And I quote from his post-practice interview:
I told the coach today, I’m going to come off the bench and work my way back into it. He’s earned the right to stay in the starting lineup. I have no ego. I’ve been out for nine games, I don’t deserve the right to come back and take back the position of somebody who’s playing well..it’s all about winning, if we win, whether it’s me or Andrea, whoever is in the starting lineup, that’s all that matters.
Nice to hear from him, if anyone was counting on him to be an egotistical and unreasonable SOB, I hate to disappoint. Now, he does sound like he’s close to 100% and would play in Indiana tonight. Coincidental healing or master plan? You decide. He also drops some info about why he’s been out for so long, apparently getting on a plane right after a knee contusion isn’t good and it swells it up. He wanted to avoid draining it and was taking medications for the swelling and finally found one that worked.
Triano says O’Neal had a full practice and if he feels good tomorrow, he’ll play. Apparently he was banging hard in the post, blocking shots and rebounding. O’Neal’s been talking to Bargnani, encouraging him and helping him out and Triano thinks its great and helping Bargnani. Triano’s goal is to play Bosh, Bargnani and O’Neal together as much as possible. Jose didn’t practice but will fly to Indiana, it seems the Raptors will not make the mistake of rushing anyone too early.
Chris Bosh is talking after practice too (not really worth watching).
24 Raps
I think that would be a huge boost to have O’Neal tearing up scrubs with Ukic when the other team is resting its starters. Bargnani and Bosh have been clicking well against some pretty good teams (more Bargnani than Bosh but oh well…) and then to dump the ball down low where Oneal can post up some fools for a kickout to Kapono (please man… PLEASE hit open shots at least) or let Ukic do his thing. The Hump will get some minutes and hopefully hit the boards for putbacks and what not, and that sounds like a pretty decent bench to me. Now, if only we had a good starting SF…
jo is dope.
since the beginning of the season JO has said all the right things and we got on his back nonetheless. This does not surprise me – he has been a class act all the way. What I am interested to see is how he responds in his play. Will be looking to score on every play in order to win a spot on the starting line? Or will he be a solid player coming off the bench that can give us quality minutes while Bosh or Bargnani sit out. That is the question…
As for trading him for Marion? If I saw Marion as a solid rebounder at the 3 spot, yes, I would make the trade just for that reason. This way we get Marion who can creep in for offensive boards when Bargnani is on the perimiter and he can get good defensive boards. He is also a great perimiter defender. But, I don’t know if he still does that. I haven’t watched many Miami games.
All I do know, is that I really honestly hope that Bargnani does not take up the 3 spot again. When you wrote: “Triano’s goal is to play Bosh, Bargnani and O’Neal together as much as possible” I really hope you don’t mean at the same time.
weve been getting piss poor efforts from our wings.unfortunately i dont think we have a choice but to play bargs at the sf spot.we have to get the big 3 out there and have them be cohesive for huge minutes to stand a chance.theyre gonna have to learn to make it work.
Are you f&%king mental?
With Bargs finally showing some of the incredible talent that you drafted him number 1 for, the last thing in the world you would want to do is shunt him back to SF and obliterate his growing confidence.
Look at it realistically, Andrea needs to develop into an exceptional player (I for one believe he is very capable of this) for this Toronto team to have any chance to succeed in the East, and if Bosh leaves in 2010, he will be all you really have for the future, besides Calderon as trade bait. So the team has to sacrifice wins and JO’s starting spot in order to significantly improve further down the road when Bargs develops into a star, at the 5, not at SF.
Whats with you idiots talkin bout how Bargs should start at 3? Why dont we move Bosh to the 3? Why not move Jose to the 3? Are you stupid? Bargs is a 4 who can occasionally play the 5 and that’s IT. Andrea should just get 30+
minutes and have the freedom to play his game without getting yanked around the lineup. It’s worked for the past 9 games.
JFC (Jesus Fucking Careeesta) can we please leave Barnyard Panini at 4.
Bulls beat the Cavs. I think this team can safely consider itself the NBA’s “practice girl”, where everyone goes for a shot of confidence before asking the cheerleaders to dance.
phdsteve, if you did it this way the bench and overall team would be MUCH better:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=2166~1765~592~2806~2010~3249~635&teams=28~28~28~21~21~21~21&te=&cash=
After doing the Phoenix deal, I woud make this trade…
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=498~510~615&teams=28~28~14&te=&cash=
Toronto’s Lineup:
Nash/Ukic
Graham/Barbosa/Soloman
Marion/Barnes
Bosh/Hump/Voshkul
Bargs/Magloire/Jawaii
Nice starting lineup, decent/solid bench. Great cap space in the summer(Marion, Magloire, Voshkul, Barnes, team option on Jawaii- it’s around 23 million to spend-this summer!)
Or this as the second one:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=615~3247~510&teams=14~28~28&te=&cash=
Lineup:
Nash/Ukic
Graham/Barbosa/Soloman
Marion/Barnes
Bosh/Hump/Voshkul
Bargs/Anthony/Jawaii
Magloire was only put in to make the trade work…either one it doesn’t really matter, although I think I would prefer Joel Anthony.
To make it easy:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=2806~2010~3249~615~635~3247~510~2166~1765~592&teams=21~21~21~14~21~28~28~28~28~28&te=&cash=
When I look at it like that, it almost seems to good to be true. Wishfull thinking huh?
This right here is why I hate abuse of the trade checker. Basically we’re going to get Nash, Marion, Barbosa and Barnes for O’Neal. If I had emoticons enabled in this blog this would be the perfect time for whip out the rolling eyes one.
I think the present team should be renamed the Toronto Generals. Anyone like to guess the odds for this teaming actually picking a first round draft pick ??
Buju,you are a fuckin idiot !!! get a life
Dont get me wrong I like JO,but because of the “bruised knee” he couldn’t sit with the team because he would of had to bend the knee….so he hasn’t had a shit since Denver,give me a break !!!
Garbo was on the bench with crutches!
I guess trading for Nash, Barbosa and Barnes could make some sense for Toronto. It could change the culture of the team and maybe get a few guys who are aggressive by nature. It would also give the team an upgrade on the wings. But what does it give Phoenix. If ever there was a team built for now and heedless of future seasons it’s Steve Kerr’s Suns. And they look solid enough to make the playoffs and then, at least in Kerr’s eyes, they could make a run. Why, especially after the Richardson trade, would the Suns look to blow things up?
And why would they help Bryan Colangelo? Last I heard their spiteful tightwad owner (now there’s a great owner for you – imagine if the SSOL Suns were allowed to go over the cap and keep Joe Johnson, Rajon Rondo et al.), was allowing D’Antoni to talk to every team in the NBA except Toronto. Unless Stern has decreed Nash shall play in Canada, there’s no way he comes here before the mythical summer of 2010.
And I watched Chicago beat a lethargic Cavs last night. If Nocioni is the centrepiece of a JO to Chicago trade, don’t do it. He’s ok and would be a slight upgrade for the Raptors pathetic wing play but not by much. Marion or bust for now.
Arsenalist,
You are 100% correct. In general, trade proposals are a waste of time.
wow,you didnt mention rodney carney in a post.
he meant they are a waste of time unless rodney carney is traded for three first rounders and bargnani
Watch out. Carney’s a FA this summer and with the way he seems to be playing during Minn’s win streak he might actually be an affordable wing upgrade. Of course if he becomes a Raptor and doesn’t improve the team, Khandor might not be able to squirm out of his support for him this year. People might actually remember one of the few times he said something unequivocal about basketball.
Sam,
re: the Bulls win vs the Cavs
Given the state of the Eastern Conference today …
How far the Raptors go in the immediate future will be determined by the basketball acumen of Bryan Colangelo.
The required pieces to the puzzle have been in place with this franchise since the days of Steve Stavro [principal owner] & Glen Grunwald [GM] … and there should be no valid reason for the Raptors [as well as the Maple Leafs] to be anything other than an upper echelon team in the NBA [and the NHL] by the 2010-2011 season.
If the team is not in that category by that season … which it might well have been all along had men like Grunwald, Rob Babcock, Wayne Embry/Michael Curry or Julius Erving [etc.] been allowed to run the show … it will be the responsibility of MLSE/Richard Peddie & Larry Tanenbaum who chose Bryan Colangelo [and John Ferguson, Jr./Brian Burke] to run the franchise for them.
Sam,
——————–
re: People might actually remember one of the few times he said something unequivocal about basketball.
——————–
LOL, LOL, LOL …
There are those who think that what I say about the game is too unequivocal, in the first place; and, those, like you, who think the exact opposite.
FACT IS … both sides are wrong. : )
Arsenalist, much like your articles, your posts are boring dribble (no pun intended) You should take up knitting….make me a Raptors beer holder.