Bryan Colangelo Was Part Of Tank Nation....Who Knew?

This season started with a debate on if the Raptors should tank or not heading into a season with the top prize being Canadian Andrew Wiggins. Who knew that keeping Bryan Colangelo as G.M likely gave the Raptors a better chance at accomplishing that goal?

It would seem that Colangelo would have been open to the idea of it as he has admitted to attempting to tank in the lockout shortened season of 2011-12. He made this statement at Analytics conference in Boston and was feature in an article by SI writer Matt Dollinger.

This really isn’t a surprise as Colangelo once joked on a Raptors broadcast about his choice for Coach Dwane Casey winning too much in his first season on the job. It looks like it wasn’t a joke at all as Colangelo wanted to tank and have a shot at one of the top picks in the draft. As things worked out the Raptors ended up drafting Terrence Ross but would have been happier with Harrison Barnes or the Rookie of the Year from that season’s draft class Damien Lillard.

Colangelo also referenced a game which I wrote was one of the biggest disgraces in NBA history between the Nets and Raptors to close that season. I was there covering that game and I was sad for anyone that spend a dollar to have to watch that contest. The Nets did all they could to not win that game including starting 3 players that began the season in the NBDL.

This all leads you to the simple conclusion that can the NBA honestly keep burying it’s heads in the sand to tanking without altering the lottery system to try to combat it?  This season has been a season filled of teams trying to tank. It kind of pours some cold water on what the Raptors have accomplished when you realize that likely 6-10 teams in this league have the goal of losing as much as possible. Many of those reside in the Eastern Conference.

For all of those that defended the concept of not tanking they clearly have some explaining to do. Tanking was happening right under their noses if we are to take Colangelo at his word. Which why would we not seeing as he really has no reason to lie about his past with the Raptors to any degree.

The fans that support Tank Nation had a supporter at the highest levels of MLSE in Colangelo. This makes you believe that MLSE ownership had to be in on it too. This calls to question how you can justify fans spending money on a product who at the end of the day was attempting to be a losing one.

It will be interesting to see if we get any response from MLSE, Casey or any of the Raptors in general on this topic. Even Ross who clearly was not the first choice of the Raptors as it has become painfully clear and obvious based on Colangelo’s comments.