B.C's Flexibilty Equals Uncertainty For Many Raptors

One of the goals of Bryan Colangelo was not to use any cap space and enter into this off-season with the ultimate amount of flexibility. In terms of that it has been mission accomplished. It does leave some question marks for a number of players heading into this off-season. At the top of that list is Jerryd Bayless who had a frustrating season in which injuries robbed him of opportunities especially down the stretch of this season, in which like last year Jose Calderon was not being used. Bayless turned heads with that chance at the end of last season. He had impressive numbers down the stretch as the Raptors starting point guard by default. An early season ankle turn  cost him a great deal of time right at the beginning of the season. Not exactly ideal when you have a new coach in place attempting to create a new identity for the franchise. He came back and was playing catch up with everyone else in a season that offered few chances to practice that made getting up to speed even more of a challenge. Then another injury to his oblique muscle and the end of his season opened the door for Ben Uzoh to walk through it and get a chance to play as a 10 day contract guy and earn ultimately a position with the team for the remainder of the season. Even Bayless admits he is still searching for his role and game at this point. He also could be searching for a new team to play for. The Raptors passed on the chance to extend him and he ultimately he could end up a RFA or even a free gent if the Raptors choose not to pick up their rights to him as an RFA. It made for a bit of an awkward exit interview with so much uncertainty on his future with this team. That said he still expressed his desire to remain in Toronto and that is something that has been consistent in since he has arrived.

The Raptors once had a similar type player in Chancey Billups. There was the same questions on what he was. Is he a point guard? A combo guard or a under sized shooting guard. Ultimately the answer was not found in Toronto but in Detroit were "Mr Big Shot" was born playing at the point for a championship team with the Pistons. While you would like to believe and hope that Bayless could find a path to his true identity as a NBA Player, you also have to wonder how long you are expected to wait. Watching Bayless can be a truly frustrating experience at times. He can make a true great spectacular play and the next time up the floor a totally unexplainable turnover. "His Gift" as Dwane Casey refers to it is his ability to score and get into the paint. It can also be his curse at times. He sometimes will call his own number and end up with a highly difficult attempt instead of making the simple pass and the smart play to a open player.

What makes this all the more frustrating and puzzling is I would venture to say Bayless is one of the most intelligent people in just terms of brains in that locker. Taking that to the basketball court, that intelligence is sometimes clouded by his competitive fire. He absolutely hates to lose and gets personally disgusted by the experience. On top of everything he is a nice young man that truly has embraced Toronto and legitimately loves the city. We would kill for more people who felt that way in the NBA that want to play and live in Toronto. Yet it really seems like a hard choice to make based on basketball alone.

In addition to Bayless there are other guys like Maglorie, Aaron Gray to decide about. I am not sure there is anyway you can see both Aaron Gray and Jaamal back. It would seem to make little logic to do so. There is already lots of speculation that Maglorie will return and he is even making playoff guarantees on behalf of the team. I would see this has a slap in the face to Aaron Gray if he ends up out and Jaamal in. Gray has done more in terms of on the floor and seems the perfect fit to play back-up 5 minutes behind Jonas Valanciunas. It is not like Aaron Gray is going to be worried about minutes. Although unlike Jaamal he can log major minutes if required. So, if you have Valanciunas having troubles adjusting to NBA game in terms of picking up fouls, Gray is able to plug in and fill those minutes. If Aaron Gray was from Toronto and Jaamal was from Charlotte this is not even a conversation. People will deny it, same as they did with Jay Triano but the Canadian passport that Magloire has gives him added value as the organization might view it from a PR point of view. He is well spoken and many respect what he has accomplished making it to the NBA out of the Raptors home town. Still numbers don't lie and the Raptors attendance did not trend upwards by bringing home the hometown hero. The simple fact as I have stated many times is the hometown hero stopped being an effective or at least significant NBA talent in 2003. I find his song and dance about his pride for playing for his hometown team to be somewhat hypocritical, as he likely had several chances to come here sooner than he actually did. Ultimately ask yourself this question. If Aaron Gray or Jaamal Magloire is cut loose by the Raptors who likely is still in the NBA next season. The answer is Aaron Gray who always seems to find a landing spot despite not being able to find a long term home in the NBA.

Aside from those mentioned you have Solomon Alabi, Ben Uzoh and Alan Anderson all without contracts heading into next year. In terms of Solo it was kind of nice to see him finally get a chance to play, but in reality there is little chance he has a future with the Raptors or in the NBA. The Raptors have consistently failed to find gold in the second round of the NBA Draft and he is just the latest example of that. He seems like a great person and is well liked by everyone but ultimately is like the last kid that is picked in a pick up game on a school yard in NBA Terms. Both Alan Anderson and Ben Uzoh to a lesser extent have made claims that they belong in the NBA. That said given the high expectations for this off-season if it is with the Raptors it would be viewed or should be viewed as failure on Colangelo's part to upgrade the talent on this roster.

Just because you have a contract that doesn't leave you safe either as the Raptors do have some attractive contracts they could easily move if they so desired to do so, on guys like Gary Forbes and others. Even Amir Johnson's deal is not unreasonable by the standards of what a solid power forward is going for these days in free agency. Colangelo's flexibility gives him options, but it also gives most of this roster insecurity. Aside from Calderon, Bargnani and perhaps DeRozan it is easy to see anyone being moved. Even under the right circumstances these 3 could be moved as well but it would be highly unlikely based on the comments of Colangelo today in his press conference.

Bucks Meet Solomon Alabi And The Raptors

This game is basically for the Bucks season for them. They can not lose the rest of the way and the Sixers can not win for them to make the post-season. The Sixers will tip up thirty minutes prior to the start of the Raptors and Bucks. So by the time this game ends regardless of the result Milwaukee could already be out of the playoffs. The Raptors clearly have turned the page and are already playing like a team waiting for next year. Solomon Alabi's minutes over the last 3 games is proof of that. The fact Demar DeRozan never played in the fourth quarter of a close game is also proof of that.

Given all of that you would expect a strong start from the Bucks unless news filters that the Sixers have a massive lead before they ever get started. The fact the Sixers are playing the Nets makes that a possibility. The Raptors have an interest in that game as well. Both the Bucks and Raptors want to see the Nets win but likely should not hold their breath that it will happen. There is a better chance Ian Eagle and The Zar throw down and have a cage fight at halftime. That likely won't happen either sadly.

There is not much reason to tune into this game other than extreme loyalty and force of habit. In a season in which the Raptors have showed much more grit and defensive effort the chances of seeing a ton of that in the last two games is about as likely as snow in April. Oh wait I need another line. The heck with it you know what I am saying.

But the one thing as someone reminded me on Twitter worth checking out will be the Bucks Game Notes for this one. They always do a fantastic job of making the Game Notes vs the Raptors a great tribute to Canada. They are well worth checking out and will always give you a laugh. This game may not provide as much entertainment as that. In fact take out the word may altogether.

Friday we turn the page and begin the search for Team DNB. I will be looking to build a team to help share the load here at the Dino Nation Blog and allow myself to focus on make some improvements to things that I think people will enjoy. Let's hope my off-season and the Raptors off-season both go well..

Hawks Soar Eventually At The ACC

So the internet is back and fully functional here at DNB HQ and I am almost back to 100% after my 24 hour battle with a cold. Raptors have signed Anderson and Uzoh for the rest of the year. No Jose, Kleiza for tonight. Calderon will dress but would only play in case of an emergency. Linas is taking the night off again because of trouble with his knee. Hawks have to be some really angry birds coming into Toronto after getting embarrassed by the Raptors at home last night. Will see if the Hawks come out looking a lot different tonight. The chances are they will. For the Raptors they will just keep fighting and see what happens. Dwane Casey will demand nothing less. Amir Johnson will have his own rooting section as he hosts 50 fans to his 2nd annual Roll With Amir Event. It is the coolest promotion I have ever seen done by any athlete that I can ever remember. Let's hope he can put on a show for them and the rest of the crowd at the ACC.

Demar DeRozan had a big night last night and opened up the scoring on this night. Alan Anderson celebrating the fact he has a job till next Thursday bangs in a couple jumpers and the Raptors had an early 6-2 advantage. Young Onez get back to back buckets to make it 10-6, first Amir and than Demar. Joe Johnson and Captain Kirk counter for the Hawks tying the game for the first time tonight at 10. A Jeff Teague three would give the Hawks their first lead at 13-10 with just under 7 to play in the first. Tank conspiracy theorists will be all over this but at the 5:40 mark Solomon Alabi checks into the game. Hawks were able to keep hold of the lead in mean time leading 22-18 with 4 to play in the 1st and Alabi still on the floor. Raptors would get this puppy back to even and Alabi is still scoreless with the game tied at 25. James Johnson would break the tie with a three ball as he works his way out of the doghouse that Dwane Casey says he is not in. Case you were wondering, Toronto still likes to boo T-Mac and I as always support them to do so. In other news the Raptors had the lead back 32-30 after one.

Solomon Alabi was playing heavy minutes and finally got on the board rebounding his own miss to give the Raptors their lead back 35-34. This was followed by a James Johnson Jam for the highlight reels and one that he makes to give the Raptors a 38-34 lead. Ed Davis with a huge block on the other end and the Hawks look more like the team playing out the string than the Raptors. Solomon Alabi was doing stuff and the Hawks were down 6 and I am not still on cold medication. Note to myself for the DNB Playoff Preview, do not pick the Atlanta Hawks to win in first round. This was a pathetic effort by the Hawks to this point. They would finally tie the game on a Marvin Williams slam in transition off a Raptor turnover at 46. After the Hawks took the lead an ill advised three from Josh Smith but the Hawks do get the rebound and Teague got to the line. This was a tight game with Solomon Alabi playing major minutes. Like seriously do people in Atlanta realize how rare this is that Alabi is on the floor? Hawks finally decided to try and pull away late in the half building a 54-49 lead. Solomon Alabi has 6 points though and cut the lead to three. That is how the half would end with Hawks on top 54-51.

The Raptors D was not the same as it was last night in Atlanta. They would look to improve on that in the 2nd half but regardless they were hanging around with both teams shooting above 50% on the night. Hawks slowly started to build a lead with the score 59-53 as we were 4 minutes into the third. Demar DeRozan nailed a three but the Raptors do a poor job getting back and Teague scores in transition and draws a foul as well and makes that to restore the six point advantage. DeRozan would score followed by another Josh Smith brick for three that would lead to an Ed Davis score and it was a two point game again. Jeff Teague appeared to be one of the few Hawks on the floor that were playing like they gave a damn. Gary Forbes was having a rough night but made a three with about 3 minutes to play to cut the Hawks lead back to three after they had crept back to up six once again. Ivan Johnson takes advantage of Alabi and gets a bucket and one to restore the six point advantage. The Hawks seem to have figured this out, a steal and the Hawks take it straight at Alabi and score. Hawks had an 8-0 run fueled by Raptors turnovers and this game was finally looking like you might have expected. Hawks lead was growing fast and they had the Raptors down 13 points the largest lead for anyone on the night. Raptors would get two back but trailed 79-68 after 3.

This game was off the rails for the most part and Hawks led 83-68 with 10 mins to go. Solomon Alabi was actually going to need a shower after this game. He was already at a career high 22 minutes and counting. Hawks would get the lead to as high as 19 and with this eventual win they would lock up a playoff spot but looked nothing like a team to worry about in the playoffs. There is really nothing more to say about this 4th quarter. Raptors would make a push to trail by just 13 points but like I said think we are done here barring some minor miracle. Tracy McGrady would restore order hooking Josh Smith up to restore the 19 point lead and thus we wait for the final score to put this to bed. The final ends up 109-87 for the Hawks.

Solomon Alabi flirts with a double double with 8 points and 9 rebounds in close to 24 minutes. That tells you all about this game that you need to know. So with that Good Night!!!

SVG, Raptors Killers and 10 Days

First let's start with last night's game. It was a disappointment on a lot of levels. Let's getting rolling with the start of that game. Going down 24-8 to the Magic after you were able to battle blow for blow with the Bulls? Yes the Raptors had an immediate response only to fall back again. Ryan Anderson has for me earned the honour and distinction of being referred to as a "Raptor Killer". He is what they now like to call a stretch 4 in the NBA. The Raptors should know all about that as they have one they practice with on a regular basis. Andrea Bargnani remember him that guy that was heading to the All-Star Game earlier in the year. My question with him is are we suppose to believe that guy is the real Bargnani? Doesn't it make more logical sense to think that might have just been a flash of brilliance and Andrea is actually more closer to what we thought he was the last 6 years.

Stan Van Gundy makes total fun of Raptor fans with just cause. It was as a result of the stupid pizza promotion and a basket made by Ed Davis. The Raptors were getting destroyed for most of the night and the crowd was pretty dead for most of the night, then for a silly three dollar slice of pizza. Stan Van Gundy told it like it was in a funny and entertaining way. It is something that we have talked about to death in this blog. Fans that cheer for pizza make all of us as Raptor fans and supporter look like a joke to the rest of the world. I get why people still boo Hedo, T-Mac and Vince. I will support people in that regard no matter what outsiders might think. Still, in terms of cheering for a three dollar slice of pizza when your team is getting pasted I will never support. It was also on a basket made by a guy who until recently has basically sleep walked his way through his second season in the NBA. Be more concerned that team play horrible and lost 117-101.

In reality the Raptors season has come down to a guy coming right from the airport and ending up in a game. You want even find a listing for Alan Anderson when you click on his name in the boxscore. But he did in 7:22 seconds of floor time what it took Solomon Alabi till March 24th to do despite being on the roster all season. What was that? Score two points. The Solomon Alabi scoring streak continued again and now stands at two games with 2 points. That makes his career total up to 12. I wake up to the huge news(not really) that Ben Uzoh is a Raptor. He averaged 3.8 points in 42 games last season with the Nets and this season He averaged 14.8 points in the D-League this year with the Vipers. Truth is the chances any of these 10 day contract guys amount to anything is highly unlikely but it makes more sense than it did to have Anthony Carter or Rasaul Butler hanging around.

There is a month to go in season as of last night. Let's face facts we have reached that point in the season where folks are more interested in the draft lottery than they are in upcoming games. This along with 9 more chances to win a free slice of pizza. What is it going to take for someone to wake up and change this promotion?

Back To Normal With Something Abnormal

The Raptors get back to some sense of normal life after their London adventure. They return to the ACC facing the Utah Jazz that no longer have Jerry Sloan on the sidelines. Also no Deron Williams as the Raptors are aware from their last two games in England. I have to be honest for myself it is hard to get back in the normal groove. The Raptors might have a little ring rust with all this time off. Practice is great, but it is not a game, just ask Allen Iverson. Raptors road losing streak has reached a team record level, so to be home at the ACC is a beautiful thing. Not that their 12-20 home record is any great accomplishment. Surprisingly though the Raptors are 6-8 at ACC vs West. Andrea Bargnani has the flu or is it flu like symptoms again? I wonder what Amir Johnson thinks about that? He has played trough a lot more than the flu or flu like symptoms this year. Reggie Evans should be back. I have been wrong on this before so I am just going to say I HOPE we see #30 in white tonight.

The Basics: Jazz 33-30 (Since Sloan Left 2-8) Raptors 17-46 ( 2-4 in James Johnson Era)

When Last We Saw Them: It took 3 overtimes in England for the Raptors to fade into the London fog. Bargnani not once but twice had chances to be the hero and win it. DeRozan had one shot as well and failed. Better effort than 1st game in England but the same result in the end an L.

Key Match Ups: Raja Bell hates Kobe Bryant and Demar DeRozan doesn't. Bell and Bryant had got into it on several occasions back in the day. My point is Raja Bell at one time was thought of as a solid defender and it should be a nice challenge for Demar to see how he stacks up against the one time "Kobe Stopper". Devin Harris is no Deron Williams and as such Jose Calderon should have an easier time of it with Harris. Least you would hope that is the case. Paul Millsap is a beast and Amir Johnson, Ed Davis and maybe a returning Reggie Evans, will all get a chance to battle with him. You also have Big Al Jefferson to match up with Bargnani assuming he had his "Chicken Soup" this morning. A huge contrast there and makes for an odd match-up. I could see Jazz using someone else on Bargnani maybe AK-47 might actually makes sense.

Other Things of Note: Dave Feschuk confirms that Sonny Weems is not happy in his article the other day. This is hardly earth shattering news. I had said after the James Johnson trade was done this would happen. I also have noted how Sonny has looked pissed after the first couple games when Johnson first arrived. I feel bad for Sonny who is a good guy. The irony in all this is the game before Johnson came, Weems led the Raptors in scoring with 19. But as the article suggests it is about the other end of the floor as to why Weems finds himself in this spot. Weems does make the point this team has not been good on defence and it is not all on him. Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon not mentioned but we can all imply. Sonny is a good guy and if this is the end of his run with Raptors I hope he is able to find a new home with what he has done in Toronto. By the way after his big comet like debut James Johnson has come back down to earth if you have noticed. In other news, the Raptors sent Solomon Alabi back to the Bayhawks for the 107th time this season. O.K it is actually the 3rd time this year. I am left to wonder now how am I suppose to know when the Raptors have given up. Alabi entering a game has become the Raptors international sign for a white flag. I don't understand the logic in shipping him back and forth between Erie and Toronto. It can't be doing anything good for his mental outlook. Ask Ed Davis about his time in Erie. He will likely have about as positive a response as he did about the prospect for playing for an NBA Team in London.

Where Is It On: Sportsnet 1 (Sportsnet announced a deal to be the Home of the UFC another reason to bump the Raptors to this network in the future)

The Raptors Road To The Unknown

There are now just 19 games left in the Toronto Raptors 2010/11 season. I was talking to someone over the weekend and they hit me with that number and I was kind of surprised. The season goes by so quickly, it really does. In those last 19 games it is more about the Raptors positioning in the draft lottery than anything else. But even that is flawed to a degree.

The Lottery itself is a bit suspect in nature. Some people have a hard time believing in it's legitimacy. From the very first lottery that saw Patrick Ewing going to the New York Knicks people have wondered how on the level it is. All those conspiracy believers may not be right but enough strange occurrences have happened in it makes you wonder. But legit or not this NBA Lottery maybe the most unusual ever given the back drop for the draft. The NBA's looming CBA issues and the lack of a deal and a lockout looming threaten to alter the draft class. Many feel that because there is a real question if we even have a season next year will cause many kids to take a pass on the draft. However David Stern has never been a fan of letting youngsters in this game. He created the rule to bring an end to high school players being drafted. The last ever high schooler drafted is on the Raptors Roster in Amir Johnson. Who is to say that Stern does not push to increase the eligibility age to enter the draft. That might make kids flock to this draft if they saw that as a possibility. The general consensus is this draft class is stocked with power forwards. The one position the Raptors seem to be over stocked. In a terrible season like this people look to the draft for hope and answers. But in terms of this season it may just provide more questions than it does answers for the Raptors. Much like the year Andrea Bargnani was selected, there is not a clear cut number 1 selection. No slam dunk Blake Griffin or Lebron James to select.

As for the future of this team we still have yet to even see if Bryan Colangelo is coming back. It is widely assumed that he will. It was also widely assumed that Jose Calderon and Reggie Evans had been traded. If Colangelo is back that likely means Jay Triano will remain as well. Regardless of if Bryan is back or not he has laid a foundation to fix this team under the new CBA. But it is hard to even say how well he has done in that regard with having no idea what the new rules are going to look like. The game is going to be altered and rule book to how you build a franchise will be re-written this off-season. Teams will enter the draft most likely with no clear road map as to what free agency is going to look like and no clear idea to when that even takes place.

The Raptors ability to be competitive in the NBA may greatly be helped by the results of the collective bargaining agreement. While the Raptors are in no danger of moving this league has other teams that are in that position. The Sacramento Kings seem almost a lock to move to Anaheim while the league itself owns the Hornets. Look around the league and you don't need anyone to tell you it has some serious issues in small markets. The actions and events that lead to Chris Bosh and Lebron James going to South Beach are being felt. Now New York wants to have a similar model and have 2 thirds of it in place. While there is no question the general interest in the sport overall has been helped by the creation of this super team in Miami. NBA ratings have been up and interest in the sport has been too. But in contrast to that interest is down in this market. The attendance for the Raptors is off from the past. Television and Radio numbers are down as well. Even online interest is down if I base it on myself. The easy answer to that is losing. Team loses interest will drop. But really it can be a much larger and bigger problem. It can be a loss of hope. When there is no hope that a team can truly be a contender you have a serious issue. While in a market such as Toronto that is not a death blow by any means it is for other markets and makes teams become not viable.

This CBA will need to address that competitive balance. Which in real terms that ability to have hope and faith that any team can truly win be restored. Oklahoma City is the exception and not the rule. Fans in markets need to have faith that they can have stars and not worry that at the first chance they have to leave they will bolt for a more attractive situation. You are never going to be able to create a perfect system but the NBA must create a better one that allows teams to have the ability to keep it's stars. That can be tough when at a certain point players have made so much money that it becomes less about the money and more about other things. It is not like you can mandate someone to be loyal. Players will make the point that franchises are not always loyal as well. Teams on any given day when they are able to make trades can send a player packing at the drop of a hat.

The end result of the CBA will have a lot of say in what the Raptors future is going to be. If fans can embrace Demar DeRozan as the next one or just the next one to leave. I had said long before this season had ever got started that his development was the most important thing of this entire season. Injuries and a lack of any sort of a competitive team has made that even more the case. Whatever they come up with in a new CBA is not going to change one simple fact about the NBA. This is a star driven league and more than any other sport you truly need a star player or players to have any hope and being a serious contender. The Raptors as currently constructed have no star or franchise player at the moment. They have two potential stars in Bargnani and DeRozan. But when you look at things realistically the chances that Bargnani ever reaches that level grow less and less as the days go by. The same is not true for DeRozan who is showing true signs that he can be an elite player in this league. It has not been in the way that a Vince Carter burst on to the scene in Toronto. It has been a steady progression of improvement. Demar is still very young and I think we sometimes expect so much from kids these days. Not everyone can be like Lebron James or Sidney Crosby and walk into a sport and instantly dominate it. It takes time for most to learn and grow and develop into superstars. But there is not question that Demar at least has the tools in terms of ability to become one.

The question will become if DeRozan can reach that level can this team surround him with a team that is capable of winning. They have failed to do that with Carter and with Bosh. While you can point to those players and lay some of the blame on them, you have to assign blame to the Raptors as well. If Colangelo is indeed back he will need to get things right. While Bryan has had a lot of success in bringing in some complimentary pieces. When Colangelo has looked to hit the home run he has struck out every time. This will be his last chance to get it right and it may take him doing some things that many do not see him doing. He may need to take a hard look at Andrea Bargnani and if he truly should be here. Can he be a complimentary piece to a DeRozan or do you need to trade him and move on. Bargnani is not and will not be this team's franchise player. If people are going to question if Bosh could be to argue that Andrea can be is beyond ridiculous.

Who ultimate Colangelo makes part of this young core moving forward is going to be vital. While Bargnani is part of that mix if Colangelo is not willing to move him. DeRozan, Ed Davis and Amir Johnson all I would suggest are the other locks but after that it becomes cloudy. Jerryd Bayless is a real question mark above all others. He has not exactly blown anyone away really. Especially as the losses have mounted for this team, he has seemed to see his play drop off as well. He is likely to see more competition come his way as a result. I can not imagine the Raptors would not seriously be interested in finding a young point guard to develop and eventually replace Jose Calderon. You have Sonny Weems who it would appear has been ruled expendable by the Raptors acquiring James Johnson. It seems unlikely that both Johnson and Weems would remain. Solomon Alabi has in a sense just become the white flag for the Raptors throwing in the towel on games. He has bounced back and forth from the Bayhawks to the Raptors. I am not sure what to make of his future. Maybe they give him another year to see if they can turn him into anything. He very much is a project like Nathan Jawai was suppose to be and never was.

It will then become finding the vets to place around this group. In terms of the vets they have it would seem unlikely that Reggie Evans or Barbosa enter into the longer term plans for the Raptors. Both have been plagued with injuries and we have only got to see snap shots of what they are capable of doing in Toronto. The Raptors however the CBA shakes out are going to have cash to spend. Evans contract is going to expire and unless Reggie takes a serious discount I can't see him being back. While Barbosa becomes an interesting asset entering the final year of his deal. Definitely he is an interest piece for a contender if he is healthy. He also will offer a ton of cap relief for whoever is holding is contract by the end of next season assuming we have one that is.

But to truly know what this team or any team is going to be able to do in the future is just not possible. We have no road map on what teams will or won't be able to do. At the same time the NBA's future is in flux so is the NFL's future. They too are in the beginning of their labour situation. While the two are not related exactly should the NFL find a way to have labour peace, as an NBA fan you would hope that increases the pressure for the NBA to do the same.

The sad fact is that as fans we are held as the hostages in these things. It takes away your ability to even look towards the future with no really idea on what it will be. Which in terms of the Raptors is all they have going for them right now is the future. The present has been painfully obvious you could argue even as far back as when Chris Bosh signed in Miami. We all remember the post Vince Carter Raptors. It took a long time to recover from that. This time around the Raptor fan base is far more bitter and far more jaded. They have endured 16 years of a team that has not been able to deliver on it's promise of wanting to be a winner and a contender. They are more educated as fans and are not as easy to accept that this team will be able to get it right this time. After all they have enough history of them getting it wrong to be justified in thinking that it will not change.

However with a new CBA that will eventually come it is hard to predict what it will mean for the NBA and for the Raptors specifically. What is not hard to figure out is this fan base regardless of that is tired of losing it's stars, tired of losing faith and just tired of losing in general. The pressure to get it right will be intense. Raptor fans are not like Maple Leaf fans and are not willing to wait 40 plus years for them to get it right.

Alabi Re-Called To Toronto

Just a brief little news item from the Raptors today:

Solomon Alabi is back with Toronto Raptors. He is expected to return today and practice with the team. While in the D-League Alabi averaged 8.6 points 6.7 rebounds and 3 blocks with the Bawkhawks in 7 games. He is coming off a double double vs the Utah Flash were he had 12 points and 11 boards in a 20 point Bayhawks win. That was his first double double in D-League. No word on if he would be in the active roster against Denver. But with both Peja and Reggie out it would seem possible he could be. Alabi appeared briefly in 1 game vs Miami so far this season with the Raptors.

Ed Davis Is A Bayhawk

This from the Dino Blogger's I told you this would happen file. Ed Davis has been sent to the Erie Bayhawks joining Solomon Alabi who the Raptors sent down there just recently. The stay for Davis is likely to be shorter as it is being called a "Rehabilitation/Conditioning Assignment". However no timetable is laid out on when he could appear back up with the Raptors. The recent trade made by the Raptors, in theory, as Jack Armstrong mentioned here in the Dino Nation Blog, could open up minutes for both Davis and Alabi on the Raptors down the line.

Here is an interesting trivia fact. The Raptors have sent 5 players in total to the D-League in the past. Obviously Davis and Alabi are two. Who are the other 3? Nathan Jawai, P.J Tucker and Pape Sow, if you knew that answer you are clearly a true Raptors junkie. Jawai to Idaho, P.J to Colorado and Pape to Arkansas.

The only time Davis has suited up for the Raptors and got out on the floor was way back in Vegas Summer League where he had mixed results.

Bryan Colangelo had this to say about this latest roster move in the press release.

"This is a great opportunity for us to gauge where Ed is physically with regard to his knee and his overall basketball conditioning. This is a perfect example where the D-League can be used as a ready-made and convenient tool in getting an injured player back on the court"

The Raptors might also be hunting the D-League for a 3rd point guard to fill out their roster. Post trade the Raptors have 14 on the roster and it should be noted while in the D-League Alabi and Davis remain on the Raps roster and are listed as in-active. Not long after Davis was injured I said that both he and Alabi would be on the Bayhawks at some point this year and that is now in fact the case.

Dino Blogger's Sunday Thoughts

It is rare the Raptors do not play on Sunday so with that rare chance thought I would give some thoughts on The Raptors, who knows maybe even life itself. Before a day of football I sit with just my thoughts and a keyboard. So let's think deep thoughts. Or at least some quality thoughts.

Thought 1- This is not a new one. I have had this one since Summer League. Demar DeRozan and Sonny Weems need to be on the floor together. Even if Sonny doesn't agree with me. Klezia just doesn't do it for me like he does for others. If the Raptors are playing for the future that means Weems makes more sense. Despite the fact he is in a contract year. If you can get both Demar and Sonny out on the break...LOOK OUT BELOW!!! These two on the floor with each other will challenge each other, the same way they do when they go against each other in practice. Each will make the other better. Sonny can be the Robin to Demar's Batman and there will be no issue with it. Injuries have forced Jay Triano to go with this line-up and in my opinion it should remain. Do I expect it will happen? Nope. I also think it is only a matter of time before Amir steps in as the starting 4 on this team. I bet that happens before Sonny gets his shot. But ultimately all 3 former Young Gunz now Young Onez belong on the floor together. You market them together so play them together. It makes sense both basketball and marketing wise.

Thought 2- I see a future where Bargnani is passed by DeRozan and he is the best player on this roster. Bargnani is what he is and his upside is not as high as it is for Demar. Bargnani is just a frustrating player that lacks consistency within a game. If you can have a night like in Orlando, where Bargnani sets the the table and Demar starts to develop into a closer it could be a happy marriage of talent. But Bargnani is not, nor ever will be the guy. Demar has a chance to be a dynamic star in this league and by the end of this season that could be crystal clear. It really needs to be if the Raptors are going to be heading in the right direction. Bargnani is a scorer and will never be much more than that. A weak defender and not ever going to be a consistent rebounder. Demar has a chance to be a complete player. His defence has a long way to go as well. But I feel more confident based on his age and attitude he can improve on that. Bargnani is a lost cause he is what he is at this point. The first step in ending your frustration with Andrea is accepting that fact. He is never going to average a double double and at best he might not be a liability on defence.

Thought 3- Julian Wright it was said came into camp at less then ideal shape. Whatever it was this guy has been decent in every time we have seen him on the floor. He seems to be a good dude in the locker room as well. We have never heard him complain at all and he has waited for his chance and made the best of it. At first glance with Belinelli starting and playing well in New Orleans it looked like the Hornets won that trade hands down. They still may have won the trade but Marco was not working out here and Wright is at least starting to show some signs of doing that. So good for him. Also he changed his Twitter handle from DinoWright14. There is only room for on Dino in the Raptor Twitterverse and that is Dino Nation Blog. If people think that was serious give your head a shake.

BREAK- Time for DNB TRIVIA Question # 4:

3 Major events happen/have happened in November for the Dino Nation Blog in the month of November? What are they? Name 2 of the 3.

If you get all 3 will consider that a bonus and you get a lifeline if you get an answer wrong. Meaning if you get all 3 right and have answered another question wrong will give you credit for a right answer.

Thought 4- Can the Raptors keep this attitude going the whole season long as the loss total increases. The effort has been there with few exceptions and even with the recent adversity of injuries it has remained. It is very hard to keep playing that same way when the reality hits that you are not a playoff team. For the development of this team it is vital they continue to play hard for all 82 games. If that effort goes south it will be interesting to see what that means for Jay Triano. Keeping that effort and developing players are the keys to Triano's future. It appears that wins and losses don't matter in terms of Triano. As much as that pains me given this is his 3rd season with the head coaching job.

Thought 5- This is kind of an I told you so. Doug Smith broke a story that Alabi will be heading to the Erie BayHawks who are the Raptors D-League affiliate. Also it is likely the Ed Davis will spend some time there with him. Who said this to you going to happen back in the pre-season? That was me. So forgive me for giving myself a pat on the back. But do not let it confuse you. Sending both to the D-League is not only the right thing to do, it is going to help these guys in the long run. Alabi and Davis need to develop confidence and have playing time. Getting that on the Raptors at this time is likely not going to happen for Ed or Solomon. The D-League can be your friend if you use it correctly. The Raptors should eventually consider running their own D-League team just like they do on the Hockey side with the Marlies and Leafs. Hamilton or Buffalo would be good homes for such a franchise. They are close enough to be a car ride away and allow the Raptors to have total control and awareness of what is going on down there.

Ok I am tired from thinking so much. Not really. A reminder tomorrow we go 1 on 1 with Candice from your Raptors Dance Pak. Do not know your Dance Pak by name? Shame on you. This is Candice and she is here tomorrow:

Raps Perfect Summer Season

So the Raptors finished off their Summer League schedule with 2 wins. On Friday they took care of the Kings 88-82 then on Saturday beat the 0-4 Hornets with no DeRozan or Weems 101-93. So the Raptors end up finishing summer with a perfect 5-0 record. They opened a lot of eyes and were on of the best teams in Las Vegas playing a very exciting brand of basketball. Demar DeRozan in 4 games had the 3rd best scoring average in the Vegas league with 21 points per game. Only John Wall and Reggie Williams were better. Wall lead the Summer league averaging 23.5 per game.

The Raptors as a team in Summer league averaged 98.8 PPG while giving up only giving up 84.8 PPG. Keeping in mind at Summer League they only play 4 Quarters at 10 minutes a piece. Basically the same totally game time as in the NCAA. Along with DeRozan his fellow Young Gun had a nice summer league. Sonny Weems averaged 17.5 PPG and had some amazing hi-lite dunks along with DeRozan. Weems has talked about wanting to work on his 3 point shot and based on Summer League still work to do going 3-13 ( 23.1%). DeRozan was great from the field shooting the lights out at 58% and was all about getting to the hoop and getting to the line (38 times in 4 games). Weems also was good in that regard getting to the line 24 times. Both need to do a better job in finishing it off with DeRozan making 24-38(63.1%) and Weems just 13 of 24(54.1%). But overall 2 thumbs up for the Young Guns performance.

Ed Davis the Raptors first round selection averaged 12.6 and 6 rebounds in 5 games of action. Davis had a brutal second game getting just 4 points and 4 boards. He also had a big defensive outburst with 5 blocks vs Sacramento which inflated his blocks average to 1.8 per game. I don't remember what Chris Bosh did in summer league. In fact, Summer League was not the huge deal it has been built into by some today. In terms of Davis he had good moments and bad moments. Which even though it is hard to remember I am sure was the same with Chris. But for anyone to expect Ed Davis to grow into another Chris Bosh you are hoping for far to much. He is a different type of player. He likely is ahead of Bosh at same point on defensive end. But his offense is far behind and likely never catches up. Still to make conclusions on this kid, good or bad, based on Summer League is just wrong. The fact he is playing for pretty much his first competitive basketball he has played since his wrist injury at UNC. So the bar should have been set low. I think he did more than what you might have realistically expected.

Solomon Alabi after his first game looked on track to be a star for the Erie Bayhawks the Raptors D-League Affiliate. That still could end up happening. But he did showed improvement along the way in his summer league. He ended up with 8.2 points with 5 rebounds per game. He unlike DeRozan and Weems was very good at the line making 15-16 at the line. He also averaged a block a game. He still looks pretty raw and that is why playing in the D-League seems to be in his future. If he doesn't get time with the Raptors he is better served being there at points during the season. Will see how it works out, but being 7ft 1 he could develop into a shot blocking presence, something the Raptors have always lacked.You can't teach height as they say. He like many from Africa looks at Hakeem as an idol and someone to be like. While Raptor fans memories of Hakeem are no dream, there is no denying that if Alabi could be half as good in his career as Olajuwon everyone would be thrilled. That being said Demar DeRozan's Idol is Kobe, admiring someone and being them is 2 very different things.

Others that made an impact for Raps in Summer League were Joey Dorsey who lead the Summer League Raps with 9.8 Rebounds. Dorsey was brought in late last season and should be on the roster for camp in the fall. The other guy that stood out was Bobby Brown. The basketball player not the guy that married Whitney. There was nothing cruel about Brown's performance as he looked good working with both DeRozan and Weems at the point. He averaged 12.4 points and 4 assists(tied for team lead) and 1.2 steals. If it was my prerogative, I would love to seem him get a shot and be brought in, if Jose Calderon does get moved. Here is all the stats on all that were a part of the undefeated Raptors in Vegas.

Some other things of note:

Mark Ivaroni has decided to take a job with Vinny Del Negro with the Clippers as reported by Doug Smith in The Star. The former Bulls coach has brought him in to work on his staff. With the addition of P.J Carlesmio it is really not a huge loss for the Raptors. Ivaroni was suppose to have been in charge of the defense for the Raptors in his one season on the job. Clearly he did not have much, if any success, good luck to him with the Clippers. Job security in Clipperland is never that good. If not for the hiring of Carlesmio the optics of this would look bad. To move to the Clippers from Raptors for basically the same job. But it is safe to assume, his role with the Raptors would be less with Toronto.

While some former Raptors have rejoined the Atlantic Division in the coaching ranks. Sam Mitchell the former Raptors head coach and former player Popeye Jones have joined the staff in New Jersey. Sam joining New Jersey had been reported awhile ago. While Jones has been an assistant with a number of teams over the years. Happy for both and they both should be great additions to Avery Johnson's staff in New Jersey.

Still a long way off, but Raptors Training Camp may be heading to Vancouver after a couple years in Ottawa. A clear sign this may in fact be the case is the Raptors will play the Suns in Vancouver on October 6th. The Nash Cup? The Hedo Bowl? Not sure what you would call it, but the Raptors vs Nash is good business. Suns were in Vancouver last year and packed the place for Nash and the Suns. It was a sell out. Note to NBA how is that team in Memphis drawing? Not sure if this will be a home or road game for the Raptors in Vancouver. Raptors like to call themselves Canada's team, but Nash is B.C's own (British Columbia not Bryan Colangelo). In any case should make for a fun environment for a basketball game. Cheer Nash Vancouver but BOO HEDO!!!

Good to be back at it. Sorry, I had a bunch of things to take care of and did not get a blog to you on Friday. It is the summer time so things are a little different for both me and for you as readers. But we will keep things rolling all year long.

Hot as Vegas

Yes it is Summer League, so you have to take it with a grain of salt. This is a league that Marcus Banks scored 42 points in a game, and Marco Belinelli tore it apart. Nate Robinson has his number retired too. But that all being said it is hard not to be a little bit excited about the Raptors performance so far. Another day and another win. This time it was the New York Knicks providing the opposition. The Raptors lead by Demar DeRozan with 23 points would take care of Knicks 102-89. This was perhaps the best performance so far by DeRozan. He has clearly improved his overall game since April. Sonny Weems not to be out done by his buddy had 19 points. The Raptors fell 1 point shy of the Summer League record 103 points they scored in their last game. The offense has been great but the defense has been good as well. After allowing the Knicks to score 34 points in the first quarter, the Raptors locked it down to just 17 points in 2nd and 3rd. Keeping in mind in Summer League the quarters are only 10 minutes in length. Ed Davis after a poor second game bounced back with 13 points and 5 boards after just 4 points and 4 boards in the last game. Solomon Alabi had 9 points and 8 rebounds with a block and a steal. He continues to show steady improvement. Bobby Brown continues to impress me with his work at the point hooking up both Weems and Derozan. Allow me to provide some video evidence.






Brown had 8 points 6 dimes and 2 steals. If we see Calderon move maybe Bobby Brown is earning himself a job? Time will tell on that but if not with the Raptors people are taking notice. Raptors take on the Kings on Friday and Hornets on Saturday to close out Summer League. DeMarcus Cousins is a beast and had a big day for the Kings in other action. Ed Davis and whoever else has to check him is in for a long day. But Raptors continue to look impressive. It may only be Summer League but it always feels good to win and the Raptors are doing just that.

Hello Ed, Good Bye Chris.

Ed Davis has a passport and for proof he was at the ACC for his belated welcome to Toronto press conference. For the amount of time it lasted, press chat might be more like it. The fact after the press conference there was a lunch at the new Real Sports Bar might have had something to do with it. I have yet to see the bar with the T.V that ate Godzilla, but everyone that has seems blown away by it.

There was actually a bit or at least as much talk about Solomon Alabi. The fact he has hepatitis B was a concern for some in terms of his health. Colangelo says the Raptors doctors checked him out and they gave the thumbs up. Solomon himself seems eager and ready to go and does not see it as an issue. This will not be a case like with Nathan Jawai and his heart condition. The Raptors this time were aware and know what they are getting into. Jawai of course had it discovered in a routine physical that he had an enlarged heart. He was part of the 4 way deal that brought Hedo to Toronto. He was then dealt from Dallas to Minnesota. He now is on the Charlotte Bobcats summer league roster fighting for his NBA Career.

While as far as Ed Davis goes, he is a nice kid that to a degree will remind some of Bosh. It is hard to recall, but when Chris Bosh first came to the Raptors, he was kind of shy and awkward in front of a camera. Davis is a bit removed and laid back in his talking. Colangelo pointed out how Davis has dealt with pressure playing at UNC. He also mentioned how he played in front of 80,000 people this year vs Texas. Colangelo failed to mention that Davis and his team lost that game. But it would appear that in both Davis and Alabi, the Raptors have added to guys that are hard workers. Honestly nothing about this presser really jumped off the page. It was kind of strange to with the long delay as a result of the G-20. The draft seems like a month ago. Maybe that is just because we are stuck in this Free Agency that is moving slower than a drunk turtle.

Chris Bosh went to see Grandma yesterday. She is not working for any NBA team. According to Bosh she is 93 and it made me think of my Grandma who was tiny and small and lived to be 89. Made me stop and pause, to remember that we are all people at the end of the day. Think that was the first Bosh tweet in a long time that made me smile. Bosh is said to be done with visits for now, and it seems is sitting waiting for Lebron and Wade to make their moves. Just because this process is taking a long time, do not confuse that with Toronto having a shot to keep him. There was confirmation of a rumour we mentioned in the Dino Nation Blog a couple days ago. Bryan Colangelo did in fact not even travel to meet with Bosh on July 1. He sent one of his assistants. Compare that to the full court blitz Colangelo constructed to sign Steve Nash. The entire Suns basketball staff was on his door step at 12:01. If you needed anymore signs is that not enough.

Bosh does seem unwilling to not get his full 30 million dollars which is good for the Raptors as it keeps hope of a sign and trade alive. I had always believed there would never be a case in which Bosh would leave that money on the table. However, I also believed that Bosh had learned something by watching Vince Carter leave the Raptors in a bad way. Bosh's handling of all this has proven me wrong on that point. The fact he is making this documentary about his free agent experience says to me he might be considering leaving money on the table. Will his documentary make the missing 30 million dollars up? No but it would soften the blow.

I want to close with two points. It makes no sense to want Bosh back if his sole motivation is an extra 30 million dollars. If that is why he would re-sign with Toronto you are just asking for a Vince Carter re-run to happen in a year or two. It also makes no sense for the Raptors to make a sign and trade deal unless they get what they want. While allowing the star player to walk for nothing is about as bad as it gets. What is worse would be taking on players or assets that the team does not want or can be useful. If this is going to be a rebuilding situation while getting something for Bosh is helpful to that. It is only helpful if Colangelo gets what he wants. That being said negotiating with a gun to your head is never easy.

There is still lots of drama to play out. How it will turn out changes like the wind. The one option that you can likely cross off your list in the Bosh Watch is New York City. Amare Stoudemire agreed to a 100 million dollar deal with the Knicks yesterday. This would clearly rule out Bosh to the Knicks and could mean the Knicks have come to realize they are out of the mix for Lebron and Wade. A Bosh choice seems clearly tied to what those 2 guys do.

I for one have got to the point that I just want to see this end no matter the result. After 2 years of build up and hype. Along with a week filled of more inaccurate rumours than you can imagine. Tired of the drama and tired of all the tweets and nonsense. At least summer league in Orlando has started and can provide a slight distraction. NBA Draft Blog is covering that and filed this report from day 1.Daniel Orton who I met when he was working out for the Raptors got kicked out of his first summer league game. It was a rocky start for him with Orlando. He seems like a nice young kid despite that and hope he learns from that and turns it around.

Raptors Draft Was Not Sexy

It was pretty easy to figure that Draft Night was never going to meet fan expectations. Rumours of a Hedo Turkoglu draft day deal being done were just that....Rumours. In fact there was no Hedo trade, No Jose trade or a Jack trade. Not even the widely expected 2nd pick in the first round. In fact the Raptors remained at 13 and drafted a player they did not expect to be there. Ed Davis dropped to the Raptors at 13 as some unexpected picks ahead of the Raptors left Davis the odd man out. The Jazz were one of the teams that went a different direction that set off a chain reaction that led Davis to the Raptors.

Normally in most years drafting a player out of UNC in the first round would be a great move. But these are not the Tarheels you know and expect. This was one of the worst seasons for Carolina in years and years. They were in the NIT not March Madness. Davis was injured and that was a part of the Tar Heel free fall. However it was already well underway. A Texas team that featured 3 players in the Draft (Bradley, James, Pittman ) at Cowboy Stadium pounded this UNC team. After that game Damion James and Avery Bradley looked like the lottery picks not Davis. Duke demolished UNC this season as well. Davis injured his wrist in one of those games. The Raptors say they think the wrist is ready to roll. After Medical staff check out Davis it is expected he will be cleared and at summer league.

Ironically Davis is a Chris Bosh fan. Last year Demar DeRozan was a Vince Carter fan. Just like Demar was not the second coming of Vince, although I still love the "Heir Canada" nickname. Ed Davis is nothing close to Chris Bosh. While Davis is a solid force on the glass and a shot blocker and solid defender on the college level. His offensive game is far from polished and needs a ton of work. He likely never comes close to being the dynamic force that Chris Bosh is on offense. While the things we measure are the same with 6ft 10 and 225 frame while being left handed. The comparison ends there.

In the end the Raptors hope the have drafted a solid post defender and a shot blocking presence. It still remains a question how this team intends to score with no Bosh, Turkoglu and Calderon or Jack potentially. Bargnani even at his max will give you 20-25 points? Demar and Sonny hope you get 15 each? I am just saying that taking for granted this team in a post Bosh Era can score is a mistake. Andrea will now see double teams perhaps. Whatever the case the Raptors become easier to defend. Even a sign and trade for Bosh would unlikely produce a number 1 scoring option in return.

The Raptors would make another minor move on draft night. Not minor in terms of size, with a 7 foot 1, Nigerian Giant coming their direction. It would take dollars and 2nd round pick in 2013 to acquire Solomon Alabi out of Florida State. It goes without saying that this guy at his height is another shot blocking presence. He is very raw but unlike a Nathan Jawai of a few years ago, he has some experience here in North America playing in the ACC with FSU. This is another player that has limited offense and has a lot of work to do.

What the Raptors have done speaks to a couple things. First of all if you were holding out any hope that Chris Bosh was coming back, this would appear to be your answer. He isn't it would seem. The Raptors also have Amir Johnson, Patrick O'Bryant and Rahso Nesterovic all not under contract. The only of those 4 you have a decent chance of seeing is Amir Johnson. So by drafting these 2 kids it is a clear sign the Raptor believe they will need to restock their big positions.

The second is the Raptors are trying to focus on improving the terrible defense of the past. Still it is my belief you need to unload Jose to truly do that. However if you add a shot blocker behind him that can save him a lot of times when he gets beat. At least that would be the thinking. Raptors have clearly focused on D heading into this draft. So if you wanted to see the Raptors D improve these 2 picks should help. However, it also is another clear sign the Bosh Era is coming to an end.

Raptors fans expected so much more from this night. It is nothing against these young men at all. They could both turn out to be decedent selections at the end of the day. However there is no sizzle to these guys. Demar DeRozan had TONS OF SIZZLE with jaw dropping athletic talent. The Raptors this season have drafted two real lunch bucket type of players. They could develop into fan favourites but will not replace the star this team is going to be missing. The bar of expectations has been set to an impossible level for Colangelo and the Raptors to match it. If you are expecting miracles from this Raptors team you may be setting yourself up for a rude awaking.

You have to hope that their two picks can be part of the solution going forward. This is going to be a long summer for the Raptors, and at the end of the day it is not Chris Bosh who is to blame. The Raptors have had many chances to get it right to build around him and they have failed to do so. Raptors are fighting long odds as teams are going crazy trying to cut salary. The most extreme example is Miami with just 2 players under contract. The Raptors may have got tougher tonight but not better in the short term.