Raptors Need A Magic Trick

So if you were asleep in last 24 hours. Demar is in the dunk contest and Peja took his bag of money and was last seen heading towards Dallas. The Raptors have left Texas and are now in sunny Florida. Nice weather for sure but it also means a date with two of the best teams in the East Conference in the Magic and Heat. A back to back from hell that begins tonight. The last time Toronto was in Orlando few game them a shot at winning. But they did. Even fewer give them a chance tonight. This is a totally different roster they will face as well. Vince Carter is now a member of the Suns. Hedo Turkoglu also a former Raptor is now back home with Magic and found God or at least his game. Also bang bang as Gilbert Arenas is on this Magic roster. Along with Jason Richardson. Losing 5 straight it is hard to like the Raptors chances in this one.

The Basics: Raptors 13-29 (5-17 on Road) Magic 27-15 (18-7 vs East)

When Last We Saw Them: The Raptors had a surprising showing in the first half and were not able to carry it through to the 2nd half. Andrea Bargnani struggled the entire night and never could find a rhythm on offence. His defence was non-existent. Demar DeRozan had a great scoring first half but failed to carry it through to the 2nd half. In the end the Spurs showed why they have the best record in the league and had a great 3rd quarter and hung on for the win.

Key Match Ups: If you are playing the Orlando Magic on both ends of the floor you need to account for Dwight Howard. He is a shot blocking presence on D. While on offence a summer of working with "The Dream" has done is game a world of good. Jameer Nelson starting gaining respect by out playing both Jose Calderon and T.J Ford in the last playoff series the Raptors were a part of. Since that time people still question if Nelson is the right guy for Magic to win a title. But he has the full support of Stan Van Gundy and remains the starting point guard. Raptors will have lots of 3 point shooters to deal with and will need to be aware of that. They may not be able to wide in a zone defence much tonight if the Magic start dropping 3's.

Other Things Of Note: Congratulations to The Basketball Jones on the 5th Anniversary. They are having a party/show tonight and I am going to be in attendance so the re-cap of this game will be included in the preview of tomorrow's game with Miami. Ryan will be taking care of that for you all tomorrow. So congrats to Skeets,Tas, Matty O and J.D and good luck to the Raptors tonight they will need it. Someone pointed out this is the 5th anniversary of something else. 5 Years ago it was Kobe Bryant in L.A dropping 81 points on the Raptors. I am confident is saying no one on the Magic will drop 81 on the Raps tonight.

Where Is It On? TSN (Really is the NHL on All Star Break already? )

Challenges That Still The Face Raptors

Hedo Turkoglu is showing more team work leaving the Raptors than he ever did when he was here. While Bosh and Colangelo fired back and forth it seemed the perfect time for Hedo to chime in and trash Toronto as an NBA city and defend Bosh. I Think Colaneglo opened up a Pandora's box that Raptors fans are far more familiar with than he is. This conversation about what Chris Bosh did or didn't do in his final months as a Raptor serves no purpose. It also makes no sense for Bryan to attack Bosh while taking the high road with Hedo Turkoglu which he continues to do even after his latest comments.

Why would that be? Maybe because Hedo was Colangelo's mistake while Chris Bosh is Bryan Colangelo's failure. What I mean by this is the fact the Hedo was part of that failure. Colangelo stated one of the reasons he came to Toronto was the chance to build a team around Bosh. That is what he was brought here to do. He has failed to do that, which is the bottom line of all of this. While you can invest your time in who to blame for that, it really doesn't serve any purpose.

The real problem is the one that has plagued the Raptors for years. The ability to attract top U.S players to the franchise. The Raptors only U.S stars have all come primarily from the draft. You are able to hit home runs once in awhile with Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. That is the first part of the puzzle. However the 2nd part of the puzzle is being able to build that team around the player. Both with organization with the Carter and or Bosh backing them were unable to bring in top players to play along side them. Leaving the Raptors only option to be to trade to bring in players.

The Organization has to come to the conclusion that they will eventually need to go into the tax threshold to build a legit contender. That is the reality of things. You have to overpay to a point until you build a winner. It is the only way it is going to happen. The negative perception of the Raptors in the United States is now growing based on the events of this summer. The job has become even harder now to get those U.S players to come.

Rather then complain about your lot in life the time has come to find real solutions. Bryan Colangelo's attempt to try and find a loop hole in the problem has failed. The idea of adding a great deal of European players has ultimately been a failure. In all the players he has brought in have any of them been even close to Chris Bosh in terms of their importance to the Raptors? Bargnani is no Bosh and anyone that thinks he is frankly is fooling themselves. Jose Calderon was a flash in the pan at best. No sense even mentioning Hedo is there? There has also always been talk of the divide it creates just naturally in the looker room.

Bottom line is this is year 16 of this franchise, and we still here many of the same stupid things. Be it the metric system, taxes, no ESPN and any other thing you constantly hear. Someone has to take on this problem and attack it. That is not just stating the obvious that Toronto is a wonderful first class city. NBA players don't have an issue with that. Toronto is one of the more fun places to visit for majority of the NBA. But we have all heard the expression- "It's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there". That is pretty much what the players are saying about Toronto.

One of the first things I would do, if I was the Raptors, is to press the league to lobby on their behalf to get them on T.V in the U.S. You can say well Raptors have not always deserved that attention. But we have seen enough dog games on TNT and ESPN over the years that I think a few times a year they can bite the bullet and broadcast the Raptors. I would also request they be home games. Which would be extra cost for the broadcasters but I would be willing to pay for it. Let people see what Raptor fans are all about and what this city is all about.

But are we hearing anything about figuring out plans like this? No, we are hearing a bunch of crying over spilt milk. That is not serving anything for anyone. The time has come to start coming up with answers and not crying about what mean people are saying about us. Suck it up and figure out a way to fix it. That is what Raptor fans should want and more importantly what they deserve.

If B.C can figure that out maybe then he will legitimately have earned, his at times God like status. But if he doesn't he will end like every other Raptor G.M before him. Frustrated that he can't attract the talent required to build a winning team to attract more talent to be a championship contending team.

It is NOT hard to say GOOD BYE!!!

Finally you can get the BALL out of Toronto!!! Yes the long awaited Hedo Turkoglu deal has been finalized. Hedo and his Pizza eating, lazy, playing for Turkey and not the Raptors butt is gone. That is reason enough to celebrate, but it is also a pretty good piece coming back the other way. Leandro Barbosa has the nickname of the Brazilian Blur. So let's state the obvious the Raptors have got a lot faster in this deal. Hedo vs Barbosa in a race would be about as funny as Barkley vs Beveta. Maybe more!!! Dwyane Jones is also part of this deal. Colangelo had this to say in a quote from the press release on the 1 year Hedo Turkoglu Era

Bryan Colangelo "After much fanfare and high expectations, things just didn't seem to work out here for Turk,” added Colangelo. “I'm certain he will move on and contribute great things to Phoenix. We wish him well"

Bryan may wish him well but I think we can all agree see ya later Turkey!!! Take your ball to Phoenix and get lost. Barbosa is a former 6th man of the year with the Suns and obviously someone Colangelo knows quite well. Here is his thoughts on Barbosa.

Bryan Colangelo "Leandro Barbosa is a player I'm quite familiar with and I'm very pleased that he is coming to Toronto,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “His speed, quickness and scoring ability will mesh well with our desired playing style and talented young athletes."

This moves Hedo's over priced contract that Colangelo signed him to off the books. While Barbosa comes at a cheaper price at 7.1 Million for less years. Colangelo talked about this and the change in direction in the post Bosh Era.

Bryan Colangelo "With the departure of Chris Bosh now real, this trade fits well with our plan of adding talent to the roster while establishing future salary cap flexibility"

The original deal with Bobcats was a far better total package. But this is a smaller step in the right direction. Barbosa is a 7 year vet of the NBA and here are his career numbers.

12.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 25.1 minutes in 466 games. He has appeared in 64 playoff contests, averaging 10.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 23.3 minutes. He averaged 15.8 points in 11 outings in the 2007 postseason.

This is far more than addition by subtraction for the Raptors. They actually got a valuable piece. In terms of Jones it is hard to know where or if he fits seeing as he was suppose to move on the Bobcats. Thanks again M.J for that. Still this is happy times for Raptor fans and relief as some may have actually bought into B.C's smoke screen of considering keeping HeDON'T. Nah one really did that....did you?

Hedo is winning one thing. The DNB POLL QUESTION on the right over there. Who would you Boo the most and his competition is Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. So never let it be said Hedo never won anything in Toronto. He did that Poll.

With all this said it is with great glee and excitement that I say on behalf of all Raptor Fans.

BYE BALL

To the people of Phoenix we honestly can't thank you enough and Good Luck you will need it. But we have given you Steve Nash from our great country. I think this makes us square.

Raptors On Court Good, Off Court Not So Much

Only was able to see bits and pieces of this one. But in what I was able to see DeRozan and Weems were continuing there high wire act in Vegas. The 2 young guns are doing an excellent job of taking the ball to the hoop. DeRozan did take a shot in this one but was not going to let it stop him. He was the game's high scorer with 23 points. As for the Raptor rookies it was not as good for Ed Davis today. After an impressive debut he faded into the background today with just 4 points and 4 boards. Raps 2nd round pick Solomon Alabi was a bit better in this on with 10 points and 6 boards in just 18 minutes of action. Also Dorsey again was doing work on the glass and scoring a bit to with 13 points matching Weems total and a dozen rebounds. So the summer version of the Raptors are 2-0 with a 100-91 win over the Rockets. Which is good news.



While off the court, the Raptors deal that had people including me ready to pat Bryan Colangelo on the back. Forget about it!!! It is now but a memory as Michael Jordan on his own or with the encouragement of his coach Larry Brown called off the trade with the Raptors. They quickly went and moved one of the pieces of the deal Tyson Chandler to Dallas. Mark Cuban is the big winner of the 3 way trade between the Suns, Raptors and Bobcats. Who saw that coming? He gets a major upgrade at center with Chandler for Dampier. It also makes you wonder if Cuban is considering bringing in Shaq as the Diesel did not exactly get along with his former center. Story for another day though.

So after Reggie Evans and Jose Calderon were told that they are gone, suddenly they are not. Awkward, and not good at all. Especially in the case of Calderon. If the Raptors had other offers it is safe to say they will be looking at them. Seems Charlotte, if you care to believe them or not, were not happy about a 10% trade kicker in Jose's contract. This was one of the reasons they gave for killing the trade. But now you have a less than thrilled point guard, who has had the only organization he has played for say they didn't want him . While Jack is clearly more in tune with this Raptors young core and is at summer league watching the guys play. It is a pretty awful mess for Bryan Colangelo, and unlike the Bosh saga that played out, a very unforeseen one. Also, not his fault it should be pointed out.

So you are thinking fine but what about Hedo? No he still is gone it would appear. I find it ironic that Suns are not the ones with buyers regret. But everything still seems a go for that trade despite no official announcement yet. Leandro Barbosa will still be a Raptor. While Diaw remains a Bobcat for the moment and Chandler is off to Dallas. In theory the Raps could still move Calderon for Diaw but I think if their were other options for Calderon those will be explored long before Bryan Colangelo makes a call to Charlotte. You have to imagine that Colangelo is hot at Charlotte and with just cause to be.

He may have even have been to angry to hear his former star on the radio give his version of his departure to Miami. I don't think Colangelo would care even if he wasn't busy or angry. I really have to find out what B.C does to deal with his anger and frustration. He handles it far better than me as my Twitter followers can vouch for. However, I handle it a million times better than Dan Gilbert. Who was fined that amount by David Stern. In the first smart thing Gilbert has done since James bolted he told Cavs fans that were willing to donate to pay his fine, thanks but no thanks. He encouraged them to give the money they had planned to donate to the Cavs Charity foundation or some other worthy cause.

Some off-season this is. I think I am working harder now than I would be in the season. I need a vacation to someplace nice....maybe South Beach....I hear it is great. Perhaps not!!!!

HeDon't Here Anymore

Just a update on the Hedo to the Suns story, that we mentioned late last night here in the Dino Nation Blog. It is now being reported that their is a second domino to this trade. Dwyane Jones would also be coming from Suns and would be moved to Charlotte for Boris Diaw. The Raptors would use part of their trade exception from the Bosh to Miami sign and trade to facilitate this move. Diaw is making 9 Million next season and has a player option for the same amount the following season. While as mentioned, in the earlier story, Barbosa is making 7.1 Million in the final year of his deal (But has a Player Option) . This may help the Raptors if there are major changes to the CBA. Raptors would have some serious cash potentially coming off the books at any case early into the new CBA if not at the start of it.

Both players were brought to the Suns during Colangelo's time as G.M. So these are guys he is obviously very familiar with. If all the info I have been learning about trade exceptions is correct, the Raptors would still have 8 million left of the Bosh exception to use. Not shockingly this would be the 8 million that would push the Raptors potentially over the tax threshold. So the question still remains will the Raptors go there? MLSE has said as has Bryan Colangelo that team is able to go there if they choose to do so. Yet in practice, it has never happened and it was one of the points Chris Bosh made at the end of the season. The fact that this team had never been a tax team and that to be a championship contender he felt a team needed to be.

Make no mistake by adding Diaw, Barbosa and potentially Linas Keliza is not making the Raptors a contender. Still the pure joy fans will get for being rid of Turkoglu may make that a moot point. I am not as sold on Diaw, as I mentioned I was with Barbosa. Think we all should hold ultimate judgment till it is clear that Colangelo is done. It seems pretty clear the next domino to fall with be the Jose or Jack chip. Given the visibility of Jack and his relationship with the young players on this team, it makes you hopefully he will be the one that remains. Jose Calderon, joking or not, declaring himself the captain of this team on Fan 590 sent shivers down my spine.

Now the math in this may be a mess. I reserve the right to be wrong given that I took Broadcast Journalism not Economics in College. But based on what I know this should be in the ball park. Will fix it if need be.

Update:8:55 am- Now there could be more to this deal. Some reports are coming out that Jose Calderon would also go to Charlotte in exchange for Tyson Chandler. This would make sense for Bobcats with the recent loss of Felton to free agency. Raps Trade exception would have enough juice for this to be possible. I guess stay tuned as there seems to be more to this trade as the hours pass.

Update: 1:00 PM- This deal keeps getting better for the Raptors. The Calderon for Tyson Chandler part is in fact real. But it gets even better. The Raptors could add another player to the deal (Banks or Evans) and would actually have to use next to nothing of their TPE(Trade Exception) to make the deal happen. If Bryan Colangelo pulls this off it is beyond amazing. When you stop having faith in this guy he pulls another rabbit out of his hat. If all this happens you can debate how successful the Raptors could be. But with Chandler expiring this adds more cap room for the Raps to take to a new CBA. The TPE lasts for a year and does not have to be used until next year.

Young Guns Heat Up Vegas

While Chris Bosh enjoys his new found home in Miami, the Raptors started life without him in Las Vegas on the right foot. The Raptors started Summer league with an impressive win over the Suns 103-69 . Toronto shot the lights out going 56.1% from the field and got 42 attempts at the free throw line. Weems lead the charge with 19 points and fellow Young Gun member Demar DeRozan had 16. Ed Davis had 15 points and 8 rebounds in his debut. Weems was making his own personal highlight reel. Here is the an example offering you some proof.

Hedo Gone In A Brazilian Blur?

Some off the court news late Sunday night that Hedo Turkoglu could be off to those same Suns. David Aldridge is reporting the Raptors will trade Hedo for Leandro Barbosa. This would be a huge move for Colangelo getting rid of the 4 years left on Hedo's contract for Barbosa, who is in the final year of his contract set to make 7.1 million for the 2010/11 season. In a sense he would have a 1 year audition with the Raptors and should be highly motivated to be successful in a contract year. Something that Turkoglu clearly wasn't in his one season with the Raptors.

If this turns out to be factual, this is a move that makes sense for the Raptors. It seems clear the Raptors in the "Post Bosh Era" are going to be a team that is looking to run. Barbosa will certainly help in that regard. He is able to play the point and can be an undersized 2 as well. This could pave the way for the Raptors to make a move to unload Calderon or Jack. I had felt things would move quickly once the Bosh drama played out. It would appear that is the case. Colangelo said to the media his goal is not to start a rebuilding project. This is a move that backs up those words. There is still a lot more work to be done.

Not much to Report...Till 9pm

Raptors wise the Free Agency kick off has been a dud. Bosh met with some teams the surprise on the list Houston. But if you listen to his tweets, Miami sure seems the front runner. He praised how much Pat Riley wants to win. So does that mean B.C didn't? ESPN did report the Raptors have offered a max contract. Joe Johnson can show you one of those as the Hawks resigned him.

In my view, disturbing news, as Hedo Turkoglu seems to be trying to say "my bad" and move on. Colangleo also said in his fan interview about time can heal wounds. It is looking more like Hedo could in fact return to the Raptors. I am not sure if this is something the fans will accept. I also am not sure if they should. If Hedo does return I am not sure how many fans will be in the mood to forgive and forget.

Our fantasy world of B-Ball gets kicked off tonight. For the second season of our Mock GM league with the same Rosters where we left off. So keep that in mind when you are selecting a team. July 1 9pm the season will begin here. Lots of teams still available but don't wait and miss out.

With that all being said, HAPPY CANADA DAY to all our Canadian Readers!!!

UPDATE 9pm- OR NOT........

Yahoo is reporting that Amir Johnson will remain a Raptor. He even tweeted it himself. But he did not tweet his deal which Marc Spears reported is 34 million dollars for 5 year which is a deal when you compare to the terrible deal Drew Gooden was given. More on this tomorrow.

B.C Admits The Bosh Era Is "Likely" Over

Bryan Colangelo in an interview on the Fan 590 admitted that it is "likely" that Chris Bosh is going to leave Toronto. Bosh as expected has not used his player option and is officially a free agent. He also admitted to have little communication with Bosh lately. Saying that Bosh had been on a vacation for like a month. That has not stopped Bosh from appearing on many U.S based radio and t.v programs. Most recently on ESPN's morning radio show on the day of the NBA Draft. Bosh has refused interview requests from the Fan590. Even the events in Toronto from the G-20 Summit violence did not draw even a tweet from Bosh.

I am upset at how Bosh has handled his all but confirmed exit from Toronto. I do not dispute that it from his prospective is likely a wise decision. Colangelo in the same interview said that all his moves that he has made have been discussed with Chris. However the failure of the major moves he has executed have been a large part of Bosh wanting out. Colangelo upon taking the job with the Raptors stated part of the appeal of it was to build a team around Chris. He has now officially (or will when Bosh signs elsewhere) failed to do that.

In other bits and bites from the interview Colangelo claims that Hedo Turkoglu is moveable. However he says he does not think of the situation could still not be repaired. That time can change things. Still, I would think that with a Bosh free Raptors and the fan base hating Hedo to Vince Carter levels that you can't fix that. Also Colangelo suggested that if Bosh leaves the re-signing of Amir Johnson would be come a high priority.

The most scary of all could be this thought. Colangelo who once had stated that he and Bosh had an agreement to work together on a sign and trade situation seemed to suggest that is no longer a lock. Chris had once also said that as well in terms of working with Raptors for a sign and trade. What seems to have changed is Bosh's willingness to pair up with Dwyane Wade or Lebron James or both. Some have suggested that Miami is going to try and land all 3 of the big free agent haul. If that were to happen the pressure on Miami would be massive.

News has been leaking that James has ruled out Cleveland and now this acknowledgment by Colangelo about Bosh, Cleveland and Toronto have the potential to be the biggest losers in 2010 Free Agency. Colangelo himself has yet to have his contract extended along with news that his father Jerry could be taking over the Nets as President. It could be possible B.C may not be to long for the Raptors as well. If he can not find a way to get this team on the right path in the post Bosh era that seems very possible.

It is hard not to think of Colangelo as a failure as the G.M. He was brought here to save us. To use a little Stars Wars, He was the chosen one and was suppose to bring balance to the force. He was not suppose to end up like the evil G.M's of the past that failed to save our star players from the evil Untied States and those 29 other teams. So who is the Raptors Luke Skywalker? I have no idea. But it wasn't Bosh and it isn't B.C. July 1st is a holiday in Canada but for Raptor fans it is the start of a sad summer and off-season. Bryan Colangelo has the almost impossible task of making that not be the case.

Colangelo said that with all that went on it created "The Perfect Storm" for Bosh to leave. There is nothing perfect about that and Colangelo admits that Ed Davis is not going to be able to replace Chris. That would be unfair to think he could. Raptor fans have seen this movie before and they are getting tired of it. Who can blame them.

The Starting 5 with Darren Andrade

The Dino Nation Blog is always expanding are list of guests for the Starting 5. Today we welcome Darren Andrade from Sway Sports.ca to talk NBA and Raptors with us. You also may know Darren from his appearances on The Grill Room on Sun T.V and has worked on Raptors T.V over the years as well. We talk about the impact of the 2010 Free Agent summit that Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are all going to be a part. How will it impact on the NBA? Will it have an even larger impact on sports in general? We also talk about the many challenges that face the Raptors and Bryan Colangelo over the summer. How does this team move forward and who is the future for the Raptors? Some thoughts on the Raptors latest hire in P.J Carlesmio and what the Raptors will do in the draft.

Darren Andrade

DNB Productions

Thanks to Darren for his time it was great talking ball with him. He is one of many fine people I met in covering the Raptors this season. Hope to have him back in the future as a guest as we go through this interesting off-season. You can follow Darren on Twitter @SwaySports. Later in the week will focus on the draft and talk with Ed Isaacson of NBA Draft Blog and look at the draft. Imagine that? Thanks to Darren for his time and a great conversation.

"Jiggly Bits"

I called it. I told you from the beginning it's not fair to put your hopes and dreams into the Lebrons, Kobes, Pierces, Nashes of the NBA world because it will end up biting you in the end. Big name players are supposed to blend in, elevate their team to a higher level and be a source of leadership based on hard work and focus. I am not saying Dwight Howard or Steve Nash or even Lebron James have no work ethic because they didn't make it to the final. But their style of play play was not supported by their teams wholeheartedly and as a result, coaching decisions made to pick up the slack and adjust to what other teams are throwing at them, fell short. Take for instance, Steve Nash. He is the conductor of the Phoenix Suns and definitely took a beating to help his team advance. He also had Amare Stoudemire and especially Jason Richardson who stood out for me as the players in the supporting cast making the key plays. But the Phoenix Suns as a team failed to adjust to what Phil Jackson and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers were throwing at them. This is the key point to remember going into the 2010 NBA Final. The ability of the Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers to adjust to different game situations and get out of the "well it worked for us yesterday" mode of thinking. We are here now. Boston and L.A. Both teams took us for a roller coaster ride at the start of these playoffs but both have stepped it up a notch. Now NBA fans will have the chance to witness what will be one of the greatest match-ups in NBA history from two teams with a strong rivalry and a will to win. We'll dive into this party and invite some chat about the Raptors latest headline grabbers: PJ Carlisimo and Hedo Turkoglu.

The Scales are Even

This is an exciting time for basketball fans. The Celtics and Lakers have had a love-hate relationship which has fueled the longest standing rivalry in the NBA. For the next two weeks, depending how long we need to decide who comes out on top, we are going to see a pretty even match-up between two teams who have an equal number of tricks in their arsenal. Two years ago, Boston and Los Angeles met and Boston won with Garnett and Allen on the roster. Kobe and Derek Fisher were there, too and I think this is where you'll see the first test of the Lakers' ability to adjust. In 2008, Derrick Fisher was left to guard Rajon Rondo and came up short. Derrick Fisher and Ron Artest need to make no mistake in this department since Kobe can't be guarding Rondo to be absolutely sure he's stopped. This is the trap the Lakers got into in Game 3 and 4 of the 2010 conference finals when the Suns switched on their zone defence. When they regrouped, instead of penetrating deep and fast to the basket like they were used to, the Lakers snuck in players like Lamar Odum and Ron Artest to make the key plays. This leaves Kobe free to do his thing, for the rest of the team to connect and gain momentum.

I will give Kobe his due. He is having one of the best playoff runs of his career but when he isn't on his game and hitting his three's, the Lakers have a different set of challenges. This may be one area where the Celtics have an edge. The Celtics can win when Ray Allen doesn't score and when Rajon Rondo isn't on his game. This is not to say the Lakers are not capable of stepping it up a notch when Kobe is working things out, they have proven this to us before. The key to this series will be taking care of the little things. Remember, Kendrick Perkins is one technical foul away from a one-game suspension and the Boston Celtics need all the help they can get. You just never know in a series like this who the hero is going to be. As long as Rod Bynum's knee holds up, the Lakers will be happy. He had excess fluid drained from it recently and should be good to go for Thursday night at 9pm. Kevin Garnett needs to stay healthy, too. This is going to be a real battle to the finish and don't expect those fourth quarters to be pretty either. I can't wait for Thursday.

The Toronto Raptors - the Next Smack Down

I am offended and I am really hoping someone tells me it's a rumour. I am wondering how in the world how a player has the nerve to complain about a club not showing him the love when they were clearly the ones taking a chance on him. How does Hedo Turkoglu say to his manager find me a deal to leave the Toronto Raptors as if to say "it's their fault, not mine". Hedo is absolutely right. His best option is to leave Toronto and make a new start somewhere else. But what do they teach you in college folks? Never complain about your boss publicly and certainly don't bash them in an interview. This is what he is doing. I am offended as a fan of the game since technically, we are are also a part of the interview process. Toronto fans need to get off this emotional roaster they have been thrown on and start seeing some results. Maybe this is part of the reason for bringing PJ Carlisimo on staff. As I type this, it has not been made official but the excuse being given for this move is free up extra time for Jay Triano to focus on the players. I am not buying it. PJ is a good guy who works hard but my problem isn't with him. The Raptors already have five assistant coaches. Isn't their job to take care of the x's and o's, so the head coach can do their job? It will be really interesting to see what his role will really be and if any of their assistants will be sent packing. There have been no plans for that yet but you never know. That's the problem with this club. The fans need to be in the know or else they may just get off the coaster and ride somewhere else.

Last Minute Rant

Dear Sprite: I don't drink carbonated beverages but I do enjoy your commercials. You had a good one a while back with Kevin Garnett and I love how you continue to support the NBA. But if I hear "Last name EVA, first name GREATEST.." one more time, I may just loose my mind and send you the bill for my shrink. Please come up with some new material STAT. Thank-you.
Signed by Yours Truly.

He Do, He Don't , He Doesn't

If you have not heard the story The Basketball Jones were the first to bring it to light based on a interview Hedo did on Turkish T.V. Hedo claims he does not want to return to Toronto and his lawyers are trying to work on a way for him to do just that. Well good luck with that Hedo. There are still 4 years remaining on his big money deal he signed last summer. If the Raptors were to buyout the contract that would be foolish. A 4 year hit to your salary cap? Bryan Colangelo is not an idiot. That being said can you honestly trade Hedo coming off one of the worst seasons of his career? Odds seem pretty long in doing that.

Hedo's frustration seems to be based on the incident in which he skipped a game but did not skip going out that same night. He blames the organization for this issue getting played out in the public. Is he really that stupid? In the modern world that we live in does he honestly think this info never gets out? This is the same guy that prior to being hated by the majority of fans had a run in with women that snapped his photo with a camera phone. The Raptors handled the situation as they should. Long before this incident Hedo had performed far below expectations. He slags an organization that allowed him to sit on his butt for most of training camp. This because he wore himself out playing for Turkey in the summer. Which he will do once more this summer at the World Championships. Think that would have happened under Stan Van Gundy in Orlando? In Turkoglu version of reality it is the Raptors management that turned the fans against him. Really? He honestly believes that?

Come on now Hedo, let's get real. His lack of performance is why fans were upset with him long before the night of partying when he is suppose to be injured. He says he was embarrassed by being booed by the home fans. Play like you did for the Raptors for Turkey and see what happens. When you sign a contract that entitles you to more money than most people can dream of making in a lifetime, there is a price for that fans actually expect you to earn that money. Imagine that. Hedo has proved himself to be a jerk. He made an apology to the fan base at the end of the season. At the time I said in this blog it was one of the most insincere apologies that I can recall. Well just over a month later it appears it didn't just look like it.

This only adds to the list of problems for the Toronto Raptors. It was already bad enough with Chris Bosh about to bid adieu to the franchise. Now you have this moron putting a gun to the Raptors head and giving them an ultimatum. Would he turn his back on his country if they bomb out of World Championships? No he wouldn't. However in 1 year he is ready to bail on a team that gave him 53 million dollars. Ungrateful S.O.B does not begin to describe what I think of that.

While many cheered the addition of Turkoglu last off-season. I was not part of that parade. I felt the contract was both for to much money and more importantly to long a term. That long term of this deal is coming back to bite the Raptors in a way I did not expect. I did think at least for the first couple years Hedo would be productive. That has not happened and I don't think anyone could have seen this coming after just 1 year under contract. Now that term and money make the contract almost unmovable.

Vince Carter is not exactly loved in Orlando at the moment. While people in Orlando love Hedo. How would Raptor fans feel about a Carter for Hedo trade? Yes I said it. Look as much as most hate Vince Carter. Is it not better to deal with the devil you know? Clearly no one expect Hedo to turn into a jerk when he came to Canada. But sadly this deal likely never happens. Otis Smith did not exactly have many kind things to say about Hedo once he left Orlando. It would appear Otis Smith knew a heck of a lot of this dark side to Hedo. I have never seen a G.M much more happy than Otis was once Hedo was gone. That is not to say he is thrilled with his choice to replace him. We could have told Otis all about V.C just as he could have warned us about Hedo.

There are rumours about Stan Van Gundy's future with Orlando. Which started from Micheal Wilbon leaking info that if Magic lost to Celtics he could be in trouble. It lead to a war of words with the PTI host and Stan Van Gundy. However if the Magic were stupid enough to fire SVG, I would hope the Raptors were one of the first teams on the phone to hire him. Bryan Colangelo has said the Raptors will not go there. Honestly change that plan. Maybe if you hire Stan Van Gundy he could fix this Hedo mess. Turkoglu played well under him in the past. He clearly knows how to use him. The simple reality is the Raptors would be hard pressed to trade Hedo and can simply not afford to buy him out and take a cap hit for 4 years. Regardless of the Hedo mess, Van Gundy is the style of coach the Raptors need. In the playoffs you have those wired segments. When SVG is on them it is classic stuff. I can not imagine Jay Triano doing any of that. Jay just does not seem like a guy that can convince anyone to run through a wall. Stan Van Gundy not only does that he expects you to do it.

In the end Hedo can blame whoever he wants to for his issues in Toronto. The answer to his problems is in his mirror every morning. Forgive us all if we are not going to shed a tear for a guy making far more money than he is worth. If he ends up screwing over the Raptors. I have great news for Vince Carter. You may just have moved to public enemy number 2 in Toronto. Who knows depending on how the Bosh thing goes maybe number 3. The bad news is the entire league sees you for what you are as a guy that never has lived up to your potential. Also you may be public enemy #1 in Orlando. If you want to see what Vince Carter should be. Just go back and watch Kobe Bryant close out the Suns last night. Vince could have been that good.

What was already going to be a long and difficult summer for Bryan Colangelo has become even tougher for him. It is going to be interesting how he finds a way out of this mess of his own creation. Safe bet a Hedo picture on his dart board would not surprise anyone.

Bosh and Hedo should be tied at the hip

It's only been a few weeks since the Raptors season officially came to an end. Well, unless you were watching the team since the All-Star game, in which case it's been over for months. But since its official end, many articles have been written discussing Bosh and his seemingly inevitable departure. One of the main themes in several of those pieces is that Bryan Colangelo has little to no control over the situation and that the Raptors will probably be forced to accept any offer thrown at them.

I'm not going to quote every article/chat that has offered up this kind of talk. Just to illustrate my point, I'll use this one story as an example. On April 28th, Miami-based writer, Ira Winderman was asked, "Will Toronto’s insistence on a sign and trade ruin our chances of getting Bosh? Can it work out in Miami’s favor? — Kevin." This was Ira's response: "It has nothing to do with what Toronto wants. The Heat simply can sign Bosh into its cap space. Bosh then can go back to the Raptors and say, “I’m going to the Heat, but I can earn more if you want to get something back in a sign and trade.” What the Raptors want has absolutely nothing to do with the process. It’s what Bosh wants. Bryan Colangelo is Bosh’s pawn right now, nothing more.

With words like "pawn" being thrown around in reference to the man behind the Raptors wheel, it's no wonder that fans get a little upset when Chris Bosh passively asks where he should go. I've been outspoken with my opinion on how Chris Bosh has handled this entire situation this season, but just in case you haven't read or heard what I've been saying-- I'll say it again. He has kicked in the teeth of the organization that has done everything to keep him here short of getting on one knee and proposing marriage. While the Hedo Turkoglu deal is now widely considered one of the worst signings in franchise history, at the time it was made, Bosh was among those singing its praises the loudest. He was the one who phoned Turkoglu to convince him that he was wanted in Toronto. He was the reason that Colangelo went out and signed Chris' college roommate (the fact that Jarret Jack actually worked out in Toronto is irrelevant). He's one of the biggest reasons Jay Triano is the head coach (JT and Bosh have formed quite the friendship over the years). Yet, for everything that the Raptors, and the city of Toronto have done for Bosh, he decided to make them wait it out because he just loved the attention. And for the record, I said that before his mindless, attention-seeking tweet. The Raptors moves may not have all panned out the way we all hoped, but it's not like the Raptors sat on their hands and did nothing. If Bosh had told BC behind closed doors that he wanted out last off-season, you better believe Turkoglu would be the Portland Trailblazers' problem.

If I'm Bryan Colangelo (whom, for the record, I've also called out), I don't even ask Chris to stay. Forget it as an option because it isn't one. BC needs to go into search mode right away and seek out the best possible return for his former franchise player. Some of the deals that have been thrown around involve Jeff Green from OKC, Michael Beasley from Miami, and Andrew Bynum from LA. But almost none of them have framed Colangelo has the aggressor. He's the one with the coveted asset-- not them. In my mind, if BC doesn't move Hedo Turkoglu's enormous contract along with Bosh, the deal should be considered a bust. It doesn't matter which young pieces come back if Hedo's money is still owed by the Raptors. Colangelo will have to take back a lot of contract to get it done, but he needs to manage it so that some of it is expiring, and some of it addresses the Raptors' weaknesses. If and when CB4 is traded this off-season, the Raptors will have entered rebuilding mode. The best way to rebuild is with as few ridiculous contracts as possible. If Turk is moved, then you only have to two players on the team getting paid more than $9 milion per year. Jose Calderon's contract will be much easier to move than Turk's and Andrea Bargnani's is actually a bargain (LaMarcus Aldridge gets paid $1 million more for almost the exact same output).

While many will judge this deal based on what the Raptors get back in return, I'll be one of the people who look at who else the Raptors are able to get rid of. The misguided writers out there may be saying, "Beggars can't be choosers," but if you're Bryan Colangelo, you better be very selective. This may be the deal that defines his career to date.


Follow me on Twitter @thisisanas

DNB Says TGIF

2 more teams joined the Raptors on the NBA sidelines as the Suns and Spurs sent the Blazers and Mavericks packing. So that leaves 3 series in play. Lakers and Thunder with Lakers up 3-2, Jazz leading Nuggets 3-2 and Bucks up on Hawks 3-2. Of those 3 the obvious surprise is the Bucks are not only alive but leading over the Hawks. Should the Hawks go on to a rather large failure you wonder what the fall out will be. Could Mike Woodson job be in jeopardy? Might be another team for Sam Mitchell to interview with as he lives in ATL and is seen at some Hawks games every once in awhile. I did say another team didn't I. That is because Mitchell was among a number of names that Sixers will talk with to fill their vacant coaching position. Among that list apparently is Jeff Van Gundy.

Bryan Colangelo had predicted 6-9 coaching vacancies this off-season. He also said Toronto would not be one of them. Given some of the names out there maybe it should be? If Triano does not turn out the way Bryan hopes will the Raptors miss a chance on landing a coach they desire? Jeff Van Gundy should he decide to leave the T.V gig he has with ESPN/ABC, might be the one name that fans would point too. Many times his name has come up in the fan base as a potential coach here in Toronto. You also have Avery Johnson working for ESPN in studio as well as a guy that is a former Coach Of The Year with Mavericks.

I suppose coaches will always be hired and fired but there seems to be more interesting candidates out there than I can ever recall. That being said isn't this like a married guy checking out all the available women at a singles bar? I mean it is not like Raptors are going to get any of these guys. Still you can't help but look and think and wonder. Also it wasn't me that made this marriage. Bryan Colangelo is the one that made the commitment not me or you.

That being said what exactly do the Raptors have as a selling point to a coach? Bosh would have been one but he is halfway out the door. The prospect of having to yell at Hedo Turkoglu for 4 years? Well maybe not.

Why? It would appear that at least Colangelo is going to try to tie Hedo with Bosh to unload his contract. That is at least what they seem to think in Houston. However this rumour is flawed in a lot of ways. Bosh is apparently the number 1 free agent target for the Rockets. I can buy that, and playing in Texas makes sense it might appeal to Chris. Here is where problems start in terms of what else is in the deal aside from the Hedo dump. Trevor Ariza coming back to the Raptors. Isn't this that same Ariza that was rumoured to have turned down more money from Raptors and went to Houston. Which caused the Raptors to go after Hedo. Ariza at least based on the rumour mill of the past would not exactly embrace a move to Toronto.

It is so easy to make a rumour. It is even easier to pick them apart. This appears to be my job at least part of it for the next few months. It leads you think....THANK GOD IT IS FRIDAY.....and see you Monday people.

Jack Armstrong In Starting 5

Jack Armstrong would have preferred to be flying to Cleveland and preparing for the Raptors first playoff game with the Cavs. Instead, he would have to settle for doing his radio show the Game Plan on the Fan 590 and talking with me after it. I think we all share in that. But that being said whatever the circumstances I love to talk with Jack for the Starting 5 and it is a great treat. It never gets old for me in talking with Jack. I admired and respected him before I met him and talked with him. Since those feelings have only grown. Today we talk about the future of the Raptors and Chris Bosh. In addition Jack still supports Jay Triano as the coach of this team going forward. In the interview he calls him " One of the best X and O guys in the NBA". Jack is not one to not say anything he doesn't believe. That is part of why we love him. He is a straight shooter and tells it like it is. Lots of that no non-sense stuff today. But at the same time Jack knows how to have fun as that picture from back on St. Patrick's Day shows. I was told that those glasses Jack is wearing were picked up at a dollar store or something like that. When I first saw them I laughed out loud. I am proud, lucky and fortunate to have got to know him. You are lucky to get to hear him talk with us as often as he does. I really appreciate it so much. So have a listen to in my humble opinion one of our better conversations for the Starting 5.

JacK Armstrong in Starting 5

DNB Productions

Some interesting thoughts from Jack at the start of what is guaranteed to be an interesting off-season for the Raptors. Jack being a former NCAA coach is a great resource for the draft for us. The Raptors do now have a lottery pick so we will have Jack back to talk all things draft sometime closer to the draft in June. It is always a pleasure to talk with Jack and I look forward to doing it again then. For now just my thanks for this latest conversation. I always learn a lot in talking with Jack about basketball and to be professional and stick to what I believe. This is going to be a challenging and interesting summer for Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors.

This is IT!!!

Pretty much this is a close as you can get to a 1 game playoff in the NBA. The Raptors magic number is 3 to make the playoffs. They beat the Bulls today and that number becomes 1. Meaning all the Raptors would have to do is beat the Knicks or Pistons and they are in. They way this playoff race has gone the Bulls would more likely lose in one of their final 2 games to the Celtics or Bobcats. Both the Bulls and the Raptors should they not get in will have many things to look back on with regret. For the Bulls a double OT loss the Nets would have made this a far less do or die game for them today if they could have won.

I am going to be at this game at the ACC. This is probably the biggest game I have worked on in my media career in person. No disrespect to the AHL Playoffs but for me this is much bigger than that. The Red and Black attack has come early and if the fans of the Raptors want a date with the King they almost have to win today. If they don't destiny is officially and finally out of their hands. If the Bulls won out after defeating the Raptors they are in.

Given the way these teams have played down the stretch it is hard to try to figure out just what to expect especially with both teams knowing there season is online. The Bulls do have that epic playoff series to fall back on for experience. They don't have Ben Gordon's instant offense as they let him walk to Detroit. Safe to say win or lose the Bulls will be begging for his help when the Raptors hook up with the Pistons. Where Gordon the former Bull and Charlie V the former Raptors have had terrible seasons after sign big long term deals in the off-season.

That led nicely into heDO or heDON't. Masks, BALL, and under performance have been the theme of a season gone wrong for Turkoglu. That and no pictures especially when he is suppose to be injured and hanging out in Yorkville. However this is why the Raptors brought in Hedo. Games like this that mean the most. It seems like a distant memory but Turkoglu was the key piece to help Dwight Howard get to the NBA Finals. That clutch performer has rarely shown up since he crossed the border. If Hedo wants to make a big impression and make a lot of the fans that hate him, love him. Simple solution show up today and win.

Looking at some other folks that stand out for me beyond the obvious in Andrea Bargnani who has been less than stellar of late. How about Sonny Weems the new franchise player in waiting since Bosh has been out. Easily the biggest game of his NBA career. In fact let's be honest prior to Toronto he didn't have much of one. That is not a knock on Sonny as much as just he never has been given the chance he has here in Toronto. Others include his Young Gun brothers Amir and Demar. For Amir the mission is pretty simple don't get into foul trouble. Actually for Amir that is not that simple. Then you have Demar, taking on his college team mate and only one guy from USC is going through. Taj Gibson like Demar has had a nice rookie season for the Bulls. The difference is the expectation level when you get picked in the lottery and when you don't.

Finally Jarrett Jack has just become the face of all of this frustration as he tries to hold on to hope of making the playoffs for the first time. I am hoping for a smiling Jack in the post game in the Locker Room. No one on this team has earned the right more than him to smile.

So that is all my thoughts heading into the BIGGEST DAY of the Raptors season one way or the other. Follow me on Twitter @Dinonationblog and I will be giving you some updates from the arena. It is time to back this show up and hit the road. Next Stop the T-DOT!!!

Off To The ACC

Before I pack up and head down to Toronto for the Raptors and Warriors some thoughts on the game yesterday. The Raptors once again fell painfully short of a full 48 minute effort. As a result they ended up playing 52 minutes. Sonny Weems had perhaps his best game as a pro yet that was not enough to get him minutes in the 4th quarter. The Raptors had a 4th quarter meltdown that nearly cost them a much needed victory. In the end the Raptors ended up with a 128-123 victory in Overtime. Good thing they did as the Bulls beat the Bobcats last night to remain just a game and a half out of the playoffs. Ironically the win keeps the Raptors slim chances of catch the Bobcats alive. The Raptors are now that same game and half behind the Bobcats for 7th. The good news is Raptors hold the tie breaker over both the Bulls and Bobcats should that apply.

Chris Bosh again led his team in points with 28, rebounds with 12 and unfortunately tied for the lead in turnovers with 4. This was part of 19 total the Raptors gave up and the Sixers took advantage of them and it allowed them to make a game of this one. Bosh had seemed to have turned the corner in terms of his turnovers but once again they pop up and bite him taking away from a solid performance otherwise.

Last night I went out to a stag and doe thing for someone I went to high school with. When I see folks that I have not seen in a long time the fact of what I do comes up. Just like for anyone when you go to events like that. After that I am usually asked what the heck is going on with this basketball team. The majority of folks are not hardcore hoops fans like me and are just casual fans. Those casual fans do not have a great impression of the Raptors. Which is not that much different then the hardcore ones. But the difference is if casual fans have that impression they are less likely to be interested at all. I said to someone that I can never recall a more negative mood around a team that is heading to the playoffs. That mood with in the fan base not with the team itself. I am confident that I will not find a player, coach or management person today at the ACC that does not want to make the playoffs. But fans just have no confidence that this team can do anything in the playoffs should they get there. A game like yesterday in Philadelphia only adds fuel to that argument.

Hedo Turkoglu recent off court issues did not help matters. He is clearly not winning any popularity contests in Toronto anytime soon. His ugly air ball down the stretch in the game vs Philly was just another example of his lack of performance. Weems was having a career day yet Hedo was out there chucking bricks. It enraged the viewing audience on our live blog at The Score. But he was not the most hated yesterday. Jay Triano was and fans both casual and hardcore do not seem that convinced he is the right man for the job. Sadly even thought I tend to agree with that assessment, should the Raptors make the playoffs hard to imagine him not being back. Colangelo pretty much endorsed Triano earlier in the week on the radio locally in Toronto. This is not that Randy Savage kind of confidence in Hulk Hogan where he sat is the locker room and watched Hogan get beat when he was clearly out maned. That kind of endorsement where a team says we support are coach on Monday and fire him Thursday. Colangelo actually believes in Jay. Colangelo seems to believe the problems on this team are not about Triano. Well from the outside looking in fans see a much different story. You can only talk about what goes on behind the scenes so much when errors in public view are happening. What happens in practice and away from the floor is important for sure. However if what happens in games continues to frustrate fans and this team struggles to win that is something you can't avoid eventually.

Today vs Warriors 3 point D will be the key. Also a brand new Raptor on this Easter Sunday. In case you missed it after the game yesterday a story broke the Raptors will be signing Joey Dorsey. You may wonder why now? Well there is just 10 days left in the NBA season, so it allows the Raps to sign him to a ten day contract and get a look at him. Dorsey played his college ball at Memphis, he was recently released by the Kings and spent time in the Houston organization. He if he were to see time is considered a guy who will get dirty on the glass and would be a defensive asset. But clearly this does not change much in terms of the Raptors outlook for this season.

So that is about it. I am at the ACC for the Warriors and Raps and will be looking to talk with some folks an see how people are feeling as the days grow short in this NBA season. I also would like to try to get a chance to talk to Stephen Curry. I was a huge fan of his father and the fact he use to take jumpers on this floor in his dad's days with the Raptors is pretty cool when you consider where he is now. So as I am bouncing about at the ACC you can see what I am up to on Twitter (@dinonationblog) as well as any info from today's game.

I have always considered this blog part of my extended family. So with that said, to all of you that celebrate Easter. I wish you all a VERY HAPPY EASTER and hope the Easter bunny treated everyone well. As Raptor fans you can save the chocolate bunnies and eggs a win is all I need Mr Bunny.

Matt Devlin Is Our Guest In The Starting 5

I don't keep records on this kind of thing, but if he is not 1st he is close to at as are most frequent guest in The Starting 5. Matt Devlin the play by play voice of the Raptors once again pays us a visit and talks about all that is going on with the Raptors. We talk about the whole Hedo mess and how does it get fixed with this fan base. The rise of Sonny Weems to the point he is now a part of the Raptors Starting 5. Along with how his buddy Demar DeRozan has handled life coming off the bench. We also re-visit the Chris Bosh 2010 discussion and if there is any clear idea to determine if Chris will stay or go. In addition some thoughts on how this team looks as they try to secure a playoff position and what they would face should they get there. Matt recently talked with Demar DeRozan so look for that interview on Raptors.com soon. It was great talking with Matt and hope you enjoy this lengthy chat about the state of things with the Raptors.

Matt Devlin In The Starting 5.

DNB Productions

Interesting to hear Matt's thoughts and as he mentioned I will be down at the ACC covering the Raptors and Warriors game. I also will be liveblogging the Raptors and Sixers game on Saturday afternoon for the The Score. Following the Raptors on their road to trying to secure a playoff spot, with 2 games the Raptors have to win against teams that they recently have dropped games too. Can't have that happen again if Raptors hope to secure a playoff spot. Great to hear from Matt and hopefully this team will make the post season, and Matt will get a chance to call his first Raptors playoff game. Safe to say the Raptors will draw a tough assignment regardless of where they finish should they make the playoffs. Which looks good with just 8 games to go and holding the tiebreaker over Chicago and a 2 game lead in the standings.

State Of The Raptors

So you decide to sleep in and you wake up and Bryan Colangelo is on the radio taking calls from fans. In case you happen to be like me here is a link to it from the Fan 590. Colangelo has a lot of guts to come on the radio and do this given the state of the mood of fans right now. It would seem based on Colangelo's comments that he still seems committed to Triano. He even went as far as to say he has done a very good job and deserves to continue to learn. That is not something that I personally agree with but it would appear that Jay is safe based on those comments. If this team misses the playoff I have felt that it should be Jay's responsibility.

Chris Bosh and his situation is pretty much the same from what we have heard in the past. He says they have expressed to Chris that they want him to remain as the core player. If not he expects to partner with him and work on a sign and trade. He did make a point that Chris needs to take part of the responsibility for this team as well. He spoke about after All Star break there seems to be outside influences that have impacted on this team and Chris.

He referred to Antonie Wright as an enigma. He said that his season has been inconsistent. He likes what he is doing right now. He did not seem committed to Wright being back or not. suggesting there are other options out there. He continued to talk about the off-season and referenced Bosh as the big domino to the off-season plan.

He said about Demar DeRozan that he is the future for the Raptors at his position. He seems very pleased with his development and thinks based on his make up he can really improve. That being said he still thinks this team needs another athletic 2/3 or 3/4 moving forward.

He also said that the Point Guard Situation needs to be settled over they summer and did reference the T.J Ford/Calderon Situation. He said that this team needs to address that issue moving forward whether it be keeping both point guards or making a move if that is not the case.

He also addressed the Hedo topic off the top of the interview. Not really confirming the reports but basically saying that Hedo made a mistake. Saying he cost him self financially and cost his team by his actions. He endorsed how Triano handled the situation and said that Hedo feels bad about it and the team is moving forward leaving the issue behind them.

While still making it clear he would prefer a Chris Bosh being part of the future he said that regardless he is committed to improving this team. It would seem that is going to include Jay Triano despite the feeling of some that Triano may not be the right fit. He referenced what goes on behind close doors that he sees, which is all well and good, but at the end of the day at some point I feel your record is what it is. Colangelo clearly does not agree. One other thing of not for fans of Amir Johnson who also will be a free agent, Colangelo seems very happy with Amir and thinks that Johnson is happy with the role he has with the Raptors. He seemed much more positive about his return than in comparison to Wright.

As for the Raptors on the floor of late. They finally cracked through and got a win down the stretch in Charlotte. I think they were very lucky to do so. The same bad luck that cost them a win over Denver was reversed in Charlotte. Raymond Felton had a chance to tie that game and had he and Chandler been on the same page that game would have been tied then who knows. That being said the win over Charlotte was far more important for the Raptors at the end of the day. That win gave the Raptors the season series vs the Bobcats should that become a factor. Also good news last night as the Suns defeated the Bulls to give the Raptors a game and half lead for 8th. This on a day when Derrick Rose came out and guaranteed the Bulls will make the playoffs.

The Raptors have 3 games in front of them all vs lottery bound teams in the Clippers, Sixers and Warriors that are all must win games for the Raptors. After those 3 Raptors get the Cavs, Celtics and Hawks. None of those games being easy wins for them. I hear some saying the Raptors would be better off to miss the playoffs and avoid a first round sweep at the hands of the Cavs or if Raptors are fortunate the Magic. This would give the Raptors a first round draft pick and almost assure Chris Bosh exiting town. I am not willing to raise the white flag and surrender on Bosh or the playoffs. If this team is heading down the unfortunate path of having to rebuild yet again that one extra draft pick is not exactly going to turn things around right away. This may get a few people to go bonkers on me but even John Wall or Evan Turner for me are not guys that can turn around a franchise on their own . I would class this as a deep draft without a lot of good role player fits not franchise players. So having a pick in the first round would not excite me all that much.

I am not going to tell you that I think the Raptors can beat the Cavs. However if playing well and how they are capable of could that not make in a competitive series? I think so. I also think if the Raptors could have a series vs Cavs that would mean big time T.V Exposure. Lebron James will get you on prime time T.V slots. If Bosh can perform well in a series vs James would that be enough to get his juices flowing to come back to Toronto? Maybe it might. It is a last ditch shot in the dark like scenario but it could work. Maybe I am being optimistic or delusional but think if Bosh could have a good series against a team that is the favourite to win the East that could convince him to stick around.

As optimistic and intelligent as Bryan Colangelo may be I can not imagine this team being anywhere close to competitive without Bosh. There is just nothing that makes me believe that. The one thing I think Colangelo is going to have to do, Bosh or not is figure out some way to unload the Hedo, Andrea or Calderon contract. The combined sum of those players production vs the the amount of money being committed is just bad mathematics as far the NBA Cap goes. That must be corrected. I do agree with Colangelo that I am hopeful about the future for DeRozan. He is the future of this franchise if Bosh goes...it isn't Calderon, HeDO or Don't (or as I have recently referenced him the Vince Carter of Turkey) or Andrea Barganani.

But still 9 more games of a regular season and hopefully playoffs to deal with before we get to the off-season talk in full blast. I am down at Brooklyn's tonight 291 Queenston Road in Hamilton. For the Raptors and Clippers. So come on down and say hello and have some fun.

Miami Meltdown- HeDIDN'T

I had said in the build up for this game that the playoffs for the Raptors began last night in Miami. Early on at least the Raptors played like it. In fact for over half this game the Raptors played like it. Building a lead that climbed as high as 17 points. This all being done with the same starting line-up that faced the Nuggets. Wright and Weems remained in the starting line-up and we were told Hedo would dress and come off the bench. However he never did. More on that in a minute. But as for the folks that did play in this one the Raptors played with the same energy and effort as they had vs Denver. Only to see D-Wade and Haslem go off and lead the Heat all the way back to end up with a 97-94 win. The Raptors had a 10 point lead in the 4th Quarter and just like the lead vs Denver it slipped away late.

But what was gong on with Hedo? Well Jay Triano would say it was a DNPCD which if you are not a basketball junkie means did not play coaches decision. It would seem that Hedo is alright from his stomach flu or whatever was wrong with him. At this point you wonder if he even was sick at all. The comparison I made to Vince Carter seems pretty legit now doesn't it? If this was a message being sent it sure was a heck of a time to send it for Triano. The Hedo signing is looking like perhaps the worst signing in Raptors history since Yogi Stewart. Apparently Hedo according to a story by Michael Grange was seen out on the town Friday after the loss to Denver. He apparently has been fined and last night was a suspension of sorts. Hedo was not popular before this. Now he is going to be to that epic level of Vince Carter fan hate. That being said he is under contract for 4 more years and has a contract that is likely unmovable.

The one thing is clear Raptor fans have not exactly fallen in love with Hedo to begin with. Now what will happen is anyone's guess. But given how Raptor fans treated Vince Carter it is safe to say Hedo Turkoglu has signed his death warrant with this fan base. Even if he ever snaps back and starts to produce some fans are never going to forget this. 4 more years is usually a term used for presidential campaign's in the states. This is more like a 4 year relationship going to hell before it starts. Worse yet, if the Raptors continue this slide out of the playoffs and that paves the path for Bosh to leave town, that will only add to the ugliness. Is it so unreasonable the fans will blame Hedo at least in part, for their superstar leaving town.

Jay Triano also may lose his job at least in part to the lack of production from HeDON'T. This Raptor team has been falling apart on the floor and it would appear have been falling apart off the floor as well. Lost in the whole Hedo drama is the fact Andrea Bargnani has not learned how to commit a hard foul. I can think of at least 2 maybe 3 situations where Bargnani fouled Wade allowing him to score and get an extra and 1 foul shot.

All of this drama and still a very important game to play vs Charlotte. No Idea if Hedo will play in that one. But what I do know is that if the Raptors lose the game they will be tied with the Bulls for 8th spot. The Raptors chances of making the Playoffs are looking very grim, as are the chances of Chris Bosh staying. Now maybe we at least in part know what Chris Bosh has been frustrated about. It is the same thing we all have been....HEDO FRIGGIN TURKOGLU!!!!

I never supported this signing at the time. However, I never could have painted a scenario as bad as this reality. It is safe to say Turkoglu is well on his way to challenging Vince Carter for being the most hated Raptor of all time. If Chris Bosh were to leave would people boo him? You might not be able to tell as they will be to busy booing Hedo to hear if they are or are not. 53 million dollars is a lot of cash and it is a number that will always be mentioned when you mention Hedo. Fans now apparently have a growing list of reason to hate Hedo.

In all honesty who can blame folks. He is spiting in the face of his team mates, the organization and the fans by his actions. You even wonder if he was ever sick to begin with. When I see Alvin Williams on a Raptor bench now as a coach. I wonder what he must think. He once said he would gladly die on the court. He meant it as well. I honestly believe if Alvin Williams was shot with a gun in the first half of a game he would have asked for them to remove the bullet, stitch up the hole and play in the second half. When this is standard for what Raptor Fans expect from players than Hedo is a -10 on a scale of 1 to 10.

While this blog and the Raptors should be focused on the Charlotte Bobcats who are 3 games in front of the Raptors. But instead, we are talking about a player that did not even play a second last night. In all honesty some fans would prefer he went back to Turkey and never came back. I would join them in that if not for the terrible cap hit the Raptors would have to take.

This Is Your Season Toronto Raptors

Pretty much the title of this says it all. I said about 2 months ago when looking at the standings at the time that this would be an important point in the schedule for the Raptors. Back then I did not realize just how right I would be. The Bulls beat the Nets last night who have just 9 wins on the season. So heading into the most important 2 games of the season the Raptors only sit a game and half in the playoffs. They will play the Bulls on April 11th and depending on what happens between now and then that could be the game that will decide the Raptors playoff fate. But if they would like to avoid that do or die situation they need to win these next 2 games on the road. While the Raptors face the Heat the Bulls will be playing the pathetic Pistons at the same time. A Raptor loss in Miami and Bulls win over the Pistons and Raptors are just a half game in front of the Bulls. Raptors if the do not look in their rear view at the charging Bulls will see Miami 3 games in front. That is who they play tonight. tomorrow they move on up the highway to Charlotte to take on the Bobcats. Who sit 2 and half games in front of the Raptors in 7th in the East.

Raptors with a win over Miami would take the season series. They won both contest vs the Heat at the ACC. That is the good news. Here is the bad news in the Raptors only trip to south beach they got smashed and lost to the Heat by 20 with Heat taking it 115-95. Some more bad news the Raps all time in Miami are only 8-19. Add in the fact the Heat have recently been playing some good basketball with a win over one the leagues hottest clubs in the Bucks. Heat are riding a 4 game win streak and if they are looking forward and not backwards they see the Bucks just a game in front of them for 5th place. The Bobcats are also streaking winners of 3 in a row themselves.

Raptors come in off a heart breaking loss to the Nuggets in which they let a 9 point lead slip away in the 4th quarter as a Carmelo Anthony last second shot would complete the comeback. The Raptors can not afford to get caught feeling sorry for themselves. While people continue to start saying that Bosh is a goner, the one thing that almost everyone would agree on is if Raptors miss the playoffs it is almost a guarantee. If Bosh is going to stay it will take him being a big part of this close to the season. Even the odd comparison to Vince Carter I have seen out there of late. I find that to be sad. I refuse to believe that Bosh is anything like Vince. Yes he clearly frustrated with the effort of the team around him. But he is not giving plays to the other team, he is not smiling after losses and saying oh well I am out of here in a month. He wants to win and has not given up on this season. At least that is what I feel.

Actions are bigger than words. So it will take Chris Bosh having a huge effort down the stretch of this season. He wasn't the guy sitting out a game with a stomach ache ether by the way that was the guy making 53 million dollars. If anyone has acted like Vince Carter it isn't Chris Bosh it is Hedo Turkoglu. Might just be time that he stepped up and showed why the hell we are paying him that big wad of cash. Andrea Bargnani did have a good bounce back the other night but he to must keep the ball rolling in the right direction.

Jay Triano's shuffling of the line-up for my money is an act of desperation. This love affair some folks have with Antoine Wright puzzles me. He has talked a good game but played very few. Thankfully at least in the short term Triano's decision has not seemed to impact on Demar DeRozan. DeRozan is part of the the team's future...Wright isn't. Sonny Weems getting a chance to start is nice Sonny has played his way up the Raptors food chain and passed a lot of folks along the way. He has earned everything he has got. He talks as well but more in terms of having fun and loving life. Not acting like a team leader that he isn't. As for Jay's first change to the line-up out of that same desperation. It would appear that Jose Calderon is still who we thought he was. Which is a terrible defender that despite is offensive skill can not be a starter in this league without making his team a mess on the defensive end. Jarrett Jack should still be the starter and if he had worked a bit harder on the defensive end of the floor he would be. If the Raptors fail to make the playoffs is it really not time to say this is on Jay. I mean his record as a head coach is not exactly glowing and this team's failure to defend is on him. Yes the players need to execute the system but he needs to be accountable if they don't.

Raptors have a lot more than a playoff spot to play for. There at least SHOULD be people's jobs and futures on the line here. Raptor fans have reached a level of frustration that personally I can not remember in 15 years of being a fan of this team. The mood is flat out ugly. It will ether get uglier or turn around real fast with wins over the Heat and Bobcats. But can the Raptors do it? They can if they play with the effort and fight they showed for most of the night vs Denver. Basically the room for error and second chances is done.

The Playoffs for the Toronto Raptors start today.