| The Raptors Must Select The Best Player Available Authored by Aaron Bronsteter - May 24, 2006 - 12:28 am
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Today, not only did the franchise’s fortunes turn the corner, they ran over everything in sight when Russ Granik announced that the Raptors had won the NBA’s Draft Lottery.
Now it is up to Colangelo, a General Manager who is highly trusted by Raptors faithful, to make the right pick.
My suggestion is that they select the best player available.
Sure, it’s an obvious concept and one that most observers will say is basically a given, but there is one thing that needs to be made clear. That is to assume that you, as a basketball fan, have no idea who the best player available is and that you let the Raptors management, namely Colangelo, make the pick.
Most fans are suggesting LaMarcus Aldridge, others Rudy Gay, some still like Andrea Bargnani, but what the team really needs is a fan base that will trust the moves made by their general manager.
It may be difficult, given the poor draft history that, Vince Carter and Charlie Villanueva aside, this team has had since the days of Isiah Thomas.
Aldridge fills a giant hole, giving the team a back-to-the-basket threat who can grow into, something that I consider to be one of the most dreaded labels, “a legit center.”
Gay is an athletic wing man who can be a potential second star alongside Chris Bosh and already has a solid relationship with former University of Connecticut teammate Villanueva.
Bargnani is something of an unknown. He has a fluid jump shot, runs the floor well and has, perhaps prematurely, been labelled a personal favorite of Colangelo.
But the list does not end there. There are also names like Adam Morrison, Tyrus Thomas and Marcus Williams, all of whom bring unique traits to the table.
Morrison’s leadership and intelligence, Thomas’s freakish athleticism and shot blocking prowess, Williams’s court vision, headiness and outside shot.
Will Raptors fans freak out if they hear Stern call Morrison’s name on June 28? Oh, no doubt. But who the Raptors pick is not for the fans to decide, it’s at the discretion of the GM and not just any GM, but one who has selected Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion in his stellar draft history.
Rather than creating bandwagons or hoping for your guy to get selected, remember who has the NBA experience on draft day and remember that while you may be unhappy with the pick, you’re also not the person calling the commissioner at Madison Square Garden in June.
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