Barnes Out The Door, Hope Not Far Behind?

Well now another would be Raptor is officially on another team. The Raptors after having a deal worked out to acquire Tyson Chandler from Charlotte, would watch him later get traded to Dallas. Now Matt Barnes who had agreed to a deal with Toronto only to have it fall apart is elsewhere officially. News now is that Barnes has signed a deal for far less money with the 2 time champion Lakers. Here are the details from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo. It is another situation where the Raptors miss out on someone in a very public way. It is hard to now stand up there and say, when you make other moves, these were the best ones. Clearly the Raptors had targeted players like Diaw, Chandler and Barnes and they will now become the measuring stick for other deals.

I used earlier in the week the Fred Jones example as having to go with a plan B in terms of signing someone. The Raptors are in bad need of both a legit center and a small forward. It seems hard to imagine the Raptors entering the season with Bargnani at the 5 spot backed up by a second round draft choice that is raw and unproven. The Raptors could use guys more suited to play the 2 and 4 spots to play at small forward, but that would cause issues on defense, for a team that claims to want to improve on that aspect.

It is not like Colangelo will stop trying though. It just is not in his nature to do so. However, if the Raptors remain true to the plan to remain below the tax threshold, the amount of wiggle room is very small. Colangelo has stated in interviews that although the Raptors had plans to venture into the Tax Threshold, those plans were based on having a re-signed Chris Bosh. No Bosh, and no tax seems to be the result. So that eliminates a lot of options. Including the use of that massive trade exception from the Bosh deal. It seems pretty clear the Raptors plan on holding that till next season, or at the earliest the trade deadline. It would take out of play the idea of trading for an Andrea Iguodala unless Philadelphia were to consider Calderon and some expiring contracts.

I am sure Bryan Colangelo has a plan. But what letter plan are we down to now? Plan C? D? It just does not look promising. This team as constructed now is no where close to being a playoff team in the East. This is without taking into account that Chris Paul is trying to force his way out of New Orleans we are told. He has given 3 options for his destination and one would hurt the Raptors very badly being the New York Knicks. According to the New York Post the Knicks are willing to trade anyone and anything other than Amare to land Paul. Adding Paul to the Knicks makes them a playoff team for sure in my opinion. The Raptors would tumble to at best 3rd in the division and with many teams in the east upgrading, hard to see Raptors being able to hold ground. Also, you may be aware of comments Paul is said to have made about establishing a New York big 3, with himself, Carmelo Anthony and Amare. I like the Young Guns as much as anyone but they are not on the level of these threesomes that are popping up in the East.

But Colangelo seems focused on what he can do under the new CBA. In the moves he tried to pull off their was a clear focus on clearing cap for the first free agency in 2012 after a new CBA would be in place. The hope being that it will be a much more tighter cap system and thus increase the value of cap room. While it would also decrease the amount of teams able to compete in the free agent market. Things like the out and out end to the Mid Level Exception have been thrown out there as possibilities under the new CBA. Even some hardliners talking about a hard cap at the end of it all. No one knows for sure the exact outcome. But everyone is predicting at the end of it the players side is going to lose. The sale of a team for 450 million dollars is not going to stop the NBA from pushing for a much tighter deal in the next CBA.

You must commend Colangelo for thinking ahead to this. When you consider he has still yet to sign an extension with the Raptors as he enters the final year of his deal. Most G.M's would try to save their own butt and say the heck with the future. But B.C clearly has one eye on this season and one eye on the NBA's new reality in a new CBA.

Unless something major breaks I am off for the weekend. Raptors are holding Dance Pak auditions, and sadly I have been passed over as a guest judge. If you are over the age of 18, and have 2 years of dance experience, and are female, you can take your shot to join the dance pak. Auditions start at 11am Saturday and you need to be at Gate 1 by 10 am according to the press release the Raptors issued. There you can get all signed up and registered. Good Luck to all the ladies that try out.

All Quiet On Eastern Front

I am happy to report, www.dinonationblog.com has been renewed to 2012. I guess that means, that I will be here for at least that long. Raptors are back to square one again. At this point, are you not just waiting for some story that the Hedo trade will be rescinded. He did have gallbladder surgery after all. But that one is done and he is the Suns problem now. Almost Raptor, Tyson Chandler, is one of many trying to make team U.S.A to head to Turkey, to take on Hedo and the world. While Demar DeRozan is not there, he was named to the 1st team All Vegas Summer League. Maybe someday he will wear the red, white and blue like Bosh and Carter have in the past. You know who won't play for team USA either? Well yeah those 3 guys in Miami, but Amare Stoudemire has been told no by his new team the New York Knicks. When you spent 100 million bucks, guess you have earned the right for your player to play his first game with you. This is a blow to the U.S that was light up front to begin with. If Robin Lopez has a camp invite to be a center, I think you got problems.

Other big names taking a pass on the World's include: Tony Parker, Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitski. Also there will be no Yao Ming and not just at the World's. You might have noticed the Rockets signing of Brad Miller. Well here might be why. Seems Yao is still not right and could miss the first few months of the NBA season. I remember reading this injury could be career threatening. The longer that Yao is away the more real that seems. As for Canada Matt Bonner has a contract but still no citizenship yet. While Maglorie has signed on with the MWO and no doubt will turn his back on his country yet again. I have an idea let's deport Maglorie, and give his citizenship to Matt Bonner. He wants to play for this country.The fact Canada basketball continue to kiss the butt of Jamal Maglorie angers me. The guy has never played for this country and never will. I don't care what he does for the program off the floor. The best help you can give is throwing on the red and white and playing.

Raptors are still holding out hope for Matt Barnes, but unless they uncover some CBA loop hole that we are unaware of... this is done. Other teams actually have money available to offer Barnes a deal that far exceeds the 1.9 million that the Raptors could offer in an Orlando sign and trade. Barnes only has limited "Bird Rights" with Orlando and that is the most Orlando could sign him for to trade him. That is far from the said to be 4.5 million per season for 2 years that was offered. Confused yet? Just think in a year we will have a brand new CBA that we will all have to learn all over again. I look forward to that with about as much anticipation as the looming lockout it may take to create that document.

It is a slow day today, as basketball is heading towards the dog days of summer. By the way are you a fan of Entourage? Seems that Bosh got the idea for his free agency documentary from Turtle. He also apparently got a guest spot on the show. Some thought he was in L.A to watch Lakers to join Kobe. He wasn't, it was to join Vinnie Chase and Ari Gold. Who knew. I hate the way Chris Bosh is being marketed like he was buried away up here in Canada. That no one knew he existed. That is stretching the truth. But Chris is enjoying the spotlight and this is part of what he wanted. I also have to admit that I personally am interested in the Bosh Documentary if it is done right. I am a lot more then I was in "First Ink". Also Bosh likes the NWO/MWO thing. He says he watched wrestling as a kid and liked those guys. I have taken a lot of blows from Chris Bosh. Being un-followed on Twitter, having had him leave the Raptors but this is the last straw. He made me feel old. You Sir, are off the DNB Christmas Card list.

Raptor De Ja Vu All Over Again

Matt Barnes a Raptor....Forget About it!!! Yes, once again it would appear the Raptors end up on the short end of the stick. It seems that Orlando does not have the money to pull off the sign and trade required to make this deal happen. Did it also involve Gortat and Calderon as well. We may never know. For the second time in the span of a couple weeks, the Raptors get left holding the bag. If this had happened in the Rob Babcock era, he would be getting buried so deep he would never be found. While it is true that in both cases it appears the Raptors did nothing wrong on their end of things. Still the perception or optics of it all look bad on the Raptors.

So once again the Raptors go back to square one with nothing to show for it. At this rate you almost feel thankful nothing happened to screw up the Hedo trade for Barbosa. The only successful trade of the summer. Well there was technically the Bosh sign and trade as well. It is getting to the point that I am afraid to write a story about a trade anymore. I actually waited on the Barnes one. I felt that Barnes could have been using the Raptors to get leverage to sign with Cleveland.

I don't know about you, but I am to the point of wanting to raise a white flag and say we give up. This is shaping up to be one of the worst off-seasons in franchise history. The only good thing aside from unloading Hedo was the great performance in Summer League.

If I am frustrated to the point of banging my head against a wall. How must Bryan Colangelo be feeling? He just seems to have a dark cloud following him around. The last time I can remember anything like these last 2 incidents, is when John Salmons stiffed us because God told him to go to Sacramento. B.C would have to scramble and sign Fred Jones. That as we all may recall did not work out so well. He would end up dealt to Portland for Juan Dixon by the trade deadline.

You can blame social media or the rumour mill, but the perception out there will be that Bryan Colangelo is working off of plan C and D at this point. To put it more directly, the people that come now will be second choices not first choices. When a team already has lost it's 5 time all-star and got back nothing more than a couple draft picks and a TPE this is not good. Especially when the casual basketball fan has no clue what a TPE is. Clearly the perception of the Raptors is not good at the moment, even though they appear to have been the innocent victim in both cases.

It all makes me envy all the kids that have the summer off. They can play X-Box and PS3 while I sit here typing starting to feel like the little boy that cried wolf. This has been a summer to remember and forget at the same time.

Matt Barnes Heads North.

Not sure if Toronto was option 1, but they end up being the landing spot for Matt Barnes. It was said that he was close to signing with Cavs, only to 24 hours later he set to sign with Raptors. Depending on who you believe Barnes is getting 4.5 to 5 million dollars for just 2 years. Barnes is a guy liked by many for his tough no non-sense approach and hard nosed style of play. But is that worth this much? It is also, when you include the Raptors signing of Linas Klezia, pretty much places the Raptors at the tax threshold. Still excited?

It also makes a Jose Calderon trade a little more complicated to pull off with little wiggle room. While the Raptors do have trade exceptions to use that does not make them exempt from the tax man. Also Matt Barnes is not a center last I checked and the Raptors are really without a true center. If Bargnani is to move to the 4 spot as many expect the Raptors need to find a center or two.

It is not that I am against over spending for players. I am just not a fan of doing it on role players. Which as excited as you may be about Matt Barnes, that is what he is. He like Tyson Chandler did bid farewell to his fans on Twitter. The good news is Micheal Jordan can't screw this one up.

What I find more interesting, seeing as I don't see Barnes as the difference between this team and it's ultimate fate, is when his deal ends. That would be 2012. The same year that Barbosa has his deal expire and it was also the same year that Diaw and his deal would have expired. So what is so special about 2012? Well for one a new CBA will be firmly in place. It will also be a pretty excellent free agent class with all due respect to the 2010 class. Don't believe me? Have a look.

When you consider the CBA may have much tougher rules and bite to it. The Raptor is would appear are positioning to be a big player in this class. The list of name includes a lot of interesting names for sure. Including Steve Nash. Who knows if he will still be defying age at that time. But seems B.C has a plan to make the Raptors a huge player in 2012. Matt Barnes may end up being a fan favourite and help the Raptors be a better team in the short term. However the real story is not about today it is about tomorrow. Raptors still have a lot to do in the short term to convince me they are a playoff team.

Now we do know Barnes is coming but is he coming alone? There are rumours floating around that this may be more complex. I know you are having Charlotte De Ja Vu. So am I, but at least Otis Smith is not M.J. But here is what is being said. The Raptors would trade Calderon, the Miami 1st from the Bosh deal and in return take back Barnes and Gortat. There is that missing center I mentioned. The Raptors would use the TPE to make this all work out. May only have to be the smaller one they got in the Hedo Trade. Not a math wiz but think that is right. Welcome aboard the Merry-Go-Round again. The dust is suppose to settle tomorrow. Better deal but is it real? No way to tell at moment and there is also the issue Raps have yet to officially announce this signing and also the Klezia signing for that matter. What does that play in all of this? No idea.