MIAMI—You can sense the excitement and intrigue in Bryan Colangelo’s voice and his mannerisms as he sits in a ritzy downtown hotel here and discusses the NBA draft, and the myriad possibilities that lie before him.

It’s just over a week before the Raptors may or may not make the eighth selection in the draft and the president and general manager is running down a multitude of options:

• He’s had conversations with teams that want the pick in a package for an existing player.

“A couple of players of interest that I would tell you would join our team and would have an immediate impact, which is intriguing,” he said.

• He’s had conversations with teams that want the pick, offering a later pick plus a player in return.

“The apprehension is you still want to retain a pick in the draft, so maybe moving back would be an option in some scenarios,” he admits.

• He’s had teams willing to part with a higher pick, but the cost would be significant.

“I have been offered a higher pick for a pretty significant asset, but I’m not prepared to part with that asset,” he said, refusing to name the asset but it’s not a stretch to think it’s 2011 first-rounder Jonas Valanciunas.

• He’s more than willing to make the No. 8 selection if all else fails, even if it turns out to be a player at a position filled on the current roster.

“Even if there’s a stacking principle, or duplication if you will, assets are important in this business in terms of improving your club,” he said. “Picking the best talent might yield something to be used down the road in a transaction.”

It is far from crystal clear.

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While Colangelo would not name names as far as who he might pick, it’s not difficult to figure it out. He expects Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of Kentucky, Brad Beal of Florida, Thomas Robinson of Kansas, Weber State’s Damian Lillard and, likely, Harrison Barnes of North Carolina to be gone — leaving Duke’s Austin Rivers, Dion Waiters of Syracuse and Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger as possibilities at No. 8.

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“There’s a host of guys who are still there,” said Colangelo, who will meet with Toronto’s medical staff Tuesday and the team’s sports psychology consultant Wednesday for reports on various players.

The Raptors will hold one more significant workout session in Toronto. On Thursday, Sullinger, Baylor forward Perry Jones III, Kentucky forward Terrence Jones and, possibly, North Carolina forward John Henson will work out at the Air Canada Centre.