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An Open Letter To Raptor Fans
Posted on | February 18, 2010 | 8 Comments
Just a short post this time. For once.
Dear Raptor Fans,
Get some fucking medication!
It’s not the end of the world!
Sincerely,
Me
Yes, the Raptors lost a game they should have won. In fact, I, as well as I can only assume most others, thought that the Raptors had the game wrapped up. I had almost turned off the television when O.J. Mayo hit the three to bring Memphis within two. Maybe if I hadn’t, he wouldn’t have hit it. Who knows?
Anyway, the loss. After the game, I went to Raptors Republic to read their Roll Call, and couldn’t believe the vitriol from fans. Suddenly, Jose needed to be traded with Hedo, and Triano was the worst coach in the league. Sorry, but had Bosh hit that last second jumper in regulation, would these people still feel the same way? Probably not. Calderon played a fantastic game, almost single handedly brought the Raptors back in the second and was the only PG the Raptors had who could play a damn tonight, but all theses fans just point to how exposed he was on defense tonight. Sorry? I actually thought Calderon played one of his better defensive games of the season and was actually above average. But what these people are whining about is that he couldn’t guard and athletic freak six inches taller than him. No matter who the defender is, that’s called a mismatch for a reason. Rajon frickin’ Rondo would have a tough time stopping Gay, especially the way he was shooting.
Raptor fans, though, are always looking for someone to blame.
Triano, of course, didn’t escape their vitriol. One of the main complaints was that he subbed Turkoglu back in despite him playing poorly. Yes, he subbed a relative rookie out for the ten year veteran with the history of coming up big in the clutch and lots of big game experience. If Phil Jackson had done it, it would have been called an intelligent gamble. Triano does it and he’s an awful coach. And you know what? I’ve seen Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, Chuck Daly and Jerry Sloan do the EXACT same thing. And I’ve seen it backfire. Sometimes that happens.
The other complaint against Triano was that he allowed Calderon to switch off to Gay, which obviously caused a mismatch Memphis exploited. The last time I saw this short a memory, I was swimming around my fishbowl in a former life! Apparently none of these complainers remember that the switching on defense strategy was one of the reasons the Raptors started turning things around in December. It’s worked well enough for them to go 22-11 since then, but an overtime loss against an offensively talented team, and suddenly it’s the worst strategy in the world.
The Raptors lost in overtime tonight, despite another great game by Bosh who is becoming above reproach, he’s playing so well. I find it funny that this happened on the trade deadline. I’m shocked there weren’t any calls to trade Bosh since he obviously won’t re-sign after tonight’s game.
PARTING THOUGHTS
Again, one last second shot goes down, and everything would be okay. And remember, this is the same Memphis team that beat the Lakers by two points a couple of weeks ago and amazingly, they decided not to dismantle the team before the deadline.
My next post is going to be about all the trades, as soon as I figure out where everyone landed.
Mid-Season Report
Posted on | February 16, 2010 | 4 Comments
I know it’s not technically mid-season, but now seemed as good a time as any to take a look at how the Raptors are doing so far. Grades are obviously fairly subjective, and sometimes better grade does not necessarily mean a better player, and visa-versa. It’s a combination of performance and expectations.
TEAM: B
This isn’t based on their record, or the season as a whole, but where they are right now. Since December 1st, they’re one of the best teams in the league, record-wise. They’re 14-6 in their last 20, they’ve beaten the Lakers, Cleveland, Dallas, Orlando and San Antonio (no this isn’t the same dominant San Antonio team it used to be, but they haven’t lost against a bad team yet, so it’s still a nice win). They’re also currently in the 5th seed in the East, three games ahead of the next challenger, with an outside chance of sneaking in the top 4 if Boston continues it’s bad play.
Unfortunately, they still have a lot of work to do defensively and still lose far too many battles on the boards. If they want to take the next step, both of these need to improve quite a bit. On the bright side, they’ve shown the ability to play good defense in stretches. It’s just the other 40+ minutes they have to improve on.
This next week it’s important that the Raptors try to win every game, because as easy as their schedule has been recently, March’s schedule makes Novembers look like a cakewalk. They have 9 away games (as opposed to 10 in November) and FOUR back to back games (including every second game of the back to backs on the road). On the plus side, 10 of the 16 games are against teams that are below the Raptors in the standings. Still, the Raptors are going to have to learn how to win on the road next month, or they might very well see themselves drop below Miami, Chicago and Charlotte.
CHRIS BOSH: A
He’s had an MVP-type season so far, and if the Raptors were higher in the standings he’d be talked about more in that department. I mentioned in a previous post that he’s got career highs in ppg, rpg and field goal percentage, but it’s the way he’s done it that is immpressive. He’s been relentless and has played at a high level against the good teams as well as the poorer teams. He’s been labeled in the past as a player who wilts under pressure and who dominates he bad teams, but underperforms against the great teams. As and example, he’s averaging 25.3 ppg on 64.4% shooting and 11.7 rebounds in three games against Boston this season, a team he’s been criticized in the past for being intimidated by.
Now, while he’s made a lot of the steps to become truly an elite player, one area he still could improve on is on defense. That’s not to say he’s a poor defender. On the contrary, despite what some Raptor fans seem to think, Bish is actually an above average defender. If he really wants to become the player he strives to be, however, he needs to become a great defender. He can be, he just needs to commit to it fully. As it is, he seems as though he wants to save himself for the offensive end, which is natural for a player who carries as much offensive load as Bosh does. He needs to change this attitude.
ANDREA BARGNANI: B-
Now I am often very hard on Bargnani and many claim I don’t give him enough credit for what he does well. Now, had this been the beginning of December, I would have given Bargnani a D-, in large part, for his poor defense. Since then, however, he’s turned things around in that department. It’s almost unheard of. He’s gone from, by far, the worst defender on the team, someone who Triano had to take out on defensive possessions late in games, to an above average defender who has held his own against some of the best big men in the league. He’s also become more consistent on offense, although he still has work to do in that area. He disappears on offense far too often.
So why only a B-? Am I being too hard on him? Well, his rebounding is still extremely poor. On one hand, he’s looking far more aggressive chasing after rebounds, but on the other hand, he’s still not actually, you know, getting those rebounds. And I’m not forgetting when he grabbed a career high 17 rebounds and followed it up with 12 the very next game. You want to know what he has averaged since then?
5.3 rpg.
His rebounding is actually getting worse. Maybe the break will do him some good.
HEDO TURKOGLU: C-
No, I’m not grading on a curve. I realize that Turkoglu has not performed up to expectations and is averaging the fewest points per game since he was in San Antonio. He’s also shooting a career low .403 from the field. No, he’s not been very impressive thus far, but the Raptors HAVE benefitted from his presence, and he’s also shown, for the most part, that clutch shooting we were expecting.
Quite frankly, though, the Raptors did not get him for the regular season. He’s always been spotty during the regular season. What the Raptors got him for was for the playoffs, and that’s how he should be judged. Well, not entirely, but that’s how he will be judged.
JARRETT JACK: B
I knew it was going to be a great signing from day one, but his play was not great from day one. That’s for sure. Still, I knew he would be worth it and now he has become an untradeable piece of the Raptors core. He’s locked himself into the starting lineup, when few thought he would be mainly a bench player. He’s shown aggressiveness, good shooting and great leadership. He’s got career highs in shooting percentage both from the field and from three, he’s probably end up getting a career high in assists, by the end of the year, as well.
Of course, his defense has been good, but not great. And he’s not the floor general that Calderon is. The offense has struggled too many times when he’s been running the show, although that’s why he’s usually on the floor with Turkoglu.
JOSE CALDERON: C-
He struggled early in the season, his defense looked more like last season (when it was horrible) than it did in previous seasons (when it was passable), and he lost his starting spot in the rotation when he went down with injury.
On the other hand, coming off the bench has made him almost invaluable to the Raptors. He’s helped the bench become one of the best in the league, and on many occasions, has bailed the starters out when he came in with the Raptors trailing. A summer of complete rest was probably the worst thing for Calderon, even if it was for all the right reasons. He’s the most likely Raptor to be traded, but the way the team is going, the offer would have to be pretty good for him to be dealt.
DeMAR DeROZAN: C
He’s been a starter from day one, and has done just about everything thats been asked of him. While he hasn’t been overly impressive, Coach Triano has kept him on a pretty short leash and that has been a benefit to both his current play and his development.
He’s still not great from outside and fades into the background far too much, but we’ve seen enough flashes from this young player to realize that he’s got a bright future in the league.
MARCO BELINELLI: C-
Belinelli has shown us why Colangelo wanted him so badly, and why he was being touted as a future star by Don Nelson the summer he was drafted. He’s also shown us why he got yanked in and out of the rotation by Nelson and why he was eventually dealt. He’s incredibly talented and incredibly inconsistent. He’s had games when he was aggressive going to the hoop and had the vision of a PG, and then he’s had games when he went 0-4, all from beyond the three point line.
I could have easily given him a D, but he’s shown himself to be a better defender than advertised, and since he’s only 23 years old, his inconsistency should be expected.
ANTOINE WRIGHT: B+
He was awful for the first couple of months. Awful. At one point in the season he was shooting under 30% from the field. UNDER 30%!! I can’t even begin to tell you how bad that is. And to make matters worse, his defense wasn’t what was expected. Like many of the Raptors, though, things turned around for him as the season wore on, and now he’s playing some of the best perimeter defense the franchise has seen in years, and has become a clutch three point shooter from the corner.
The fact that he’s only 25 years old makes Wright’s play all the better. He could very well turn himself into a Bruce Bowen-like player. Not coincidentally, Dallas’ perimeter defense has been a weak point during the season. Unfortunately, with Wright becoming a free agent this summer, theres the real danger than Wright might be playing himself out of Toronto.
SONNY WEEMS: B
When Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems were traded to Toronto, I didn’t even mention Weem’s name. It was thought they he wouldn’t even make it through training camp, and I certainly didn’t have very high expectations for a guy who no one thought much of.
Well, he not only stayed with the team, he played himself into the rotation and made the Raptors depth at his position a strength. I recall watching him one game, and marvelling at the fact that he’s actually got the skills to become a very good player in the league. He was probably the biggest surprise this year.
AMIR JOHNSON: B+
It was a low risk gamble to grab Amir, and it’s paid off in spades. He’s now the first bigman off the bench and supplies everything the Raptors need. His rebounding, defense and hustle has made him a fan favourite and favourite among the coaching staff. He’s playing so well, in fact, that, like Wright, the fact that he’s a free agent this summer has become a concern. He’s a perfect compliment to Bosh and Bargnani, and his ever improving offensive game has made him a huge asset. Hopefully one the Raptors can retain.
RASHO NESTEROVIC: C+
He plays only rarely, but when he does, he doesn’t everything he’s asked to. A true professional who you can’t really complain about because he doesn’t make much, and does what he’s supposed to.
MARCUS BANKS: B
Yes, that’s right. I gave Marcus Banks a B. Why? Because when Calderon went down, he played well. Like Rasho, he has played rarely, but never grumbled, and was always ready to contribute when his name was called. I give him a B because I wasn’t even expecting that. You could do a hell of a lot worse for your third string point guard than Banks. And by the way, Banks is probably the second best defender on the Raptors, next to Wright.
REGGIE EVANS: INCOMPLETE
The second coming has played one game, so I’m not going to judge him an on aything yet.
PATRICK O’BRYANT: INCOMPLETE
The only reason I remember he’s on the team is he always seems to be highly visible on television when the Raptors head to the locker room after home games.
JAY TRIANO: B
A lot of people hated him from the start, and a lot of people never understood why he was hired. I will admit that, like the team as a whole, he struggled a bit at first. He didn’t get the team on the same page defensively, and was a bit iffy on his rotations. Colangelo, being the smart GM he is, realized that sticking with Triano would pay off down the line and it has. He’s shown himself to be a very good coach and is only getting better.
Agree? Disagree? Let’s hear your thoughts.
The Trading Post
Posted on | February 16, 2010 | 1 Comment
When I worked at EA Sports a number of years ago, I was involved heavily in `Franchise Mode’. It was a natural fit for me and I loved it. Though gameplay was fun, it was managing the roster that I found the most fun. Making trades, drafting etc. What the game never achieved, however, was the hype surrounding this time of year in the NBA. I know I should probably take Doug Smith’s tact and hate this time of year because it’s not about the game, and involves innuendo and rumours, the bane of his existence, but I can’t help it. It’s fun.
Yes, it can be fun for the fan, but for the players it must be torture. Imagine you’re busy going about your job when you keep hearing your name popping up in rumoured transfers to other branches in different cities. It must be difficult.
So with all due respect to the players, this post is dedicated to discussing every rumoured deal, and maybe proposing a new one or two. There are simply too many deals to discuss every single one, so I’ll focus on a few that seem to have legs. First off, though, I’m going to look at Toronto’s situation.
TORONTO
For the first time in a while, the Raptors are virtually a non-entity on the trade rumour mill. It’s a good sign. Making a deal might end up backfiring for the Raptors, unless it seriously upgrades their talent level. Still, there are a couple of moves they could make that might improve them.
Andre Igoudala for Demar DeRozan, Amir Johnson and Marcus Banks
In an earlier post, I proposed including Calderon in a trade for Iguodala, in this one, he’s not included, but Philly gets more salary relief. Banks’ contract isn’t great, but it’s 3 years less than Iguodala’s. Including Amir gives them another young prospect, as well as an expiring contract. Obviously Iguodala would be a great fit for the Raptors, and might be enough to entice Bosh to re-sign.
Andris Biedrins for Amir Johnson and Marcus Banks
While Amir Johnson is having a great season for the Raptors, and fills a need, the fact that he’s a free agent this summer makes it a real possibility he won’t be back. Why not use his expiring contract to try and get something in return. Biedrins is underutilized in Golden State and overpaid, but his rebounding, shot blocking and mobility would be a great replacement for Johnson, and the fact that he’s got a long term contract means that he’ll be around for a while. The biggest plus, though, would be that he would be a better insurance policy for Bosh than Johnson.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Antawn Jamison for J.J. Hickson and Z. Ilguaskas
Antawn Jamison is the perfect PF on the market to play with LeBron. He can score outside and inside, and would more than likely get them to the Finals. On the downside, he’s 33, so you’ve got to question how much longer he can play at such a high level. With LeBron not even being 25, the best way to keep him around is to surround him with guys who will be around for a while. Of course, Washington apparently doesn’t want to deal with Cleveland because of the history between them.
Amare Soudemire for J.J. Hickson, Z. Ilguaskas and Jamario Moon (or someone like him)
This would be the trade that would bring the best player, and since he’s indicated he won’t opt out, he’ll probably be with the team for at least another season and would be a huge enticement for LeBron to re-sign. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s a good fit, and I think he might not like to be LeBron’s second fiddle. On the court, the Cavs currently have LeBron and Shaq to play inside, and I don’t see there being much room down there. Add Stoudamire, and if these guys don’t bump into each other, I’d be surprised. There are also conflicting reports that he my not want to be traded to Cleveland.
Phoenix would be getting Hickson, who is a talented, young big man, as well as Iguaskas’ expiring contract. If I was Phoenix, I’d keep looking.
Troy Murphy for J.J. Hickson and Z. Ilguaskas
Troy Murphy might be the best PF for the Cavs to trade for. He’s younger than Jamison and a better outside shooter than Stoudemire. Plus he’s a better rebounder than either of them. I also think he might be cheaper to trade for. He’s the least sexy option, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this is who they end up getting.
A salary dump for Indiana, plus they get a good young prospect in Hickson. This might be the best deal out there and the best chance to rid themselves of Murphy’s contract. On the plus side, it opens up playing time for rookie Tyler Hansbridge.
Corey Maggette and Raja Bell for J.J. Hickson and Z. Ilguaskas
Now, I haven’t actually heard Bell’s name in any proposed deal, but it works and makes sense. Maggette is having possibly his best year as a pro, and he’s probably more what Cleveland needs. He’s that second scorer that Mo Williams and Shaq simply aren’t. With both him and LeBron on the floor together, opposing teams couldn’t have a weak defender defending Maggette, as they can with Parker. If I was Cleveland, this might be my first choice of the rumoured deals.
Another salary dump, and considering that no one wanted to touch Maggette a year ago, getting Hickson might be a huge bonus. Golden State has too many wing players, too many scorers and not enough healthy PFs. This is a no brainer, in my opinion.
Now, I have only heard Stoudemire’s name, and no one from Miami, so this is purely conjecture. It would completely kill any cap room they would have this summer, but the question is, would they be able to get anyone better than these two? A lineup of Amare, Beasley, Richardson (either Jason or Quentin) and Wade would be pretty offensively potent. The rim would certainly get a workout. I don’t know how good they’d be defensively, though. Possibly even worse than the Raptors.
The latest rumour is that Miami is looking for a third team to trade with, which makes sense, because I don’t see the above trade going down. Despite their desire for Stoudemire, the only thing they really have of any value they are apparently willing to trade is O’Neal and his expiring contract. I’d be surprised if Amare lands in Miami because apart from the above deal, where they get rid of all but Nash’s big contract, there’s nothing Miami has that the Suns would want.
Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert for Tracy McGrady
I don’t know who’s reluctant to make this deal, but it had better be Philadelphia. I know Houston would be taking back salary, and Dalembert would have to move to the bench when Yao returned, but how could you not do this deal? Adding Iguodala to Ariza and Battier would be potent, and having Dalembert would allow Yao to play limited minutes, possibly extending his career. Quite frankly, I think Philadelphia might be looking for a little more than McGrady for Iguodala, and so they should.
Jordan Hill, Jarred Jeffries and Larry Hughes for Tracy McGrady
This is the latest rumour and it makes a little more sense for both teams. Houston gets New Yorks 2009 lottery pick, Jordan Hill and Hughes’ expiring contract, so they still save money. New York gets more cap space and can try McGrady out for a couple of months. If I was Houston, though, I’d ask for a draft pick as well.
Marcus Camby for Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake
Injuries have really hurt Portland’s chances this year, and this trade highlights just how much. Outlaw and Blake are valuable, but they’re free agents this summer, and might not want to re-sign onto Portland’s loaded roster. Camby gives them a real center so they can remain competitive the rest of the season. The Clippers get a good backup for the rest of the season and maybe re-sign outlaw, who could end up starting for the Clippers, when healthy. Really, it’s a short term deal for both, but Portland has the chance to benefit the most. If I were the Clippers, I’d try and get more for Camby and his expiring contract.
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Those are the main rumoured trades around the league, at least ones that I see even remotely happening. Here are a few that I think make sense, but I haven’t heard mentioned.
Mike Miller and Fabricio Oberto for J.J. Hickson and Z. Ilguaskas
This is one I haven’t heard, and considering Washington’s feelings about dealing with Cleveland, probably wouldn’t happen. It is probably the best deal Cleveland could do, however. Miller is the outside shooter and scoring threat the Cavs need at the wing position, and while Oberto’s best days are behind him, and hasn’t been playing much in Washington, he’s got playoff experience with the Spurs, which looks good on anyone’s resume. Besides, he’d only be needed to play a few minutes here and there.
Mike Miller was traded for when it looked like the Wizards might be a playoff team. They are not. Getting Hickson would be a plus. In the end, it’s a low risk deal that makes sense for both teams.
Kirk Hinrich and Jannero Pargo for Sacha Vujacic, Adam Morrison and Jordan Farmar
The Bulls want to clear more cap room to try and get a big free agent, and the Lakers weakest position is PG. Hinrich is made for the triangle offense and would become their best PG. He doesn’t need to handle the ball to be effective but is a better passer than any of the present Laker PGs, is a very good defender and has lots of playoff experience. The Bulls clear cap room, but also get a couple of nice, young bench players.
Amare Stoudemire for Tyrus Thomas and Brad Miller
I know the Bulls are hoping for Wade to sign, but that’s unlikely, and what they need more than anything is an inside scorer. They discussed trading for Amare last season, but nothing happened. He’s now healthy and would give the Bulls another scorer, which they have lacked. Tyrus Thomas has struggled in his time in Chicago, but he’s not made for that kind of ball. If anyone would benefit from playing with Nash, Thomas would. If the Suns do trade Amare, I think Thomas is the best prospect they could get for him. Miller’s expiring contract means it’s basically Amare for Thomas, which, considering the circumstances makes sense.
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Now, although Orlando has not really been mentioned in any trade talk, I think they need to make some sort of deal. The only reason they beat Cleveland last year is because they matched up well against them, but this year that isn’t so. Trading for Vince hasn’t worked out as well as they hoped, and could use a creative wing player who can do what Turkoglu did, which be the initiator. The player who would be absolutely perfect would have been Iguodala, but Orlando has absolutely no pieces that Philadelphia would want. That might mean bringing a third team into it, but I can’t see who.
Boston’s window is closing, if it isn’t already closed. Danny Ainge has to figure out if the team is still a contender, and may want to use Ray Allen’s expiring contract to get younger.
Minnesota is apparently interested in Tyrus Thomas, but I don’t know who they want to send back in return. The question is, why on earth would they want Thomas? Thinking about it, though, it makes perfect sense. They drafted two starting PGs in the last draft, so might as well deal for another PF when their two best players are PFs. They’re very big on redundancy in Minnesota, and if the GM continues to make moves that don’t quite make sense, he’s going to find himself redundant.
