What BC Can Do At Ninth

Last night it was decided that the Raptors will draft ninth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. The best candidates thought to be available at this position seem to be Tyreke Evans, Earl Clark, Gerald Henderson and Stephen Curry. However, Bryan could also look to trade up in the draft to attain a more NBA-ready player, or a player with a greater upside. Here is our analysis of BC's potential picks.

Tyreke Evans:
Blogs have Tyreke going anywhere from as high as number 5 to as low as number 15. Tyreke is a 6'6 freshman shooting guard out of Memphis. He has good height for a shooting guard, and has all the moves to be a great scorer. He is also not shy to take it to the hoop with his 220 pound frame.
Although he has an amazing ability to finish up at the rim and create his own shot, Tyreke often struggles with shot selection, jump shot consistency, and turnovers (3.6 in his freshman year). These problems will be solved with development, commitment, and coaching.

Raptor Value: B+
Tyreke has the package to become an NBA super scorer and can provide something the Raptors have not had since the early, competitive Vince Carter days, a slashing shooting guard who can take it to the rim. However with Tyreke's bad habits, it is unlikely that he will be able to become an immediate solution to the Raptors (numerous) problems.


Earl Clark:
Mock drafts have Clark going anywhere from 9 to 14, a late lottery pick. Earl is a 6'9 junior small forward out of Louisville. He is a versatile forward who can play the 3 or the 4, who has great basketball IQ and can use his speed and length tremendously in the post. He can also extend the floor with his jump shot and has a great upside.
Although Earl was a great rebounder in college, he will no doubt find some difficulty establishing himself in the post in the NBA level, weighing only 200 pounds will assure that he will not be able to body anyone. Furthermore Earl has lacked consistency at times with his jump shot, especially from three point land.

Raptor Value: B
Drafting Earl could open doors for Bryan Colangelo. Clark provides a small forward who sees the floor excellently, can run the floor, and can rebound from the 3 position. He is more NBA-ready than others in the draft. Drafting Earl could give flexibility in dealing with Shawn Marion for Bryan, possibly leading to a sign and trade scenario. The deal breaker may come down to Earl's ability to achieve consistency with his outside shooting.


Gerald Henderson:
The 6'4 junior shooting guard from Duke has shown terrific development in his years at Duke, improving by 10 points per game in 3 seasons. Mock drafts have Gerald going anywhere from 10 to 22, however most place him in the late lottery. Gerald is a fantastic slasher and defender, and finally found his range in his junior season at Duke. His abilities and on-ball competence have led scouts to believe that Gerald is one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft.
Gerald does lack size at the shooting guard position, and that is something that cannot be improved. Scouts were initially worried with Gerald's passive play and limited offensive abilities, however towards January Gerald took hold of the Duke ship and showed he could be a determined contributor in the NBA.

Raptor Value: B
The Raptors most pressing need is a slashing shooting guard. However, Henderson brings more. He brings something the Raptors have lacked since the days of Doug Christie: solid, dependable wing defense. Gerald may not be the most potent offensively in the draft, however he is a strong candidate for the Raptors and has shown he can improve considerably.

Stephen Curry:
Mock drafts have Curry going at 8 or 9, which is no surprise seeing as the Knicks promised Curry they would pick him with the number 8 pick. Stephen made Davidson a household name his sophomore year, marching them into the NCAA tournament while he averaged 25.9 points per game. Curry is simply the best scorer in America averaging 28.6 ppg this past year. However it was Curry's move to point guard at the start of this year that got people's attention. Curry has good height for a point guard at 6'3, combined with an amazing scoring ability, great court vision, and strong basketball IQ.
Stephen, however, is an agent of the jump shot. He is not very athletic and does not drive the ball very often. His defense is also questionable.

Raptor Value: C+
The Raptors must address their need for a slashing shooting guard. Stephen Curry presents what we already have, shooters and point guards. That being said, Curry is an amazing talent, and could be a great option off the bench backing up Jose (sorry Roko), providing energy and instant offense.


BC's Other Options:
It is no secret that the Raptors need a slashing shooting guard (judging by my constant repetition of that phrase). One NBA exec has called this draft "the worst in recent memory, perhaps of all time", so Bryan may be looking to trade up for a better player. The obvious players that come to mind here are James Harden and DeMar DeRozan, who are considered the two top wingmen in this draft. James is a 6'5 sophomore shooting guard from Arizona State University who can score from anywhere on the floor and has amazing court vision and basketball IQ. What he lacks in flashiness he makes up for in awesomeness - think the Coke Zero version of Manu Ginobili. Demar, the 6'6 USC freshman shooting guard, is an athletic monster. He can drive to the basket and create his own shot, and I am afraid of his athletic ability. However, he has shown inconsistency with his jump shot, and at times, poor basketball IQ and a questionable motor - he compares to a Diet Tracy McGrady, it's much more of a long shot for DeMar to hit superstardom.