There are a few great Raptor blogs out there and one of them is RaptorsHQ. I had a chance to talk some hoops with Adam and Dave, also known as Franchise and Howland. We chatted some Raptors ball and discussed issues ranging from Sam Mitchell to Roko Ukic. If I seem a little out of it, it’s because I’m battling a severe flu which might result in my death by midweek. So if this is the last post I’ll ever make, it was nice knowing ya.
You can click the play button below below or you can listen directly in iTunes. If you’re on a mobile device, you may download the file.
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Thanks again to Adam and Dave for giving their take on the wide variety of Raptors topics discussed. Raptors bloggers are the best – unpaid but hard-working.
30 Raps
Arsenalist – Listened to your podcast with RaptorsHQ – regarding what you said about ‘November/December was a time this team had to prove itself – they had no major injuries, Calderon went down for a bit – nothing huge …’
I disagree with a bit of that.
I think that these last two games were the first ones (at least, to my eyes) that Calderon has been moving at full speed, even including from the beginning of the season. (I could see a lingering affect from the groin injury he had this past summer – I don’t care what anybody says – right from the get-go. Even his face looked drawn and haggard, compared to previous seasons … and now.)
The other thing that’s changed is having Anthony Parker fill in at the back-up Point Guard position so nicely (and somewhat surprisingly), as opposed to having to rely on Roko and Will, both (in their respective ways) learning on the fly, how to play the PG position in this league. It’s allowed Triano to use Calderon judiciously enough (now that he’s back these last couple games), to keep him ‘fresh’ and as effective as he can (so apparently) be.
If Jose can keep going forward, health-wise, and if we continue to see AP’s savvy experience being used so effectively as the back-up PG, I believe the whole complexion of the team, from the ground – up, changes, perhaps even dramatically.
And Bargnani’s sudden evolution to the player that some of us thought he could one day be? It might well be the coaching change … and it might be some other things (likely a combination) … but somewhere along the line, I think he began to understand that when he ‘hesitated’ as he so often did before, he was (almost) absolutely ineffective. When he didn’t hesitate, he’d show astonishing grace (at times, at least – we all saw it) … and maybe, that clicked in his own head … as much as it already had in the minds of so many of us watching and hoping that he’d just PLAY … without the self-doubt getting in the way.
I don’t know what Colangelo is planning … but whatever it is, I tend to trust him. And, I won’t be disappointed if he doesn’t pull the trigger on the JO move. I think the team is a constantly evolving unit (or animal) … and we might just have a whole new dynamic at work here now … but time (if it gets to play out) of course, will tell.
I’m optimistic.
And btw, as one who’s (also) just recuperating from a bitchin week or so of illness … glad you’re feeling better.
Good work.
I think of the two you had on I’m more aligned with Adam but I don’t get how he says that “coaching is highly overrated” but then gives Triano credit for taking Bargnani out of his slump. Didn’t make sense.
WSG – This team is built so thin that if Calderon goes down we’re a lottery team. No team should be that vulnerable and reliant on a so-so player like Jose. I’m going to wait till we play the Lakers/Hornets/Cavs/Magic before determinging whether Jose was playing injured in NOV/Dec. Interesting take on AP, do we trade him or keep him? I think he’s increased his trade value by 200% in the last two weeks and if we can get a pick out of him, you have to trade him.
the impact triano has had on bargnani is more to do with letting him play then any sort of actually coaching. although it could be considered coaching. from what i see, he is doing the same sorts of things as he always has, but getting a better result.
Great interview!
I’m glad you asked Franchise and Howland some difficult, critical questions
I think the main reason we have to trade JO now is because he’s the only asset we have to upgrade our wing position and roundout our roster. And trading him for an expiring now gives us more flexibility this summer to acquire a player in a trade from a team looking to dump salary.
why not get rid of him in the summer then? there will be more suitors then unsually.
Because a team may not want to dump the full value of JO’s contract in a simple trade.
(Ex. How Denver traded Camby’s $10M contract to the Clips for nothing in return)
By trading JO before the deadline (for Marion’s expiring), we would have a ton of cap space to take on a Camby-like contract.
But if we keep JO for the rest of the season, a team like Denver looking to dump salary would need to include more player to even out the salaries – players/salaries/contracts we may not want in return.
Intersting listen…
I don’t understand why they knocked BC’s drafting when discussing comparing him to Babcock.
BC drafted Bargs, Amare, Nash, etc and towards the end of his tenure in Phoenix, was forced to trade his picks to reduce salary.
To grade any rookie, they have to playout their entire rookie contract to evaluate them fairly.
Babcock drafted Aurujo (biggest bust ever) and Joey Graham over Danny Granger.
BC took a calculated risk trading for JO and it has backfired during the first-half of the season. But I trust he’ll be able to turn it around.
In BC I trust.
These posters who look back and say “Babcock drafter XXX instead of YYY in the year ZZZ, drive me nuts”. I am in the investment business, if you consistently make 60 right to 40 wrong decisions, you are doing a hulluva job..who expects GMs to be right 100%. Is Dumars a dope because he got Darko instead of 15 other kids? BTW, he did turn Darko into Stuckey, if am not mistaken. And who knows, if Darko had seen some court time in his first 2 years, his future might have been different. And if we had traded Bargnani for a cheese sandwich (as what people were posting in Dec), and he ended up in Charlotte, maybe his future would be different today.
Peacedog, since you’re in the investment biz, I feel like sharing a quote my father always told me growing up:
“You’ll never go broke making a profit” (60/40 rule)
That said, BC will never lose his job if he can consistently correct his mistakes.
and what mistakes has he corrected so far? You think this team is as good or better than what he inherited or what he created last year?
BC improved the team when he inherited it from Babcock. Did he not?
BC made some subtle changes the previous year, which yielded the same result.
Like I said previously, BC took a calculated risk by acquiring JO last summer. Unfortunately, the risk did not pay dividends during the first half of this season. If given the chance (by you), I think you’ll see that BC will find a way to exchange JO for a missing starting 3 to roundout our roster before the trade deadline.
Um, no…Wayne Embry improved the team when Babcock left, as did a #1 pick in the lottery.
A true test of a GM’s worth is what he does with his back up against a (financial) wall. Welcome to this season. His legacy could possibly be solidified by the start of next season.
Wayne Embry didn’t improve the team. Embry simply provided the franchise/BC with the financial flexibility to rebuild the team.
BC than used the financial flexibility put together a team (2yrs in a row) that have outperformed Babcocks’.
This season is not over – unless you’re ready to throw in the towel.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees a long term future in Toronto for Joey Graham. As (one of those) guys said, he brings things to the court that no one else on this team does. If he continues to get better and more consistent, Joey could be a key energy and hustle piece to the long-term puzzle. He’s only 26 and is just starting to hit his stride.
He is inconsistent and when he does play well he is very mediocre at best. Makes the same mistakes over and over and has not lived up to his potential.
The fact that Toronto fans get excited because he stuck his nose in when Bargnani was shoved is typical.
The guy is disposable as is the entire Toronto bench (Ukic may be of some interest).
Disagree completely, Anthony. Joey has directly changed the course of games in a few instances this season, coming off the bench. Mediocre? He used to be that. He’s at least serviceable now, and think he can progress into solid (at least) in the near future.
Him standing up for Bargs is one thing, him barreling to the rim, fighting under the basket, and playing like he doesn’t care if he’s injured is another. He’s playing with heart if not with smarts, and that’s a marked improvement from the beginning of the season.
Improved yes….. Not much else though. Still makes that stoopid push off for an offensive foul, misses assignments and loses rebounds, misses more layups for a coordinated player then anyone I know.
Maybe it is my bias that if we drafted Danny Granger we’d be 10 games better does not help things.
Would you rather have Moon playing the SF instead? How about Kapono? Joey has played pretty good defence this year and has cut down on A LOT of the ill-advised long range shots that he took in his earlier years. His defence is MUCH better than Moon’s or Kapono’s. How many times did Salmons beat Moon off the dribble? Then when they brought Joey in Salmons got shut down. If Joey had starters minutes I think his production would increase.
And BTW…that’s not called bias…it’s called beating a dead horse and its unproductive/redundant.
Yea and maybe if we drafted Wade over Bosh we’d be much better too. Or if we got B-Roy over Bargs…
I disagree to the dude who used the Moon and Bargs examples and saying that proves Bosh is that leader. I say it does the opposite. Bosh has been here for 6 years many years, and he sepnt many of that time as the “franchise player” and the only two examples we have are once two years ago and once this year. Calling out your teammates to the press isn’t leadership, it’s what happens in absence of leadership. Is Rafer a leader, he crapped on his team today. (not saying what he said wasn’t true. Bosh said the as much this week when talking about José being back, he said José was the emotional leader and he was “the enforcer” (i know).
Bosh also said we lacked that emotional leadership when José was out,so how exactly is Bosh that “leader”. He may be the best player and the biggest star, but he has a ways to go before he can be called a good leader. Roy’s a leader, lebron, wade, Mayo seems to be one, I would say Melo is not. I would say Chanucey Billups is but Rip is not – Both great players, but personality is key. I’m not sure bosh has that yet, to his credit he seems to be working on it.
When talking to a teammate in private doesn’t work to get a player to improve his production, than perhaps talking to the media (one time) abt the player’s shortcomings will work.
As a leader, you can only do your best to motivate your teammates to make the necessary changes to improve themselves. Bosh can’t change Moon’s character or style of play. Moon has to that himself. Just like how Bargs has recently.
I think Bosh’s attitude when asked about HO’s “return” after the last game speaks volumes. Bringing HO into this locker room was a giant mistake and he can’t be sent away soon enough.
Wow, I was just referred to your site by RealGM. Awesome podcast. It is so nice to hear some knowledgable people talk Raptors ball in a public forum. Listening to the airheads on Raptors TV, and Sportsnet makes me furious. Raptors fans deserve a better voice, and you guys (Raptors HQ as well) provide that. Keep up the great work, you have a new fan!
Jake Voskuhl has become an unintentional contributor to our BBall dictionary:
http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2009/01/word-of-day-voskuhl.html
No opinion on Joey, but many did not realize what Bargs was accomplishing until well into this run.
Excellent. Really puts it in perspective, the need for depth in the frontcourt. Excellent. How quickly Raps fans forget where this team has been in the past, with respect to this. Should enjoy it while we got it, or at least until JO acts up. BTW, why is this a universal expectation? I mean at some point everyone, including JO, will recognize his game is in decline.
Great doing the interview with you last night Arsenalist and keep up the solid work Raps Republic. Raptors coverage just keeps getting better and better…
Nice work guys. I was totally with you on Moon, Arsenalist. Hahaha. I’ll have to jump in on the next podcast, because there’s a lot about Moon I want to get off my chest sometime. We’ll have a good session :
Moon’s a grinning piece of crap that will jump on anyone’s pump-fakes (even on Ben Wallace), oh how far he has fallen!