Speaking of Jack’s potential in Toronto I would look for him to best his season high numbers from his entire career. Considering that Jack is predominantly a scorer the career field goal percentage of .446 and .339 from the three-point line is very encouraging. I am looking for Jack to blossom into a 15 point 5 assist player with 45-47% from the field and 35-37% from the three point line. What is my reasoning? Jack is still expected to improve with consistent minutes and a clear direction of his role on this team nothing more.
Chris Bosh wants to be on a championship-caliber team. He’s been vocal about it. But say the Raptors fall short this season, do not meet Bosh’s expectations, and he bolts.
What are the effects on the Toronto Raptors?
I’ve divided them into four main categories: Fan-base, Offense, Defense, Locker Room.
And while I would gladly accept such a comment from a Lakers, Celtics or even a Jazz beat writer, it’s a bit much for the Raptors’ guy to get on his high horse to rip the Knicks. The Raptors (33-49) were one whole game better than the Knicks (32-50) last season. The two biggest stars the team has had — Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady — both forced their way south of the border.
“The team sucks, all these grandiose plans for signing this guy (LeBron) and that guy (Bosh) are falling apart amid a worsening economy and they seem doomed to be irrelevant for a few more years,” Smith writes.
I liked the Rasho deal with the Spurs and I like it even better this time around. This move isn’t going to make headlines outside of Toronto, but Rasho brings to the table a lot of the intangibles that went missing last season. He is the definition of a “know your role” player. A perfect compliment to backup Bargnani at C – Doesn’t demand the ball on offense, rebounds well, can hit the occasional jumper and plays defence. My only concern would be having him and Evans on the floor at the same time as the front line on the second unit (hopefully won’t happen since Jay has shown a lot more competence with his rotations than the Smitch).
Toronto finished 22nd out of the league’s 30 teams in defensive rating.
Orlando?
Oh…they finished first.
The hope for Raptors fans of course is that with Iavaroni on board, and some upgrades in the personnel department, the Dinos can at least climb up into the league’s mid-level in terms of defensive ranking. For all the offensive similarities between the Magic and Raps, I’d argue that until this occurs, it’s a bit pointless to compare the two clubs.
However that doesn’t mean that Bosh vs. Howard, Hedo vs. his former club, and the Polish Hammer vs. the Slovenian Sabre won’t make for some interesting story lines this coming season.
To Toronto’s Bryan Colangelo, who spent money more recklessly than Michael Bay. A $53 million extension for Andrea Bargnani? Sure! Another $53 million for Hedo Turkoglu? Why not? How ’bout $20 million for a third guard (Jarrett Jack) just because he’s college buddies with Chris Bosh and might sway Bosh to stick around next summer? Absolutely! As always, there’s nothing more dangerous than an NBA GM in desperation mode. Smart moves for 2010 — dumb moves for 2012, 2013 and 2014 … and, of course, he’ll be gone by then. Sorry, Raptor Truthers. You deserve better.
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44 Raps
Doug Smith getting called out probably just made my day. And the Knicks may not be relevant now but they sure will be next year when free agency starts again. When has a salary cap and/or luxury tax every stopped an NYC team from spending money?
The knick will still be irrelevent because no superstar wants to go play on a team full of losers and then get booed when they fail to win.
Even if the superstars won’t sign with them, they will still be talked about making them relevant. If They are the only team that can sign Lebron and one other, they are no longer a shitty team. Lebron has a way of making scrubs look alot better than they are.
Doug Smith has entertained and given accute and professional analysis of the team and others around NBA for a bunch of years. He has an opinion about the Knicks and he shared it. He is entitled to an opinion specially if its his own right?
All free agents do like the Knicks as prospect, dude however irrelevant they are, Newyork and MSG is the Mecca of Basketball for crying out loud
I just fail to understand how the New York Knicks has EVER been relevant in basketball? They haven’t accomplished very much, they’ve been dominated by Boston and the Lakers for the last 30-40 years in respect to success, and for the last 10 years have done anything and everything possible to self-destruct and become one of the worst run organizations in profesional sports. Yet they are reffered to as the “mecca of basketball”. They had a very short run of success that didn’t amount to any championships in the 90′s but not much else. I can understand the history of players coming from New York and streetball and all that, but the Knicks themselves have not accomplished anything in the last 35 years.
That title has little to do with their NBA team. NYC’s long been a hotbed for basketball, whether it’s been on street courts or in high school gyms. It regularly produces some of the best talent, has arguably the largest basketball media, and the source of much of the sport’s culture and traditions.
That said, the Knicks suck ass. They’ve sucked for so long that their reporters and fans have more of an inferiority complex than we do.
Right and what I said in my post was “I can understand the history of players coming from New York and streetball” but free agents wanting to go play in a city where their favorite player was born or favorite streetballer played is preposterous.
You don’t understand how the Knicks were EVER relevant -how Walt Frazier, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, or Willis Reed made the Knicks relevant?
Two championships in four years isn’t relevant enough?
I’m not going to be an apologist for the Knicks now, but even during the Ewing era they gave Jordan’s Bulls one of the best playoff series I’ve ever seen and made it to the Finals against Hakeem in the mid-90′s.
“Heart like John Starks” ???
And that’s not even mentioning the street ball cred.
Are you serious?
Street ball shmeet ball, the Knicks and street ball are two seperate things. Aside from TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS THIRTY FIVE YEARS AGO the Knicks haven’t done very much. This is a New York media driven fantasy that the Knicks are anything close to relevant. You’re bringing up players who played for the Knicks over 30 years ago. While the Knicks of the 90′s gave the Bull’s ONE good playoff series is great they still are defined by failures and underachievments. I’m not drinking the Kool-aid on the Knicks; their history is overhyped and are the “gem” of the league because they drive raitings in the north east media. This is all a media love affair. Some quality players even Hall of Fame players have passed through Madison Square Gardens, but the truth is they didn’t acomplish very much history proves this to be true.
You questioned the Knicks “EVER” being relevant.
I gave you, on a silver platter: three Icons of basketball history, two championships, and one of the most memorable, hotly-contested Jordan playoff series as reasons they HAVE been relevant.
I’m not arguing they’re not overhyped, and neither was the guy you initially responded too, but they’re FAR from irrelevant.
Free agents are attracted to New York because it’s freaking NEW YORK.
…further still, Madison Square Gardens is an awe-inspiring venue to go to regardless of what act is on the marquee that day.
Same way that the Leafs are relevant in hockey.
Clearly they are the maple leafs of basketball! Looks like I forgot to mention the 2 championships, but when I said “the last 35 years” it was for a reason, that being that was when they last won a championship. And as for the Jordan series that does not add to their relevance in my opinion (that makes them as relevant as Utah). Also former Knicks seem to mention the unruly fans as being not so pleasant to play in front of.
It’s hard to be attracted to a loser, and thats what the knicks have been for almost a decade now.
I’m curious as to how many players in this years draft know who Earl Monroe or Willis Reed are let alone the fact that Phil Jackson was a part of those championship teams?
A storied history is relevant, and is often drawn upon for inspiration within an organization. If you’re also questioning the relevance of John Stockton, Jerry Sloan, and Karl Malone, you’re beyond logic. Utah may have had some of the worst uni’s, but the Hall of Famers just mentioned helped them to two finals.
“I’m curious as to how many players in this years draft know who Earl Monroe or Willis Reed are let alone the fact that Phil Jackson was a part of those championship teams?”
As for this last quote goes, Willis Reed playing on a broken leg is up there with an injured Kirk Gibson hitting in the clutch of the World Series while injured, and a myriad of other monumental sports moments.
History, and reverance for those who were part of it, is major in Sports. Like Al Jefferson modeling his game after Moses Malone, I think you would find that more players from this year’s draft know more about Knicks of yester-year than you might expect.
And, regardless of their lack of wins in recent years, New York is where Jordan came back from retirement, where Reggie Miller scored 8 points in 11 seconds in a playoff game (and jawed with Spike Lee), and John Starks drove baseline and dunked on Air Jordan and Horace Grant.
Well regardless of what you say I don’t believe that they are 1 relevant, and 2 attractive to free agents due to their history. My comparison to Utah was only that a comparison. Most people in the media would be shocked to see comparisons to Utah, or say another apt comparison to the Knicks over the last 30-35 years Cleveland. The truth is the so-called ‘mecca’ of basketball is actually Los Angeles it has surpassed New York in every aspect, endorsments, way bigger basketball history, and it is unquestionably the biggest stage in basketball today. Any team that has been in the league long enough will have had some type of story to tell about a thrilling series in the playoffs. I just can’t get past the media fascination especially when you compare them to the Spurs, Bull’s, Lakers and Celtics. I guess I just have ridiculous standards and an obvious hate for the Knicks sorry I can’t get past it and my mind won’t be changed.
Wow, NY Post rips Doug for telling the truth? You know for all the shit TO takes for being insecure as a sports-city, NY is not exactly leading the way with this stuff.
And, Bill Simmons rips BC, WTF is this garbage?
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090728
Is it hate on the Raptors day south of the border?
Let’s remember who Bill Simmons is, some jokey half ass journalist for SI, who unabashedly debases himself to credit his lifeblood team the Boston Celtics. Maybe we should be happy he dissed BC, because the underlying message is that he is intimidated that the team from Canada in his division made good moves for the future and meanwhile his team’s best pick up is a true dinosaur to add to a team of museum pieces who made the best of their chance to win it all two years ago. I think BS (an apros pos nickname for sure) is worried that the Raptors may make it harder for his C’s to run away with the division this year. Plus making allusions to what BO (the Prez) is doing and what BC did is only flattering IMO, since I truly believe that the US commander in chief is on the right path also, but there are those that are fiscally conservative who will cry foul and wet their pants every time someone dares to try to fix something with their wallet. Remember folks you gotta spend a little to make a little, but you can also spend a lot to make a lot.
way to prove you actually have no idea who BS is or what he writes about. or for.
anyway, like him or not, he’s actually been quite accurate over the last decade in many of his prognostications. just have to get past the insufferable boston homer aspect…
Yertu, I have read him for some time actually… This is the opinion I have had for many years. His articles are usually boring and insufferably full of crap from his life. He would probably agree with me on my assessment as a “jokey half-ass journalist”. Maybe it is just my taste, but his articles always leave me feeling like I wasted the last 5 minutes of my life. I am sure there are many people out there who disagree with me and like BS, but not me. He reminds me of one of those annoying drunk boston guys at the bar who, have a opinion of just about everything and end up telling it to the whole bar, whether they like it or not. I do read columns like the one BS writes. I read Peter King Monday Morning QB every week and don’t find him as annoying. Michael Silver on Yahoo, is another jerk that writes good columns. Stephen A. Smith and BS, are two guys I can’t stand, and sure its a matter of opinion.
Go to Eric Smith’s blog on the FAN 590 to get his rebuttal to BS about Colangelo’s work this summer. Link on the front page of RR.
he was dead on about Jermaine O’Neal, when we didn’t want to believe it. AND…he hates vince almost as much as we do. and for the right reasons.
he might be jokes, but every joke has a kernel of truth…
Loved his comments on AI – they are based on AI as a person and an athlete, not on his paycheck or cap number or some other GM speak.
His Raptors stuff seems kind of tongue in cheek because he seems to get a ton of feedback from Raps fans. Maybe he likes to try to stir the pot a bit? At any rate, he doesn’t seem too far off in his analysis – the moves this year look good in the very short term. From there, he takes the armchair accountant approach and talks about long term value. This is a common position that people take when they’re not sure about how a move will pan out – “Oh sure, he’s a good player, but look how much he costs”, etc.
This is the same guy (Simmons) that think Allen Iverson will actually help a team…..
… as for NYers, they are always testy. Not to mention that it really hurts to be told the truth sometimes. (they thought the punishment of the last decade was finally over, all of a sudden the ‘economic crisis’ may mean they need to live through another decade of it. I’d be pissed to)
It’s a shame that Iverson’s career has somehow ended up at a point where this kind of statement is self-evident.
For me, the worst part is that a player like Iverson is considered washed-up/ a cancer, while a player like Vince Carter is actually seen as an improvement on a team that made the Finals last year.
I’m holding out hope that AI comes back stronger than ever this year. Hopefully not on a team in the Atlantic.
Regardless of how we may feel about the seriousness of his “analysis” please feel free to spit hot fire at BS.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=feedback/sportsguy
Fuck the Lakers, The Celtics, The Cavs and especially the fuckin Magic! Fuck em all! As far as I am concerned, the Raptors will do damage this year and suprise everyone. How is it that people all of a suddent have given these douchebag teams seeds 1-3 already? Shaq is gonna mess up Cleveland’s chemistry, Boston is getting old, Orlando is only team thats going to give problems.
Colangelo is no idiot, he’s got a plan and so far, I am extremely happy that we spent some money this year on guys that will be good role players for us. If you look at our roster and compare it with other rosters in the East, you will see that we are one deep team. Look for DeRozan to shine this year…..
Shawn I like the cut of your jibe. No mincing words at all, we need more Raptors fans like you. Not afraid to pledge your allegiance with a lot of concise opinions. Yes I say Fuck the Lakers! can I get a Fuck the Celtics? Preach it brother, Fuck the Magic! Thank you for your comment, you truly made me smile with your great post.
I don’t expect us to be a top 3 team in the east. If we took 3rd seed, I’d be really surprised. Colangelo still has a little work to do to add a little more depth. Banks,Ukic,Obryant,George and Douby are really poor players who don’t deserve to make our roster. I hope he trades/buys out at least 2 of them, so that we can add more quality players this year. I think the Raps should seriously consider signing Linus Kleiza to back up Turkoglu because we need more rebounding,toughness and shooting and Kleiza encompasses all of those skills. We can get Kleiza for half the price of Delfino. Forget Delfino, we need Kleiza.
I agree with you and have posted similar comments, but the real question is how we get Kleiza, now that most of our MLE has been used on Jack. Perhaps a sign&trade of Delfino and Ukic and/or expiring contract (ie: George)? I’m not sure that Denver would go for it, since they can match any offer for Kleiza and there really aren’t any teams left that can even offer him the full MLE.
I’d love to see O’Bryant traded/waived, George traded and Delfino either resigned (for no more than $4M) or included in a trade for a guy like Kleiza. That kind of trade would also open a roster spot for Mensah-Bonsu for minimum money.
If we could somehow turn 2 or 3 of Delfino/Ukic/Douby/George/O’Bryant into Kleiza & Mensah-Bonsu, that would give us a great rotation:
STARTERS
C – Bargnani
PF – Bosh
SF – Turkoglu
SG – Wright
PG – Calderon
BENCH
C – Nesterovic
PF – Evans
PF – Mensah-Bonsu
SF – Kleiza
SG – DeRozan
PG – Jack
G – Ukic/Douby (depending who gets traded)
Extra
PG – Banks
F – George/O’Bryant (depending who gets traded/waived)
Rather than Kleiza, I would make an attempt at Hakim Warrick. Memphis just renounced their rights, to he is an unrestricted free agent. He can play either the 3 or 4 (a more offensive option than Reggie Evans when that is called for). Never takes a 3, shoots 50%, draws fouls, but is not necessarily the greatest defender. He was supposed to make 3 million, but now nobody has cap room. We can hopefully use the change we have left on the MLE (1.4 million) to sign him. Only people with trade exceptions greater than 1.4 can outbid us, (since memphis doesn`t want him), and with Toronto he is assured playing time.
I don`t want delfino. I read on the internet a while ago (you know how accurate that is) that denver was interested in him. As such, we could trade delfino for kleiza. My problem with kleiza is his defence. He gives us scoring on the second unit, but that just reminds me of kapono (albeit he is a better rebounder). One difference is that he shot 32.5% from 3, but took over 3 of them a game. Not effective ball management.
The reason I don`t want delfino is that he doesn`t want to be here (everybody else, except maybe bosh, really wants to be here). If he is upset with minutes (and this is going to be an issue), he will be distruptive. His heart was questioned in detroit. Between JJ and Antoine Wright (depending on the match-up), we are only talking about 25 minutes max at back-up SG. If DD takes off, there maybe fewer minutes at back-up SG (and he can be used at SF). Basically, we only can offer Delfino half of a back-up shooting guard`s minutes. Do we want deflino as back-up 3 (although he can play it)É. There are better options for back-up 3.
If we wait until the season starts, so that we can evaluate antoine wright, jj, and dd (and george for that matter), we can see if there is a need to spend money on the back-up 2 spot. We can use our cap room to take a relative salary dump during the season. If we don`t spend the money, we can use the 4 million we save to buy a 1st round pick (like the knicks this year, only because of economic considerations, many more teams drafting better than 29 should be looking to sell) for back-up SF or SG. Besides, we still keep delfino`s rights, so next year, we can sign him if he has a good year in Russia, or do a sign-and-trade when more teams might be interested. Enjoy those winters and I hope you get paid.
I don’t remeber but someone on here compared this Toronto team to a Sacremanto of 2001 when they made western finals. I do belive that we will be that team in a year or two, if Bosh signs, no one gets seriusly injured, our young guys continue their developement and BC continutes his magic and make few more changes by getting ride of Banks and …
If those things happens, this is what I see for the Raptors for next 3 years.
This year : We will finish either 4 or 5 and will win the first round.
Next year : Will finish 3 or 4 and will win the first round, will have a long 2nd round as well but I do not see us going to the final.
Third year: we will be in the final for east.
im all for that!! thats actually a great comparison.
calderone=bibby
hedo=peja
bosh=webber
derozan/wright=christie
jack=bobby jackson
bargs is nothing like vlade haha but kind of like peja
nesterovic=vlade??
Hedo = Hedo?
ha
its not the same hedo. new nose new game new man. hes more now more peja then hedo
hedo=peja
ha, should read hes now more peja than hedo
Actually Bargs kinda passes like Vlade and they both can shoot the 3. Granted Divac was a much better rebounder. I like the Jack to Jackson comparison, its dead on hopefully. Its funny that Hedo has kinda become what Peja was, since a) Peja still plays, and b) Hedo was his protege in a way while he was on the Kings. I think Hedo is the better all around player to Stojakovic from back then though. He really was only a shooter and scorer, his rebound totals were never eye catching and I don’t think he was one of the defensive stalwarts on that team either. I don’t know if its fair to compare DD (a rookie, who has a chance to be an all-star in his career or better) to Doug Christie (a 9 year veteran at that time whose best years in Toronto were already behind him). Bibby and Calderon is fair. Bosh to Webber is a little weird, but it kinda fits. Interesting comparison for sure over all.
Binder Dundat…
Man, those Kings are nothing like these Raptors. Don’t get me wrong; I am a life long raptors’ fan. But as a fan of basketball that offends my fine sensibilities.
Bibby was FAR more dynamic than calderon will probably ever be and a much better sense of the moment (a clutch player who could pass in the big moments as easy as he could score in them). The guy could penetrate at will and was much much much better in the half court set. Hedo, aside from being an international player, is way off of Peja. Peja couldn’t create his own shot to save his beard’s life, something Hedo excels at (tho was a much better shooter %wise and a great fit for that team). Bosh and Webber are probably the most similar of the players on this list (*gulp*) But again, Webber was a far better passer and rebounder. Christie (and his crazy wife) was a lock down defender that Wright can only dream of becoming (tho, as I’ve said earlier, Wright is a great pick up for this team. He’s just not Doug Christie in his prime) – and I can only hope Derozan is a better than Doug Christie. Please if there is a god.
More than this tho, those 2001 Kings rolled over people. There were a very savvy team defensively, rotated well and played great help defense (led by divac) and a crazy awe-inspiring offensive team even at half speed. They also had a “step on their throats and but this team out of their misery” instinct that I haven’t seen from the Raptors in a looooooooong time. If it wasn’t for some questionable reffing, combined with the Shaq/Kobe juggernaut, the 2001 Kings were a title team. The same can not be said, even stumbling drunk, of these Raptors.
These guys are similar to a ’97 or ’98 Magic team – Penny Hardaway (with some of his shine off), Rony Seikaly, Dennis Scott, Nick Anderson Reggie Evans as Bo outlaw. Those Magic teams, after Shaq left, were teams weak on defense (and defensive boards) high on creative ballhandling and spot up shooting in the halfcourt set.
Completely agree.
I hated HATED H A T E D those Kings years, but a lot of that was jealousy. They were a cocky lot because they knew they were that damn good. Best crowd in the league at the time as well.
Nice call on the Magic team as well. I think our bench might be a bit deeper and Evans will never be an Outlaw in his prime, but a much better comparison.
There’s something to be said or teams with really high basketball IQs – those Kings, like them or not, were really smart and imposed their system of play on others, something I wish the Raptors could do. Seeing Marion play regularly for a few months gave me a glimpse of a guy who understands were the ball is going one, two, three movements ahead. Calderon, for his great assist to turnover ratio, misses guys constantly on cuts and dives. Smart basketball players cover up a lot of their own flaws.
And you’re right, Outlaw was pretty gangsta. And trying to compare a young Darrell Armstrong to Calderon would be foolish as well. I was trying to think of teams similar in style and not get too hung up on personnel.
Its a different hedo with a new nose and a new game
Actually Doug smith has a point! The knicks suck. . . Just like the people in the nhl hate the leafs! Similarly in the basketball world the knicks represent the same type stigma. . . Other cities hate the knicks because newyorkers think their the centre of the world! Well get off your high horses! Because nobody wants to play on a team where theres more drama then greys anatomy! It’s all about the now and present. . . As long as we kick some knick asses! im happy!
Bill Simmons:
This guy is an idiot.