Raptors Looking to trade down!!!

[Wurider05]

Could we just swap picks right now or do you think that they will draft Aridge and use him as bait to get one of the point guards that they want. Maybe Salim and #5 for the Number 1 pick? We can't trade Al right now. Maybe we are content with the number 5 pick if we can land Shelden Williams. I think that I want Salim to stick around afterall. Is Aldridge and Thomas head and shoulders better than Shelden Williams???

[tmac13]

Salim..haha..He doesn't have any value at all..Midget shooting guards are a dime a dozen..It would take something like Chillz and the 5 to move up..Thats alot to pay when the top 6 or 7 look about the same.

[Lascar78]

most toronto fans expect either chill or smoove to trade down to us

[DeacKillsaDevil]

Shelden at #5? Isn't that a little high for him?

[Lascar78]

Agreed. I would be disgusted if we took Shelden at 5.

[KB21]

I think they will stay at #1 and take Andrea Bargnani. Bryan Colangelo is going to look at every possible situation he could be in, but in the end, I don't think anyone will offer enough value to get him to move off that top pick.

[Diesel]

I'd take Shelden, Simmons, or Morrison at #5.

[Diesel]

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Is Aldridge and Thomas head and shoulders better than Shelden Williams???

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Some people would tell you that these guys have more upside than Shelden but Shelden is better right now.

The same people would tell you that this draft doesn't have any franchise players but a lot of good players.

If you look at both statements... and you are honest. You realize that Maybe Aldridge and Thomas can come in the league and get better.. but neither will be Elton Brand or Tim Duncan.

This draft is low on potential...That shouldn't automatically mean that the player with potential gets a pass to the front of the draft. In a draft like this.. to me, you select the best player available not based on potential but based on ability. IN this case, I think Shelden Williams should be much higher. I also believe that Cedric Simmons is probably better than Thomas. I like Aldridge but I realize that he's not much better than Williams nor will he be.

[DJlaysitup]

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...I think Shelden Williams should be much higher...

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My prediction is...if we take Shelden, and snt Al with Salim for the best guard we can get...Shelden will be ROY next year easy (especially since he'll be a starter and have the best inside stuff on our team).

...but I've been wrong before

[drzachary]

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...I think Shelden Williams should be much higher...

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My prediction is...if we take Shelden, and snt Al with Salim for the best guard we can get...Shelden will be ROY next year easy (especially since he'll be a starter and have the best inside stuff on our team).

...but I've been wrong before

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I'd love it if that happened, and I'm a Duke-hater to the core. Things change, I guess. I'd even like it if we were one of the teams willing to take a flyer on Jay Williams. He has the talent, it's just a question on how his body has recovered.

[AHF]

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most toronto fans expect either chill or smoove to trade down to us

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Smoove??? Are they freaking crazy? I wouldn't trade Smoove straight up for the #1 pick let alone the #5 and Smoove or Chill.

If they are talking straight up the #1 for Smoove or Childress, I'd do it in a heartbeat for Chill.

[Lascar78]

Yeah I'd probably do it for Chill and then take Aldridge.

No way for Smith.

[AHF]

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Yeah I'd probably do it for Chill and then take Aldridge.

No way for Smith.

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Are the Raptors fans talking straight up Chill for the #1 pick? I have a hard time seeing that one.

On the other hand, I have a hard time believing they really think we'd trade a top shotblocker, emerging scorer and highlight film caliber guy AND the #5 pick (which could be better than #1 this year) for their pick.

Neither one of those scenarios seems reasonable to me.

[DJlaysitup]

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Yeah I'd probably do it for Chill and then take Aldridge...

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Not likely anybody would be dumb enough to trade the #1 for a guy who doesn't start. Would be nice, but I imagine Colangelo is smarter than that.

I wouldn't be surprised if Colangelo makes a move however. One thing I'm guessing his time in PHX taught him is you have to design your team around a system and you have to get guys who like where they play instead of wanting to go to LA or NY. Euros seem like the logical choice though so Bargnani might be his fella.

[Diesel]

I hate Duke too and have always thought their program produces bad pros..

However, Shelden has a body of work that is good. He's a good player. So he doesn't jump out of the building.. He still gets the job done. I think he fits our needs exactly. To a lesser extent, I feel the same way about Simmons. I think Simmons has less of a track record, but I think he can be a Pf stud at this level in the next 3-4 yrs.

[DrReality]

I;m really surprised to see you include Simmons in the top three. I remember watching him play this past year and his presence reminded me of "Chocolate Thunder" (forget his name) the kid who played for Philly and didn't attend h.s. I think he's got more upside than Sheldon. He had a presence on the court that you had to pay attention to. Big kid.

Also this talk about trading our pick and one of our young guys is crazy. Completely crazy. Simmons may be better than Aldridge anyway.

[DJlaysitup]

If I'm not mistaken "Chocolate Thunder" was from the planet "Lovetron"...

[DJlaysitup]

from citypaper.net:

The Basketball World According To Chocolate Thunder

Philly is a hoops town, and former Sixer Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins is a beloved basketball character like none other, even if he left the local squad a year before they won the city's last championship. In his recently released book, 52 Weeks: Interviews with Champions! (Lyons Press), author Dave Hollander speaks with Dawkins, the NBA's original man-child -- first ever to move directly from high school to the NBA and first ever to shatter a backboard -- about the sport that some say Philly has long owned. As always, Chocolate Thunder doesn't fail to entertain:

You've claimed to come from Planet Lovetron but actually grew up in Orlando. When did you realize the discrepancy?

[Diesel]

I think Simmons has more upside than Aldridge or Thomas simply based on his size and ability. The question is can he live up to his potential... That I don't know. But I like him second behind Shelden in our book..

[mrhonline]

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You've claimed to come from Planet Lovetron but actually grew up in Orlando. When did you realize the discrepancy?

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That reminds me of the times my grandfather would ask me when I realized I was "different" from everyone else...