You win some, you lose some.
As everyone knows, drafting is an inexact science but looking back at the Raptors draft history since 2000, there have been some really big losses and a couple of wins.
What follows is a list of who the Raptors selected, who was available and a brief synopsis of how the pick turned out.
2000:(No. 21) Morris Peterson
Others available: (No. 23) DeShawn Stevenson (Utah Jazz), (No. 43) Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks)
You could argue that Stevenson would have been a better choice, but it took him a long time to discover his best role in the league, and at that point he was gone from Utah. Redd was the steal of the draft as he had the most impact of any player selected. Peterson was a solid choice, especially in the lower half of the draft, who averaged 16.8 PPG during the 2005-06 season for Toronto.
2001: (No. 17) Michael Bradley
Others available: (No. 19) Zach Randolph (Portland Trail Blazers), (No. 25) Gerald Wallace (Sacramento Kings), (No. 28) Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs), (No. 30) Gilbert Arenas (Golden State Warriors)
Bradley has to go down in the books as one of the worst choices in Raptors history, especially when you consider some of the names available at the time. He only lasted three seasons in Toronto before being released. Randolph, Wallace, Parker and Arenas have all been on all-star teams, and this past season Parker was in the running for the NBA MVP Award.
2002: (No. 20) Kareem Rush
Others available: (No. 23) Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons), (No. 26) John Salmons (San Antonio Spurs; traded to Philadelphia), (No. 35) Carlos Boozer (Cleveland Cavaliers)
The Raptors drafted Rush and immediately shipped him to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a deal to bring Lindsey Hunter to Toronto. Hunter only played 29 games for Toronto, not exactly the most memorable Raptor of all time. Prince, taken three picks later, was a big part of the Pistons’ most recent title run and still remains with the team today.
2003: (No. 4) Chris Bosh
Others available: (No. 5) Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
Bosh’s exit aside, this was the right pick for Toronto. You could make the case that the Raptors should have selected Wade, but they had Vince Carter at shooting guard and needed help up front. There were very few whiffs early in what was considered to be one of the best drafts of all time, although the Pistons’ pick of Darko Milicic is one of the biggest all-time busts.
2004: (No. 8) Rafael Araújo
Others available: (No. 9) Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers), (No. 15) Al Jefferson (Boston Celtics), (No. 17) Josh Smith (Atlanta Hawks )
The Araújo pick stunned everyone at the time as he was considered to be a late-first-round pick at best. Everyone but then-general manager Rob Babcock read the tea leaves right, as he became a big reason why Babcock was fired a couple of years later. Many expected the Raptors to select Iguodala, and he has proven to be a solid all-around player. Could you imagine a team with Carter, Bosh and Iguodala?
2005: (No. 7) Charlie Villanueva, (No. 16) Joey Graham
Others available: (No. 7) Channing Frye (New York Knicks), (No. 7) Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers), (No. 17) Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers), (No. 29) David Lee (New York Knicks ), (No. 33) Brandon Bass (New Orleans Hornets)
Charlie V. was not a terrible choice — he had a solid if not inconsistent time in Toronto — but Bynum has developed into the second-best centre in the NBA. The Graham pick, however, was the stunner. Again, the Raptors were rumoured to be picking Granger, who went with the very next pick and helped the Pacers to the No. 3 seed in the East this season.
2006: (No. 1) Andrea Bargnani
Others available: (No. 2) LaMarcus Aldridge (Chicago Bulls; traded to Portland), (No. 8) Rudy Gay (Houston Rockets; traded to Memphis), (No. 21) Rajon Rondo (Phoenix Suns; traded to Boston)
The year the Raptors won the lottery and were given the No. 1 overall pick is the year that the NBA raised the draft age limit, weakening the talent pool. Clearly a couple of solid players emerged regardless. Bargnani was finally developing his all-around game this season before he was injured, but Aldridge and Gay have arguably developed into better talents.
2008: (No. 17) Roy Hibbert (traded to Indiana)
Others available: (No. 18) JaVale McGee (Washington Wizards), (No. 21) Ryan Anderson (New Jersey Nets), (No. 24) Serge Ibaka (Seattle SuperSonics)
The Raptors dealt Hibbert to the Pacers for Jermaine O’Neal — clearly a steal by the Pacers. In Bryan Colangelo’s defence, the Raptors were concerned with fielding a winner and trying to convince Chris Bosh to stay in Toronto. Hibbert was another key cog for the Pacers this year while O’Neal was dumped to Miami later in the season in a move which eventually freed up cap space for the Heat to sign Bosh.
2009:(No. 9) DeMar DeRozan
Others available: (No. 10) Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee Bucks), (No. 17) Jrue Holiday (Philadelphia 76ers), (No. 18) Ty Lawson (Minnesota Timberwolves; traded to Denver)
The book is still out on DeRozan. He regressed slightly offensively last season but was slightly better defensively. The Raptors are still looking for a shooter on the wing. Jennings looks like a bit of a head case, but Holiday and Lawson are two of the best young point guards in the league.
2010: (No. 13) Ed Davis
Others available: (No. 18) Eric Bledsoe (Oklahoma City Thunder; traded to L.A. Clippers), (No. 19) Avery Bradley (Boston Celtics), (No. 23) Trevor Booker (Minnesota Timberwolves; traded to Washington)
Considering where the Raptors were making their pick, Davis looks like a solid choice. The team still has yet to work with him for a full summer as he was injured in his first summer and the lockout occurred in Year 2. We should be able to form a better opinion of him next fall.
2011: (No. 5) Jonas Valanciunas
Others available: (No. 8) Brandon Knight (Detroit Pistons), (No. 9) Kemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats), (No. 12) Klay Thompson (Indiana Pacers; traded to Golden State Warriors)
The hype for the big Lithuanian has built up to a fever pitch in Toronto, but it will likely still be a few more years until we know if this pick was a winner or loser. He needs to work on his offensive game and may have issues stating out of foul trouble when he first arrives. That said, he has tremendous potential and you can’t teach size.
