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NBA Scouting Reports, Atlantic Division (Part Three)

NBA Scouting Reports, Atlantic Division (Part Three)
Feb 03, 2009, 03:03 am
Continuing our series of articles filling out our database with scouting reports of every single NBA player, we look at the third team in the Atlantic division, the Toronto Raptors.

As a reminder, we are not currently profiling rookies or sophomores, but you should be able to find in-depth scouting reports on every player of note by following the links on their profiles or using our search engine above.

Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons
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Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards
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New Orleans Hornets and San Antonio Spurs
Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento Kings
Phoenix Suns
Denver Nuggets
Utah Jazz
Portland Trailblazers
Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder
Boston Celtics
New York Knicks

Toronto Raptors

Andrea Bargnani

Outlook: Former #1 overall pick who has finally begun to break out in his third NBA season. Shows tantalizing talent and an incredibly high skill-level for a 7-footer. Has great size, a nice frame, long arms and solid mobility for his position. Not an athletic freak, but very coordinated. Fluid, yet not overly explosive, particularly around the rim. Amazing perimeter shooter who can create his own shot with ease, but still has a ways to go in terms of learning how to play winning basketball. A mediocre rebounder and defender who is not all that efficient offensively. Still has considerable upside to continue to develop. The first European player ever drafted first overall. Took a long time to develop a comfort level playing in the NBA, and wasn’t helped by the fact that he does not compliment Chris Bosh. Shot-selection, feel for the game, toughness, conditioning and passing ability still need to improve in order to reach his full potential.

Offense: An amazing offensive talent who can score from anywhere on the court. Primarily a jump-shooter at this point in his career, gets nearly half of his offensive possessions on spot-up opportunities. Possesses a terrific jumper with a quick and high release point and excellent mechanics. Sets his feet and shoulders instinctively and drains shots with the greatest of ease. Terrific both from mid-range and beyond the arc, with his feet set or even off the dribble. Dangerous pick and pop threat and capable of coming off screens. Likes to utilize shot-fakes from the 3-point line and take one dribble before pulling up for a clean look. Tends to settle for contested fade-aways a little too often, which makes it difficult for him to be a very efficient offensive player. Doesn’t have much of a back to the basket game, looks far more comfortable facing up. Has nice footwork and pivot-moves angling his way around the basket, but really shies away from contact, making it difficult for him to finish in traffic. Doesn’t like to grind in the post and has been accused of being a little bit soft. Has a great first step and is a terrific ball-handler for his size. Still learning how to fully utilize this part of his game, as he’s a fairly poor finisher around the rim. Tends to get too cute, looking for the spectacular finish rather than the effective one. Left hand not as strong as his right, both creating shots and finishing around the basket. Gets to the line at a decent rate and shoots an outstanding percentage once there. An average passer who displays just a decent feel for the game. Will make a great pass once in a while, but for the most part is pretty content looking for his own offense. Gets almost no offense rebounds, one of the worst in the NBA amongst big men in that regard.

Defense: Largely mediocre on this end of the floor. Will put in a decent effort, but has a hard time being effective. Lacks the strength to deny centers position on the block—gets pushed around, and is fairly foul prone. Not agile enough to defend perimeter oriented power forwards or be effective switching on the pick and roll. Lateral quickness is average at best, making him very susceptible to being beat from the perimeter. Awareness, experience level need to improve substantially. Gets out of his stance quickly at times and tends to lose his focus. One of the worst defensive rebounding big men in the NBA. Gets very few steals or blocks either considering his length.


Chris Bosh

Overview: An extremely long and athletic young power forward who needed little time to develop into a franchise caliber player. Has great size and a big wingspan for the power forward position. Not physically built, but has put on some weight since entering the League. Possesses elite quickness and leaping ability for a player his size. Brings a lot to the table on the offensive end, as he is terrific at creating his own shot. Can score from all over the place. Doesn’t have the bulk to be a great defender, but is a factor due to his length, quickness and leaping ability. Used one very productive year at Georgia Tech to propel himself to the top of the lottery. Garnered the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year Award for his efforts. Took little time to acclimate to the NBA level. Would have been a candidate to with the NBA Rookie of the Year Award if he were in another draft class. Needed only two seasons to become an elite talent. Three time All-Star with many more on the horizon. Still has some things to work on, but his age and work ethic gives him some potential despite his experience level.

Offense: One of the game’s best young post scorers. Gets about a quarter of his shots up from post ups with another fifth coming from each of spot ups, pick and rolls, and isolations. Has a decent left handed jumper that he can shoot with consistent range out to around 22-feet. Not a great catch and shoot option, but improving slowly. Has dramatically improved his ability to hit shots off the dribble. Still has some room to improve his jumper. Doesn’t have to rely on his jumper due to his tremendous quickness. Able to beat his man off the dribble regularly. Pretty good ball handler for a player his size. Tends to drive all the way to the rim rather than pull up when he puts the ball on the floor. Isn’t terribly effective when he gets cut off. Gifted post player. Likes to take turnarounds over his left shoulder and go to his hook over his right. Tends to get most of his touches on the right block. Length and quickness lets his get a ton of separation when he spins off his man at the rim. Has some nice up and under moves. More of a face up threat than a traditional back to the basket player. Has no trouble beating his man to the rim when he turns to face. Will create a lot of match-up problems with his quickness. Great finisher at the rim when he’s not posting up. Loves to dunk in traffic. Doesn’t finish with contact consistently, but won’t hesitate to try and get to the line. Shoots a ton of free throws and knocks them down at a very high rate. Ability to get to the line and foul shooting is what makes him so productive. Length makes him a good offensive rebounder. Turns the ball over when he gets too loose with the ball on his drives. About average as a passer. A very prolific option who should be a mainstay amongst the League’s top scorers at the power forward position. Still can refine his offensive skill package to some degree, mainly by improving his efficiency from the field. Improving his range.

Defense: A capable post defender that can do some nice things on the block. Has the ability to step out and effective defender almost any post player when they face up or catch the ball out on the perimeter. Matches up much better with power forwards who prefer to set up on the outside. Has great lateral quickness for a player his size. Can hedge screens effectively and guard many players when forced to switch. Will get roughed up by back to the basket centers. Has a very hard time holding position due to his lack of size. Isn’t forced to bang as much as he used to with Jermaine O’Neal around. Will stay with his man’s post moves getting some blocks on the ball, but also committing some fouls. Rebounds the ball and block shots at a respectable rate, but isn’t a major standout in either. Needs to show better anticipation when coming over from the weakside. Has cut down on his fouls significantly over time, but may never be strong enough to be a consistently effective defender.


Jose Calderon

Overview: A talented Spanish point guard that blossomed as a backup, but was inevitably going to be a starter. Has great size for an NBA point guard, and is built relatively well. Not an elite athlete, but has good foot speed and overall athleticism. Maximizes his physical skills with heady and aggressive play. Does a great job setting up his teammates, but has improved his ability to score from the perimeter. Was considered more of a shooting guard than a true point early on in his career, and has mastered the position amazingly well over the last few years. Showed the potential to be a very solid NBA player in Spain due to his athleticism, perimeter shooting ability and improving playmaking skills, and was brought over as a free agent. Was a well decorated player on the Junior level for the Spanish National Team and has become one of the staples of his homeland’s Senior National Team. Didn’t stand out enough to get drafted when he was eligible. Was one of the better backup point guards in the NBA almost immediately. Developed at a very high rate despite his age. Brings great intangibles to the table. Plays the game with a lot of verve. Great teammate. Extremely underrated.

Offense: A highly efficient lead guard that gets it done as both a playmaker and complementary scorer. Gets almost two thirds of his offense in pick and roll situations with another portion coming from spot ups and isolations. Gets the majority of his shots up from the perimeter. Has a tremendous jump shot featuring great arc and rhythm. Doesn’t need a lot of space to get his shot off. Can hit the three, but it took him a few seasons to develop NBA range. Is now one of the best 3-point shooters in the League. A great catch and shoot threat at this point. Very good shooter off the dribble. Capable of pulling up when driving in either direction, but is more effective going right. Much more effective when he drives right in general. Shows great touch on all of his shots around the rim. Able to turn the corner on the pick and roll, showing very crafty finishing ability with his right hand. Loves to go to the scoop to beat get himself a little extra separation from his defender. Finishes at a shocking rate for a point guard that isn’t an elite leaper or lightning quick. Doesn’t get to the free throw line a ton, but almost never misses once there. Has become one of the games’ top assist-men. Incredibly good decision maker on the pick and roll. Loves to fake passes to open up lanes for himself. Especially savvy when he’s hedged or draws a help defender. Turns the ball over at a very low rate for how much he handles the ball. Will be amongst the League leaders in assist to turnover ratio year in and year out. A very heady player across the board. Quite an asset considering his combination of sparkling shooting, outstanding playmaking and minimal mistakes.

Defense: Does not possess great length or lateral quickness, but will show a very good effort level and active hands. Gets in a low stance and keep his feet moving, allowing him to make a good attempt to keep up with faster players. Still, isn’t quick enough to consistently keep his man out of the lane, and will get burned fairly regularly by the better point guards in the league. Tends to show great anticipation when reaching in for steals, but will sometimes jump out of position in anticipation of a drive. Always closes out under control, but has a hard time recovering when beat. Will fight through screens. Rebounds the ball at a decent rate for a point guard. Plays a very fundamental, active brand of defense, allowing him to make up for his shortcomings at times. Can be a liability against certain matchups, though.


Joey Graham

Overview: A decent small forward with all kinds of physical assets who hasn’t developed his game enough to warrant consistent minutes. One of the strongest players at his position in the NBA. Couples his great build with good size and a big wingspan. Possesses very good overall athleticism. Shows a nice first step, runs the floor well, and can make some explosive plays at the rim. Hasn’t developed the perimeter skills necessary to be a contributor, and lacks a great feel for the game. Can play tough defense. Had a nice two year stint at Oklahoma State after starting his career at Central Florida. Was very productive as a senior. Garnered a selection in the middle of the first round. Has had a very hard time breaking out of his combo forward mold to become a legitimate NBA roleplayer. Needs to make some significant improvements to his perimeter game to get some long-term security. Currently not a threat from beyond the arc and not a good enough ball-handler to consistently create his own shot. Has become a bit more perimeter oriented recently. Has the physical tools to be a good player, but needs to build his game to fit a role. Twin brother Stephen currently plays for the Indiana Pacers.

Offense: Has been a somewhat efficient option in limited opportunities recently, but has struggled historically. Gets most of his touches in spot up situations, in the post against smaller wings, cutting to the rim, and going one-on-one. Doesn’t have ideal form on his jumper. Defenses don’t have to respect him from beyond the arc. Gets good elevation, but lacks the touch to be an effective catch and shoot player. Much more effective off the dribble. Hits pull up jumpers at a respectable rate, and is much more comfortable when he’s able to get closer to the rim for his shot. Not going to take many threes, and not going to make many either. Hits the 15-footer consistently, and has found more chances to take it recently. An average ball-handler who is unable to turn the corner consistently. Likes to drive right when he puts the ball on the floor and when he does go left, likes to go all the way to the rim. Hasn’t shown the capability to put the ball on the floor very effectively in the half-court. Showing some improvements in the consistency of his pull up jumper. Will still have some bouts of inconsistency, especially against defenders who can contest his shot. Strength gives him the ability to get separation when he initiates contact. Tough to stop when he has a head of steam on the fast break. Can do some damage in the post against weaker defenders. Not a bad finisher at the rim due to his explosiveness and strength. Will get a little wild at the rim when he forces things. Goes to the line at a solid rate and shoots at very solid percentage. Runs the floor well in transition and moves well without the ball. Needs to continue improving his perimeter skills to not be a liability offensively. If he could add about five feet or so of range to his jumper he’d be a much more passable roleplayer.

Defense: A somewhat disinterested defender who has the physical traits to be a nice stopper. Doesn’t always show the best intensity or focus on the defensive end, choosing to rely on his strength too often. Lacks awareness and feel on this end of the floor. Will get beaten off the dribble periodically when he doesn’t get in a good stance. Likes to try and push his man out of position when he’s forced to recover. Gets called for a ton of fouls for a wing player getting limited minutes. Isn’t very active when his man has the ball. More of a reactive defender than anything else. Won’t give up an inch to most wings in the post due to his physical stature. Doesn’t fight through screens as well as he should. Rebounds the ball at an excellent rate. Won’t force many turnovers. Would be much more valuable off the bench if he focused his energies and focus towards being a good defender.


Kris Humphries

Overview: A strong, young power forward that has been productive in limited playing time, but has yet to find a real niche in the NBA. Has average physical tools. Possesses decent size and long arms for a power forward along with a sculpted frame. A decent athlete who doesn’t show great lift getting off the ground. Shows some tools offensively, but hasn’t polished them on any discernable level to be able to call plays for. Not a back to the basket threat, and struggles with the consistency of his jumper outside of 15 feet. Will work hard on the glass and provide some defensive intensity. Was a much better college player, simply dominant during his single season at Minnesota. Took the Big Ten by storm by putting up almost 20 and 10 on a nightly basis. Named Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year. Garnered a selection in the middle of the first round, but has had a hard time finding sustained playing time behind Bargnani and Bosh. Was strong enough to bully his way to big games on the college level, but lacks the size to do that in the NBA. Needs to continue to develop his shooting touch, as well as improve his shot-selection.

Offense: An assertive offensive player who lacks the skill-level or athleticism to be overly productive against good defenders. Gets about two-fifths of his shots in spot up situations, with pick and rolls, post ups, and hustle plays comprising the vast majority of his other opportunities. Doesn’t possess a consistent jump shot, and seems to lack arc on it at times. Has a very slow release, lacking ideal touch due to a lack of fluidity at times. Won’t hesitate to take open jumpers when he has them. Isn’t a consistent catch and shoot threat yet, but is a much better one than he used to be. Much more effective off the dribble when going to the rim. Prefers to drive right and has the ball handling ability to change directions if he has to. Uses his strength well, and has been taking less of the low-percentage midrange shots he has taken frequently in the past. Likes to get his man on his hip and overpower him all the way to the rim. Not a bad finisher once he gets to the basket. Won’t hesitate to go right at his defender. Goes to the line at a very high rate, and shoots a decent percentage when he gets there. Does a great job crashing the offensive glass. Sets solid screens and moves well without the ball. Pretty active, but more scrappy than talented at this point. Lack of a back to the basket game hurts him, particularly on this team. Not much of a passer, to say the least—looks primarily for his own offense and is very quick to pull the trigger. Was considered to be somewhat selfish in college.

Defense: Brings some things to the table defensively, but isn’t tall or experienced enough to be a factor. Has the strength to hold position on the block, but shows questionable awareness. Usually initiates contact after his man already has the ball. Uses leverage effectively, but is sometimes too intent on not getting backed down, allowing his man to spin off him for an easy look. Has the quickness to defend the perimeter to some extent, but that isn’t a major asset for him. Shows very active hands. Does a good job contesting shooters, but lacks the speed and leaping ability to record many rejections. Rebounds the ball at a nice rate, but gets called for some fouls by being too physical. Has a tough time with longer, more athletic power forwards. Provides a nice effort, but isn’t quite athletic enough to defend the League’s better post scorers.


Nathan Jawai

Rookie. Click profile to read scouting report from last year.

Jason Kapono

Overview: One of the game’s top shooting specialists. Doesn’t bring much to the table physically. Has very good height for a small forward (6-6 ½ without shoes) which helps his ability to get his shot off, but has extremely short arms (6-6 ½ wingspan). Lacks athleticism. Has passable strength, but is not quick, fast, or explosive. Possesses arguably the purest stroke in the NBA. Had one of the best three point shooting seasons in NBA history in 2007. Brings essentially nothing to the defensive end. Was a prolific four year player for the UCLA Bruins. Named the PAC-10 Freshman of the Year in 2000 and garnered All-PAC-10 First Team honors during all four of his collegiate seasons. Earned a spot in the early second round for his potential as a three point threat. Was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats in the expansion draft. Parlayed his tremendous 2007 season with the Heat into a big contract. Has seen his shooting efficiency decline in recent seasons, with teams doing a better job contesting his shots.

Offense: One of the game’s elite shooting specialists. Isn’t having the best season of his career, but still lands amongst the most proficient shooters in the game. Pretty effective as a role-player, but should be considered just that rather than a major offensive option. Gets the vast majority of his touches in catch and shoot situations from the perimeter. Has one of the purest jump shots in the game. Has the size to get it off over most defenders. Used to be almost as good with a hand in his face as he was when wide open. No longer hits shots as consistently with a hand in his face. Has improved his midrange game significantly since his college days. Pretty capable off the dribble. Doesn’t need a lot of space to get his shot off. Supremely confident. Not an awful ball handler, but isn’t agile enough to create separation with his crossover. Likes to drive left and pull up for jumpers. Doesn’t turn the ball over at a high rate. Works hard off of screens and shows great footwork out on the perimeter. Poor finisher. Lacks the athleticism to get open looks at the rim. Not going to make plays above the rim either. Needs to be a lot craftier around the basket. Shoots a good percentage from the line, but only gets there once in a blue moon. Takes great care of the ball, but isn’t a playmaker by any means. Has everything you look for in a shooter, but his lack of slashing ability makes it tough to consider him anything more than a shooting specialist.

Defense: Lacks the athleticism to be a factor on this end. Will actually give some effort, but isn’t quick enough to defend many small forwards one-on-one. Lacks the recovery speed to close out shooters or contest shots when he’s out of position. Has a very hard time defending faster players. Becomes a major liability when he sags into the paint when defending off the ball. Gets beaten off the dribble too frequently when he has to jump back into position. Uses his body relatively well against players with similar physical gifts. Won’t produce many turnovers, grab many rebounds, or commit many fouls. A liability on the defensive end who does show some effort, but can’t compensate for the fact that he lacks the physical gifts to make any impact.


Jamario Moon

Sophomore.

Jermaine O’Neal

O’Neal was already profiled as a member of the Indiana Pacers. Follow his profile link to read his scouting report.

Anthony Parker

Overview: A European basketball legend who returned to the NBA for a second try after some bad luck early in his career. Possesses prototypical size and length for an NBA shooting guard. Not an elite run and jump athlete, but has some nice tools. Deceptively quick, and very fluid with the ball in his hands. Not a great leaper, but can play above the rim from time to time. Not very explosive when he can’t gather himself and jump off of two feet. Plays with a ton of poise and possesses great fundamentals offensively. Feel for the game is off the charts. Pretty versatile player on both ends of the floor. Makes some plays defensively despite not having great lateral quickness anymore. Had a productive four year career at Bradley. Named Missouri Valley Conference Most Valuable Player in his third year. Seemed to peak as a junior, missing some games in his last season and not matching the production that put him on the NBA radar. Still managed to get picked late in the first-round. Was traded a number of times early in his career and missed a ton of time due to injuries. Found himself out of the NBA and in the CBA after his rookie deal expired. Went overseas to rebuild his career. Improved considerably thanks to his tremendous work ethic and the terrific situation he landed in. Won the SuproLeague with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2001 and the Euroleague in 2004 and 2005. Led Maccabi to consecutive domestic championships every year in Israel. Two time Euroleague Most Valuable Player. One of the most decorated players in European basketball history. Returned to the United States and quickly became one of the game’s most efficient players. Hasn’t been as brilliant in his third season back in the NBA, as his age may be catching up to him finally. Needs to play next to perimeter players who can create their own shot consistently, and unfortunately doesn’t have that luxury. Still one of the best American players to make the trip back from overseas. Great teammate and terrific overall intangibles. Brother of WNBA superstar Candace Parker.

Offense: A moderately productive veteran who is beginning to decline in terms of his ability to score inside the arc. Gets almost one-third of his looks as a spot up shooter with another significant portion of his offense coming off of the pick and roll. Doesn’t get as many clean looks as he did last year, handling the ball much more and struggling to maintain his consistency. Has a very sound shooting stroke. Fundamentals allow him to be effective and consistent from the inside and out. Tremendous midrange game. Has developed into a reliable three point shooting threat. Possesses some of the best perimeter footwork in the League. Does a very nice job staying active and making his man chase him around screens. Always gets to the open spot in transition. Good catch and shoot option. Capable of hitting shots off the dribble with consistency as well. More efficient when he only has to take one dribble to get space. Lacks the blow by quickness to be a highly effective shooter when he’s force to take a short-range jumper. Lack of elite quickness hurts his ability to create separation, but he is great at identifying opportunities to attack when his defender is off balance. Not a good finisher at the rim, and is proving to be a less consistent finisher recently than he has been in the past. Will get a lot of his drives cut off by defenders. Doesn’t take contact well and won’t go to the line at a high rate. A good player to have on the floor late in a close game due to his free throw shooting ability. Very fundamentally sound across the board. Not a playmaker, but a very smart passer. Seldom turns the ball over. Not a flashy player in the least, but the type of savvy veteran that will do what needs to be done to get the job done. Has been handling the ball more, decreasing his efficiency, but showing the versatility to run the point in limited minutes. Lack of finishing ability and shot-creators around him have hurt his once impressive efficiency numbers offensively.

Defense: Plays the tough, savvy brand of defense that one would expect from a seasoned veteran. Always gets in a good stance, won’t sell out on fakes, and won’t miss a rotation. Isn’t quick enough to consistently keep all of his match ups out of the lane, but does a great job of not giving up a drive straight to the rim. Shows active hands and good footwork defensive the perimeter. Always closes out low and under control, but isn’t always quick enough to deter perimeter shooters from hoisting shots. Gets a hand up to contest shots. Brings a lot to the table as a defender. Will get a few steals with his heady play. Always boxes out, even on the perimeter, allowing him to pull in quite a few mid-to-long rebounds. A very sound defensive player who is currently limited by his average quickness and leaping ability.


Will Solomon

Sophomore. Click profile to read scouting report from last season.

Roko-Leni Ukic

Rookie. Click profile to read NBA draft scouting report.

Jake Voskuhl

Voskuhl was already profiled as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Follow his profile link to read his scouting report.

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