NBA Draft 2011: Why Toronto Raptors Should Draft Kemba Walker
If there's one thing teams in the NBA can learn from the Miami Heat's loss in the Finals, it is that you can't win without a complete team. Let's be honest, the Toronto Raptors are far from being considered a complete team. However, with the right pieces in some proper rebuilding moves, the Raptors could be out of the basement and back as contenders sooner than you think.
Another lesson that the Raps can take from Miami is that an essential factor for creating a complete team, is a solid point guard. The Mavericks have two—maybe that's why they won...
Jose Calderon and Jerryd Bayless were Toronto's two point guard who split time last year without providing overly positive results. Averaging 10 points a game is just not going to cut it when the Toronto offense doesn't have many other options. Neither of them averaged more than three rebounds a game, and while Calderon's assist totals were decent at 8.9 per game, Bayless' average was rather low at only four per game.
Enter Kemba.
Obviously his stat totals from college this past year are not against NBA-level talent, but the fact that Kemba starred on the National Champion Huskies gives his numbers some credibility. Kemba averaged 23 points per game, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists—the latter being something that will grow with NBA players to pass to.
Kemba is a player that knows how to lead a team and close games with style (watch here).
A solid point guard could be exactly what the Raptors need to light a fire under their asses and string together some wins. I'm not saying that Kemba will lead the Raptors to the playoffs in his rookie year, but I am saying he will be a big reason that they make the playoffs down the round. Kembe could fit in nicely if the speculation is true and Calderon is on the way out.
Kemba is an athlete and a skilled baller, and picking him at No. 5 is something that the Raptors will not regret down the road (cough, Rafael Araujo, cough). He could very well be the first piece to the very elaborate jigsaw puzzle that is the Raptors rebuilding period.
