There are multiple reasons, but No. 1 is that Bosh genuinely likes Toronto.
Who wouldn’t? It’s a great cosmopolitan city. I guess if you are young and rich, even Sacramento looks good, but Toronto has clearly won over the pride of Dallas’ Lincoln High.
"It probably took me two or three years, but I went there when I was 19," said Bosh, who played one season at Georgia Tech after helping Lincoln to a state title. "I was fresh out of college. I was used to roommates and guys knocking on the door, saying where the frat party was.
"But I love Toronto. And Toronto loves me."
The Raptors have a better understanding of Douby’s skill set.
"They definitely know I’m a pure scorer. I can shoot the ball. They also want me to also focus on distributing the ball, playing pressure defensive – focusing on that stuff," said Quincy. "But also keep on working on my scoring ability and scooting, have the whole package."
With Jose Calderon and presumably Jarrett Jack (should the Indiana Pacers pass on their restricted free agent), Douby may finally have the opportunity to play to his strength as an undersized two-guard.
Of course Jack could keep Quincy on the bench or worse, so the pressure is on for Douby to perform.
"I think us competing in practice, that’s going to get us all better. The NBA has a lot of great players and on your team, there’s going to be a lot of great players to compete against to get playing time," said Douby. "I think it’s going to be a good situation for the whole team. I’m looking forward to it. When practice comes I’m going to just play as hard as I could."
DeMar is not good defensively. I don’t think this is really a surprise to anybody. He’s played one year of college and is only 19 years old. The thing that first jumped out at me, though, was an apparent lack of defensive effort. The Raptors seemed to always put him on the least offensive of the Blazers wings. When I first tuned in, this was Bobby Jones.
For most of the plays, DeMar was on the weakside of the court (the non-ball side). His help defense was non-existent. He seemed content to be happy to watch. When shot would go up, he would take a step toward the basket and stand BEHIND the other teams big. He wouldn’t help box him out. It was like he was loitering.
When a player drove he never stepped in. He would occassionally reach for a ball. Any defensive rebound he got was because it fell to him. He had 4 defensive rebounds and I remember two of them hitting the floor before he picked them up.
I would like to comment on the Jason Kapono trade for Reggie Evans. Good Riddance. I never want to see Kapono in a Raptor uniform ever again. Evans is probably good for 15-20 mins, he is an excellent rebounder, but not much else. This team is in desperate need of a guy who can hit the boards and play some D. Just don’t ask him to score. Also, because of the sign and trade, they can re-sign Carlos Delfino who should be a starter for this team, he can rebound and play D. He is extremely streaky with his shot, but it gives the Raptors another option on handling the ball. Another versatile player. Rasho Nesterovic is also in Raptors’ Radar, he can still play and become an excellent passer from the high post.
Well, if I were a guessing man, and I am, I wouldn’t be all that surprised to see Bryan Colangelo re-approach Chris Bosh with a contract extension this summer. Particularly if BC is able to wiggle Jarrett Jack away from the Pacers (Chris Bosh’s best friend in the league).
Given the economic climate and the league’s prediction that the cap will fall significantly in one years’ time, Chris Bosh will listen. He’d be foolish not to.
If Colaneglo is able to re-sign Chris Bosh you might as well award him Executive of the Year now, that and the keys to the city.
Catch that fish (all 6 foot 10 of it) and we can all sit back and relax. The Raptors would have a very solid core, locked in place for several years to come, surrounded by some very tradable assets.
William Henry “Smush” Parker played for eight teams between 2002-2008 including stints with powerhouses Aris Thessaloniki and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This summer, he’s playing with the Toronto Raptors Summer League team. To his credit, Smush is a tough guy. He once beat up a woman working valet over a $12 parking fee.
Anthony Parker the ex-Raptor chats on the Director’s Chair with Doug Farraway about his decision to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers and reflects on his time in Toronto.
• Hedo Turkoglu’s five-year, $52.8 million contract with Toronto includes a trade kicker and the right to opt out and return to free agency in the summer of 2013.
• Andrea Bargnani’s five-year extension in Toronto starting in 2010-11 is worth an even $50 million. The deal includes an early termination option to return to free agency in the summer of 2014 as well as a trade kicker and incentives.
