by iKe7in on Wed May 24, 2006 12:28 pm
Well considering there are only about 4 teams in the league that are 'awesome,' I expect the Raptors to be "slightly more competitive. And in the east, they don't even have to be .500 to make the playoffs.
Now I'll play the conspiracy theorist and wonder why it took an expansion team 11 years to get a #1 pick. Now it was curious in 2003, when the Raptors had the 3rd best chance of getting the first pick, and we figured the worst we would do is to get Carmelo, which still wouldn't have been too bad. Then, conveniently, the hometown phenom went to Cleveland, then, a possible emerging dynasty was given another piece to keep them strong for years to come (didn't happen, but it could have), and the second worst team got the runner up prize with Carmelo. The two US teams were rejuvenated with budding superstars who saved their franchise, while the Raptors were left on the outside looking in, with many poosible #4 picks, none of which challenged the top 3.
Now we find ourselves in a draft with no clear #1, and absolutely no hype over any one player. Anyone in this draft would have gone #8 or later in 2003. Now that there is no one player that can turn around a franchise, the Raptors get their shot at #1. Tyrus Thomas or Aldrisdge don't do any good. Morrison is a nice player, but he's not going to make the Raps a playoff team in '07. Rudy Gay might fit well wwith Charlie V, but he's not a point guard and could drop to 6 or 7. The top pgs aren't #1 material, and trading down doesn't help much, as those guys are no guarentee, and considering the top 5, no one is going to give up much to move up. Certainly not a Tyson Chandler for Elton Brand situation.
So pretty much Colangelo is going to look bad whatever he does. We'll either end up with someone good but not great, and still not be a true contender, or the pick turns out great, and skips town first chance he gets. Oh well, at least I got hockey.
