<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 44Thrilla:</div><div class="quote_post">I read Colangelo's quotes in the article, and I'm still not convinced that he's keeping the pick. Sounds to me like he's getting this out there to see if other teams will step up their offers for that top pick. Bargnani can be had with a late top 10 pick, so if that's who he goes with, then I think he wasted a golden opportunity to gain another valuable asset.</div> i agree with you completely. i have a feeling that hes just waiting for a team to make an offer in desperation for the pick. if he does keep the pick, i hope he picks aldridge or gay. im not too sold on bargnani yet.
Is it just me that sees some parallells between Bargnani and Rudy Gay? Both have amazing size, athleticism, and skill sets. However, they've both had seasons that have fallen somewhat short of expectations. Ultimately, both have questions about their lack of desire and intensity. I think they both entail a certain amount of risk, but as none of us have seen Bargnani on a regular basis, we assume that he's a riskier pick. Personally, if we don't choose Aldridge (which I'm swinging towards after hearing Colangelo), I'd prefer Morrison.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">they've both had seasons that have fallen somewhat short of expectations</div> Not too sure about what you mean here in reference to Andrea Bargnani. The year before, he was averaging 3 ppg then just shot up to 11 and 6, claiming the Euroleague Rising star award.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Eclipse:</div><div class="quote_post">Looks like Colangelo decided to keep the pick. He's narrowed it down to two players: http://tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=169858&hubname=</div> To be honest, I think Aldridge is a bust.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting vcwannabe15:</div><div class="quote_post">For some reason I think that he will pick Andrea Bargnani and if he picks him over LaMarcus Aldridge I would call it a bad pick.</div> How can you say that?? How much have you seen Bargnani?? From what I've seen, he looks like he could be a very special player. Lemme ask you, what team could match up with Toronto's "potential" front court? You think there could be some mismatches we could take advantages of? A front court that averages 6'11'' and can shoot from outside, put the ball of the floor. Quick players who can shoot over or post up players that match them in quickness or blow by those other players that can match them in height! No team in the NBA has the roster that could match with Toronto's "potential" line up. Then you have Mo Pete who can hit the outside with consistancy as well as put it on the floor. I love our core. I think this is BRAND NEW basketball which we will become a model of NBA basketball. Instead of us saying we are the "insert team here" of the EAST, other NBA teams will say, " We are the Toronto of the WEST" Shaq says that he is the "last center standing" and the way of the future is a more diversified center like a Bargnani. I think he is right and guess what.......we are leading the way!
you can draft pure potential on lottery picks but not on top 3 unless it's an ultra weak draft....detroit learned a big lesson 3 years ago i don't think this draft is weak more like balanced toronto has #1 overall they shouldn't risk that much with bargnani when there are capable guys like Roy and Morrison around bargnani is not a centre...i repeat..not a centre..i won't even consider him PF until i see his post games and more intensive rebounding therefore what make you think he is part of the "front court"? he even admitted that coaches never taught him how to play inside in europe...they just tell him to stay on perimeter and create mismatches he might be special someday but not instantly and toronto doesn't have enough time to wait anymore toronto fans suffered enough they deserve better therefore they shouldn't wait for a miracle they should witness a good run before their patience runs out
Oh man you guys all fooled by a smokescreen to try to increase the value of the #1 pick so team would want to trade up and get him so toronto can go down and stoop for lamarcus aldridge. The pick is lamarcus aldridge no question. Why do you think bosh so intent on signing extention now. Why does he praise the management so much now. Why do they now decide to keep the first pick? Its aldridge i am telling you he is what the toronto raptors want and need. A transitional center who can beat other centers down the floor and run can grab rebounds block shots and has decent low post game could some day average 20/12/3 he is what we will get.
alderidge definitely wont avg 12 rebounds a game heck even duncan has a hard time on doing that last year also when you say 20/12/3 that usually means 3 assists a game alderidge is not brad miller or garnett if you meant 3 blocks then i am sorry you are dreaming actually 20/12/3 being your prediction means you are too high on some drugs a friendly reminder: it's illegal to drink being a minor, and definitely not legal to smoke and i hope you doing neither stay in school and drink milk it's good for you
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting tinyballer:</div><div class="quote_post">Oh man you guys all fooled by a smokescreen to try to increase the value of the #1 pick so team would want to trade up and get him so toronto can go down and stoop for lamarcus aldridge. The pick is lamarcus aldridge no question. Why do you think bosh so intent on signing extention now. Why does he praise the management so much now. Why do they now decide to keep the first pick? Its aldridge i am telling you he is what the toronto raptors want and need. A transitional center who can beat other centers down the floor and run can grab rebounds block shots and has decent low post game could some day average 20/12/3 he is what we will get.</div> You have been reading too many columns from the so-called experts thinking they know exactly what Colangelo is going to do. When in fact he probably hasn't even made his decision yet and there's still many things that can happen between now and the draft. On an unrelated note: who's excited to read Bill Simmon's Draft Day Diary? It's been absolutely hilarious the past few years. He always comments on player's clothes, their posses and their reactions. Funny stuff.
Bargnani is not THAT raw. Look at his stats. 11 ppg in the euroleaugue. Maybe hard to appreciate that for Americans, but this is not like playing for some second division Yugoslavian team or some high school. His team is probably better than any NCAA team. Sure, he will have to adapt to the NBA game, but the chances that he is a real bust are very small.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Mr.Wade:</div><div class="quote_post">Not too sure about what you mean here in reference to Andrea Bargnani. The year before, he was averaging 3 ppg then just shot up to 11 and 6, claiming the Euroleague Rising star award.</div> Yea, but when it became obvious that he would enter the draft, people began looking for him to show some consistency and assert himself more often. Not that it was necessarily fair, but Bargnani hasn't shown the same level of dominance that Gasol and Dirk did before they came over. The main point I'm trying to get across is that we assume that, because we haven't seen one player enough, that it's risky. When in fact, there could just as much risk involved in choosing Gay.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bargnani hasn't shown the same level of dominance that Gasol and Dirk did before they came over</div> Actually he has shown more than both of these players at their respective time and teams. Gasol averaged 11 ppg on his FC Barcelona team which is commendable, but they weren't a winning team like Bargnani's. Dirk also did not show much at all until playing an exhibition game against Pippen, Barkely etc. Then at the Nike Hoops Summit for young Euro stars he dropped 33 and 14 which is where he got all the attention to get drafted.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Mr.Wade:</div><div class="quote_post">Actually he has shown more than both of these players at their respective time and teams. Gasol averaged 11 ppg on his FC Barcelona team which is commendable, but they weren't a winning team like Bargnani's. Dirk also did not show much at all until playing an exhibition game against Pippen, Barkely etc. Then at the Nike Hoops Summit for young Euro stars he dropped 33 and 14 which is where he got all the attention to get drafted.</div> Well, I've obviously fallen into some b.s. opinions by writers that don't know what they're talking about, because I've read multiple times that Bargnani has yet to show the consistency and intensity of the pre-NBA Nowitzki and Gasol. At least you can agree that the risks with drafting Bargnani and Gay are pretty much the same.
