The Raptors are just to hard to figure out at this point. The lose to the Wizards a team that is worse than them. They will play them again tonight by the way. They play the Sixers on Easter Sunday and the Sixers still have something to play for as they could improve there playoff position. However the Raptors come out and blow the doors off the Sixers down the stretch. It makes little sense. Quincy Douby was on fire. I mentioned he might actually have a shot of sticking with this team. He did nothing but improve his chances of that yesterday. Be in here or somewhere else it seems the NBA with have a Douby next year. Charles Oakley will tell you that 75% of the league has had several for years. So the Raptors close out there home sked with an under .500 record on the ACC floor of 18-23. Maybe the first thing they need to do is stop changing the floor ever season. The never change the floor for the Celtics every year. The only thing they do is paint those logos for the Playoffs, Eastern Conference Finals and Finals. When the Raptors won the lone division title they had in their history they won 30 games on the ACC floor I believe. This team did not play well on their home floor. The fans let them know about it as well at times. Let's make a deal with the Raptors. We will not boo at games if you agree to win more games at home. Sound good. Oh yeah and you need to fix that T.V mess as well. Raps are actually on the main TSN network so EVERYONE can see the classic tilt with the Wizards and Raps.
The Raptors are a half game ahead of the New York Knicks in the draft lottery standings. If they lose out they might be able to pass the Knicks. That being said can anyone figure out what they will do? I mean these games have resembled summer league games that is in part why I have not been doing recaps. I may do the last game of the season with the Bulls if I am not working. But there really is no point to it. The Raptors story for this season has been written a long time ago. An off-season with lots of questions is about to get going. Perhaps the most important one will be what will be the NBA Cap number? There is a general expectation that the number will go down. There was a lot of debate this season on if the folks at MLSE would allow Bryan Colangelo would be allowed to go over the Tax threshold number. They said that it was an option if Bryan wanted to do it. However that was never tested. Heading into this season with a lower cap it may be put to the test. Colangelo no doubt wants to make a lot of changes. So will he be given the green light to go over the tax? I think that if Chris Bosh comes back the answer to that will be yes. After all if Bosh is back Colangelo will be sending a signal that he plans on keeping him and resigning him. To do that this Raptor team needs to improve a lot and fast. We also have the Lottery and this may seem odd for folks but I am cheering for the Raptors to be the runner-up in the Blake Griffin lotto. I think the Raps would be wise and happy to select Haseem Thabeet. No he is not a shooting guard or small forward. At 7 foot 3 there is nothing small about Haseem Thabeet. He is a great defender and is exactly what the Raptors could use. If Colangelo is going to spend cash he can bring in a shooting guard of small forward via a signing or trade. Thabeet will be the best player in this draft class. I may sound crazy now but you will see. I also said that Durant would be the better of him and Oden. So far so good on that one.
I am excited that I will be talking with Jack Armstrong late this week. Likely have that together for you next weekend. I am always interested in what Jack has to say on the Raps. I think he is the most honest and direct about this team and his opinions on it. He does not candy coat what he thinks about things. If the Raps are bad he will tell you that. It is why I love talking with Jack. He has become a pretty busy guy with doing his own Radio show on Monday through Friday as well as all his Raptor responsibilities. He even covers college games in the states as well. Thanks to my job with the Score, I am required to have an extended sports package. So I got to see Jack do a game between Louisville and Cincy earlier this year. So I am sure Jack will have some thoughts on the draft as well.
That is about it for an Easter Monday. If you celebrated Easter this past weekend I hope the Easter Bunny was good to you. Also just a reminder that the Dino Nation Blog goes the whole year around. Just because Wednesday is the end of the season for the Raptors does not mean I go on holidays. I will keep at it and still look to bring in guests to talk Raptors and NBA. So keep that in mind over the spring and summer months. In fact some of the best stuff I have done in the blog has happened in the summer as people have more time and sometime you can pull of some good stuff. Last season we did a great feature on Roy Hibbert as well as Nathan Jawai. So always know someone is here working hard. That someone is me.
So that is a Rap as far as games at the ACC see you in late October or early November. If you are looking for tickets next year remember Raptorman.ca. I got to meet Steve(Raptorman) this year and he is a great guy and a true fan of the Raptors. He will look after you I have no doubt. So remember him next season when you are searching for your Raps Tickets.
4/11/09
The Butler Did It, Thank You Caron
I admit I did not get a chance to see the game last night. I saw the part that mattered which was the end. I can not thank Caron Butler enough. Seriously I may take cheap shots at Gilbert Arenas whenever I get a chance. Think it is because I am bitter that he is the world's highest paid blogger at 111 million. He plays the odd NBA game as well I am told. But regardless of that Caron Butler deserved to be cheered off the court as he ran off the court with his finger in the air. It was not even the middle one. I guess he was referring to keeping hope alive for the Wiz to get that number one pick. However his undressing of Shawn Marion actually helped the Raptors from screwing their chances any further. The Raps have went into a tail spin since the 6 game win streak out of no where. But the Raptors OUR who we THOUGHT THEY WERE and there is NO LETTING THEM OFF THE HOOK. Change has to happen and this is a way to enforce that. This team is flawed and needs to fix a number of issues. I still have faith that Bryan Colangelo is the man to do that as well. He will turn this around and has a history of being able to. This man was able to restore this team from the mess Rob Babcock left it in. If he can do that, he can do this as well.
The question will be if he wants Chris Bosh a part of that mix to fix it. He should but the question of how much is the largest one for Colangelo. I think if Bosh wants out the answers are far easier. However I have yet to see a clear sign that he does. In fact from what he has said and done he gives very little indication that he wants to go. He wants this team to be better and who doesn't after this season. It will be interesting indeed.
I guess my biggest fear is if Bosh goes I see an Andrea Bargnani reverting back to the Andrea that lacked confidence and was so inconsistent. I am not so sure how mentally tough Bargnani is. Could he handle being the best player on the Raptors? To be the guy that everyone looks at? I don't think he can now and I am not sure if he ever could. That is not a knock on Andrea. After all he was not drafted to be a Batman we already had one. Jose Calderon for all his energy and team play is not exactly a leader as well. You may get all upset about that but it is how I see it. On Spain the leader of that team is Pau Gasol not Jose. Here Bosh is the guy and not Jose. Calderon may be a lot of things but leader is not one of them. Do you think Obama goes around and hands out Gatorade in the breaks in meetings in the Oval Office? I am thinking that does not happen. It is also hard to be a leader when you are one of the worst defenders on a team. Improving he may be but at his best Jose Calderon is an average defender.
You know who was a leader despite not being the main guy. Alvin Williams was that guy. He was the guy that hit the biggest shot in the history of this franchise. Vince Carter he was short on a jumper in Philly. Williams made the dagger shot that clinched the only playoff series win in franchise history. Williams was as tough as you get and that maybe why his career did not go as long as it could have. He played through pain and never used it as an excuse. Did you hear that Jose Calderon supporters? No Excuses just went out and balled with all he had. No one asked if Alvin was healthy or at a 100%. He never was and it never mattered. The fact the ACC crowd gave him cheers was great to see. I think it is clear how much Toronto misses Boogie Williams. If I could put the talent of a Jose Calderon in a guy with the heart and grit of an Alvin Williams I would have a point guard that I could get behind. Look even in the NCAA at what Ty Lawson did and how he played through injury. Calderon gets a really soft ride from people in part because he is a great guy. I understand that and as a person Jose is first rate. Sam Mitchell had said he would want his daughter to date a guy like Jose someday. You don't get any higher amount of praise as a person. However this is not about who is the most beautiful person in the world. This is not People Magazine. This is basketball and it is about wins and loses. If people are great beyond the lines of that basketball court great. However I do not care as much about that if they are not. Go out and win keep your nose clean and I got no problem with you.
I like guys with an edge. They are not bad people as much as you may want them to be. Terrell Owen is all about him, but he is also about winning with him scoring the touchdown to win the game. Is he a bad dude when you get down to it? How bout Ron Artest. He is another guy that is deep down a guy that can have some fire. If you go into a crowd of people on a visiting court and try to fight a guy that maybe nuts. O.K it is nuts. However Artest is a talented guy that takes pride in defense. You need that before all else. Any great defender wants to have the challenge to stop a guy. Last night you saw that kind of pride between Kobe Bryant and Brandon Roy doing battle. Raptors need guys willing to give all they have to stop the best. To embrace that role and that challenge. Anthony Parker was said to be the team's best defender the past few years. Do you ever recall A.P being disgusted with himself for getting burned? He always would have some comment like you do what you can to stop (Insert Star Player Name) and try to contain him. Screw that. I want a guy that is going to accept the challenge and try to shut someone down. Is it realistic he will do it. No but if you go in with the attitude of trying to shut some one down even if you lose a few times along the way it will likely be a better result.
The era of the soft nice guy Raptors needs to end. It is never going to get them anywhere. I remember J.O when he was here talking about the Raptors having in the past been a bunch of nice guys and they would help up the other team. Screw that as well. I want warriors for 48 minutes guys that are going to shake hands at a start of a game but kick your butt all the way through it or die trying. That is the Raptor team I want to see. This group of Raptors is rapidly not showing any of the qualities that I respect and enjoy. I think a lot of people share that desire and you only need to look back in the past to see it. JYD, Alvin Williams,Matt Bonner and today Pops Mensah Bonsu. None of them are going in a hall of fame. They are not going to All Star Games. They are likely not even going to get to star in their own You Tube Video. However they are guys that busted there tail and gave what they had to try to win. I said the other day about Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. If I didn't think WWE had it copyrighted I would say that should be the theme for this next season. That is what we want and need from our Toronto Raptors!!!
The question will be if he wants Chris Bosh a part of that mix to fix it. He should but the question of how much is the largest one for Colangelo. I think if Bosh wants out the answers are far easier. However I have yet to see a clear sign that he does. In fact from what he has said and done he gives very little indication that he wants to go. He wants this team to be better and who doesn't after this season. It will be interesting indeed.
I guess my biggest fear is if Bosh goes I see an Andrea Bargnani reverting back to the Andrea that lacked confidence and was so inconsistent. I am not so sure how mentally tough Bargnani is. Could he handle being the best player on the Raptors? To be the guy that everyone looks at? I don't think he can now and I am not sure if he ever could. That is not a knock on Andrea. After all he was not drafted to be a Batman we already had one. Jose Calderon for all his energy and team play is not exactly a leader as well. You may get all upset about that but it is how I see it. On Spain the leader of that team is Pau Gasol not Jose. Here Bosh is the guy and not Jose. Calderon may be a lot of things but leader is not one of them. Do you think Obama goes around and hands out Gatorade in the breaks in meetings in the Oval Office? I am thinking that does not happen. It is also hard to be a leader when you are one of the worst defenders on a team. Improving he may be but at his best Jose Calderon is an average defender.
You know who was a leader despite not being the main guy. Alvin Williams was that guy. He was the guy that hit the biggest shot in the history of this franchise. Vince Carter he was short on a jumper in Philly. Williams made the dagger shot that clinched the only playoff series win in franchise history. Williams was as tough as you get and that maybe why his career did not go as long as it could have. He played through pain and never used it as an excuse. Did you hear that Jose Calderon supporters? No Excuses just went out and balled with all he had. No one asked if Alvin was healthy or at a 100%. He never was and it never mattered. The fact the ACC crowd gave him cheers was great to see. I think it is clear how much Toronto misses Boogie Williams. If I could put the talent of a Jose Calderon in a guy with the heart and grit of an Alvin Williams I would have a point guard that I could get behind. Look even in the NCAA at what Ty Lawson did and how he played through injury. Calderon gets a really soft ride from people in part because he is a great guy. I understand that and as a person Jose is first rate. Sam Mitchell had said he would want his daughter to date a guy like Jose someday. You don't get any higher amount of praise as a person. However this is not about who is the most beautiful person in the world. This is not People Magazine. This is basketball and it is about wins and loses. If people are great beyond the lines of that basketball court great. However I do not care as much about that if they are not. Go out and win keep your nose clean and I got no problem with you.
I like guys with an edge. They are not bad people as much as you may want them to be. Terrell Owen is all about him, but he is also about winning with him scoring the touchdown to win the game. Is he a bad dude when you get down to it? How bout Ron Artest. He is another guy that is deep down a guy that can have some fire. If you go into a crowd of people on a visiting court and try to fight a guy that maybe nuts. O.K it is nuts. However Artest is a talented guy that takes pride in defense. You need that before all else. Any great defender wants to have the challenge to stop a guy. Last night you saw that kind of pride between Kobe Bryant and Brandon Roy doing battle. Raptors need guys willing to give all they have to stop the best. To embrace that role and that challenge. Anthony Parker was said to be the team's best defender the past few years. Do you ever recall A.P being disgusted with himself for getting burned? He always would have some comment like you do what you can to stop (Insert Star Player Name) and try to contain him. Screw that. I want a guy that is going to accept the challenge and try to shut someone down. Is it realistic he will do it. No but if you go in with the attitude of trying to shut some one down even if you lose a few times along the way it will likely be a better result.
The era of the soft nice guy Raptors needs to end. It is never going to get them anywhere. I remember J.O when he was here talking about the Raptors having in the past been a bunch of nice guys and they would help up the other team. Screw that as well. I want warriors for 48 minutes guys that are going to shake hands at a start of a game but kick your butt all the way through it or die trying. That is the Raptor team I want to see. This group of Raptors is rapidly not showing any of the qualities that I respect and enjoy. I think a lot of people share that desire and you only need to look back in the past to see it. JYD, Alvin Williams,Matt Bonner and today Pops Mensah Bonsu. None of them are going in a hall of fame. They are not going to All Star Games. They are likely not even going to get to star in their own You Tube Video. However they are guys that busted there tail and gave what they had to try to win. I said the other day about Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. If I didn't think WWE had it copyrighted I would say that should be the theme for this next season. That is what we want and need from our Toronto Raptors!!!
4/10/09
The End Of Some Dreams
When I was a kid there would be times at a family gathering or something with adults around where an adult would try their luck playing me at a video game. The outcome was usually bad for the adult. I remember how bad they would be and said to myself that I would never be that adult. That was a goal of mine, never to be that adult. When I was older that was not going to happen to me. However thanks to modern technology you can now play games online. I get my butt beat by someone on the other end that is likely far younger than me.
When I started this blog there was another goal I had to walk the fine line of being a fan and still being a professional. People I know in the media suggested it was impossible. After all the root of the word fan is fanatic. There is also a pain that goes along with being a fan. You grow attached to players and teams. I have dealt with that pain all season in having my favourite player traded to Indiana. It would be something that would be easy to accept if the team got better but they did not. Now we head to another summer and a lot of folks are talking about Chris Bosh and his time being with the Raptors being done. I have loved as a fan watching Chris grow and become one of the better players in the NBA. There is always a debate in my head between objectivity and being a fan. Through out this season I have noticed the fan part of me is slowly going the way of my video game skills. The truth is I always some where stuck in the middle between being a fan and trying to be a journalist of sorts. It is becoming a painful experience to be a fan of this team in a lot of ways.
You also have this issue of fans saying you are a homer if you try to support the team and say something positive. The fan in me and the journalist in me agree this team needs changes. However does it need to get blown up and start over from square one? I honestly don't think that as well. This season on every level for everyone has been a horrible failure. The one exception to that might be Andrea Bargnani. However beyond that it has been a horrible year. The irony of that is for me personally it has been a great year. I have worked hard and got to accomplish a lot of things. So that is a good thing for myself and the Dino Nation Blog. Which hopefully is good for all of you that read it as well. But it is hard to be happy or proud when the main focus of this blog is in the state it is in.
The other thing is no matter how hard you try to fight it, we are all tied to the success of this team. That is the one common bond that Management, Coaches, Players, Media and Fans all share. It is all connected and each of those elements is impacted by this team and how it performs. If they under perform eventually that will mean less readers and viewers for folks in the media. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say I am sick of this team and can't take it anymore. People frustrated with the whole T.V mess and TSN 2. Could you imagine if this team was on a playoff run? The 3 games (Pacers,Wiz, Sixers) down the stretch are on TSN 2. Ironically this game tonight was suppose to be on ESPN between the Raps and Wiz. The point is for everyone it is in the best interest of all for this team to be good. Sadly this season they were not.
I often wonder as well what makes fans tick these days. I mean there just does not seem to be the loyalty there was when I was that same kid kicking adults butts at video games. People just don't seem to care about the individuals like they use to. Fans have bought in and accepted that sports is a business. I understand that as the journalist in me. The concept of sports being a business. However as a fan I truly can't. I love players to much for that. Maybe I am old school in my thinking about some things. I mean there is something to be said for old school values. In wrestling which I often jump to for examples. John Cena wears a T-shirt that says Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. All great qualities and all things that are part of this blog. I think there is no question that I hustle. Scott Carefoot has referred to me as the hardest working Raptor Blogger out there. I do work hard and invest a ton of time into this thing. It has not been until this last little while that I have taken a day off here and there. Sometimes even my day offs are not really days off. I live blog for the Score and in fact am doing 2 games tonight. There are also the many things that go into getting all the guests I am able to get. Loyalty is something I also can say I truly am. I have stuck to my guns on many things and stayed loyal to the people that I feel strongly about. Lastly I do my best to respect everyone from the guests that I have to all of you out there. My father always told me when he was alive to respect those that respect you. I do my best to do that. Even sometimes when people don't respect me I do my best to take the high road. I may not be a fan of John Cena but I am of those values.
Sure we could have talked about the Raptors and Wizards in a game that means very little. However hopefully this was a lot more interesting. I pour a lot of myself into this and some people like that and others do not. I just feel it is the best way to do it. Gilbert Arenas is actually playing basketball again. Why that is another question altogether. I mean practice with the Wizards and get back healthy. However to play in these last few games screams to me as a look at me move. Arenas will say he is doing it for the fans. Do the Wizards have any fans that are still paying attention at this point? In fact do the Raptors? Oh what a classic it should be. Two teams that have been playoff teams now as total outsiders playing out the string. FUN WOW!!!
When I started this blog there was another goal I had to walk the fine line of being a fan and still being a professional. People I know in the media suggested it was impossible. After all the root of the word fan is fanatic. There is also a pain that goes along with being a fan. You grow attached to players and teams. I have dealt with that pain all season in having my favourite player traded to Indiana. It would be something that would be easy to accept if the team got better but they did not. Now we head to another summer and a lot of folks are talking about Chris Bosh and his time being with the Raptors being done. I have loved as a fan watching Chris grow and become one of the better players in the NBA. There is always a debate in my head between objectivity and being a fan. Through out this season I have noticed the fan part of me is slowly going the way of my video game skills. The truth is I always some where stuck in the middle between being a fan and trying to be a journalist of sorts. It is becoming a painful experience to be a fan of this team in a lot of ways.
You also have this issue of fans saying you are a homer if you try to support the team and say something positive. The fan in me and the journalist in me agree this team needs changes. However does it need to get blown up and start over from square one? I honestly don't think that as well. This season on every level for everyone has been a horrible failure. The one exception to that might be Andrea Bargnani. However beyond that it has been a horrible year. The irony of that is for me personally it has been a great year. I have worked hard and got to accomplish a lot of things. So that is a good thing for myself and the Dino Nation Blog. Which hopefully is good for all of you that read it as well. But it is hard to be happy or proud when the main focus of this blog is in the state it is in.
The other thing is no matter how hard you try to fight it, we are all tied to the success of this team. That is the one common bond that Management, Coaches, Players, Media and Fans all share. It is all connected and each of those elements is impacted by this team and how it performs. If they under perform eventually that will mean less readers and viewers for folks in the media. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say I am sick of this team and can't take it anymore. People frustrated with the whole T.V mess and TSN 2. Could you imagine if this team was on a playoff run? The 3 games (Pacers,Wiz, Sixers) down the stretch are on TSN 2. Ironically this game tonight was suppose to be on ESPN between the Raps and Wiz. The point is for everyone it is in the best interest of all for this team to be good. Sadly this season they were not.
I often wonder as well what makes fans tick these days. I mean there just does not seem to be the loyalty there was when I was that same kid kicking adults butts at video games. People just don't seem to care about the individuals like they use to. Fans have bought in and accepted that sports is a business. I understand that as the journalist in me. The concept of sports being a business. However as a fan I truly can't. I love players to much for that. Maybe I am old school in my thinking about some things. I mean there is something to be said for old school values. In wrestling which I often jump to for examples. John Cena wears a T-shirt that says Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. All great qualities and all things that are part of this blog. I think there is no question that I hustle. Scott Carefoot has referred to me as the hardest working Raptor Blogger out there. I do work hard and invest a ton of time into this thing. It has not been until this last little while that I have taken a day off here and there. Sometimes even my day offs are not really days off. I live blog for the Score and in fact am doing 2 games tonight. There are also the many things that go into getting all the guests I am able to get. Loyalty is something I also can say I truly am. I have stuck to my guns on many things and stayed loyal to the people that I feel strongly about. Lastly I do my best to respect everyone from the guests that I have to all of you out there. My father always told me when he was alive to respect those that respect you. I do my best to do that. Even sometimes when people don't respect me I do my best to take the high road. I may not be a fan of John Cena but I am of those values.
Sure we could have talked about the Raptors and Wizards in a game that means very little. However hopefully this was a lot more interesting. I pour a lot of myself into this and some people like that and others do not. I just feel it is the best way to do it. Gilbert Arenas is actually playing basketball again. Why that is another question altogether. I mean practice with the Wizards and get back healthy. However to play in these last few games screams to me as a look at me move. Arenas will say he is doing it for the fans. Do the Wizards have any fans that are still paying attention at this point? In fact do the Raptors? Oh what a classic it should be. Two teams that have been playoff teams now as total outsiders playing out the string. FUN WOW!!!
4/9/09
Raptors In and Out
O.K how awful was that last night. I listened on the radio and had planned to watch the rebroadcast and perhaps to a Raptor Rewind or game notes. However there was really no need. Raptors sucked. Simple as that. Andrea Bargnani did not play do to his sore heel and honestly if anyone has a chipped nail at this point sit them down. So for today's blog I thought I a would play a new game. It has a real Price is Right Feel to it. So this is a Bob Barker special edition of the Dino Nation Blog. The rules are simple. I say a player and say if he is in or out next season. I will over a slight reason for why I think this. That is how we play the game so let's go.
Jake Voskhul is OUT- Nothing personal it is just I can find another 5 fouls from someone younger and may have some upside.
Patrick O'Bryant is OUT- Thanks for coming out. One of least effective deadline moves in Raptor history? Granted he was dealt for a player that was one of the least effective in Raptor history so it makes sense.
Nathan Jawai is In- He is under contract and I think he will be ready next season to contribute. He has had a rough year and a first season to forget. Year 2 is his last shot at proving he can be an NBA.
Quincy Douby might be In- I am sitting on the fence a bit here but the guy has barely played. He will get an invite for summer league at worst. Maybe it is the name and all the off colour remarks it can create but I know bloggers and media folks for that fact would not mind having the douby stick around to spark up another year.
Marcus Banks is Out if you can get him out- I am not convinced Marcus Banks showed us anything at all. He likely will stick around only because I can not imagine Bryan Colangelo will be able to move him. If there is a big deal you can be sure that Bryan will try to attach Banks and his bad contract to it.
Joey Graham is OUT...YES!!!!- I admit that I am bias a bit on this one. However I do honestly not think Joey Graham is going to be back. I am not convinced the Raptors want him back. I am convinced that some team in the NBA has seen enough good Joey to get fooled into thinking he is worth a look. Which perhaps he is. However the one thing I find a little odd is that everyone just thinks if the Raptors were to offer Joey a contract he would take it and return. Yet Chris Bosh would walk. Joey could have some of the same reasons to walk that Bosh would.
Kris Humphries is In- Back from the witness protection program the Hump will be back again. I am not sure what is role will be but I can not imagine he gets moved. A possible add in for a trade. But I think his contract is to high for his actual value. It also does not expire in the right year to be a help for anyone.
Roko Ukic is In- The question with Roko is not if he is in or out but where he will be in. Meaning that will he be good enough to be a true back-up point guard. That will be the big question.
Anthony Parker is Out- I like A.P but I am not convinced he remains. That being said he has said he is willing to come back. I just think someone offers him more than Raptors will and he will take it. There were rumours in the last off-season that Euro clubs had interest in A.P. There also might be a few NBA clubs that see him as a quality depth piece.
Pops Mensah-Bonsu is SO IN- In a season of complete disappointment Pops has become the people's Champ. He looks nothing like THE ROCK. But it is clear that fans love what Pops brings to the table. I am thinking Bryan Colangelo does as well. He would be a restricted free agent and the Raptors will have the option to match any offers that come his way.
Jason Kapono is OUT- I think if it is possible JK will be moved this off-season. It may be hard to move him though. A very high contract and it is clear now that Bryan Colangelo over paid for him. But if possible I think Colangelo would look to move him and his contract. However coming off the season he had that will be extremely tough to do.
Andrea Bargnani is In- If you don't trade Andrea Bargnani when he sucks. No way you trade him when he finally starts to turn the corner right? I think so. No way no how we do not see Bargnani back. I think it is a lock to say that. If anyone is UNTOUCHABLE on this roster he may be it.
Jose Calderon is In (With a Nash exception)- Jose is back UNLESS there is a deal for Steve Nash on the table. If that deal is there I say Jose will be on the Suns. It all depends on if you truly believe in Roko or not. Only Bryan Colangelo has the answer to that one.
Shawn Marion is Out (With A Nash exception)- I think Marion will not be back and will be on a contender next year. If you are going to take less money which Marion clearly will be. Than he is more likely to do that on a contender. He could do a sign and trade and help out the Raps. He may rethink things if Nash were to end up in Toronto.
Chris Bosh is IN!!!- I know everyone seems to think he is not. But I will choose to believe. He may not be IN the whole year. There is still the deadline if things were to go wrong and things change. But I have hope to think Bosh may want to stay here. I also think the Raptors want him to stay. Can they work something out to make that happen? Will see. But I may be crazy but I think Bosh is going to be still a Raptor next year. I hope I am write because media and Fans said Ford would go and they pushed him out the door. How did that whole thing work out? I do not want to see the same thing happen with Bosh.
If Bosh is not back I just think this team goes back to square one and I am not exactly thrilled about that. I also worry at what impact that would have on Andrea Bargnani who has finally turned a corner this year. I think with no Bosh he would fall backwards again. The one thing that is certain. Bryan Colangelo is going to CHANGE this team. It is just a matter of it is for the better or the worse.
Oh I almost forget. Coaches.
Jay Triano is In- Not sure if I agree with it but the writing seems on the wall at this point. The staff he has will likely have a make over and I think Alex English and Mike Evans could be gone. Mark Ivaroni perhaps is added to the staff as well as someone else.
I don't think it needs to be said but Bryan Colangelo is back of course. I agree with Paul Jones in that this season Colangelo had an off year. He tried to hit a home run and in the end hit a harmless fly ball. But just like in baseball he will get more than a few more at bats to get it right before anyone at MLSE would even consider a change at the top of the Raptor organization.
Jake Voskhul is OUT- Nothing personal it is just I can find another 5 fouls from someone younger and may have some upside.
Patrick O'Bryant is OUT- Thanks for coming out. One of least effective deadline moves in Raptor history? Granted he was dealt for a player that was one of the least effective in Raptor history so it makes sense.
Nathan Jawai is In- He is under contract and I think he will be ready next season to contribute. He has had a rough year and a first season to forget. Year 2 is his last shot at proving he can be an NBA.
Quincy Douby might be In- I am sitting on the fence a bit here but the guy has barely played. He will get an invite for summer league at worst. Maybe it is the name and all the off colour remarks it can create but I know bloggers and media folks for that fact would not mind having the douby stick around to spark up another year.
Marcus Banks is Out if you can get him out- I am not convinced Marcus Banks showed us anything at all. He likely will stick around only because I can not imagine Bryan Colangelo will be able to move him. If there is a big deal you can be sure that Bryan will try to attach Banks and his bad contract to it.
Joey Graham is OUT...YES!!!!- I admit that I am bias a bit on this one. However I do honestly not think Joey Graham is going to be back. I am not convinced the Raptors want him back. I am convinced that some team in the NBA has seen enough good Joey to get fooled into thinking he is worth a look. Which perhaps he is. However the one thing I find a little odd is that everyone just thinks if the Raptors were to offer Joey a contract he would take it and return. Yet Chris Bosh would walk. Joey could have some of the same reasons to walk that Bosh would.
Kris Humphries is In- Back from the witness protection program the Hump will be back again. I am not sure what is role will be but I can not imagine he gets moved. A possible add in for a trade. But I think his contract is to high for his actual value. It also does not expire in the right year to be a help for anyone.
Roko Ukic is In- The question with Roko is not if he is in or out but where he will be in. Meaning that will he be good enough to be a true back-up point guard. That will be the big question.
Anthony Parker is Out- I like A.P but I am not convinced he remains. That being said he has said he is willing to come back. I just think someone offers him more than Raptors will and he will take it. There were rumours in the last off-season that Euro clubs had interest in A.P. There also might be a few NBA clubs that see him as a quality depth piece.
Pops Mensah-Bonsu is SO IN- In a season of complete disappointment Pops has become the people's Champ. He looks nothing like THE ROCK. But it is clear that fans love what Pops brings to the table. I am thinking Bryan Colangelo does as well. He would be a restricted free agent and the Raptors will have the option to match any offers that come his way.
Jason Kapono is OUT- I think if it is possible JK will be moved this off-season. It may be hard to move him though. A very high contract and it is clear now that Bryan Colangelo over paid for him. But if possible I think Colangelo would look to move him and his contract. However coming off the season he had that will be extremely tough to do.
Andrea Bargnani is In- If you don't trade Andrea Bargnani when he sucks. No way you trade him when he finally starts to turn the corner right? I think so. No way no how we do not see Bargnani back. I think it is a lock to say that. If anyone is UNTOUCHABLE on this roster he may be it.
Jose Calderon is In (With a Nash exception)- Jose is back UNLESS there is a deal for Steve Nash on the table. If that deal is there I say Jose will be on the Suns. It all depends on if you truly believe in Roko or not. Only Bryan Colangelo has the answer to that one.
Shawn Marion is Out (With A Nash exception)- I think Marion will not be back and will be on a contender next year. If you are going to take less money which Marion clearly will be. Than he is more likely to do that on a contender. He could do a sign and trade and help out the Raps. He may rethink things if Nash were to end up in Toronto.
Chris Bosh is IN!!!- I know everyone seems to think he is not. But I will choose to believe. He may not be IN the whole year. There is still the deadline if things were to go wrong and things change. But I have hope to think Bosh may want to stay here. I also think the Raptors want him to stay. Can they work something out to make that happen? Will see. But I may be crazy but I think Bosh is going to be still a Raptor next year. I hope I am write because media and Fans said Ford would go and they pushed him out the door. How did that whole thing work out? I do not want to see the same thing happen with Bosh.
If Bosh is not back I just think this team goes back to square one and I am not exactly thrilled about that. I also worry at what impact that would have on Andrea Bargnani who has finally turned a corner this year. I think with no Bosh he would fall backwards again. The one thing that is certain. Bryan Colangelo is going to CHANGE this team. It is just a matter of it is for the better or the worse.
Oh I almost forget. Coaches.
Jay Triano is In- Not sure if I agree with it but the writing seems on the wall at this point. The staff he has will likely have a make over and I think Alex English and Mike Evans could be gone. Mark Ivaroni perhaps is added to the staff as well as someone else.
I don't think it needs to be said but Bryan Colangelo is back of course. I agree with Paul Jones in that this season Colangelo had an off year. He tried to hit a home run and in the end hit a harmless fly ball. But just like in baseball he will get more than a few more at bats to get it right before anyone at MLSE would even consider a change at the top of the Raptor organization.
4/8/09
Paul Jones Calling In From Indy
It is always great to have Paul Jones pay a visit to the Dino Nation Blog. He stops by and we talk about a number of things. The recently completed NCAA Tournament, Triano, Bosh, Bargnani and a lot more. Hope you enjoy our conversation.
It is always great to have Paul and we will have him back sometime between the draft lottery and the draft. I am sure we will have a few visits from Paul in the summer months as well. Jack Armstrong will be dropping in for a visit at the end of next week. It is that time of year where I try to touch base with everyone and get their various takes on things. Basically the season is done. So it is time to hear what people think both about what has happened and what will happen. It should be a very interesting off-season.
It is always great to have Paul and we will have him back sometime between the draft lottery and the draft. I am sure we will have a few visits from Paul in the summer months as well. Jack Armstrong will be dropping in for a visit at the end of next week. It is that time of year where I try to touch base with everyone and get their various takes on things. Basically the season is done. So it is time to hear what people think both about what has happened and what will happen. It should be a very interesting off-season.
4/7/09
6 Games To The Unknown.
Well now math supports what I have felt for a long time. The Raptors will have 6 games to finish up before the most interesting and important off-season in Raptors history. Chris Bosh and his future will be issue number one. Bosh of late seems very unlike a guy that wants to get on the first bus, plane or train out of town. He has come out in support of Jay Triano. No need to do that or have an opinion if you don't plan on staying. While in New York he was questioned about 2010 and came back with an answer about how he loves Toronto. I am not saying that means a lot. After all Vince Carter still to this day I believe is on the record saying that he loves Toronto. Damon Stoudamire still loves the city as well. He did say he regrets leaving Toronto. It is hard to know what Bosh will do. But Colangelo is going to find out. You already have money invested Jose Calderon. Andrea Bargnani will eventually have to be re-signed. Given his play this year and the signs of progression he has shown it seems likely Raptors will want to do that. That is in the future but if you sign Bosh to a max deal or close to it. The Raptors would be invested in a 3 players. Add in the fact of a decline in NBA revenues and a likely decrease in the cap and tax threshold. It makes these choice made in the next couple years even more important. Can a big 3 of Bosh,Calderon and Bargnani produce a championship? I am not convinced of that personally. Raptors struggles were based on a number of things but one near the top of that list was a lack of the depth. If you have so much invested in 3 guys it seems unlikely you can add to that depth. It would seem unless teams are willing to pay the tax the era of the Big 3 may be coming to an end in the NBA not just in Toronto but everywhere. Just something to think about.
Jay Triano and his future seems like it may be somewhat secure for next season and that seems odd. I hope that I am wrong on the Triano but what I think really doesn't matter. I just look at it like this, if we could sign say an Eddie Jordan can anyone make the debate that he is not more qualified? You could make the same argument for a number of other candidates. The one guy that would not apply to is Messina. The Euro coach has been rumoured to be tied to the Raptors. Joe Casciaro wrote a good feature on him on the Court Surfing Live Blog. I admit to not knowing a lot about Messina but here is what I know thanks to old fashion common sense. They say it takes Euro players a few years to adjust to the North American game. So the same would apply to coaches as well it would seem only logical right? Look had how badly NCAA coaches have bombed out in the NBA for proof. Messina would only be the right choice if this team is truly starting over from square one and was not concerned about winning in the next couple seasons. Does that sound anything like Bryan Colangelo in the least. Doesn't to me. I think Colangelo believes he can re-tool this team and get them back in the playoffs fast. A coach that has never coached in the league let alone North America is not going to be able to do that in the short term sorry but I am unconvinced. It would be like taking a NFL coach and throwing him into the CFL with no experience coaching in the league. Hey that is what the Argos did isn't it? But in football he at least has a larger support staff to help make the transition.
There is also the tough choices on existing players and if they will or should return. I have talked a lot about that already. It is in my view the only player I would bring back not under contract next year is Pops Mensah-Bonsu. I would consider Shawn Marion but I am unconvinced he would consider Toronto. I think if a player is going to take a huge pay cut than he is more likely to go to a contender. If a guy goes somewhere based on cash alone you have to be concerned and it also is not a wise move for your cap in the long term. If Bryan Colangelo could get a do over would he have signed Jason Kapono for the amount he did? I am thinking no.
There is also a great unknown for both management and players. That is the fact that after 2010 you have 2011 and that may reshape the NBA far greater than 2010 will. No matter where Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and other sign, The CBA will still expire the next season. That given the sad state of the economy of the NBA could bring major and sweeping changes to the NBA. Not even David Stern knows what will happen at the end of that. However you can bet that the CBA as it is written now will not look anything like the one that will be in place after that next one is signed. There is a real chance of a long a bitter fight to get that signed. A work stoppage and a lock out or strike is a real possibility. That is something that should be in the back of the head of all NBA G.M's going forward into 2010 and beyond. What may seem like a fantastic move today could be looked at 3 or 4 years from now as a major mistake.
People may have lost faith in Bryan Colangelo but he is always someone who sees the big picture and if you don't think these things are on his mind moving forward you have no idea about Colangelo. So the unknown for the Raptors this off-season is just the beginning of a lot of unknown years for the entire league. This will be very interesting times moving forward. I know a lot of time MLSE is not exactly loved by the Raptor fan base or by me at times. That being said the way things are looking in the NBA these days the fact that the Raptors have secure ownership and I would think are profitable is no minor thing. They do get some things wrong but the fact that they have deep pockets is a good thing.
Jay Triano and his future seems like it may be somewhat secure for next season and that seems odd. I hope that I am wrong on the Triano but what I think really doesn't matter. I just look at it like this, if we could sign say an Eddie Jordan can anyone make the debate that he is not more qualified? You could make the same argument for a number of other candidates. The one guy that would not apply to is Messina. The Euro coach has been rumoured to be tied to the Raptors. Joe Casciaro wrote a good feature on him on the Court Surfing Live Blog. I admit to not knowing a lot about Messina but here is what I know thanks to old fashion common sense. They say it takes Euro players a few years to adjust to the North American game. So the same would apply to coaches as well it would seem only logical right? Look had how badly NCAA coaches have bombed out in the NBA for proof. Messina would only be the right choice if this team is truly starting over from square one and was not concerned about winning in the next couple seasons. Does that sound anything like Bryan Colangelo in the least. Doesn't to me. I think Colangelo believes he can re-tool this team and get them back in the playoffs fast. A coach that has never coached in the league let alone North America is not going to be able to do that in the short term sorry but I am unconvinced. It would be like taking a NFL coach and throwing him into the CFL with no experience coaching in the league. Hey that is what the Argos did isn't it? But in football he at least has a larger support staff to help make the transition.
There is also the tough choices on existing players and if they will or should return. I have talked a lot about that already. It is in my view the only player I would bring back not under contract next year is Pops Mensah-Bonsu. I would consider Shawn Marion but I am unconvinced he would consider Toronto. I think if a player is going to take a huge pay cut than he is more likely to go to a contender. If a guy goes somewhere based on cash alone you have to be concerned and it also is not a wise move for your cap in the long term. If Bryan Colangelo could get a do over would he have signed Jason Kapono for the amount he did? I am thinking no.
There is also a great unknown for both management and players. That is the fact that after 2010 you have 2011 and that may reshape the NBA far greater than 2010 will. No matter where Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and other sign, The CBA will still expire the next season. That given the sad state of the economy of the NBA could bring major and sweeping changes to the NBA. Not even David Stern knows what will happen at the end of that. However you can bet that the CBA as it is written now will not look anything like the one that will be in place after that next one is signed. There is a real chance of a long a bitter fight to get that signed. A work stoppage and a lock out or strike is a real possibility. That is something that should be in the back of the head of all NBA G.M's going forward into 2010 and beyond. What may seem like a fantastic move today could be looked at 3 or 4 years from now as a major mistake.
People may have lost faith in Bryan Colangelo but he is always someone who sees the big picture and if you don't think these things are on his mind moving forward you have no idea about Colangelo. So the unknown for the Raptors this off-season is just the beginning of a lot of unknown years for the entire league. This will be very interesting times moving forward. I know a lot of time MLSE is not exactly loved by the Raptor fan base or by me at times. That being said the way things are looking in the NBA these days the fact that the Raptors have secure ownership and I would think are profitable is no minor thing. They do get some things wrong but the fact that they have deep pockets is a good thing.
4/6/09
Streak Over, Game Over and Season Over!!!
Well I took the weekend off from the blog because I just needed a break. It has been a long and painful season. The Raptors on Saturday would extend their winning streak to 6 games and eliminate the Knicks from the playoffs officially. The Knicks on Sunday would end the streak and return the favour. So on the day that Baseball season beings the basketball season is done in Toronto. Sure there is 6 games left but now people can all be on the same page and start to talk about what is wrong with this team and move forward. I have not let this 6 game win streak cloud my judgement of what happened the rest of this season. Jose Calderon was excellent during that streak but I am not convinced like some that this was proof that Calderon will be great and this season was a write off. I do understand this was the worst possible case of how thing could have went wrong this year. However a 6 game win streak that featured 2 quality wins out of 6 is not going to do it.
Perhaps you can see Calderon build off this next season and build off this in some way. Truthfully Calderon has had to change and adjust his game more than anyone with Jay Triano and the team changing it's direction drastically on offense. It is becoming clear that the system and likely Triano with it will be remaining. So Calderon is going to have to continue to grow and learn it. He is basically having to unlearn a lot of things he has grown up with in basketball. I think the most impressive thing to me in all of this in Calderon's play down the stretch is his defensive effort. It is absolutely key for Calderon to continue this effort and improve his defense. If he does not and remains the starting point guard of this team they will never improve on defense without that. I am not looking for Chris Paul defense out of Calderon. I will be happy with just average defense and an effort above average. Next season will tell us a lot about Jose Calderon one way or the other.
I think that Calderon and Bargnani can be safe in thinking they will return. Beyond that it is an open for debate question. The biggest question is the one of Bosh. If anyone out there thinks the Raptors are better off with no Chris Bosh that is just not true. Least in the short term it is not. It is a challenge to win a championship with a team build around a power forward. It is a position that needs help to succeed. Bosh and his success in a lot of ways gets tied to how well this team around him can play. That is really what will be the question that needs to be answered. Does Bosh have the faith in Colangelo to bring in the players around him to have the kind of success. Colangelo as far as this season goes seeing as it is opening day in baseball it seems fitting to say he struck out. Can he step up to the plate this off-season and deliver and does Bosh believe in that enough to say to Bryan that he will be here for the long term. It is going to be a hard thing to do. The temptation of playing with a James or a Wade may be to much to over come for Colangelo to convince Bosh. I think it is safe to say Lebron or Wade are not coming to Toronto in 2010. So can Colangelo paint a picture that does not include those 2 players that Bosh can believe will lead to him being successful. 30 million dollars to offer is something but if Bosh is the guy he has said he is that will not be the only factor. Bosh says he wants to win and the amount of money he can get would not factor into that if that is truly goal number 1 for him. Hard to say what will happen but it will be an off-season that will be defined by a meeting that Colangelo and Bosh have when this season officially ends. The outlook and direction of this off-season will be defined by that.
Shawn Marion time in Toronto may now be done. I would say the odds of him returning would seem unlikely to me. I have said it in the blog before. If you are going to take a huge pay cut are you not more likely to consider going to a team that is a contender? If Shawn Marion is going to end up with a deal at the mid level exception it seems hard to believe he does that in Toronto unless it was part of a sign and trade. The fact he has a relationship with Bryan Colangelo makes that a more likely thing.
Colangelo has a plan though make no mistake about that. The trade to get Marion was made to set up this off season ahead. Colangelo saw this day coming with his team not heading towards the playoffs. That is why he made the Marion deal. The Raptors could make a splash this off season in free agency if they want to as one of the few teams with money to spend that they are likely willing to spend. Marion is one of a number of names that will be out there. Ron Artest, Allen Iverson and Carlos Boozer among the list of names.
Lots of time to talk about all of this. I don't think I have mentioned this in the blog before. However prior to this season I had a sick feeling in my stomach about the Raps chances. I convinced myself that I was upset that T.J had been traded and I was not seeing things clearly as a result. If this season has taught me anything at all it is to go with my gut. Will that mean I am always right on everything? Likely not. It may mean that people disagree with me. That is o.k as well. However we can agree to disagree and still all have the same goal of wanting what is best for this team. Some of things that have been being said about a Triano return and Calderon now be back to an All Star level player are not things I am a believer in. But I always say it that I am happy to be wrong if it means the Raptors will be better for it. There may only be 6 games left to deal with Joey Graham. I always think it is funny that everyone talks about if the Raptors should bring Joey back. Joey will have some say in that as restricted free agent. Does he even want to be back? That is another question for another day. We have a long time to talk about it all. No Playoffs and ping pong balls are on the late April menu. Unlike a Wrestlemania you can not script an off-season. But for now in T.O it is truly NOT all about the Game. Least not for this year.
Perhaps you can see Calderon build off this next season and build off this in some way. Truthfully Calderon has had to change and adjust his game more than anyone with Jay Triano and the team changing it's direction drastically on offense. It is becoming clear that the system and likely Triano with it will be remaining. So Calderon is going to have to continue to grow and learn it. He is basically having to unlearn a lot of things he has grown up with in basketball. I think the most impressive thing to me in all of this in Calderon's play down the stretch is his defensive effort. It is absolutely key for Calderon to continue this effort and improve his defense. If he does not and remains the starting point guard of this team they will never improve on defense without that. I am not looking for Chris Paul defense out of Calderon. I will be happy with just average defense and an effort above average. Next season will tell us a lot about Jose Calderon one way or the other.
I think that Calderon and Bargnani can be safe in thinking they will return. Beyond that it is an open for debate question. The biggest question is the one of Bosh. If anyone out there thinks the Raptors are better off with no Chris Bosh that is just not true. Least in the short term it is not. It is a challenge to win a championship with a team build around a power forward. It is a position that needs help to succeed. Bosh and his success in a lot of ways gets tied to how well this team around him can play. That is really what will be the question that needs to be answered. Does Bosh have the faith in Colangelo to bring in the players around him to have the kind of success. Colangelo as far as this season goes seeing as it is opening day in baseball it seems fitting to say he struck out. Can he step up to the plate this off-season and deliver and does Bosh believe in that enough to say to Bryan that he will be here for the long term. It is going to be a hard thing to do. The temptation of playing with a James or a Wade may be to much to over come for Colangelo to convince Bosh. I think it is safe to say Lebron or Wade are not coming to Toronto in 2010. So can Colangelo paint a picture that does not include those 2 players that Bosh can believe will lead to him being successful. 30 million dollars to offer is something but if Bosh is the guy he has said he is that will not be the only factor. Bosh says he wants to win and the amount of money he can get would not factor into that if that is truly goal number 1 for him. Hard to say what will happen but it will be an off-season that will be defined by a meeting that Colangelo and Bosh have when this season officially ends. The outlook and direction of this off-season will be defined by that.
Shawn Marion time in Toronto may now be done. I would say the odds of him returning would seem unlikely to me. I have said it in the blog before. If you are going to take a huge pay cut are you not more likely to consider going to a team that is a contender? If Shawn Marion is going to end up with a deal at the mid level exception it seems hard to believe he does that in Toronto unless it was part of a sign and trade. The fact he has a relationship with Bryan Colangelo makes that a more likely thing.
Colangelo has a plan though make no mistake about that. The trade to get Marion was made to set up this off season ahead. Colangelo saw this day coming with his team not heading towards the playoffs. That is why he made the Marion deal. The Raptors could make a splash this off season in free agency if they want to as one of the few teams with money to spend that they are likely willing to spend. Marion is one of a number of names that will be out there. Ron Artest, Allen Iverson and Carlos Boozer among the list of names.
Lots of time to talk about all of this. I don't think I have mentioned this in the blog before. However prior to this season I had a sick feeling in my stomach about the Raps chances. I convinced myself that I was upset that T.J had been traded and I was not seeing things clearly as a result. If this season has taught me anything at all it is to go with my gut. Will that mean I am always right on everything? Likely not. It may mean that people disagree with me. That is o.k as well. However we can agree to disagree and still all have the same goal of wanting what is best for this team. Some of things that have been being said about a Triano return and Calderon now be back to an All Star level player are not things I am a believer in. But I always say it that I am happy to be wrong if it means the Raptors will be better for it. There may only be 6 games left to deal with Joey Graham. I always think it is funny that everyone talks about if the Raptors should bring Joey back. Joey will have some say in that as restricted free agent. Does he even want to be back? That is another question for another day. We have a long time to talk about it all. No Playoffs and ping pong balls are on the late April menu. Unlike a Wrestlemania you can not script an off-season. But for now in T.O it is truly NOT all about the Game. Least not for this year.
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