Linkage for Jun 9 2pm to Jun 10 4pm

Linkage for Jun 9 2pm through Jun 10 4pm:

Raptors forming a draft list as Lawson visits – Posted Sports "Our numbers are very concise this year, and we're trying to get people who we think we're going to be interested in here," Jim Kelly, the Raptors' director of player personnel, said on Wednesday. "I would say our numbers are down and our focus is starting to really narrow."
Indeed, the Raptors have had only had four group workouts in town, with the next one not coming until Tuesday. It seems increasingly unlikely that Southern California swingman DeMar DeRozan will be in that group, although it is possible that he could come to the city — just not to hit the floor.
RCP NBA Mock Draft Part II: Lottery Explanations | Rip City Project | A Portland Trailblazers blog 9. Toronto Raptors — DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan in Toronto makes sense on a couple different levels. One, because Toronto says they would take him if he was available. The second is that Toronto has no wing players to speak of. None. With the exit of the Matrix, they are looking at Anthony Parker, Jason Kopono (Editors note: this was written before Kopono was traded for Reggie Evans) and Joey Graham as their wings. I’m being a little harsh but you definitely don’t want Parker and Kopono to be ‘the man’. They can contribute but you don’t want that to be all you have in the cupboard. DeRozan here could be a home run for the Raptors. DeRozan didn’t really impress me that much this season until his play in the Pac-10 Tournament and boy did he explode then. To me it seems like he may pull a Derrick Rose and his game will end up being tailor made for the league instead of college. He has all of the tools in his toolbox to be a really good pro. Either way the Raptors need to pick him here.

Chisholm: Kapono for Evans makes sense for Raptors Evans is a beast in the best sense of the word. He fights tooth and nail for every rebound, loose ball and possession, and that is a quality that will benefit this team countless times next season. He's the kind of player who makes an immediate impact off of the bench, a must for any team's reserve crew, and he can play both power forward and centre because of his bruising strength.
He's not a 'stats guy', mind you, just a player who makes his impact felt in any game he plays in, regardless of what the box score indicates. Is he a trifle dirty? Absolutely, but for this squeaky-clean club, a little dirt will go a long way. The fact that the club actually managed to save money on this deal is just the cherry on top (and it helps one to ignore the fact that the Raptors could have just inked this deal themselves two years ago instead of signing Kapono in the first place).
Hoops Addict » What Could Have Been: 2004 NBA Draft 8th – Toronto Raptors
Original Pick: Rafael Araujo, F, BYU
New Pick: Luol Deng, F, Duke
Is the city of Toronto still recovering from this pick? There were a bunch of ways I was thinking about going here. I just think that Deng’s versatility trumps the remaining players.
Kapono could start for Sixers | The Intelligencer Now With the Sixers looking to upgrade at shooting guard, it’s possible that Kapono, a 6-foot-8 swingman, could start opposite Andre Iguodala on the wing.
“That’d be Eddie (Jordan’s) call in the preseason,” said Sixers president Ed Stefanski during Wednesday’s conference call. “Eddie’s thing is he can play both (shooting) guard and swing forward. We’re just happy to get a shooter of his ilk.”
Pete Marasmitch » Raptors 2009-2010: Kapono-Free Edition If you’re like me, just waiting for something, anything to happen in Raptorland, this past week has been a tonic. The addition of assistant coach Marc Iavaroni was nice, but yesterday’s trade was better. How does the departure of Roko Ukic’s comic foil, Jason Kapono, affect the future of this Raptors lineup? Let’s break it down:
ESPN Mock Draft 4.0: Raptors select DeMar DeRozan Chad Ford's ESPN Mock Draft 4.0 still has the Toronto Raptors selecting Demar DeRozan from USC. This is unchanged from 3.0.
khandor’s sports blog » Yes, Kapono had to go for the Raptors to improve, but … Depending on the OTHER moves which the Raptors decide to make this off-season, including who they select in the upcoming NBA Draft, time will tell if this trade is the first phase of an actual resurgence for their team, relative to the other squads in the Atlantic Division [and the Eastern Conference, in general], or not.
At this point, however, at least it’s a start down a better path.
Andrea Bargnani: Toronto Raptors Cornerstone? | Bleacher Report If you can read between the lines, Sam Mitchell wasn’t fired because he wasn’t getting his job done. He was, after all 8-9, coming off of two respectable seasons at that point. It was his knack for rubbing players, namely Bargnani, the wrong way.
Triano may have had a terrible season, but Bargnani flourishing under him actually netted him the job as head coach.
If anything, if the Raptors truly cared about pleasing Bosh, one might assume that their objective would have been to keep the coach that Bosh had such a great rapport with.
Toronto Raptors Trade for PF Evans; Is a Deal with the Bulls Next? | Bleacher Report The Chicago Bulls are looking at losing guard Ben Gordon either in free agency or, more likely, in a sign-and-trade deal this summer.
Gordon's name was linked to rumors about Bosh before last season, and his playoff performances against the Boston Celtics certainly raised his profile as an elite scorer in the league. He isn't going to average 35 a night, but he can get his from anywhere at any time.
Again for emphasis, the Raptors unloaded their best (maybe only) three-point shooter to acquire Evans.
This could very easily be a deal of extra pieces between the Sixers and Raptors, but the tea leaves seem to read that this is Toronto laying the foundation for more, bigger deals. This might be a precursor to a swap between the Bulls and Raptors of big-time players.
Dino Nation Blog: Toughness Is Back In The T-Dot The addition of Evans calls into question if Pops Mensah-Bonsu will be back with the Raptors. The early indications are he is not going to be. He may even end up in Europe and not the NBA. However fans will likely adopt Reggie Evans fairly quickly given the stuff that we expect him to do. Evans is expected to join Bosh, Bargnani, Humphries, Jawai and O'Bryant. If Evans can have some of his toughness rub off, on the younger guys like Jawai, Hump and O'Bryant, that would be a great thing.
Keeping Chris Bosh: Why Toronto dealt Jason Kapono for Reggie Evans Yesterday, Toronto began what promises to be a busy off-season be trading three-point specialist Jason Kapono to the Philadelphia 76ers for undersized power forward Reggie Evans. Every move the Raptors make will be made in hopes of convincing franchise face Chris Bosh to pledge his undying loyalty and sign a long-term extension instead of testing free agency.
With this in mind, acquiring Evans, a reserve with limited offensive upside, was mostly symbolic. Still, a few points are worth noting.
Cabezas, pendiente del ‘draft’ para realizar dos pruebas con equipos de la NBA. SUR.es While clarifying the situation in Malaga, Cabezas has decided that in July will come to United States for two private training sessions with the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors. But the dream of player is determined by the outcome of the next 'draft' in the NBA, to be held in New York
Doug Smith’s Toronto Raptors blog So, here’s the deal and the question facing Bryan: Do you want that money to spend — likely on one significant free agent — and have no shot at bringing back any of your guys or even signing-and-trading them while filling out the roster with minimum salary players and your draft pick while not having the mid-level salary exception to spend because you’re under the cap?
Or do you want the option to do sign-and-trades, maybe keep a Parker or Marion and have the mid-level as well as the draft pick?
FAN590 – Workouts Continue The pre-draft workouts continue for the Raptors today – with the following players strutting their stuff at the ACC later this morning:
Ty Lawson – Guard – 6′0 – North Carolina
Grievis Vasquez – Guard – 6′6 – Maryland
Derrick Brown – Forward – 6′8 – Xavier
Austin Daye – Forward – 6′11 – Gonzaga
James Johnson – Forward – 6′9 – Wake Forest
Earl Clark – Forward – 6′9 – Louisville
Check back later today for some audio and any info I can gather.
The Winds of Change – RaptorsHQ.com The motivation for this deal is crystal clear. By acquiring Reggie Evans, Colangelo has helped to address not only the team’s lack of toughness but also its dire need for a rebounder.
Make no mistake about it, statistically Reggie Evans is a one trick pony in that he is a very good rebounder, but provides little else. In his six-year career, Evans has been consistently ranked as one of the league’s best rebounders per 48 minutes and in 2006-2007 he actually led the league in that category. Last season he produced 4.6 rebounds in just over 14 minutes of action.
RaptorTalk: Evans For Kapono: The First Domino Falls In A Busy Raptors Off-Season Reggie Evans: A nice acquisition who brings grit, toughness and rebounding. Colangelo says he’ll be the first big off the bench and he expects 15 to 20 minutes each night from Evans. The deal saves the Raptors over $1 million per season.
We Landed A Legit Shooter: Reggie Evans Traded for Jason Kapono First let me say this deal came out of nowhere and it’s a beauty. Moving Reggie Evans player I projected not to see the floor next season for one of, if not the best catch-and-shoot three point shooter in the NBA. Could Stefanski have done any better – seriously? I guess this is the legit shooter he has been saying he will bring in since he got here and he did it by moving a player of little to no value to the Sixers going into next season. Well done. If money is going to be spent on a one-dimensional player this is the guy we would want it spent on. Stefanski probably bought himself a half a season free of criticism from many fans with this deal (and the right draft choice *cough* Ty Lawson *cough*).
Player Swapping: Jason Kapono traded for Reggie Evans – Talk Hoops But this is actually a much more even trade than first glance would give you and when you look at the actual numbers, Reggie Evans is technically going to give the Toronto Raptors more than Kap will give Philly. Reggie's PER (Player Efficiency Rating) over the last two seasons have registered at 11.0 and 10.4, respectively. Jason Kapono on the other hand has given the Raptors 10.8 and 8.9 in those years. Neither player will be doing a large amount of scoring with just 11.9 points per game scored between them over the last two seasons. So why does this trade matter if it involves two apparently non-essential role players?
This trade is more about the threat of these players than what they will actually give their new teams.
Goodbye Kapono… Hello Reggie Evans… « the rev.elation Through my scrounging I found this news and I HAD TO blog about it… All the annoying “Raptor’s fans” out there got really really irritating… and the “Brian-Colangelo-needs-to-get-fired” talk has to stop… What it is is what it is… BRIAN COLANGELO IS A GENIUS!
I absolutely love this trade. It’s been finalized but i haven’t heard a full press release yet on it… I really hope there are no strings attached (i.e. no picks or money added on to the deal)… Why do I love this trade? Well lemme break it down for you…
Raptors bring in big man that loves grabbing loose balls « That’s what I’m saying, guy… Not to badmouth Kapono — he came in and did what was asked of him — but he didn’t really do anything to make the team better. His outside shot was as advertised (though he could’ve helped by taking more threes instead of 20-footers), but anything he added offensively was negated on the defensive end. In two seasons in Toronto, Kapono averaged 7.7 points and won one three-point shootout, though it didn’t translate to anything that counted for his team.
The 76ers trade for Jason Kapono | Philadelphia Inquirer Kapono shot only 42.8 percent last season for the Raptors, which, while below his career average, is better than any Sixer who played more than 10 minutes a game last year. Kapono made 98 three-pointers last season, 18 more than Andre Iguodala, who led the Sixers.
A week ago, the Sixers introduced new head coach Eddie Jordan, who brings with him the Princeton offense, a motion, cutting, passing scheme that works more efficiently when strong outside shooters – or in this case, a shooter – spread the floor.
Kapono should provide that option.
76ers get shooter Kapono for Evans | CourierPostOnline "We are very excited to add one of the league's most prolific 3-point shooters in Jason Kapono," Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski said in a statement. "We feel that this move addresses our goal of improving our shooting from the perimeter."
Stefanski and Kapono weren't available for further comment because the trade is not official until both Kapono and Evans pass physicals.
But one of the criticisms of Korver is also true for Kapono in that they are not good enough defenders to stay on the court for 30-35 minutes per game. Kapono has never averaged more than 26.4 minutes.
Impact of 76ers Trading Reggie Evans to Raptors for Jason Kapono | Bleacher Report Perhaps, overlooked will be the impact of the departure of Reggie Evans who has become somewhat of a fan favorite in Philadelphia where hard working “blue collar” type players often endear themselves to fans.
Without Reggie Evans, the 76ers will be without one of their best rebounders, especially on the offensive glass. It is the opinion of this writer that Reggie Evans played a significant impact on changing the culture of the 76ers team.
Prior to Evans’ arrival, the 76ers were horrendously soft with the likes of Chris Webber and Samuel Dalembert down low.
Reggie Evans, despite his quirks, is a player who changed the flow of the game off the bench. He would grab rebounds where nobody else wanted to go. He’d play full court defense, help trap opposing guards, and never complain about his lack of touches.
In many respects he was a poor man’s Ben Wallace, able to affect games without scoring (although not as dramatically as Ben Wallace mind you).
Jawai commits to Boomers – Sportal Australia He revealed that playing alongside cousin Patty Mills and good mate Kerry Williams will be a dream come true.
"I've been training with Kerry in Cairns and he's doing great things," Jawai said.
"And I've been following Patty's progress in the NBA workouts. He dropped 30 points in an All-Star game at the Treviso Euro Camp and I think he'll get drafted."
"Hopefully it's Toronto that picks him and they allow him to play for the Boomers so we can spend some time together."
Raptors, 76ers Swap Kapono and Evans — NBA FanHouse Evans averaged 4.6 rebounds in just 14.4 minutes a game last year — his average per 36 was 11.4, which would have ranked second on the Raptors last year behind last-season acquisition Pops Mensah-Bonsu (14.1 per 36 in 19 games). Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh are extremely talented but undeniably finesse players. Evans, on the other hand, is the very definition of a gritty banger, outworking and out-muscling opposing big men in the paint despite frequently giving up several inches.
Raptors trade Kapono to Philadelphia for Evans – Posted Sports Dealing Kapono does not give the Raptors much more financial flexibility, though. Like Kapono, Evans is signed through the 2010-11 season, although at a slightly reduced price.
Evans is a very limited offensive player, but immediately becomes the Raptors' best rebounder. Over his career, he has averaged 12.6 rebounds per 36 minutes. Chris Bosh, by comparison, has averaged 8.9 rebounds per 36 minutes.
Raptors bulk up | Toronto Sun "We're changing the dynamic of our ball club,'' Colangelo said.
"Reggie brings a fear factor. He's a rugged player and a character player."
Colangelo recalled his recent encounter with Chris Bosh when the GM told the franchise player of the need to acquire a player such as Evans. Colangelo, meanwhile, was not taken aback by Bosh's statement that he would not sign a contract extension this summer.
"The intent is to build the team as if Chris is the cornerstone,'' Colangelo said. "We have no intention to shop Chris Bosh.
"If a trade at any time makes itself available, whether it's before the season, leading up to the trade deadline or in a sign-and-trade situation next year that makes sense, we'll pursue it."
Colangelo News Conference: Pt. 1 – June 9, 2009 – NBA Videos and Highlights
Chaun’s Raptors and NBA blog: Kapono traded to the Sixers for Reggie Evans I really like this trade. JK wasn’t doing much for us, and Reggie Evans brings toughness that are lacking.
Court Surfing – The Jonny Flynn Show While the six guys working out gave their all on the court and Jrue Holiday's star also shone, there was one standout once the ball stopped. Flynn mesmerized, drawing in media, coaches and team personnel alike, bringing laughter and smiles to whomever he spoke with.
Joking about "basically being a Canadian" by growing up in Niagara Falls, dropping a throwback reference to the Damon Stoudamire/Marcus Camby era and then saying he felt like he was the perfect fit for the Raptors.
This is a guy who will take whichever uniform he is handed and will wear it well.
He's got a personality that will enable him to stick out in a draft class like this, where everything is wide open and so many players are lumped together in the rankings.
Raptors notebook: Bosh’s decision does not change Colangelo’s mindset – Posted Sports "I was asked, ‘Does this change your position on Chris Bosh?' Not at all. Not whatsoever. I still intend to build this team as if Chris is the cornerstone. I have no intention to shop Chris Bosh. We're going to go into this season and see what happens. If a trade at any time makes itself available, whether it's before the season, leading up to the trade deadline or in a sign-and-trade situation next year that makes sense, we'll pursue it."
Hoops Addict » What Could Have Been: 2003 NBA Draft 4th – Toronto Raptors
Original Pick: Chris Bosh, F, Georgia Tech
New Pick: Same
Still makes the most sense.
Trade: Kapono for Reggie Evans « nbaroundtable Excellent trade for the Toronto Raptors. They reduced their salary committments, added a superior player, and filled a need. It’s hard to see the Raps doing any better in a Kapono trade than what they’ve done here.
As for Philadelphia, it’s a decent trade. They gave up someone of small value and acquired someone of small value … improving their overall balance in the process, because they desperately do need more three point shooting.
Chicago Bulls Blog: Should the Bulls Move up for Gerald Henderson? So I asked Henderson why he’d come to Chicago when he’s most likely a top 10 pick. The rumors are there’s almost no chance he falls beyond Charlotte at No. 12 and Toronto at No. 8 has a lot of interest.
So Henderson didn’t have to break from a busy schedule of workouts. And he didn’t have to say nice things about Chicago because he doesn’t have to impress the team with the No. 16 pick.
But he really would like to play for the Bulls.
RaptorBlog.com J-Nilla to the Illadelph Aside from the toughness and rebounding help Evans brings, his contract expires at the same time as Kapono's (in 2010) and offers a savings of around $2.5 million total. Whether he's the second or third PF on the team, I don't expect he'll average more than 15 minutes per game in Toronto because he's one of the worst offensive players in the NBA, so you're essentially playing 4-on-5 on that end when he's on the floor. Of course, Kapono is one of the worst defensive players in the league, so you could say it evens out.
Hoops Addict » Toronto Deals Kapono To Philadelphia For Evans Bryan Colangelo didn’t waste any time in dealing Jason Kapono this summer.
The once heralded free agent acquisition failed to find a comfort zone in Toronto so it comes as no surprise that he was dealt this summer, the only thing that will surprise Raptors fans is that Colangelo was able to trade Kapono so quickly and that he was able to a player in Reggie Evans who will be a great fit for this franchise.
Raptors acquire forward Reggie Evans from 76ers |Toronto Sun Evans has ranked in the top-10 in the NBA in Rebounds Per 48 Minutes in each of the past six seasons, leading the league in 2006-07 at 19.7. He finished seventh in the NBA last season with an average of 15.3.
Evans has grabbed 20+ rebounds on three occasions, with a career-best 21 versus Charlotte on February 5, 2005. He collected a career-high 19 defensive rebounds against the Raptors on March 10, 2006.
The 6-foot-8, 245-pounder has appeared in 514 career regular season games with 270 starts. He owns career averages of 4.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 19.6 minutes. He has seen action in the postseason four times, averaging 4.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 17.1 minutes in 27 games.
Trade Alert: 76ers Get Shooter, Raptors Get Mean | Bleacher Report Hardly in the NBA do you see a trade which benefits both teams, but this one does. For the 76ers, they get what they lacked by acquiring a sharpshooter to spread the floor for Elton Brand, who is returning from his second major injury in back to back seasons.
On the flip side, the Raptors get some toughness up front, which they lacked with Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. Evans has always been known for gobbling up every possible rebound.
Courtside – Kapono for Evans official, good move for both sides Negatives:
– Trading within your own division is always risky. Philadelphia and Toronto should both have similar records next year and will be fighting for the same playoff spots. Kapono upgrades Philadelphia in its weakest area. Philly only has one significant weakness – outside shooting. With Elton Brand back, Kapono could be a deadly weapon for the Sixers. However, he won't be a starter.
– The frontcourt is now mighty crowded though.
Probably spells the end of Pops Mensah-Bonsu coming back. Nathan Jawai and Kris Humphries are on the ropes.
Rasho likely replaces Jake Voshkul. O'Bryant probably comes back.
The Phanatic Magazine: Sixers get their shooter Evans (6-8, 245) just finished his seventh NBA season and his second with the Sixers. In 79 games with seven starts last season, he averaged 3.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game. Evans has ranked in the top-10 in rebounds per 48 minutes played in each of the past six seasons.
“I want to thank Reggie Evans for his contributions to the team for the past two seasons and we wish him only the best," Stefanski said.
Why the Kapono to Philly trade is good for the Suns – Bright Side Of The Sun With the Raptors losing the outside shooting of Kopono they have an even bigger hole at the two guard position.
Last season they mostly ran with Anthony Parker who's a nice defensive 2 but did not deliver enough of a punch from the wing. Plus, he's an unrestricted free agent. That leaves the Raptors right now with back court of Jose Calderson, Roko Ukic and Mr. Marcus Banks.
This team NEEDS Jason Richardson. JRich and Caldron are a great pairing with Jose's naturual inclination to distribute the ball and JRich's natural inclincation to shoot the ball and Jose is a better on ball defender then Nash so JRich wouldn't be as exposed playing with the Raps.
Raps swing Kapono for Evans deal – Sportsnet.ca "Reggie Evans will certainly add an element of toughness to our team," Raptors president and GM Bryan Colangelo said in a release. "He has very good rebounding and defensive instincts, addressing two areas where we have underperformed."
76ers trade Evans for 3-point shooter Kapono | Delawareonline.com “We are very excited to add one of the league’s most prolific 3-point shooters in Jason Kapono,” general manager Ed Stefanski said in a press release. “We feel that this move addresses our goal of improving our shooting from the perimeter.
TheStar.com | Raptors trade Kapono for Reggie Evans Evans, a 6-8, 245-pound power forward, is considered one of the more physical players in the league. Toughness is an aspect of the game Toronto has been lacking for years.
While he's not an offensive threat – averaging just 3.3 points per game last season with the Sixers – his rebounding average of 4.6 boards in just 14 minutes per game should earn him some playing time with Toronto.
Raptors Deal Kapono For Evans Evans, a 6-8 power forward, averaged 14.4 MPG with 4.6 RPG and 3.3 PPG over his 79 games last season with seven starts. In 2007-08 he started 61 games averaged 23.2 MPG and 7.5 RPG. While he does not have a great offensive game, he brings energy and strong rebounding.
He makes approximately $5-million per over the next two seasons
FAN590 – Kapono Traded To Philly – Kapono Confirms Trade We texted Jason Kapono … he’s at charity golf tournament right now.
He confirmed that he has indeed been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He was told about the move yesterday.
Doug Smith’s Raptors Blog – Kapono Trade Just a quick heads-up while I write the quick story but the Raptors have made a trade, league sources tell me.
Jason Kapono's gone to the Philaelphia 76ers for Reggie Evans.
Now, off to figure the financial repercussions; will be back with a story in a little bit.
Kapono going to Sixers – The Globe and Mail Bryan Colangelo said one of his goals this off-season was to make his team tougher. He just did, the Globe and Mail has learned.
According to NBA sources the team is expected to announce this afternoon a deal sending sharp-shooter Jason Kapono to the Philadelphia 76ers for bruising forward Reggie Evans.
khandor’s sports blog » Where for art thou, Saviour, in Raptorville After 3.5 seasons at the Raptors’ helm, it should now be clear for others to see that the few NBA Experts who claimed that MLSE actually hired an “average” GM to run its basketball operation, in the aftermath of dismissing Rob Babcock [i.e. another less-than-stellar GM, in his own right] … if the actual goal was to become a championship calibre team in the not-too-distant future … were, in fact, 100% correct.
None of which is to say that Bryan Colangelo is, either, incompetent or should be fired anytime soon but, rather, only that:
khandor’s sports blog » Who should be on the radar for the Raptors in the 2009 NBA Draft If Toronto chooses to trade down [from No. 9, overall], on June 25, into the latter half of the 1st Round and/or the 2nd Round: