Dwane Casey should have more success this season. The answers as to why are many, which begins with the fact he will have a full training camp to work with this roster. I am not sure if we give enough credit for what he was able to accomplish last season under less than ideal circumstances. What he was able to accomplish with a roster that was not as talented as the one he has now can not be applauded enough. He did it with so little time as well.
The lack of training camp and practices was well documented around the NBA last season. It is only natural common sense that Casey with more time should be able to accomplish more. “Pound the Rock” was something we had a lot of fun with in the DNB last season. I personally saw the whole concept as a little college like in nature. Casey was able to sell it though and his players bought in. If you didn’t buy in that you apparently are not going stick around. James Johnson would be an example of that, despite having a defensive skill set that should have worked well with Casey. It speaks to a word I have said a lot in talking about Casey. Accountability has returned to the Raptors vocabulary.
Casey will not only have more time, but more players that fit the style of basketball Casey wants to play. All of the Raptor additions have one common theme and that would be a defensive mindset. For years I have moaned in this blog just how important a point guard that can defend is in this new modern NBA. Casey now has one that should fit the bill in Kyle Lowry. He has guys that will be on his bench that will push others to bring it on defence. DeMar DeRozan has a motivation to play better defence in the form of Raptors first round pick Terrence Ross. Landry Fields is a solid defender as well that could play at the shooting guard or the small forward positions.
We could keep this going but to sum it up Casey now as depth and options if individuals are not working well within the system. The one thing a coach has control of that gives him power is minutes. He decides just how much you will play and that is how he can send his message. The trading of James Johnson shows that the organization to some extent has Dwane Casey’s back.
That is important and goes back to what they had in Utah for so many years with Jerry Sloan. In Utah there was a system and that system was ruled by Jerry Sloan. You didn’t fit the system or didn’t work well with Jerry Sloan and your stay in Utah would not be fun or long.
In the modern NBA that ruling with an iron fist approach alone is hard to make work. Casey has some of that in him but he has also shown an ability to work with his players and get them to buy in to varying degrees. It was made very clear to me from being in the Raptors’ locker room last season that Casey had the respect of the room.
So you should expect more from Casey in year number two as Raptors Head Coach. However all this talk of playoffs might not be a fair expectation. You may have to “Pound the Rock” a little longer before you are rewarded with the post-season. Casey will still try his best to push this team to exceed realistic expectations and the point is the Raptors have started to build an identity that can be successful.
Some Other Non-related Notes:
I ranked my top 5 dunkers in Raptor history for the Bleacher Report. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts over there. I would love to hear from DNB Readers there as well. In addition the Raptors finally made it official that Jaamal Magloire will be back at least for training camp. I talked about this earlier in the week so I will not add much to what I have already said. Ultimately Maglorie should not make this roster of 15 and if he does something has went wrong. This is assuming the Raptors don’t make a trade in which more players go out than come back. If we are talking about the 16 players currently on the roster it seems pretty simple to me that Magloire is the odd man out.
9/19/12
9/18/12
Pre-Season And Training Camp Will Mean A Lot For Raptors
For a number of reasons this training camp and pre-season will be very important for the Raptors. First reason has nothing to do with the roster turnover at all. Dwane Casey never even had much of a training camp last season. Despite those less than ideal circumstances for a new coach he was able to do a fantastic job. He was able to turn the Raptors in an acceptable team on the defensive end of the floor. He took huge first steps in changing this team’s culture and identity. When you factor in injures the Raptors endured it makes it even more amazing. Casey had more wins in 66 games than Jay Triano could muster in 82.
Now Casey has had an entire off-season to manage his players off-season activates and a full training camp to fully implement his defensive system. Just on these things alone the Raptors should be somewhat improved. You factor in the roster changes made and that makes you even more optimistic to a degree. You have more talent and more depth to work with. Casey has options this season if players fail to perform. It should help expand on a culture of accountability that he was able to create last season.
It will be important for the Raptors to see what they truly have in guys like Jonas Valancuinas, Terrence Ross and even Quincy Acy. Jonas will be at the top of that list as his learning curve will be the steepest of all. When you factor he is living in a brand new country something than Linas Kleiza should be helpful with adapting too. Learning the many nuances of the NBA game will be a challenge. Along with dealing with a mountain of expectations built in the year of fans waiting for his arrival. He will likely have the largest role of any of the rookies and it would be a disappointment if he was not the starter at center by the end of this season.
Terrence Ross has a lot less to worry about. He will not be expected to start and will be given time to grow. If Demar DeRozan is able to play like expected Terrence’s role should be very focused and controlled. While he can shoot and has great athletic ability, expect his defence to be his main focus at first.
Quincy Acy will likely not see much time on the floor. He will be asked to push all the Raptor big men in practice something he is capable of doing. He is an energy guy and if guys like Air Johnson and Ed Davis and others let up Acy will make that obvious. If he sees the floor it will be to send messages to others or because the Raptors have some serious injury issues.
It was made clear that DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis were impacted negatively by the lack of a normal off-season last year. If that theory is to be proven right than we need to see a much better performance from both out of the gate this season. If we do not that is a problem and something that will need to be addressed in some form or fashion.
Kyle Lowry has been given the starting job by most. He still has to go out and earn that spot technically. That should not be an issue for him. What will be is learning his new team and developing chemistry with guys like Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan. In fact at his position you really need to know everyone and how to get them the ball and make them most effective. He also needs to lead the charge on defence as he offers something the Raptors have lacked for some time. Lowry is an effective defender at the point that will challenge the opposing point guard and make life difficult for them. In addition to that he has to be mindful of Jose Calderon and do his best to deal with a situation that will be tricky to navigate.
Lowry has to establish himself as the guy and do it in a way where he doesn’t offend Jose Calderon in the process. How Calderon reacts to Lowry will also be something to wonder about. He could help Lowry make this transition easier. Most think this will happen based on Calderon’s reputation as a team guy. I am not as sold based on what we have been told about Calderon’s reaction to the Raptors off-season moves in which it was made pretty clear his days starting in Toronto were done.
All of these things and we haven’t touched on Ed Davis and Amir Johnson fighting for a spot in the rotation. Not a word on how Landry Fields fits into the mix and if he will be the guy starting at the small forward for the Raptors. Can Demar DeRozan learn to split time at the two and three positions? Will Andrea Bargnani stay injury free and show that the way he played when healthy last year was not a fluke.
There are a lot of things to be accomplished and maybe that is why most of the team is already on hand and working out on their own prior to training camp. It feels a lot like the first full season Bryan Colangelo had as G.M here in Toronto. The same results from that season would be far too optimistic as that team won a division title and finished in third place in the Eastern Conference. The NBA landscape has changed since that time. In fact forget the league, the Atlantic Division has changed in a major way. The Raptors will have to fight hard to compete in a division that is truly stacked and offers no easy games.
Now Casey has had an entire off-season to manage his players off-season activates and a full training camp to fully implement his defensive system. Just on these things alone the Raptors should be somewhat improved. You factor in the roster changes made and that makes you even more optimistic to a degree. You have more talent and more depth to work with. Casey has options this season if players fail to perform. It should help expand on a culture of accountability that he was able to create last season.
It will be important for the Raptors to see what they truly have in guys like Jonas Valancuinas, Terrence Ross and even Quincy Acy. Jonas will be at the top of that list as his learning curve will be the steepest of all. When you factor he is living in a brand new country something than Linas Kleiza should be helpful with adapting too. Learning the many nuances of the NBA game will be a challenge. Along with dealing with a mountain of expectations built in the year of fans waiting for his arrival. He will likely have the largest role of any of the rookies and it would be a disappointment if he was not the starter at center by the end of this season.
Terrence Ross has a lot less to worry about. He will not be expected to start and will be given time to grow. If Demar DeRozan is able to play like expected Terrence’s role should be very focused and controlled. While he can shoot and has great athletic ability, expect his defence to be his main focus at first.
Quincy Acy will likely not see much time on the floor. He will be asked to push all the Raptor big men in practice something he is capable of doing. He is an energy guy and if guys like Air Johnson and Ed Davis and others let up Acy will make that obvious. If he sees the floor it will be to send messages to others or because the Raptors have some serious injury issues.
It was made clear that DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis were impacted negatively by the lack of a normal off-season last year. If that theory is to be proven right than we need to see a much better performance from both out of the gate this season. If we do not that is a problem and something that will need to be addressed in some form or fashion.
Kyle Lowry has been given the starting job by most. He still has to go out and earn that spot technically. That should not be an issue for him. What will be is learning his new team and developing chemistry with guys like Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan. In fact at his position you really need to know everyone and how to get them the ball and make them most effective. He also needs to lead the charge on defence as he offers something the Raptors have lacked for some time. Lowry is an effective defender at the point that will challenge the opposing point guard and make life difficult for them. In addition to that he has to be mindful of Jose Calderon and do his best to deal with a situation that will be tricky to navigate.
Lowry has to establish himself as the guy and do it in a way where he doesn’t offend Jose Calderon in the process. How Calderon reacts to Lowry will also be something to wonder about. He could help Lowry make this transition easier. Most think this will happen based on Calderon’s reputation as a team guy. I am not as sold based on what we have been told about Calderon’s reaction to the Raptors off-season moves in which it was made pretty clear his days starting in Toronto were done.
All of these things and we haven’t touched on Ed Davis and Amir Johnson fighting for a spot in the rotation. Not a word on how Landry Fields fits into the mix and if he will be the guy starting at the small forward for the Raptors. Can Demar DeRozan learn to split time at the two and three positions? Will Andrea Bargnani stay injury free and show that the way he played when healthy last year was not a fluke.
There are a lot of things to be accomplished and maybe that is why most of the team is already on hand and working out on their own prior to training camp. It feels a lot like the first full season Bryan Colangelo had as G.M here in Toronto. The same results from that season would be far too optimistic as that team won a division title and finished in third place in the Eastern Conference. The NBA landscape has changed since that time. In fact forget the league, the Atlantic Division has changed in a major way. The Raptors will have to fight hard to compete in a division that is truly stacked and offers no easy games.
9/17/12
Jaamal Maglorie Needs Raptors More Than They Need Him
The simple fact is that Jaamal Magloire needs the Toronto Raptors more than they need him. The Raptors in a season where everyone knew expectations were low signed the Toronto native to a contract last season. It was in my view a way to get positive spin, as much as it was to get veteran leadership, as the Raptors claimed. Magloire is on the last legs of his NBA career and after years of some people wanting the Raptors to acquire the Toronto native they finally did.
Much like how he would fail to show up for Team Canada time and time again, he passed on the opportunity to play for the Raptors. He even signed with Miami when Chris Bosh first left to join the Heat. The fact this is the guy that will go down as the first Canadian to play for the Raptors will turn my stomach till the day I die.
People searched for reasons to find his relevance last season. There just wasn’t any and he should have gone the way of Rasual Butler. He didn’t though, but he offered about as much as Butler did to the Raptors. Jamaal at one time was a high level NBA talent, but that time was back in 2003. It was his best season in the NBA with at the time Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets would move to the Western Conference and Magloire went from All-Star to irrelevance fairly quickly.
This would not stop his name from coming up with fans to come home to the Raptors for years to come. Sometimes the dream is far better than the reality.
Aside from the fact he never played for his country there is arrogance about Magloire that rubs me the wrong way. Case and point how last season ended. He was selected to address the crowd before the final game of the season vs. the Nets. Not even under contract to the club for this season, he would tell fans that the Raptors were going to be heading back to the post-season this year. How on earth is a guy that might not even be here able to do that?
I would have had no issue if Demar DeRozan or Andrea Bargnani is making such a claim. They will be part of any such playoff effort. Magloire would be for the most part a spectator to one. I guess what got my juices flowing on this topic again, was an interview he had on Prime Time Sports on Friday from The Fan 590.
Again, I sit back and hear a guy that has not officially been offered a non-guaranteed contract talking about the Raptors future. How on earth did this guy become the spokesperson for the Toronto Raptors? I get the impression from some he is treated with the same type of reverence that a Steve Nash is treated. He is no where close to a Steve Nash even at the peak of his career.
Make no mistake about if the Raptors had not offered this guy a deal last season there is a strong possibility his NBA career would be finished. There is a major difference in Steve Nash ending his NBA Career in Toronto while still able to contribute to the Raptors and this.
The Raptors get more out of Aaron Gray who we profiled on Friday than they do Jaamal Magloire. Canada has some legitimate stars coming along in basketball and they will far surpass anything this guy has done. I would be proud to have a guys like that listed in the history books as the first Canadian Raptor. I would be proud if it was Canada’s greatest player ever Steve Nash. Instead I have to live with it being a washed up guy that was last productive in 2003.
What I shouldn’t have to do is have to endure that for another season. The Raptors have more than enough big people without Jaamal Magloire eating up a space on this roster. This was no fairytale story that some so desperately want it to be. It might be for Magloire when he looks back on his career but not for anyone else.
Much like how he would fail to show up for Team Canada time and time again, he passed on the opportunity to play for the Raptors. He even signed with Miami when Chris Bosh first left to join the Heat. The fact this is the guy that will go down as the first Canadian to play for the Raptors will turn my stomach till the day I die.
People searched for reasons to find his relevance last season. There just wasn’t any and he should have gone the way of Rasual Butler. He didn’t though, but he offered about as much as Butler did to the Raptors. Jamaal at one time was a high level NBA talent, but that time was back in 2003. It was his best season in the NBA with at the time Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets would move to the Western Conference and Magloire went from All-Star to irrelevance fairly quickly.
This would not stop his name from coming up with fans to come home to the Raptors for years to come. Sometimes the dream is far better than the reality.
Aside from the fact he never played for his country there is arrogance about Magloire that rubs me the wrong way. Case and point how last season ended. He was selected to address the crowd before the final game of the season vs. the Nets. Not even under contract to the club for this season, he would tell fans that the Raptors were going to be heading back to the post-season this year. How on earth is a guy that might not even be here able to do that?
I would have had no issue if Demar DeRozan or Andrea Bargnani is making such a claim. They will be part of any such playoff effort. Magloire would be for the most part a spectator to one. I guess what got my juices flowing on this topic again, was an interview he had on Prime Time Sports on Friday from The Fan 590.
Again, I sit back and hear a guy that has not officially been offered a non-guaranteed contract talking about the Raptors future. How on earth did this guy become the spokesperson for the Toronto Raptors? I get the impression from some he is treated with the same type of reverence that a Steve Nash is treated. He is no where close to a Steve Nash even at the peak of his career.
Make no mistake about if the Raptors had not offered this guy a deal last season there is a strong possibility his NBA career would be finished. There is a major difference in Steve Nash ending his NBA Career in Toronto while still able to contribute to the Raptors and this.
The Raptors get more out of Aaron Gray who we profiled on Friday than they do Jaamal Magloire. Canada has some legitimate stars coming along in basketball and they will far surpass anything this guy has done. I would be proud to have a guys like that listed in the history books as the first Canadian Raptor. I would be proud if it was Canada’s greatest player ever Steve Nash. Instead I have to live with it being a washed up guy that was last productive in 2003.
What I shouldn’t have to do is have to endure that for another season. The Raptors have more than enough big people without Jaamal Magloire eating up a space on this roster. This was no fairytale story that some so desperately want it to be. It might be for Magloire when he looks back on his career but not for anyone else.
9/14/12
Better Know Your Raptors: Aaron Gray
Today we start a series of previews of the individuals that make up your Toronto Raptors. In this series Better Know Your Raptors. Some will be serious, some will be fun and we will not stop until were done. We start with the one and only Aaron Gray.
Name: Gray, Aaron
Age: 27
Height: 7 ft Weight: 270
Born: California, USA
College: Pittsburgh
NBA Debut: Nov 2nd 2007 with Chicago Bulls
NBA Season: Entering season number 6 in NBA
Stat of Note: Started a career high 40 games last season with Raptors
How Raptors Got This Guy?: Signed as Free Agent December 2011
Last Season Highlights: He stumped Charles Barkley for the 2nd year in a row with Barkley not knowing where he was playing. He also was the only Raptor to get MVP Chants last season when he recorded 11 points and 11 rebounds on March 5th in a loss to the Orlando Magic.
Off-Season Notes: Gray re-signed with the Raptors in the off-season on a 2 year deal on July 27th.
Expected Role This Season: He will be the Raptors center to eventually back-up Jonas Valanciunas. He might even start the season as the starter. He will see his most minutes when the Raptors are matched up with teams with size at the center position. Expect nothing flashy but a solid player than can set a pick and eat up some minutes.
Other Things Of Note: The more we see Gray on the floor the worse it will be for Jonas. Gray is a great player to just fill a role and cause little to no drama what so ever. He is a better option than Jaamal Maglorie for this role and out performed him last season. Expect nothing dramatic and it is unlikely that will hear Aaron Gray M.V.P Chants at the ACC again this season.
Name: Gray, Aaron
Age: 27
Height: 7 ft Weight: 270
Born: California, USA
College: Pittsburgh
NBA Debut: Nov 2nd 2007 with Chicago Bulls
NBA Season: Entering season number 6 in NBA
Stat of Note: Started a career high 40 games last season with Raptors
How Raptors Got This Guy?: Signed as Free Agent December 2011
Last Season Highlights: He stumped Charles Barkley for the 2nd year in a row with Barkley not knowing where he was playing. He also was the only Raptor to get MVP Chants last season when he recorded 11 points and 11 rebounds on March 5th in a loss to the Orlando Magic.
Off-Season Notes: Gray re-signed with the Raptors in the off-season on a 2 year deal on July 27th.
Expected Role This Season: He will be the Raptors center to eventually back-up Jonas Valanciunas. He might even start the season as the starter. He will see his most minutes when the Raptors are matched up with teams with size at the center position. Expect nothing flashy but a solid player than can set a pick and eat up some minutes.
Other Things Of Note: The more we see Gray on the floor the worse it will be for Jonas. Gray is a great player to just fill a role and cause little to no drama what so ever. He is a better option than Jaamal Maglorie for this role and out performed him last season. Expect nothing dramatic and it is unlikely that will hear Aaron Gray M.V.P Chants at the ACC again this season.
9/13/12
5 Things To Watch For In Traning Camp And The Pre-Season
The Toronto Raptors as you are likely aware will get training camp rolling on October 2nd. Still a few weeks away, but not to far to make some educated guesses on the stories will be talking about. The roster seems set more or less, it may or may not have Jaamal Magloire on it for camp will wait and see. If it does for the first time in a long time the Raptors would enter camp with more bodies than they have spaces to fill. Currently the Raptors roster sits at the maximum number of players (15) with the signing yesterday of Dominic McGuire who played last season with the Warriors.
Here we go with 5 things we should be talking about throughout training camp and the pre-season:
1. Lowry/Calderon: The Raptors will likely shape this into some sort of competition for the starting job. We all are pretty confident this is just semantics as Kyle Lowry will be that starting point guard. So how will this impact on Jose Calderon and how will he take to being a reserve playing with the second unit. How does Kyle Lowry deal with all of this as well. It is a point guard controversy just waiting to happen. If Lowry plays to level he is capable of it will not be. In any case there will be lots of talk of Jose and if he is happy. Lowry and his development with a brand new cast. This will be the main topic of conversation above all others.
2. Ed/Amir: It seems that one of these guys will be unhappy when the music stops playing and the season begins. It seems unlike and improbable that both Ed and Amir can be in the rotation given all the Raptors off-season moves. Ed and Amir both had disappointing 2011-12 seasons by most people's expectations of them and their actual performance. Who bounces back quicker may get the jump on a spot in the rotation. Ed Davis would have the slight edge of being the player with the upside and room to grow. We saw a taste of that in Summer League. Amir Johnson is a guy that has a lot of intangibles that he brings to the floor. He also has a great chemistry with Jose Calderon who will be running the show with the second unit. It should be an interesting battle to watch.
3. Where, oh where is my small forward: The Raptors are a team with no clear cut options at the small forward position. You could take guys like Fields, DeRozan or even Terrence Ross and play them there. However, all would be considered out of position there. The safe bet is you see Fields there to start. Wait what about Linas Kleiza? This is not the Lithuanian national team. McGuire just acquired (Dope Rhymes) will not be considered a starter. In the end you would like to see DeRozan fill this role and shift to the small forward like Vince Carter did in Toronto. If he has added some size he could fit in the roll. The problem would lie in his defense that would need to be much-improved as most teams in this league have highly talented players at that position. Watching how Casey juggles his options at small forward should be fun.
4. Enter Jonas: The hype has ended and the proving shall begin. Time to see what exactly the Raptors have in Jonas Valanciunas. No more highlight films on Youtube or well produced documentaries it is show time. I have a significantly lower bar of expectations from most. I will just be happy if we see him learn how the game is called in the pre-season. Staying on the floor in the NBA will likely be the first hurdle of many for Jonas to climb. What also will be interesting is the patience level of the general fan base who has been told for over a year how good this guy is or could be.
5. Will the REAL Andrea Bargnani please stand up: Was it a 13 game mirage of greatness or was it real? Did Andrea Bargnani really turn a corner to becoming an NBA All-Star? I don't know the answer to that. What I do know is we likely won't find out in training camp. The Raptors after last season will no doubt want to get Andrea Bargnani through training camp with no issues. Coming back from an injury plagued 2011-12 season his health above all others will be most important for the Raptors to start the season. The drop off in terms of scoring for this team and at his position is significant without him. Expect him to be kept from being over extended in the pre-season.
There will be lots of other stories as well, but those five should be the dominant themes as the Raptors get set to embark on a season, where for the first time in awhile this team has expectations from fans and media to do something. That has not happened since Chris Bosh took his talents to South Beach.
Here we go with 5 things we should be talking about throughout training camp and the pre-season:
1. Lowry/Calderon: The Raptors will likely shape this into some sort of competition for the starting job. We all are pretty confident this is just semantics as Kyle Lowry will be that starting point guard. So how will this impact on Jose Calderon and how will he take to being a reserve playing with the second unit. How does Kyle Lowry deal with all of this as well. It is a point guard controversy just waiting to happen. If Lowry plays to level he is capable of it will not be. In any case there will be lots of talk of Jose and if he is happy. Lowry and his development with a brand new cast. This will be the main topic of conversation above all others.
2. Ed/Amir: It seems that one of these guys will be unhappy when the music stops playing and the season begins. It seems unlike and improbable that both Ed and Amir can be in the rotation given all the Raptors off-season moves. Ed and Amir both had disappointing 2011-12 seasons by most people's expectations of them and their actual performance. Who bounces back quicker may get the jump on a spot in the rotation. Ed Davis would have the slight edge of being the player with the upside and room to grow. We saw a taste of that in Summer League. Amir Johnson is a guy that has a lot of intangibles that he brings to the floor. He also has a great chemistry with Jose Calderon who will be running the show with the second unit. It should be an interesting battle to watch.
3. Where, oh where is my small forward: The Raptors are a team with no clear cut options at the small forward position. You could take guys like Fields, DeRozan or even Terrence Ross and play them there. However, all would be considered out of position there. The safe bet is you see Fields there to start. Wait what about Linas Kleiza? This is not the Lithuanian national team. McGuire just acquired (Dope Rhymes) will not be considered a starter. In the end you would like to see DeRozan fill this role and shift to the small forward like Vince Carter did in Toronto. If he has added some size he could fit in the roll. The problem would lie in his defense that would need to be much-improved as most teams in this league have highly talented players at that position. Watching how Casey juggles his options at small forward should be fun.
4. Enter Jonas: The hype has ended and the proving shall begin. Time to see what exactly the Raptors have in Jonas Valanciunas. No more highlight films on Youtube or well produced documentaries it is show time. I have a significantly lower bar of expectations from most. I will just be happy if we see him learn how the game is called in the pre-season. Staying on the floor in the NBA will likely be the first hurdle of many for Jonas to climb. What also will be interesting is the patience level of the general fan base who has been told for over a year how good this guy is or could be.
5. Will the REAL Andrea Bargnani please stand up: Was it a 13 game mirage of greatness or was it real? Did Andrea Bargnani really turn a corner to becoming an NBA All-Star? I don't know the answer to that. What I do know is we likely won't find out in training camp. The Raptors after last season will no doubt want to get Andrea Bargnani through training camp with no issues. Coming back from an injury plagued 2011-12 season his health above all others will be most important for the Raptors to start the season. The drop off in terms of scoring for this team and at his position is significant without him. Expect him to be kept from being over extended in the pre-season.
There will be lots of other stories as well, but those five should be the dominant themes as the Raptors get set to embark on a season, where for the first time in awhile this team has expectations from fans and media to do something. That has not happened since Chris Bosh took his talents to South Beach.
9/12/12
Raptors Add Another To Mix Few Weeks From Camp
The Raptors add another player to the roster and it isn't Jamaal Magloire. Dominic McGuire played last season with Golden State Warriors. He is 6 foot 9 and weighs in at 235 pounds. Sounds like a nice fit for the Raptors to have a very large back-up at the wing position at best. McGuire was originally drafted back in 2007 by the Wizards 47th overall. Perhaps what is most interesting in this is the Raptors could enter camp with more than maximum 15 players for the first time in years. This is if they follow through on signing Jamaal Magloire which has yet to be officially announced. This was reported via twitter by Ryan Wolstat from the Toronto Sun via Twitter. Ryan has been a guest here in the Dino Nation Blog on many occasions.
The contract Maglorie is being offered according to that report is non-guarnteed meaning that he would have to out perform a contract player to make the roster. This was the guy that addressed the crowd and promised this team would make the playoffs and there is a chance he may not even make the roster. It joust points out how utter stupid it was for him to be making such a comment.
The McGuire signing might also mean that there is no Jamaal at all. Which if that was the case I would have zero problem with that. Jamaal will still be the answer to the trivia question "Who is the first Canadian to play for the Toronto Raptors?" That alone is enough to make my blood boil. I have said in this blog his role and contribution last season were highly over blown. He was 6 hard fouls and that is about all.
The contract Maglorie is being offered according to that report is non-guarnteed meaning that he would have to out perform a contract player to make the roster. This was the guy that addressed the crowd and promised this team would make the playoffs and there is a chance he may not even make the roster. It joust points out how utter stupid it was for him to be making such a comment.
The McGuire signing might also mean that there is no Jamaal at all. Which if that was the case I would have zero problem with that. Jamaal will still be the answer to the trivia question "Who is the first Canadian to play for the Toronto Raptors?" That alone is enough to make my blood boil. I have said in this blog his role and contribution last season were highly over blown. He was 6 hard fouls and that is about all.
9/10/12
DNB's Fantasy Guru: Southeast Division Depth Charts
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Southeast Division
We are moving at a snails pace on the road to the pre-season
in September. But, here at the DNB, we
are going strong with a continued look at Fantasy Basketball’s depth
charts. This week we will look at the
Southeast division:
Miami Heat
Position
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Player
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Player
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Player
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Player
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C
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C. Bosh
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J. Anthony
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R. Turiaf
|
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PF
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S. Battier
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U. Haslem
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SF
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L. James
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R. Lewis
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SG
|
D. Wade
|
R. Allen
|
M. Miller
|
|
PG
|
M. Chalmers
|
N. Cole
|
This years reigning champions have a fairly straightforward
depth chart. With James, Wade and Bosh
all guaranteed to clock their regular minutes, it leaves only two positions
(PG, PF) with playing time up for grabs.
Look for the battle of the three-ball to heat up during the
regular season. Spoelstra will have new additions
Ray Allen, and Rashard Lewis in the line-up.
Both vets have been brought in to hit those open looks, and should see a boost in FG%. The
odd-man out is Mike Miller. His minutes
will significantly decrease and he should be passed on in most leagues and
formats. Allen should get some quality
time and Rashard Lewis will definitely have a chance to redeem the last few
lackluster years of his career.
Second year point guard Norris Cole
should get plenty of burn behind Chalmers and should look to improve. Chalmers is an intriguing mid-round selection
with his decent 3FG%.
Sure bets: LeBron (early), Wade (early), Bosh (early),
Chalmers (mid)
Sleepers: Allen, Cole, Battier
Pass on: Miller, Anthony, Turiaf
Atlanta Hawks
Position
|
Player
|
Player
|
Player
|
Player
|
C
|
Z. Pachulia
|
J. Williams
|
||
PF
|
A. Horford
|
I. Johnson
|
||
SF
|
J. Smith
|
K. Korver
|
||
SG
|
L. Williams
|
A. Morrow
|
||
PG
|
J. Teague
|
D. Harris
|
The Hawks have some intriguing sleepers in their
line-up. Zaza Pachulia, Lou Williams,
and Devin Harris all could have great fantasy seasons with the Hawks.
This would have to be Jeff Teague’s final season to prove
that he is a NBA starter and not just a rotation player. He will have Devin Harris breathing down his
neck just itching to take over the coveted role, as this will be a contract
season for the 8th year guard.
Harris had a troubled year with the Jazz after being traded from the
Nets. However, the Jazz and their bigs
weren’t the ideal situation for Harris and Atlanta’s free flowing offense may
give Harris a boost in production and play into his strengths.
Lou Williams should finally have a starting job in the
NBA. He played fairly well coming off
the bench with the Sixers and this boost in minutes can only do well for his FGAs
and his PPG average.
With Horford moving down to PF, Zaza should get some solid
minutes on a weak frontcourt. There
really is no real competition for Pachulia even though he may not be the best
bet center the Hawks should be relying on.
Frankly, the Hawks are in a conundrum of a situation with
Joe Johnson out of the picture. The
team’s bets player, Josh Smith, wants out, and their only real bet after Smith
is Horford, who surely can’t carry a team by himself.
The Hawks are loaded with late round sleepers and should be
followed throughout your fantasy basketball season for great waiver wire
pick-ups and stop-gaps.
Sure bets: Horford (early), Smith (early)
Sleepers: Harris, Teague, Williams, Pachulia, Johnson
Pass on: Korver, Williams
Orlando Magic
Position
|
Player
|
Player
|
Player
|
Player
|
C
|
G. Ayon
|
N. Vucevic
|
K. O’Quinn
|
A. Nicholson
|
PF
|
G. Davis
|
A, Harrington
|
J. McRoberts
|
J. Harper
|
SF
|
H. Turkoglu
|
Q. Richardson
|
M. Harkless
|
|
SG
|
A. Afflalo
|
J. J. Reddick
|
C. Eyenga
|
|
PG
|
J. Nelson
|
I. Smith
|
The post-Howard Magic line-up is the most difficult to
decipher. They are loaded with question
marks and the minutes are hardly set in stone.
The only sure fire starter is Jameer Nelson. The Magic have no real candidates to overtake
Nelson so consider him a solid guard option in the mid-rounds.
The real quandary is the C and the PF positions. Gustavo Ayon and Nicola Vucevic should have a
solid battle for the starting spot and there is no clear indication that either
will win. Ayon looks like the best
option to start, pre-training camp, but that could change easily.
Davis, Harrington and McRoberts will be battling each other
for PF minutes on this hapless team of have-nots. Look for Davis to comfortably find himself in
the starter spot since he finished at a near double-double average when Howard
sat out with an injury at the end of last season. However, Harrington and the young guys will
be eager to take on extra playing time.
Davis won’t be able to stay comfortable for too long.
Turkoglu can be a stat line stuffer with decent averages in
assists and boards. However, he is old,
and without a Dwight Howard in the middle, becomes a defensive liability. There really is no incentive to play the
aging vet. Harkless has a real chance to
get some solid minutes if he shows some potential early on in training camp.
The Magic will be adjusting, and re-adjusting their line-up
the entire season. As they tread along
in their first losing season in a few years, they will be testing out what they
have in their young guys. Once the
season is lost, look for a youth revolt in terms of minutes passed around. There should be some solid waiver wire pick-ups
coming out of the Magic Roster in February.
Sure bets: Nelson (mid), Davis (mid)
Sleepers: Ayon, Vucevic, Harkless
Pass on: Turkoglu
Washington Wizards
Player
|
Position
|
Position
|
Position
|
Position
|
C
|
E. Okafor
|
K. Seraphin
|
||
PF
|
Nene
|
T. Booker
|
||
SF
|
T. Ariza
|
J. Vesely
|
J. Singleton
|
|
SG
|
J. Crawford
|
B. Beal
|
||
PG
|
J. Wall
|
A.J. Price
|
Washington made a big off-season trade by flipping Rashard
Lewis and his monster contract for Okafor and Ariza. The Wizards look to be trying to please John
Wall by acquiring pieces (including Nene) that may give them a chance to be in
the playoff hunt. This team has been in
constant transition, and although they were able to draft Wall with the number
one pick two years ago, they still don’t have a clear picture moving forward.
The front-court seems to have some question marks surrounding
whether they put Nene at the center position or slide him to PF. If Okafor can stay healthy, his defensive
presence could actually be a great pairing alongside the offensive Nene. However, there are a few young players that
may surprise and steal some solid minutes down low.
Trevor Ariza should see some quality minutes and his defense
always leaves him on the court.
Unfortunatley, his low shooting percentage leaves him as a liability. Look for Vesely to earn more minutes and give
us an idea whether he is an NBA caliber player or not.
Another great battle will be at the two spot. Crawford and Beal should both get their
minutes but the starter position is definitely not set in stone. Beal could easily take Crawford’s spot, if
Crawford slips up early to mid-season.
The main point for this team is that they want to win. Line-ups could be shaken up early on to find
the right group that has the best on court chemistry; so, tread lightly.
Sure bets: Wall (early), Nene (early)
Sleepers: Okafor, Crawford, Beal, Vesely, Seraphin
Pass on: Ariza
Charlotte Bobcats
Position
|
Player
|
Player
|
Player
|
Player
|
C
|
B. Biyambo
|
B Haywood
|
B. Mullens
|
|
PF
|
B. Mullens
|
T. Thomas
|
||
SF
|
M. Kidd-Gilchrist
|
R. Williams
|
||
SG
|
G. Henderson
|
B. Gordon
|
C. Higgins
|
|
PG
|
K. Walker
|
R. Sessions
|
M. Carroll
|
These lowly Bobcats have received a glimmer of hope after
losing the lottery to New Orleans.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is an excellent young prospect and should give
the franchise some steam moving forward.
The main concern with this team is how they plan on distributing minutes among their guards. By trading Maggette for
Gordon the Bobcats received a pure shooter that probably won’t play well with second
year guard Kemba Walker. Both Walker and
Gordon love to shoot and will have high FGAs when on the court. The Cats also brought in Ramon Sessions, who
is a pass first guard that can also score when needed. It certainly looks as if Henderson and Walker
will be paired up with Sessions and Gordon coming off the bench. The pairings make sense on paper so what
truly determines the starting line-ups will be what Mike Dunlap will see in
training camp.
Bismack Biyombo will surely get more minutes this
season. You can certainly expect an
increase of blocks and rebounds from the second year center. He is still fairly raw on the offensive end
but he is part of the future on this team with MKG and Kemba Walker.
Sure bets: Kidd-Gilchrist
Sleepers: Henderson, Walker, Sessions, Mullens, Biyambo
Pass on: Gordon, Thomas
It seems as if the Miami Heat are light years ahead of every
team in their division. Yet, from a
fantasy perspective, this division resembles an untapped gold-mine of fantasy
wealth. There will be countless opportunities
to pick up some late-round talent that may look like fantasy trash but may in
fact turn into fantasy gold and win you a title. Keep an eye on those positional battles and
see who is outperforming whom by comparing per36 stats and PER. Many players in this division will be passed
on so a lot of these guys will be available when needed.
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