Now as for Colangelo, you have to play with the cards that you are dealt. In our discussion on Raptors Republic, I discussed what transactions I agreed and disagreed with. And to say that Colangelo will never value defense is a lie, or at least ignoring the facts. The first team he built in Toronto was predicted more on defense, which is why it stumbled so badly when the defensive lynchpin, Garbajosa, went down. The problem with that team is that it really didn’t have much potential beyond the 47 wins and first round berth that it got. They were a grind it out team with mostly above average defenders, but without much youth or offensive potential.

Now Colangelo did not have a TIm Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon or Shaquille O’Neal to build around. It’s pretty easy to build a great defensive team around them. Colangelo never had the chance to draft a Greg Oden, or Dwight Howard. The year he had the number one pick, there was no defense star available.

And it’s not as if Colangelo DIDN’T try to grab a great defensive player this past summer. Ariza turned down more money to sign with Houston. Marion didn’t want to play for the Raptors again. And you do remember he did gamble in a trade for Jermaine O’Neal in order to shore up the defense and rebounding. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

Colangelo built the team he did in Phoenix because that’s what he needed to do to be successful. He signed Nash, and then surrounded him with above average defensive players (Raja Bell, Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw). Phoenix’s defensive shortcomings had more to do with D’Antoni than the players Colangelo brought it. And it wasn’t Colangelo that traded those three players away for worse defenders.

I don’t agree with everything Colangelo has done, but he’s certainly done a very good job with the cards he was given.

Okay, you don’t actually seem to be reading my comments, just scanning them. I’m trying to bring up facts and back up my argument, to which you don’t actually respond. Either do it, or I don’t see any point in continuing this.

And by the way, the Phoenix Suns ended up going to the Western Conference Finals twice during their peak, so I don’t know if bringing them up really advances your argument.

You don’t seem to get it. I’m not saying I’m happy with a first round appearance, or a second round one. I think the ultimate goal for every team should be a Championship. I’m saying that I understand that you can’t build a contender in a season, not without a crap load of luck.

I’m happy with the Raptors making the playoffs and getting a 5th seed…THIS SEASON!!!!!!

Next year, I’d expect more. And eventually, I’d expect a Championship.

And who on earth said that this team has gotten better every year? Why even bring that up? Of course they haven’t gotten better every year. Colangelo remade the team when he arrived, but partly due to injuries (and Ford), that team was derailed. This past summer, he decided to start again.

You think he would have been able to build a contender in one summer?

And I stuck my neck out and detailed what I would have done, why don’t you do the same? Let’s hear what you would have done. You can easily research what free agents were available. Let’s see what you do?

And as for my unbridled optimism, my very first post was blasting the O’Neal-Marion trade, I’ve been highly critical of Bargnani since day one (which you can verify by looking at my posts), I wanted to blow up the team long before it was actually done, wanted to trade VInce a year and a half before he finally was, bashed the drafting of VIllanueva and Graham, had been derided for being a hater on the Hoopsworld Raptors forum several years ago due to my constant criticism of the team.

I’m most certainly not shy about being critical when I disagree with something. And if you can point to any instance when I was actually wrong, then you might have a leg to stand on. Take a look at my pre-season predictions, or just wait a few days when I intend to write a post looking back at them. One thing about the NBA, is that I’m usually not wrong. I’d put my track record on the line against just about any real NBA expert. Arrogant? Sure, but I’ve pretty much got a reason to be. I’m usually right and have been for longer than most Raptor fans have even been NBA fans.

You don’t seem to understand that I actually agree with you when you say this team is flawed. I agree that the team, the way it is at the moment, will never win a Championship. But what you don’t seem to realize is that, at this point, that’s okay. For now. I’ve no doubt that changes need to be made, but it’s a hell of a lot easier to make good trades and sign free agents when you’re a 5th seed than in the lottery. Its also a lot easier to figure out what you need.

Me, I think the trade I proposed for Igoudala would do a heck of a lot into turning this team into a contender. He’d bring the defense, rebounding and attitude the team lacks.

The team obviously is not built the way any other Championship contender has, but all but two Championship teams had MVP’s on it. Does that mean the Raptors should scrap the team until they can get an MVP candidate? Does that mean Portland, Oklahoma City, and all those teams without MVP candidates should just dump everyone on their team and start again?

No team without a dominant center had ever one a Championship…until the 80′s Pistons did. Then no team without an All-Star big man had ever won a Championship…until the Bulls did. Then no team without two All-NBAers ever won a Championship…until the Rockets did. Then no team without at least one All-NBA player ever won…until the Pistons did.

I disagree about trade scenarios. I think a lot that are proposed are crap because the person doesn’t look at both sides, but a trade scenario is a good jumping off point for a discussion. It gives the other person/people a good indication of the direction you’d like to see the team going, what type of players you covet, etc.

Plus, they’re fun and interesting, which is really the whole point, isn’t it?

Besides, it’s pretty easy to say something is wrong, it’s quite another to actually propose a possible solution. Let’s say I’m MLSE, and I’ve just fired Colangelo and I’m interviewing you. Here’s my question:

What would you do?

“You really need to stop bringing up teams with HOFs on them, in any discussion of the Raps. It’s offensive to those teams.”

What on earth are you talking about? I haven’t compared the Raptors to one single team. You have. I’ve brought up EXAMPLES of other teams and what they have done, but never once have I compared them. In fact, I even said they weren’t built like any previous Championship contender. I actually wrote that out!

Besides, it’s incredibly difficult to have a discussion about what makes a contending team without mentioning teams with Hall of Famers on it.

“You seem to think that the way things are going (or have been for the last 15 years) are leading to a chip.”

Or having been for the last 15 years??????????? Have you read ANYTHING I have said? I’m looking at this season! Why on earth would I look back at anything with the Raptors before four years ago, at the most? That’s got absolutely nothing to do with how the team should be built now. That’s bringing far too emotion into it, which is always dangerous.

Lastly, your accusations about me being a homer etc are baseless, insulting and make you look ignorant. The problem is that it appears you are saying it simply because I disagree with you. I must be a homer and agree with everything Colangelo does if I don’t hate where the Raptors are at the moment. It’s a blanket insult that allows you to ignore a point of view. It’s like calling someone a hater. People have called me a hater, in regards to Bargnani, instead of actually trying to understand my point of view. These accusations are a way to cloak yourself from opposing opinions. If you want any more responses. Don’t do that.

Deflect. Deflect.

I wasn’t in discussion with anyone at the time. I was writing a post. Big difference.