16. Toronto Raptors- The Raptors spent a lot of money this off-season acquiring Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett jack, and resigning Andrea Bargnani. The Raptors are looking to space the floor with great shooters opening up the middle for Chris Bosh. They did draft DeMar DeRozan, a strong scorer at USC, but will this team have enough offensive weapons and, take pride in playing defense?
The team from the "Great White North," known for being notoriously soft, have gone on a toughness spending spree this offseason.
GM Bryan Colangelo brought back center Rasho Nesterovic’ large body to eat up space, and rebounding machine Reggie Evans. He also got some help on the wing with the tough, young combo of Antoine Wright and Jarret Jack.
With that influx of toughness, Toronto won’t be gashed on the boards and on the defensive end so easily; and they won’t be physically overmatched in so many areas.
Brothersteve’s Green & Red Raptor Blog
Rebounding remains a concern with this team likely matching recent previous season totals in the 39.5 to 40.5 boards per game range. Any improvements to AB’s rebounding numbers and gains from the addition of Evans being offset by fewer boards from the wing positions. But rebounding differential should be the team’s real concern and this equals team defence. Last season 7 teams held opponents to under 40 boards per game. The leading rebounding differential team was Portland at +5.4, who held opponents to under 37 boards per game. New York and Golden State each averaged more than 42 boards per game but had differentials of -3.95 and higher.
This team will succeed or fail on the ability of their coaches and veterans to implement an effective team defence in order to take advantage of their superior scoring ability. Otherwise, the Raptors risk turning into an exciting team like the Warriors and Suns that never achieves their full potential.
Are the Raptors better, they should be.
Marketing, Economics, and the Web 2.0
As a starting point, Chris Bosh’s site seems to be focused on a mixture of promoting himself and connecting with fans. You are immediately hit with information about his new recording contract, and an invite to download his iPhone app (yes, you read that correctly). Follow through to his site and you find access to his blog, photos, tv channel, links to his presence on other social media sites, some exclusive events, and “locker nerd” (supposed to be a haven for techies and sports geeks, but it’s a dead link). You can also send him a question directly if you want. Interestingly, some Google ads are present – featured prominently at the top of the page. Most of them are Raptors related, including some peculiar ones (”talk basketball sports and more with Kapono fans” – noting Kapono wasn’t good enough to have many fans, and isn’t a Raptor anymore. Bad Google ad targeting strikes again).
The first Jarrett Jack Basketball Camp began Monday and will end Friday at the Southern Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Temple Hills. Jack, who signed a four-year $20 million contract with the Raptors last month, said it was time for him to give back to the community where he grew up.
"I think it’s just something all of us around the league do as far as our opportunity to give back to the community," said Jack, a graduate of National Christian Academy in Fort Washington. "I just want to give to the kids in an outreach situation when they are not in school. They have so much free time at this point in their lives that we just want to give them something positive or something so they can be active and won’t be out in the streets getting into trouble or being innocent bystanders to trouble."
Dubbed as the next Nowitzki, he has failed to establish any semblance of a low-post game and has instead slowly drifted out to the 3-point line, morphing into an overgrown Eric Piatkowski (burn!).
The clear choice for the “new” #1 overall selection for the Toronto Raptors would be Brandon Roy. If Roy continues to develop, he is a potential hall of famer. He is a great team leader with elite skills and has a great young team around him, assembled by Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard.
27 Raps
not really related to the Raptors per say, but on the re-draft (at HoopAngle) he selected Randy Foye at 6. I never understood peoples fascination with this guy. If we look at today and redraft would anyone seriously take Foye over AB, Ty Thomas, Brewer and Sefolosha? I just don’t understand it….
To be honest I never watched Foye often enough to know.
It turns out so far that this draft was not so bad. and about 4-5 players are definately still on the rise in the league from that draft.
Definately Roy is the clear cut number 1. the next 5 is not as clear who would be #2. I can settle for AB.
I’m just so glad we didn’t draft Adam Morrison. Hoffa wasn’t even drafted that high.
In my opinion, that years draft was one of the shallowest draft year. There aren’t many players that stick out except Roy, when you compare it to other years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_NBA_Draft
Other than Roy, there aren’t really other names that I would pick over AB, except maybe Aldrige. You guys need to know, AB didn’t get much minutes under Smith. I think Smith flat out hated AB. He only averaged 21, 23.5, 31 MPG in his 3 years in the NBA. That 31 MPG is higher because he was playing under JT half a season.
I really expect a break out season for Bargnani under JT. I expect a maybe +20 ppg (realistically +18), and +7 RPG from a him.
Who the fuck is Smith?
But yes, I concur. Plus people are way to quick to label “Busts” and “Steals” in drafts. I might favour Roy over AB 3 years in, but its still too early to call. Neither has one a playoff series, so lets not freak out over it. And another thing, AB goes ninth in that re-do. That’s bullshit, I bet this guy is a Hollinger-esque stats zealot
I would say so far, you take Roy and run.
Yea, Roy is purely better than Bargs now and forever. Roy can easily become a superstar. But I don’t see that in Bargs game. If Bargs can average 20+ ppg and +10 RPG, I would be static. But when someone says Bargs is a bust, I never bought that and never will. I still think Bargs will become a special player, but would never reach Nowitski caliber kind of player.
Highsight I wouldve taken Roy or Aldridge, but all the pre-draft hype was around AB. He still has the potencial to develope into a Dirk-ish type player, but he needs to toughen up and start rebounding the ball better.
to say he is anywhere near Piakowski is just stupid. Eric is a expiring contract away from coaching high school bball.
Realistically though, AB should be around 18ppg and 8rpg this upcoming season. With Bosh being a 20/10 guy; Turk 16/5/5; Calderon 12/10, that basically leaves about 43 points left if the Raptors average 99.0 like last year. Jack, Derozan, Rasho, Bellineli, Wright, and Evans (3.3ppg last season with less than 15mpg, should get more minutes)should make those points up.
i meant smitch as an sam mitchell.
So Orlando GM Otis tells Portland GM Kevin he’s lucky Hedo changed his mind about Portland and Kevin tells who exactly? This is how internet rumors give blogs a bad rap. Nothing to back up what was supposedly said yet fans just accepting it as fact.
that’s RealGM for ya.
That said, when we here at RR were one of the first to break the Hedo news on Twitter and the first about Belinelli, the first word out of peoples mouths were “links?” “sources?” which I can respect, but that early on it’s tough to provide that, especially given that it’s inside info.
Not defending the Otis Smith statement story in any way, but there are definitely cases where it is tough to show tangible evidence.
Once tangible evidence follows eventually, that improves your credibility!
Ronnie Brewer and Tyrus Thomas ahead of Bargniani, WTF?????
These two are nowhere near bargs, even paul milsap shouldn’t be put ahead of andrea. With the type of talent Bargs has, he should be ahead of Paul Milsap too.
IMO
1- B. Roy
2- A. Bargniani/Lamarcus Aldrige
4- R. Rondo
5- R. Gay
Raps offseason rank 16th? WTF?
Most of the american sites rank the top free agents of the season and ignored TURK. He was the most important player in the Estern Conference Champion and Trevor Ariza is a better player than him, i just don’t get it. a total lack of respect
I dont even listen to those reports. Funny though. If Turk wouldve signed in Portland, he could be considered the missing link before the Blazers became true contenders in the west.
raps will surprise a lot of teams this year and finish 3-6 with 43-49 wins
The HoopAngle 2006 re-draft, which has several interesting/strange placements in their top 10, does illustrate one point extremely effectively. After the revised top 10, 2006 was a very weak draft year.
Notables in the 1st round re-draft Marcus Williams at 18, fighting to stay in the league, Quincy Douby at 27, a 10 day player last season and 4th on the current Raptors PG depth chart.
Lots to disagree with here, but the article makes it’s point!
oh there is no doubt about the ‘weakness’ of that draft. After the first 9 (10)… not too many will even have more than a 10th man role (although time will tell on some).
All this mock draft does is highlight the fact that David Stern and the NBA lowballed the Raptors by making the year that they got the #1 pick the year in which players could no longer come out of high school. It makes sense that this draft was weak, as many of the quality players who were in high school the year before were eligible for the draft in 2005. We essentially lost out on some potential draft picks who were forced to wait another year before entering the draft (most notably Greg Oden). Not that I’m saying the Raptors would have picked Oden instead of Andrea, just that the league limited the talent pool in the 2006 draft and it shows.
Listen, Bargnani is going to be huge this year with some renewed confidence and the extra playing time Triano gives him. While he’s never going to be Brandon Roy, I predict that he’ll start separating himself from the Tyrus Thomas/Paul Milsap group and move a little closer to the top of this draft list. Especially if he shows some interest in grabbing a few rebounds. The ceiling for him is still higher than it is for a lot of the other guys ahead of him on this list (Brewer?).
And besides, Bargnani was picked first overall by The Architect and given 50 million dollars this offseason because The Architect knows the value of his potential. BC just knows better than the average dude. You can’t even become an Architect unless you go to Architecture school yourself (unless, of course, your dad owns an NBA team and puts you in charge of it – allowing you to leapfrog over other more qualified “Architects in Waiting” who might have paid their dues but unfortunately aren’t lucky enough to be family. Good thing there wasn’t a Colangelo relative in that ‘06 draft).
I think to a degree you are right. BC is a little spoiled. Good clothing can be made in the NA as well, there is nothing inhernant in manufacture and design that limits it to geography. When will Bryan respect our clothiers? Why the bias to Italian designers? ;)
this draft class is hard to tell….yes its chock full of duds but roy aldrige andrea and thomas all are either really good or are potentially really good. watch for foye to take a step back from having to deal with playing with gilbert….and isnt this rr! i cant believe i saw someone point the finger at the immortal quincy douby. i thought his 21 pts per game in summer league was going to transfer over to greatness /sarcasm
it’s just interesting that every year, there’s a large hand full of players in the 1st round that never make it, and very few in the 2nd round that do. It’s so hard to get drafted, then when they do, there is still no guarantee. I guess it’s the cream of the crop in the sport.
Roster spots are so competetive, in recent years there more competition for spots from oversea professional players.
I wonder two things…
1) How many players would\should not be in the league this year but are taking up space because of contacts years ago…
2) would be interesting to know the turnover rate year to year.
How many players total new players are there year to year.
Is the average age shifting higher or lower…
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2nd Round Draft picks.
I keep wondering why the NBA doesn’t set up a REAL minor league, like MLB & the NHL. One that has each NBA team with an affiliate minor team.
It seems that so many players come out of College and fall off the map — then get identified as Busts. Simple reason is, there’s few minutes for rookies, and no place else to play. The D-League is considered a joke, a sort of Purgatory for those who end up there.
As for HoopAngle — thanks for reminding us why “Hindsight GM’s” are always right, but nowhere to be found before.
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RE: Poll
Today’s poll doesn’t offer a SF/PF option, which would’ve been my choice.
And one other thing with HoopAngle and his “retreading” of the 2006 draft — can we let that drop please. 5 GM’s didn’t pick Roy, so why are we saying he’s the #1 pick. He wasn’t, and never would’ve been (if the Raptors didn’t have that pick). Those 5 GM’s didn’t feel comfortable — that says it all, even if Hindsight HoopAngle thinks as he does.
And does HoopAngle think Portland would’ve taken him, if they won the lottery? Somehow, I doubt that.
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just finished my preview mix of the Raptors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=479bqIKRxgw
I liked it but didnt get the shot with Suns and sonics which player was that ?
marcus banks
Much enjoyed, nice work!
different topic … I heard thay there is a western conference team that has about 6-8 of its core players already practicing and training together , apparently they have been at it for a couple of weeks now…since the Raps have more new comers than incumbents it would be a good idea if they did the same … maybe start training camp earlier than usual either organized by the players themselves or even by the organisation .
the way i see it thats part of why we had a terrible start last year, lets get the chemistry going,and have the player learn each other out .
I know players have lives too but if you wanna win and win big that kinda commitment to each other as a team goes along way. its easier for a team with one or two new guys to gel faster and have the new guys learn the system with out compromising much on the teams performance, but an overhaul like the raps did needs more team together for the Coachs and players to all get on the same page and figure out the best system for the team. alot of analyists say it all looks good on paper and then go on to say ” BUT will it work on the court or in real game situations”
just a thought what say you all?