Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

My initial reaction to the Kapono signing was "Really?"

I wasn't a huge fan of our other options (except for Pietrus, but the J-Rich trade nixed that), but this doesn't seem quite right to me. Delfino and Kapono definitely make us deeper, but depth wasn't an issue at the 2-3 last year. I still feel something else is coming, so far we seem to be treading water and I don't expect BC is any happier about that then I am.

Nice post,

Very True. I agree fully.

I hope there's more to this and that there is a BIG picture thing going on.

peace

Franchise, you have to let Mo Pete go. I think he had an inconsistent year, but he isn't the kind of player that you keep giving chances to. At this point, its probably better to get some new blood in the system rather than try and rehabilitate Mo. I think Mo will catch on with another team, but his time in Toronto has come to an end. I'll miss him though. As for Kapono, I think he is a solid addition. The ESPN number probably includes incentives, since I find it hard to believe that Kapono could get that kind of money, plus its more than the Raps have to spend!

Well I'm gonna try and stay optimistic until i see this guy in a Raps jersey... he's got some serious game in NBA live anyways..

I doubt the deal is for $6m per yr. not when AP and Garbo are both at $4 and Kapono was at$1.2 last year.
Best 3 point shooter in the league just signed with the Raps: what's not to like? One thing for sure, we know those shots will be there: now there's a consistent threat, something Mo wasn't last year sadly.

While Ive never been a K0opon fan he really came into his own last season. He has great percentages in FG, 3P and FT. While he is not a huge athletic upgrade he will provide other things. I too think the ESPN report on the money is high.

One thing that I find interesting is BC is only signing players for 4 years. Looks like he is going to clear cap in the summer of 2011 completely. That will be intersting.

Oscar - It's not that I'm holding on for dear life with Peterson, it's just that if the salary is as reported by ESPN, I'd rather keep Mo. Sure, he wasn't as good from long range last year but I still think if he would have gotten consistent minutes it would have been a different story. In games 5 and 6 against New Jersey he hit some huge shots and while I do acknowledge that Mo Pete's done, I'm just not convinced right now that Kap-One is much of an upgrade...

I'm not that high on the Kapono signing either, especially at that money, but if he can be a consistent (key word) 3-point threat he could help spread the floor.

Another aspect is that Kapono's presence could help Anthony Parker - with our PGs not being 3-point shooters and MoPete inconsistent, AP had to spend much of the year (at least until Bargs picked it up later in the season) parked in the corners offensively to try and create some space inside for Bosh.

Ultimately I've gotten past my initial disappointment and am holding off any judgment until we see the actual dollars and what other moves are to come this offseason.

With a 3-point gunner like Kapono out there, plus an improving Bargs, Parker could be a bit more of a slasher, and Bosh might have some more room to operate inside.

As far as the other options listed in the article, I really don't care for any of them other than Nocioni. And as a restricted FA, an offer to him would have tied our hands waiting for Chicago to decide whether to match, and we might have missed out entirely.

I like Pavlovic's athleticism but based on watching him in the playoff's he a VERY poor man's Manu Ginobili, as he makes a lot of poor decisions with the ball. Varejao will command too much money (I'm sure his agent will be pushing comparisons to Nene). Posey is even more on the downside of his career than Mo Pete is now (I love Mo, but it's time for a change for both him and the Raps). Mason is athletic but overrated and doesn't do anything well (doesn't shoot 3s at all, under 70% FT the last 2 years, low assists and steals and high turnovers) - an expensive Joey Graham?

I'd be happy to see White or Singleton brought in, though. I've been impressed with Singleton's energy, especially on the glass, in the limited times I've seen him.

I am starting to really like this signing. The wing positions are quite improved with the addition of Delfino and Kapono.
I mean this guy was not just the best 3 point shooter in the league; he was the best three point shooter by a WIDE margin. With him and Parker we have two of the more proficient five 3 point shooters in the NBA.
I could see this really benefiting TJ Ford, having another consistent target to kick off to when penetrating. This will also make it much harder for opposing defences to collapse on our speedy point guard.

'With him and Parker we have two of the more proficient five 3 point shooters in the NBA.'

2 of the top 5 three point shooters, I meant to say.

This signing shouldnt be that suprising (taking out the fact that Kapono would even sign here for a minute). If yall recall, the reason the raps signed fred jones/john salmons was for floor spacing (or at least that is what I gathered from the way the Raps were using freddy in their offensive sets and then their subsequent trade for juan dixon). Freddy's game wasn't suited to the role of "stand at 3 point line to space floor", I dont think anyone can argue that Kapono fills that role. As for who defends the 2nd option, I would think that would be obvious, isnt that why Toronto has Jorge? Granted he isnt as quick as a richard jefferson but we have all seen him guard smaller quicker players and do a half decent job of it using his feet and his wileyness (is that even a word?).
I would be interested to see if Kapono actually works out as I am not as high on some of the other names you mentioned (esp Posey who I think is overrated, if he couldnt hold down a spot in the roation with the Heat last year, with all their inconsistency they had, I don't understand why he would suddenly be a better option over the player who took his minutes).

Okay . . . so my only positive thought about this signing so far is the whole "Colangelo as guru" thing which makes me feel good about everything the Raps do because he rarely messes things up . . . on the other hand . . .

How does Kapono fit this team better than Desmond Mason (the guy I was hoping we'd go after who was in this price range). Mason is far more athletic, is fantastic on the break, and is a solid rebounder for his position. (4.6 per game last year) Kapono's skills seem redundant on this team, as we have slow, good-shooting, bad athletes who don't defend etc. etc.

We STILL need more rebounding and slashing ability (not to mention someone so athletic that they can actually dunk the ball in traffic!) and this has not addressed these things . . . I guess they'll be more to come--they're better be.

'As for who defends the 2nd option, I would think that would be obvious, isnt that why Toronto has Jorge?'

Except that they wouldn't be on the floor very much together, assuming one of them is in the first unit. (and they will both see a lot of time at the 3.)

I hope Raptor fans won't fall into the "In BC we trust"trap on every move he makes. If the money/years of this signing are correct, it stinks. At best, this is a "wait and see what's next" type of acquisition.

Nice move by Utah going after Peterson.

http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_6280028

I think he'd be a perfect fit at the 2 with the Jazz.

Now...think they'd be willing to pull off a sign and trade that would net the Raptors Ronnie Brewer???

I don't know, looking around at the other players on the market, I just think it was a case of BC perhaps realizing that he wasn't going to be able to 'pay to play'. so he took his money and literally shoved it in kapono's face.

and I've heard now a couple of times already people mentioning kapono as redundant because we have dixon and luke - what???

one's 5 foot 2, and the other had one decent game and a whole bunch of other stinkers. until either of them finish a whole season off shooting better than 50% from 3, (and not 1 for 2, either,) then the comparisons must stop immediately.

Kapono's skills seem redundant on this team, as we have slow, good-shooting, bad athletes who don't defend etc. etc.. ??

who exactly are you talking about. Lets see what Kapono can do with the Raptors then make judgment. We shouldnt be looking for rebounding help through our wing players anyways thats going to come from an improvement from Bargs and another big man signing... I see Garbo playing more at the 4 this year.

I don't like this move that much. They need someone long. But at least they are getting someone who is pretty proven already and still has about 4 or 5 years before he peaks, instead of a "project" guy. Maybe now, AP can become more of a slasher/midrange kind of guy because I feel he settled for the 3 a little too much last year. Still money though.

I would love to see D-Mase come to Toronto. He would be the new Air Canada! Like....Air Canada 2.4

for some reason this does come as a surprise. the money involved is a surprise... but not the player. i'm fine with the signing so long as rebounding is addressed later. delfino's rebounding numbers are impressive for his minutes and position so i'd like to think he'll help on the wings. and i agree that garbo will probably play more 4 than 3 this season which should help his rebounding too.

and don't forget kapono is still young... and look how long great shooters last in the league... and how valuable they are to winning teams (Brent Berry of the Spurs comes to mind). which means we should have him in his prime, and that may prove to be key in tight playoff games.

Singleton is interesting only if Graham is really done with the Raps. We don't need two projects at SF. But, if Graham is dealt I think Singleton would be an interesting replacement.

I keep hoping for a Mo Pete sign and trade but someone needs to ffer him over the mid-level for that to happen and I just don't see him worth any more than that. So get ready to see him walk with nothing coming back in return.

Ok I would like to apologise for backing the signing. I just looked at his numbers and I am like , WOW. Does he have a good agent. I knew he was pretty much a one dimensional player but damn. 8ppg for his career? Is this the best we can do? This might be BCs first really big misstep. I can only think that he is doing this cause he has a trade package going somewhere to free up the salary hit for a simple shooter.

I think some people are forgetting what makes great teams so tough to deal with. A superstar or two mixed with good coaching and CONSISTENT roll players. If you look at Kapono's numbers (especially when Shaq and Wade were hurt) they are consistently high percentage...especially from downtown. Mo Pete on the other hand was as streaky as they come. God love him.
I think what this signing does is give the Raptors that Robert Horry type player that does something really well and sticks to it (Robert Horry's skill being getting under EVERYONE's skin)... in this case shooting from outside. Killer. We all remember Steve Kerr right? Daggers.

Sure it's not the defensive all star that we're all hoping for, but it's the right piece of the puzzle for going forward. DEFINITELY a step up from the streakiness of Mo. As much as I've loved Mo all these years, it was always a crap shoot with him.

Obviously there's always more coming from BC... and obviously we're all hoping for that defensive superstar, but this was an offensive gem of a signing.

All the best guys... it's going to be another great season to be a Raptors fan!

You guys know I like this signing, just for the fact that I know have a true UCLA baller whose Raps jersey I won't feel dumb wearing. (Martin? Moiso? Murray? McCoy? As an aside, have the Raps ever had a former Bruin whose first name didn't start with the letter M?)

As a spotup shooter, this kid is the truth and anyone who watched the Spurs knows how important those guys are to their offense.

As a defender, I have seen much better. But, as a few other posters have commented, we didn't acquire him to be Bruce Bowen.

I feel comfortable saying that I have seen Kapono more than 99% of Raps fans and that I think this is a solid signing by BC.

That being said, I may be somewhat biased....

Bring on training camp!!!

I had some initial reservations about this move, as Kapono is essentially a one dimensional player who doesn't help them in their areas of greatest need. On the other hand, this is clearly the guy that Colangelo wanted, and he is clearly a man with a plan. So I'll wait to see what other moves are made. At worst, though, we have the best three point shooter in the league, and there's always a role in the NBA for guys with one great skill.

I didn't know Utah was after MoPete, but that makes a lot of sense for them; they need anyone who can defend at the 2 spot. Sign and trade for Brewer? I didn't see enough of him last year to make a judgment. On the other hand, I love Paul Millsap, but I don't see Utah giving up on him.

I'm a fan of the St Louis Rams circa the end of the millenia, mid 80's firewagon hockey, and the Phoenix Suns.

Adding a guy who is all offense all the time and shoots 50% from three point range? I don't care if he can't guard anybody, so long as he can outscore everybody.

Remember when BC commented that he wanted a 7 second shot clock, and to score 130 points a game? I think he still does. While we all worry about finding a DJ Strawberry type to guard opposing forwards, he goes out and signs the league's purest bomber.

In other words, it's pure BC - everybody is looking one way, and he zig zags the other. So long as this isn't our 'Marcus Banks' moment, I'm cool with it.

Let's remember BC is a two time Executive of the year with outstanding team building experience. What he did in building the Rap's from 27 wins to 47 in one season is superb.
I have to think he knows a little more than all of us what was available to come to Rap's & was the best fit for our team.
Iam quite sure he was as much aware as every body here including Franchise who was available, and he contacted whoever he felt might fit, before settling on Kapono as the best available option.
Everybody just has to wait for the next moves. We still need a 3rd PG and a backup PF/C to round out the team.

Kapono… dead eye 3 point shooter with Chris Mullin type smarts. I think Kapono, alongside AP and Bargs will keep defenses honest with Jose and TJ selfless set-up men. Bosh will also fuel their fire with his willingness to kick out the ball in the event of double teams. I think ESPN was a little generous in their salary assessment of Kapono, as 6 million/per seems exorbitant… hopefully his deal is around 2.4 mill per with bonuses kickers. While addressing our offensive needs, and somewhat slashing needs with Delfino, the RAPS are still in dire need of a defensive/rebounding specialist. I’m thinking someone like Brezec, Medvedenko, Nahera, Singleton, Skinner, Milicic, or Outlaw. With this in place I think our team can have better success stopping penetration in helping out CB4 inside. With this said, I think Mo-Pete is no longer needed. I think he would excel in a system like Utah which will rejuvenate his career with an up and coming team under the tutelage of Jerry Sloan. Detroit also seems interesting, as he reside from Flint. All in all he was a loved Raptor, and served his 7 years out with pride and professionalism.

Maybe I am just trying to convince myself, but I am really starting to come around to the Kapono signing. I agree with the others who have said that a consistent 3 point specialist is an important part of a winning team.

I think the worry here is that people think Kapono is just another decent shooter. Actually, he may be the BEST shooter in the league. He is young so he will grow with this team and they will start to trust him and know where he will be. He is excellent coming off screens and has excellent basketball IQ.

Although we are a good shooting team, we don't want out best 3 point shooter to be our C. It will be an excellent luxery to have a dead eye SF nailing 3's.

Finally, looking at how much he cost, it may not be as rediculous as it seems. He is an unrestricted free agent, so it cost us nothing but $ to get him. Next is that he only signed for 4 years when he might have signed for more. Luke Walton signed for 6 years and 30 million - how does that compare to you guys? Lets wait and see what other FA's sign for before we complain too much.

As far as the other free agents go, I think most of them were out of the Raptors' price range. Mason is intriguing but if you thought MoPete was inconsistent, he ain't got nothin' on Mason, who can score 20 points in a half and then disappear for the rest of the game.

I think the Raps are better off getting a young player with potential (White, Singleton, Millsap) who won't cost too much rather than overpaying for a Nocioni or Mikki Moore.

I've been going over a lot of threads and write ups on these ever since I made my over on hoopsaddict.com, and a lot of people are concerned with Kapono's lack of rebounding it seems.

I've pointed it out on my own discussion, but I wanted to also say that I think that having an improved Bargs + Bosh + Hump + Garbo(Healthy) + Nesterovich + Delfino (who avg 3.x rpg in less than 20 minutes a game) may be enough. I think that the way the team's structured, we can expect now to have Delfino and Garbo as SFs with Kapono backing up Anthony Parker, giving us the scoring off the bench that we'll be missing with Bargs moving up to the starting lineup.

I was ansy at first about this signing, but within the framework of the other deal that Bryan's pulled off so far, I think it's a good addition. I don't mind giving him those dollars as long as it guarentees we have him signed up.

Bosh needs space to penetrate from the mid range. If there is someone big gumming up the paint, Bosh gets reduced to a jump shooter. So, the best way to defend against him is to jam up the middle (see the NJ series). Conveniently, that also works against TJ and his forays into the paint. What would another slasher do? Slam into the same wall of bodies that Bosh and TJ already hit.

What if we sign the best 3pt shooter in the NBA? Not just a good one - the BEST. Teams that help on defense against us will get absolutely punished. Whenever anyone doubles or helps to Bosh or TJ, just swing the ball to kapono, parker or bargs for the 3pt shot. Money in the bank.

By forcing people to stay at home, we keep the middle clear for Bosh and TJ. Parker can always look to sneak backdoor, and Bargs can do whatever the hell he's gonna do this year.

In this theory then, what is Kapono's job? Stand at the 3pt line and hit a good percentage. He can do that better than ANYONE in the NBA.

I'm convinced. Go colangelo go.

For everyone concerned about Kapono's rebounding here's a look at current Raps rebounds
from SF/SG/PG's
Ford 3.1
AP 3.9
Dixon 2.8
MoPete 3.3
Jose 1.7
Joey 3.1

Kapona 2.7 overall
Kapona 3.4 starting
Team Total 39.5
Opponents 42.5

Raptors don't need to add a monster rebounder @ SF/PF or
Center all they need is consistent EFFORT on rebounding by everyone.
Kapono fits in with everyone on the team. No better no worse.

I'm really upset if he does get paid 6 mil but even if we paid him 4 mil we probably wouldn't of gotten anyone much with the leftover 2 mil. I hope that BC makes some more moves cause this move doesn't make the raps that much better. I'm hoping for something fairly big. I liked your idea of the Graham and Mo for Mason and Armstrong. Although I don't know if New Orleans would go for it. I can't imagine that BC is done we've got two many guards. There most be a trade coming. Hopefully! By the way since you can't announce signings till the 11th could BC back out of this signing, personally I would!

I am baffled that people are "worried" about Kapono's rebounding skills.

He is the BEST long-range shooter in the NBA. Period. Point blank.

Worrying about his lack of rebounding is akin to getting the league's top shot blocker and complaining about his 3-point shooting.

I was watching PTI on ESPN today and they mentioned the Kapono signing and they did not think this was all that good a signing. I have to agree I really don't think this is good for the Raptors, there are so many other free agents available that can rebound and play defense, we are full of shooters we need REBOUNDER, and in regards to MoPete, he has been the Raptors and just like that he will be gone, how dare BC I don't know what he is trying to do with the raptors but I am not pleased with all his signing, Raptors fans should always remenber the playoff, and remember defense and rebounding win championship not a bunch of shooters.

Bosh needs space to penetrate from the mid range. If there is someone big gumming up the paint, Bosh gets reduced to a jump shooter. So, the best way to defend against him is to jam up the middle (see the NJ series). Conveniently, that also works against TJ and his forays into the paint. What would another slasher do? Slam into the same wall of bodies that Bosh and TJ already hit.

What if we sign the best 3pt shooter in the NBA? Not just a good one - the BEST. Teams that help on defense against us will get absolutely punished. Whenever anyone doubles or helps to Bosh or TJ, just swing the ball to kapono, parker or bargs for the 3pt shot. Money in the bank.

You said it perfectly. I could not agree more. By opening up the middle and stretching the defense, Bosh and Bargs can get MORE rebounds. These two are young, and Bargs is still learning his position. Having AP and Kaps hitting 3s, man, that is sweet. Bargs and Bosh showed this season that they can pass too, so I expect the assist numbers to go up.

Was Rasho really given a chance, BTW? He seemed to be in Smitch's doghouse most of the year. When he was on, those easy layups and post-ups did not happen as much. I would like Rasho to get MORE minutes in a 2nd-unit role.

I think the Raptors have good players here.

Now, they just need consistent coaching. In the series against NJ, they were out-coached. I think Smitch can learn like anyone else, so I am hoping for 50+ wins.

To continue my comments...the Raptors have to keep an eye on the Knicks, aquiring Zach Randolph we should be concentrating on a getting a dominaring center instead of a shooter, I would be very disapointed if the Knicks got into the playoffs and we did not.

"do not win with a bunch of shooters"

Keep in mind, Phoenix was the only team to take the Spurs to 6 games. And they missed key players in key games due to questionable officiating. The series could have gone either way.

Phoenix is known for shooting. Fill in the dots.

Also mentioned in this thread was the theme "watching out for your rivals". Well, I think that when you have a vision of where you want to go, you do not CARE what other teams are doing. You do what you think you need to do to make YOUR team. And I think no can argue that this IS BC's team.

The only thing that surprised me about BC's moves was his re-signing of Sam. I know, I know, this site and its fans likes the move. I am still skeptical of whether Sam can take this team to the next level.

In my opinion, what the Raps need is a defensive specialist assistant COACH, not a player.

"concentrating on a getting a dominaring center"

BTW, arguably the best two centers in the East, Shaq and Wallace, did diddley for their teams. The heat were out in 4, and the Bulls still could not get by the Pistons. The Cavs made to the finals with ZI (a white guy BTW).

Sigh. Having a center will not be the answer. That is too simple, I think. Playing smart, and playing a team game - that wins championships. Just ask the Spurs.

Playing smart, playing as a team - can Smitch get the Raps to do that? Consistently?

Slap on the wrist with a wet noodle for the picture of Kapono included in your article - come on man you are talkig about a shooter and the best picture you can find shows him looking for nickles. Reminds me of the picture of Bob Stanfield fumbling a football and his prime ministerial ambitions.
You are either really against this signing or your research techniques need to improve - I suspect the former without reading your article.

Marcia, not sure I understand your Mo Pete comment. The reason Mo Pete is leaving is Mo Pete, not BC. He showed this year that his skill set is clearly on a decline and frankly, we’ve been waiting 7 years for some consistency. Love Mo Pete, but let’s stop villainizing BC for his immanent departure.

Defense wins championships not offence. Right? We’ll maybe not. One thing that BC has proven is that he doesn’t follow the crowed. He doesn’t go by what ESPN has to say. He follows his own instincts. There is one certainty about the roster he has built, defense is not his focus. Rebounding? Not really high on the priority list. Why are we all suddenly surprised by this?

Does it work? We’ll, I’m sure someone will reply and say that the Spurs win with defense. But look at Phoenix (which BC had a hand in building). They were frustratingly impotent on the boards, but still would have been the champs this year if not for Stern (in my mind, they were the champs). BC has a clear vision of outscoring opponents. We should not expect him to veer from that all of a sudden.

The interesting question here is what happens with Graham? I was thinking you give him anther year. But with minutes going to Jason, Carlos and Jorge, there is just not that much to go around. Interestingly, how happy do you think Carlos is about this acquisition?

Gerry: I agree with some of what you say: I’m not confident that Smitch is the guy to lead us to the Promised Land. But I do not think that a defensive specialist per se is what we need. I think a better rounded coach would be nice: with a solider defensive system, and more well rounded offensive schemes. Though, on both matters, we could do a lot worse than Smitch.

On an unrelated note: I take exception with general the maxim that ‘defence wins championships’. While San Antonio was the best Opp/PPg team last year, they also happened to have the highest point differential. The former I think is the more significant indicator of success. Whether you’re good defensively, and ok offensively like San Antonio or Good offensively and ok defensively like Phoenix; So long as you manage to outscore your opponent you win the game.

It would be interesting to see a well done study investigating the relationship between points scored and given up in the regular season, and points scored and given up ion the playoffs. It seems that people expect that there would be a stronger correlation between points given up in the regular season and in the playoffs, than between points scored in the play-offs and in the regular season.

At any rate, Toronto was 10th in the league in point differential last year. The additions of Delfino and Kapono, without loosing any roster players, will surely contribute to an improvement here. Certainly on the offensive side of the ledger, but probably on the defensive side also. Deflino would be a defensive upgrade over Dixon, and barring a miraculous leap in abilities, Kapono should be an improvement in over-all team defence over Joey Graham. Certainly an improvement over bad Joey at any rate!

As an aside: we were brutal in rebound differential, middle of the pack in block differential and third in the league in steal differential.

Opinion: I think Bargs has what it takes to be an above average defensive centre.

Gerry says....you are singing an old tune again as you said this is BC teams and just like you said about Sam, it sounds to me like you are in the forest alone everyone is gone and you are left beating the drum, Sam is a good coach right now we have new subjects not liking Sam is boring and old.

I think a lot of people are missing the point here (in the bigger picture sense). Initially I thought this was a good signing (much like initially I liked the Allen trade for Boston). Now I have my doubts as to why this player? On the surface you are all correct in that having an excellent 3 point shooter on the raps will only help their offence. BC seems to prefer offence to defence and that in itself is fine, he is GM not us. The reason i question the move now is that I look at his numbers and I wonder what else does he bring? Does he bring enough to warrant adding to the team?
The answer is, I am really not sure. Two people made arguements for this signing which I will address.
#1 The Associates asked why complain when you got the best 3 point shooter in the league and compared it to having the best shot blocker in the league then complaining he cant hit 3s. You are totally missing the point. Toronto didn't need 3 point shooting (ok everyone needs it to some degree) as they have some people who can fill that role (bargnini for example). They needed rebounding. I can give you a prime example of overloading in one area at the expense of another. The Chicago Bulls. They continue to get defensive players at the expense of their offence. Yes they have a good offence but it is predominately a jump shot offence. They have no interior scoring and it cost them last year in the playoffs. No matter what anyone says, the Ben Wallace signing was a bad signing. If he could at least hit free throws he could make up for his lack of offensive output but he sucks at that and adds nothing to their offence. They would have been better off with Tyson Chandler.
The second arguement was that the team as individuals had poor rebounding so Kapono fits in. I disagree. Adding another player who won't rebound isnt going to help them. Look at the Cavs. They did not belong in those finals against the Spurs but they got there because they are one of the best REBOUNDING teams in the league. The stat you displayed only proved that Toronto needs more rebounding. Yes it is only a couple of rebounds per game but rebounding is usually a telling stat not to mention that it just shows that Bosh is having to shoulder too much of that kind of work down low. NJ is a prime example of this. Toronto lost that series due to their inexperience. NJ's front court adds nothing for them rebound wise and it hurt them. Even as bad as Toronto was at times last year getting rebounds they are awesome compared to NJ. If things had been a little different Toronto would have rolled over NJ for that reason alone. Don't kid yourself, rebounding is an important part of the game and Kapono adds nothing to this.

McG-'The reason i question the move now is that I look at his numbers and I wonder what else does he bring? Does he bring enough to warrant adding to the team?'

RA- 'He is excellent coming off screens and has excellent basketball IQ.'

I haven't seen him play much, but this does seem to be the view of a lot of people. If that statement is accurate, then he should fit in very well with our ball movement oriented offence.

Clearly that remains to be seen. But BC sees him as bringing a positive contribution to the team, as well as being a complementary peice to the puzzle. While he may not specifically address defense or rebounding, he will hopefully fit in, and make the team better, which is the ultimate goal of any acquisition.

Admittedly, the question remains whether we could have signed another free agent who would have had a greater positive impact on the team. I would have prefered Barnes or Nocioni. But they were extremely unlikely signings.

The more I've thought about it, the more I've come to like this move. Personally, I have more doubts about the other guys we could have signed, than I do about Kapono.

Marcia - another well thought out and intelligent post!

McGateway - I agree, the raps do need to improve their rebounding. But are you really going to do that by adding a rebounding SF and would it be worth it? I have been looking for a good rebounding SF for 6 months, and they are out there. However, guys that can rebound AND do something else all are out of our budget. If we sign a Charlie Hayes or a Singleton type player, they hurt us on the offensive end.

We all saw the raps get stifled by jamming up the middle. By adding Kapono, we can punish teams that do that to us. We also allow Bargs to play closer to the basket.

I think we can all agree that Kapono doesn't fill the rebounder definition that we are all looking for, but he does serve a very important role - spreading the floor. Delfino isn't a bad reounder and we will have to improve that department in other ways now. By spreading the floor, opponents will have less people in the paint to rebound. Can't we just wait and see what happens, BC has earned a little patience.

If this team is able to pick up someone who was the "best" at something, that's always a good thing. I don't think the raps have ever had a player that was the best at something. Maybe, just maybe Alvin Robertson at steals in year one?

That means, a Juan Dixon, Luke Jackson, Mo Pete were not on the same level as a Kapono, i.e. not redundant.

If this team stays exactly the same as last year, will they get significantly better?

I think now's the time to trade your non core pieces. Garbo, Rasho, Parker (and y'all know I love Parker). If the peak for this team is 3 years from now, those guys most likely won't fit in.

People people, settle down. I know there are many who would have liked to see a big name get signed this summer. Or even a "bigger" name than that of Kapono. But with the modest crop of free agents out there, and given the salary cap situation Colangelo is working with, you have to realize that every frickin FA out there is going to get overpaid this summer. Without any bidding wars he quickly grabs Kapono, who is coming off a season where he established himself as not only the BEST 3-pt shooter in the league but also a legit starter, to wit:
Kapono started all 12 games in Feb last season and averaged 14.5, 4.1, 1.7 with 2 3PTM in 33 minutes. Compare that to Tayshaun Prince who for the season averaged 14.3, 5.2, 2.8 in 36 minutes. Tayshaun gives you great opponent shooting % but this is to give an idea that Kapono does a bit more than just shoot and may actually be a nice bargain in this market.

And to those of you who still cling to this idea that the Raps are flooded with great 3pt shooting: get a bloody grip! Did you not watch the playoffs? Your beloved Parker did not hit a 3 in the final three games of the series. And there was only one game in which the Raptors hit more 3s than NJ and that was game 1, when the Raps shot 7-19 and the Nets shot 6-22. Every other game we were outscored from beyond the arc. All the while Bosh was getting collapsed on in the paint.

Next offseason awaits the greatest FA market in the history of the league, and with so many good players available it becomes possible to sign one without over-extending too much. Why would BC blow his wad this offseason when every move he has made has been to align his finances with this window of opportunity?

Everytime a move is made there is a wash of ridiculous comments. Why not take a couple of days and think on it before going ape on the boards?

what I don't get is where some people are getting this notion that the raps were somehow an excellent 3 point shooting team last year. the year before, yes. last year? not so much.

having kapono shooting the 3 is a lot different than having bargs do it, or garbajosa, in that we don't have to rely on them to do it anymore. maybe they can spend more time in the paint now. anybody??

think about it: if parker comes back shooting his percentages from his corner, then you throw kapono in the other, what does that do for bosh and bargs in the middle?? that's pretty fierce, if you really stop to think about it. if bargs can come back playing a stronger game at centre, along side one of the best PF's in the league, and two of, say, the top 5 3 point shooters sitting in the corners...

think about it.

and outside of parker and bargs, who else really was shooting a consistent 3 last year? mo? garbajosa? we all know mo won't be back next year, and I'm pretty sure we can all agree that garbs probably took too many of them. (his percentages certainly didn't justify it.)

so who's left? dixon? again, the guy's 5 foot nothing people!!? he won't, I hope dearly, be a serious part of this team moving forward. not with 5 foot nothing tj running the show.(no offense to the guy.)

I say bring on kapono.

Some really solid points about the Kapono signing on both sides of the fence. We'll be discussing both for the next little while for sure but for now I'm going to withold judgement until I see some more numbers information.

Interestingly, the East sounds like it's gained another small notch on its belt if the Rashard Lewis to the Magic rumours are true. That's a solid foundation for Orlando and one now has to wonder if both Darko and Hill will find other teams to ply their trade for next season.

Time will tell. Personally I'd rather Kapono over Mo Pete any day. Don't get me wrong, Mo's been with the Raps a long time, and it'd be good to see him finish out his career in a Raps uniform. The problem is he hides his Graham-like inconsistencies very well. I mean, seriously, the guy would be hot for the first ten minutes, get 12 points, and finish the game with 16 -- and it wasn't due to a lack of touches.

We'll see what happens, but having one of the (if not the) best three point shooters only helps our game, especially if Mitchell and co. get on Bosh and Bargnani about their lack of back-to-basket/paint scoring. Seriously, if Bosh/Bargnani end up ruling the paint and work on it, plus have their outside shots, plus have parker, Kapono, and TJ/Jose raining threes, who is going to stop 'em?

I agree to an extent we still need a slasher, but we almost already have that in TJ and Jose. They both proved last season they could slash, they just need to be encouraged to do so more IMO.

If the average fan were able to be GM we'd have a starting lineup of: The Red Rocket, JYD, Mo Pete, Alvin Williams, and Mike James.

If Kobe and Rashard were able to land in the East, I'd say we'd be in tough next year no matter who we sign.

Depending on what Indy, NY, Orl, Bos, Atl does the rest of the summer, this team may have to take a mini step back.

Shep

nobody has to push tj to go to the basket. Sometimes its way too much

Just to keep things real for a minute, since the playoffs ended, BC has;

- added the leagues best three point shooter (Kapono)

- traded for a talented small forward with lots of upside who can slash to the basket (Delfino)

- managed to dig up a late round 6'9" PF in the draft despite not having a pick.

All of which address painfully obvious needs the team had, and all of which make me think that perhaps he knows what he is doing better than Marcia.

"If the average fan were able to be GM we'd have a starting lineup of: The Red Rocket, JYD, Mo Pete, Alvin Williams, and Mike James."
Mike James??? Was he a fan favourite or something?

Swap Garbo in for Mo Pete and I'd say yeah. And I mean, if that was our starters, we'd have Slokar and Sow coming off the bench and seeing a lot more time.

Davl, I realize that it looked like TJ did it "too much" but really, the issue wasn't with him driving the lane, it was with how rare it was for him to actually pass out once he was in the lane and had guys open. Calderon too. It could just be a function of how small they are relative to who's normally patrolling the inside, but the driving layup does work well.

Like the Star says, our bread and butter is the high screen 'n' roll. Kapono will fit into that nicely, and gives us a clear starting lineup as far as I'm concerned.

I'd honestly hope at this point Colangelo finds a way to deal Graham and get back a third string PG or another big guy who's feeling lonely on the bench somewhere for cheap.

Whoops, by "Mo Pete" I meant to say "Mike James" in that last post.

And LOL@Bedhead.
One thing though, I haven't seen much of him, but is Delfino's D worth mentioning? I mean, it seems like the lower half of our roster before the end of the season could maybe defend your average elementary school child, but most highschoolers would blow past 'em. Okay, I exaggerate to an extreme, however it's not like Calderon, Jackson, Dixon, or Mo Pete were outstanding in their D. Mo was probably the best and I still think at times TJ did a better job.

Marcia - "Don't kid yourself, rebounding is an important part of the game and Kapono adds nothing to this."

I disagree. By being such a massive threat from behind the 3pt line, Kapono prevents small forwards from rebounding aggressively on the defensive end. On many plays, the only people in the paint will be the opposition power forward and point guard. With all that extra space, and with Bosh's mobility, we should see Bosh gather more offensive rebounds.

Defensively, Kapono is not a liability. As long as he can stand between his man and the rim, he won't be a worse rebounder than MoPete or Joey Graham.

Net result: A few more offensive boards, a wash on the defensive end.

okok, maybe not Mike James, I try and use his name whenever I can. Maybe Calderon then.

Though the all-time most hated former raptor team could be quite decent.

Mighty Mouse at G, VC at SG, T-Mac at SF, Camby at C, AD at PF. Off the bench: Doug Christie, Kenney Anderson, Hakeem, Alonzo.

Shep

We are in complete agreement only I prefer to have JC driving to the basket and TJ slashing and passing out. I think JC finishes better. Just my opinion.

ZoneD has a point, that's a terrible picture of Kapono. And what is that defender, uh...defending with his right hand anyway? Leggo that man's Eggo!

Keon,

You are going to have to explain to me why anyone would pay attention to someone who can't spell 'Peace and Love' correctly, let alone someone who idealizes KEON CLARK!

Unless you actually ARE Keon Clark, in which case, that explains everything.

'We are in complete agreement only I prefer to have JC driving to the basket and TJ slashing and passing out. I think JC finishes better. Just my opinion.'

Not an opinion so much. JC has one of the better lay up conversion rates for PG's in the league. I forget where TJ ranks, but it was certainly not above average as I recall.

About the photo...

I wanted a UCLA pick of Kap-One but most were of terrible quality, or incredibly small. So I grabbed this one as it showed a bit of the hustle and grit Kapono showed with the Bruins that I'm hoping we'll see with the Raps next year.

PS - Let's keep this discussion about Kapono and my sketchy photo selection choices and not about the folks posting the comments...

What's all this gibberish about defense and rebounding. We scored in the 80s the entire Nets series. Bring on Kapono, bring on the points!

To me it's clear that BC and Sam are eyeing Garbo to play at PF, coming off the bench to give some quality time for resting Bosh and Bargs. In fact, it amazes me how well he played at SF this last year, to the point that some people think of him as a SF (!) when he had never played this position while in Europe. However I do see him occasionally starting as SF for a given matchup (he did a great job on people like Paul Pierce last year).

Also from the list of SF free agents in the post, i only see Nocioni being better than Kapono and there's no way the Bulls are not matching him for the MLE we would offer.

I would agree that the reported salary for Kapono is probably too high, but all in all I'm very happy to have landed both him and Delfino.

By the way, offtopic but this just came in the news and it may be interesting to some of you: Juan Carlos Navarro, considered the best non-NBA player in the Euroleague (along with Scola and Papaloukas) has reached an agreement with his club Barcelona to opt out of his contract and will be joining the NBA this year (probably in the Wizards, who own his rights).

Peace,

I feel the idea behind Sam's success is his work hard in practice ethic. This relates to BC's choice of players...

Sam and BC appear to believe playing dee comes from hard work in practice. I believe that too. So if these guys fall into this system then I believe the team concept of defense will be a prevlant character of this team.

We've seen them play superb team at times and I think that (even though I didn't think Kopone was wise, at least for the money first said) this team will be characterized by a strong defensive work ethic coming from the coaching staff...

thus said, I say bring on young offensive weapons and teach them hard work, dee and team with some B-ball smarts and that to me is a recipe of what the raps are, a TEAM.

Without injury, this team is gonna kick next year, just get another big body that can work in practice and we are in the right direction..

Cheers

What are the chances of a Darko signing? Are they all but out the window now that we inked Kapono?

What's our cap situation now?

@Bedhead

As I understand it, Kap-One's (great nickname) contract will eat the vast majority of our mid-level exception which leaves us right up against the cap.

As for Darko...I keep going back and forth on him. There is obviously talent there, but everytime I seem him he doesn't really stand out, or he makes a bad play and stands out in all the wrong ways. You just know someone is going to throw a ton of money at him, and I don't think I want that to be us. Add in the fact that we'd probably have to pull a sign and trade, and it seems pretty unattractive. If he turns into a monster down the road, good for him, but I just don't believe.

....also, Orlando not contacting him (Darko) at all is BRILLIANT on their part. By doing that, they cast doubts about him around an already skeptical league, and maybe they can scare off some potential suitors and keep his price down.

Even though we're against the cap, I thought we could go over it as long as we paid the extra money that would entail?

The only way I could see us landing Darko would be somehow working the rules so that we could do a S&T with Detroit or Utah -- Mo Pete for Darko. Assuming the money was similar for both, I don't even know if that's possible (I'm cap-ologically ignorant), but if it was, I'm still not sure that Darko would fit this team well.

Other than moving Rasho, what could we really do?

I'm personally in favour of not revamping the team again.

I think we should try to move Rasho. I like him, but for the money we are paying him we could get a lot more value. But in there lies the problem...is there anyone willing to take his contract.

Seattle could use a vetern centre and have som cap sapce. Could we pry collison or wilcox away? Or can we get involved in the Rashard Lewis sign and trade.

Don't know how sign and trades can work but

Rashard to Orlando
Milicic to Toronto
Rasho (or Joey G and second rounder) to Seattle

Some great comments here. Here are my 3 cents:

1. Franchise, your preference for Salmons, who averaged 7.5 2.7 2.7 in 25 MPG prior to his signing by the Raps, er, Kings, and then produced "big" numbers of 8.5 3.3 3.2 in 27 MPG, hurts your credibility a bit. And Salmons signed a 23 million, 5 year deal with the Raps and then got 25.5 from the Kings. He might be god-fearing and all but we would all be saying, goddammit, we are paying 4.5 million a season the next 4 years for this? Kapono might not be great at anything but 3 point shooting, but at least he is great at something, as opposed to Salmons or Fred Jones.

2. Nobody has really mentioned that Bargs can only get better inside. 4 RPG aren't bad for a rookie who was not used to the more physical NBA game. Calling him a 250-pound finesse player just 'cuz he can bomb from outside in unfair. He averaged 5 RPG in March when he was really coming on until he got sick. Dirk had only 3.5 RPG his first year and has averaged 9 RPG the past 7. Bargs can block shots too.

3. I think BC didn't overpay compared to some team that will overpay ($9 mill/year?) for Sideshow Varejao. Maybe BC feels the Raps aren't ready for the final piece and he will wait to use Rasho's expiring contract next year to get that defensive presence. Let's face it, the Celtics and Nets are only getting older and not better (except for the Jeffersons on both teams), I am not sure what to make of the Z-bo Knicks, and the Raps have better youth in place than Philly. BC is building to win the Atlantic for the long haul and Kapono at 26 is still on the upside of his career. I don't think the Raps are ready to take the East THIS SEASON. So why not make them extremely fun to watch with Kapono and next year (using Rasho's contract) add the final defensive piece?

I think BC got us the best player available given the talent on the market and the likelihood of them signing with Toronto. Kapono fits our system in that he will clear out the lane with him, parker and bargs parked out on the perimeter.

Like many of you I was hoping we could pick up a slasher that could also hit the odd outside shot but realistically we wouldn't have been able to afford someone of that caliber (i.e. Wallace).

A Desmond Mason signing would have been a whole lot worse. He's just a guy that everyone has been waiting for to break out and it's never happened. Yes, he would bring athleticism but there are alot of althetic guys who have never made it as consistent NBA ballers. He's one of them.

With respect to D and rebounding. I agree that Bargs will be much improved in this area over the course of next season similarily to his substantial improvement in his defensive game in less than a full year. We are also a team that believes more in team D than we do in man-to-man D which allows for players with mediocre D to play better so long as they fall into the system.

All in all after much deliberation if Kapono can shoot like he did last year, the Raps should be improved over last year especially when it gets to the playoffs.

Raptor's CAP status for '07

Current 62.8 mil
Bi-Annual EX 1.98 mil PF/C
Vetern EX 1.2 mil PG
Total 65.98 mil
Cap Est 56.0 mil
Lux Tax est 70.0 mil

Includes Kapono at 5.0 mil
Also Alvin Wms at 4.5 mil
Williams will come off next year. Calderon,Dixon and Humphries will be FA's next year, with Jose & Kris RFA's

I got censored, thats so unfair!
So these yuppies can mock marcia, but get away with it?

Whats wrong with that picture?

Franchise, why don't you check out Robert Archibald's post...the one were he disses marcia's grammar!

I mean, come on seriously!
Grammar!..Its a basketball blog, gimme a break!

I dont like being censored!
peas&luv

oh, and bedhead....if i wanted to type peace and love..i would..i chose not too, i dont conform, period!

Keon...I don't let this guy bother me, when I am in my office my grammer is present when I talk basketball I don't really care about grammer, this guy that talks about my grammer sounds like a boring nurde to me. Anyway Orlando is not interested in Darko, I think Darko should go back to Europe and play because he is not doing a good job here, and why should MP and all those other free agents leave their hot state to come to cold Canada and I still think this was a terrible signing the Heat did not want JC so why should we, the Raptors always take the players that no team wants!!, and oh Robert Archibald's I will remember to walk with my dictionary when I go to a Raptor's game so when they score I can look up the proper grammer for yoo dunk that rock in the hole/net!!

Why does everyone just call Kapono only a 3 pt shooter.
He is a SCORER period who should thrive in Rap's pass and share offense generated by TJ & Jose. He shot 65% more from inside the arc than from 3pt range.

He played only 67 games due to injury with 35 starts & 26/35 mpg With 2.7 total RB's & 3.4 as a starter.

MoPete Avg 3.3 RB this yr & our SG AP had 3.9 which was the best of the smaller G/F.

Kapono had 563FGA made 278 49.4% with only 210 3FGA made 108 51.4% and 353 2FGA made 170 48.1%

MoPete 517FGA made 222 42.9%
295/106 3FGA 35.9% @ $4.5 mil

Kapono is a steal @ $20-24 mil for 4 years and a clear upgrade over MoPete. Whether he starts or not will be up to the coaching staff.

Add Kapono to Delfino and BC has clearley upgraded our SF/SG wingman positions in both offense and defense with Delfino a one on one defender and Kapono a team defender both with reported good BB IQ.

Team DEFENSE - REBOUNDING will come from TEAM improvement & COMMITMENT from everyone, not from a super NEW SF-PF-C. There is no money available for Superman this year or next.

Keon - We've said and before and we'll say it again. If you use profanity on the site, the comment gets taken down asap - it's as simple as that.

PS - Johnn19 - I never said Salmons was the Raptors saviour, I just preferred him to Fred Jones. Sure Salmons didn't exactly have an All-Star season, but at least he wasn't stuck on a bench in Portland only to be included as cap fodder to the Knicks with Dan Dickau in the Randolph deal...

Franchise:
I did not diss your Salmons comment, it was jjdynomite.

"It's likely," said the Raptors GM when asked if he would use all his mid-level exception money on one free agent. "But it depends on the player. Sometimes in free agency, you have to over-pay and we're willing to do that if we feel we're going to get the right players."

Colangelo added that centre/forward Andrea Bargnani, who was second in rookie-of-the-year voting last season, has become bigger and stronger since the NBA season ended. Bargnani will play for Italy at the European championships.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Basketball/NBA/Toronto/2007/06/28/4297314-sun.html

He said this 3 days before the Kaps signing. He says he will probably overpay to get the guy he wants. And Kaps was mentioned in the article.

You gotta like BC for telling the truth. He said it. He did it. Not like the Leafs' Ferguson who flip-flops without any clear direction (yeah, I know, BB not hockey - sorry).

Another thing I pasted there was BC's comment about Bargs. That suggests to me that BC has no immediate plans on picking up a center, and may be willing to try AB there more regularly. If Bargs is still growing, (what, 7'1 now?), and gets bigger and stronger, won't that do the trick?

Just gotta convince him to fight down low for post-ups instead of settling for the floaters...

I hate it that Yahoo sports writers still refer to Bargs as 6'10 and 225. That was 2 years ago, Yahoo! Bargs is 21 - and still growing!

the raps always take the players noone wants?

Bottom line you cant compare past Raptors years with Colangelos first full year. Just doesnt make sense, it was hands down the most exciting year in raptors history thats it.

always thos ppl that are gonna rip on everythin the raps do cuz they know better.. you know because sams old and boring and the knicks are going to the promise land. wow

\\

"WOW"

80 comments on this article
and counting. Must be new
record.

Any chance the Raps pick up a rebounder Magloire or Melvin Ely?

It's important to respond without yelling

Even when you don't buy what they are selling

It's not the love or the peace
Or being called 'yuppies'

But what's with the 4th grade spelling?

Are your hands shaped like a hammer?

So that at keyboards you write with a stammer?

Either would be fine
(If only from time to time)

I just wish you'd improve your manners.

According to Doug Smith at Toronto Star Rap's offered Grant Hill the full MLE for 5 years and he was not interested. Wants to go to Phoenix or San Antonio to win now.
They then went to Kapono as the next best available choice and made their best offer to get the deal done fast before others got involved.

Blake Jeffries watch your grammer on this site the grammer police is watching, anyways Sam is not old and boring the Sam haters are old and boring, and we still need a couple of good rebounder. Peace and I am gone.

Looking forward to see the Raptors in action since they've signed Carlos DELFINO.

Please do come and visit my blog. Your comments and view are really appriciated

mundoalbiceleste.blogspot.com

I saw this today, and thought there's a chance we're involved behind the scenes: http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/03/is-juan-carlos-navarro-coming-to-the-nba/

Don't we hold the monopoly on European players? :D

Ok, I think you are all missing still missing the bigger picture here. Kapono is a carrer 8ppg player. He is not a kid, he is 26 and you have to believe that he is not going to be the starter if he is deficient defensively. So in essence you are paying 6 mil a year to a guy who will play 20 minutes and give you 8-10 ppg and nothing else? HELLO, earth koolaid drinkers.
Look, I believe BC knows what he is doing and I definitely believe that Kapono was a fall back position but my main issue here is that unless Kapono is going to break out next season (maybe he was held back in Miami) I just think that Toronto should have used their cap space more shrewdly. I could be wrong about Kapono and I freely admit that as I can only go by what I have seen (a heat game here and there) and what his stats say (2.5 rb/ga, 2Asts or something like that) and they are not impressive. I am just having Fred Jones flash backs is all. I am also concerned for Joey G. I was one of the people who backed the idea that Joey be given the job until he shows for sure he isnt good enough. He showed great flashes last year and this was a good time for him to break out. Then BC went and got Delfino which I thought was a great move as both insurance and to push Joey. But then the Kapono Signing makes me think that Joey is not going to get enough rope to make mistakes. There are now like 5 people under contract who can play the sf/sg spot (Parker, Delfino, Joey G, Garbo, and Kapono). So when is Joey going to get to play? If the idea is that the Joey G experiment is over where are the rumours of him getting shipped out? True, BC plays it pretty close to the vest but I am not getting that vibe from this move and we all should be.

"I am also concerned for Joey G. I was one of the people who backed the idea that Joey be given the job until he shows for sure he isnt good enough. He showed great flashes last year and this was a good time for him to break out."

Dude, Joey's flashes of greatness were tempered and punctuated usually by him being yanked from the game for colossal and frequently costly brain-farts.

I'd rather have a player who plays "okay" for twenty minutes a game than a player who plays great for ten and crappy for another ten.

Kapono addresses a Raptors
weakness exposed during the season and playoffs. Their inability to score off the Zone defense or teams who pack the paint against Bosh & Bargnani.
They lost to NJ because they could not make jump shots to break the Zone.
Kapono gives them a 48% 15/18' & 51% 3pt shot scorer who along with AP & Andrea should open the floor for the inside game.
The cost is only $1.5 mil in addition to MoPete's cost as he will be gone now, for a much better scorer, although not as good a one on one defender as MoPete, that is offset by the addition of Delfino. Rap's are primarily a team help defense team rather than one on one anyways & Kapono is ok in that type.

The coaching staff are very frustated with Joey's inconsistent play. They never know what to expect game to game. I think Joey will still get some PT as a defender in some situations at SF and PF. His athletic ability is the best on the team, and if he finally gets "IT" what the team needs from him he will find a place. If not early this year then Goodbye Joey.

McGateway:

Haha, I really don't think that taking minutes away from Joey is a valid criticism of any move whatsoever.

Everyone is so impatient with Joey. He deserves another chance, especially the way he finished off last season. Look what happened with O'Neal. Everyone gave up on him too early. Give Joey a chance. Delfino comes in as the backup SF with Jason being the back up SG.

I know it is the off-season and everyone wants to blow everything up, but I think we are being pretty hard on our team here. BC just won exec of the year, he knows what he is doing. No Kapono isn't Gerald Wallace but we only had the MLE to work with. When Del Curry was here, he was loved, no reason why Kapono shouldn't be as well.We got two good young players to grow with the core of the team that could both play significant roles for a while.

McGateway - Kapono's role has increased each year he has been in the league. His play earned him more and more time with the Heat this year, ahead of 'toine and Posey - not that either of them are anything great. Regardless, looking at Kapono's career stats isn't really fair because his role has expanded each year, and I dare say will continue to with the raps.

Erezona - I completely agree that we can keep giving Joey chances. He is practically the lowest paid player on our roster and still has potential to be what we have been waiting for. That said, he was drafted as a Senior, JO was drafted out of high school.

Marcia -
grammar police ARE watching
we need a couple of good rebounderS
Sorry to hurt your feelings, but when you raise such intelligent points as b-ball only being a black man's game and Euros not being able to play tough, you lose credibility when you write like an 8 year old. But Franchise is right, we are all hoops fan no need to hate on one another. I am sorry if I have sounded condescending, (that means I am talking down to you Marcia).