn3d!:</div><div class="quote_post">You don't knock back a talented player just because you have someone else in that position. If he's worth the pick, then you pick him and deal with any potential logjams later.</div> I totally disagree with that mentality when talking about a draft that is has tight and deep has this one is. There are no far and away better players after the first 3 picks, so its not like taking a role playing SG over a PF all-star just because you have a PF superstar. This team needs some young talent to build around Bosh, and i can think of no other way that can do this for the Raps than the draft. We could use a PG, SG, SF or Center, cause i'm not satisfied with any of the people we have currently occupying them. When you need that much help across the board, why on earth do you take away PT of your growing star while your other position suck, just because you think a PF on the board has 2% more skill than an available SF. I'm ok with using a 2nd rounder on a PF, but our first 2 need to go towards needs that we have now and for the future. Granger is a must. Felton, Jack would be also nice. Wright isnt bad choice if Granger's gone.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Maybe now the Raptors will see the guy they'll eventually take seventh in this month's NBA draft. Having worked out a handful of players at the Air Canada Centre and had none of them blow the talent evaluators away, the team's basketball brain trust is in Chicago today for the pre-draft camp that includes the top prospects for the June 28 draft. The camp, which runs today through Friday at Moody Bible College, is significant in that many of the top prospects actually play games against each other, giving general managers, coaches and scouts a better indication of their skill level. Toronto general manager Rob Babcock, who sits on the committee that determines who gets invited to the camp, said the decision on who gets to go is to serve the entire league, not just any particular team. And with agents trying to get their clients invited, it can be difficult to determine who's worthy, Babcock said. "There are agents who think their guys are top-20, we don't," he said. "We try and make decisions based on the interests of the NBA and what the NBA needs to see. "Some of the invites go to people we need to see, like some (junior college) guy who comes out early. We might not have had time to see him and develop a feel for him." This year's draft is devoid of superstars but is seen as one of the deepest in a while, with enough good players to last deep into the first round. The Raptors, with the No.7 and No.16 selections, have held individual workouts with nearly a dozen players but have come to no consensus on how the draft might play out, and therefore don't know yet what they'll do with either pick. "It's difficult to gauge, it's a different environment," Babcock said of the individual workouts, which usually entail drills and fitness testing rather than games. "The Chicago camp gives you a much better read; unfortunately, not all the top players play there."</div> Source I found this quote interesting by Babcock and was surprised he was on the Moody Bible College selection committee ... "We try and make decisions based on the interests of the NBA and what the NBA needs to see." This year you had Robert Whaley going to the pre-draft, he has 11 convictions (including raping a 13 year old girl). Also Sean Banks was another player always in trouble at college.
