I agree with that strategy. Raptors should pursue any opportunity to
get a second pick. But this is easier said than done. Our
team is not exactly overflowing with talent. Our best players have
long expensive contracts. So the best way to acquire a first pick
is by trading an important player like Alvin or JYD for a similar
salaried player with lesser talent plus the pick. Other than future
1st rounders, we don't have cheap young talent to use as trade bait.

The other option is nabbing a big man in the 2nd round. Sure it's a
crapshoot but that's where our scouts earn their money (and it's
about time they do!). This is not such a poor option since there's a
chance we might end up having two 2nd rounders depending on
Cleveland's decision to exercise their 2nd-round pick owed to us.
Also the talent spreads out majorly after the lottery. A pick in the
mid-1st round is arguably not much better than a pick in the late 1st-
round and 2nd round. We should take a long hard look at any one of
the bigmen who may slip into the 2nd round:

Kendrick Perkins 6-11 285 C HS Sr.
Brian Cook 6-10 240 PF Illinois Sr.
James Lang 6-10 340 C Birmingham AL HSSr.
Charlie Villanueva 6-10 215 SF Blairstown, NJ HSSr.
Chris Marcus 7-1 285 C Western Kentucky Sr.
Jerome Beasley 6-10 241 PF North Dakota Sr.
Pavel Podkolzin 7-4 300 C (Russia) 1985
Zaur Pachulia 6-11 260 PF/C (Georgia) 1984
Josh Powell 6-9 230 PF NC State So.
Zarko Cabarkapa 6-11 230 SF/PF (Serbia-Montenegro) 1981


> I have hopes that the raptors can somehow aquire a second good pick
> and draft at least one big man. It would be great to get James or
> Anthony, but I also think it would be a mistake to come out of this
> draft with no big men. AD is old, JYD is small, and Bradley is bad.
> This summer I'd like the raptors to add at least two players taller
> than 6-10. One of those hopefully will be a draft choice.