Sunday Afternoon Thought

Who is this alien? Where has the real Franchise gone? :-)

I don't want Starbury or Francis anywhere near this team. Ever. (and I don't think you really do either)

Livingston is a maybe, but I'd want to be REALLY certain about his injury.....

Franchise is a lil crazy with this, but maybe a lil crazy is what we need right now. Considering the lack of money we have to spend to fill out the roster, I would consider taking a chance on these former stars who fell off completely, they would def have a chip on their shoulder being the outcasts that they are, and both Francis and Marbury can still fill it up. The only question marks would be their attitudes. Francis is the same guy that was animated about not playing in Vancouver and Marbury is a drama queen. They would def have to eat some humble pie and check their attitudes at the door. Livingston is a intriguing player, but how healthy is that ankle?

God has told me that the time is finally right to go to Canada. Please sign me...please? What about Vancouver, is there a D-league team there?

Livingston is interesting, if healthy. He's not much of a shooter, however, and because of that, I think B.C. won't take a chance on him.

Francis has shown that he's more willing to either come off the bench or move to shooting guard, but he's got an arthritic knee if I'm not mistaken. I'd consider taking a chance on him if the medical staff approved.

If Marbury would be ok either coming off the bench or moving to the 2, he'd be ideal, but he's never shown a willingness to do either. I can't see the Raptors taking a chance on him.

I agree that there is definately some talent available in other team's trash - Delphino for example. But there has to be a fit and/or rediculous value.
Marbury = not a chance in hell.
Francis - Slightly more likely but still an odd fit.
Livingston - possible but i doubt the clippers wouldn't be willing to sign @ 2-3 mill a year contract (if he's happy there) so the value is average considering.
- Before we picked Nathan Jawai I thought Patrick O'Bryant or Rod Benson would be decent deep bench talent but may no longer be necessary.
Walter Hermann - a all around ok Delphino type but i'm not sure he'll wanna make 2 Mill a year rounding out a roster when he can play outside the NBA.
James Posey - will command the mid level and his surges in play follow contractual patterns. Bonzi Wells is almost a clone of him but may be cheaper.

Any way you put it BC will have to sell the franchise in order to get some cheap and effective veterans and i just dont think the current public perception is good enough to do so. A make good contract maybe offering a shot at a starting wing position but i dont see many fits there...I have a feeling we're gonna be looking at the same top 10 fellas at training camp for better or for worse.

Why don't we go for Zach Randolph and see if Lamond Murray wants to come back too.....love to be at that season ticket holder function.

Sorry guys. Good laugh though.

I honestly wouldn't care if they averaged 30 points a game, they are idiots a la Kobe.

Franchise: Francis/Marbury??? You crack me up sometimes. LOL You had me going for a minute…you’re good. Stay away from realgm site, ok.
Francis/Marbury…lmao

Edgar, I agree with the Benson or POB. Could be something there.
It just occured to me that Jose could just decide to stay home next year - fire his North American agent. Hmmm ... Bargs is unhappy with life in the Association. Both these guys are potential MIAs as money is not their main motivation.

Yeah, Marbury...um...who let Real GM takeover the site????

However Francis might be intersting. Maybe bc could sell his agent on the idea that he might play 25 mins a game as a backup or sixth-seventh man? After all, its when these guys get up in age that they decide to start playing for the team an dnot just themselves.

As for Livingston, not sure how many more injured guys we want to take a chance on. Wouldnt be too cool if at one point our starting centre, powerforward and backup pg were out with injuries.

Livingstone would be a great acquisition: throw the MLE at him -- has size and talent.
Avoid the other two Marbury and Francis like the plague.

Take a chance on a maligned former star?

I don't think the Raptor's locker room has the kind of forceful personalities capable of keeping such a player in line.

My offseason plan:

1) Designate Ukic as a combo guard, since as Givony's article states, "he's a pg that can't defend pgs". Have him supply some of the ballhandling from a swing that Delfino used to.

2) Sign a veteran backup pg that can D up and has a decent jumper. (Hopefully a player that's been bought out by another team, so they'll go for a below market value contract in exchange for no.2 pg status on a playoff team.

3) Throw a Jamario Moon type contract at a swingman whose eligible to play in the D-League. Then send them there.

4) Sign Paul Shirley and have him supply humorous quotes to the media, while taking over Gatorade Distribution duties from Calderon during games.

The NBA, where second (and third) chances happen.

As a representative of Vancouver i'd first like to say that we still carry a grudge against Fancis but in the right mind frame he could be a great spark off the bench..? Who knows......... i think posey is what you need thou. he is tough and all heart. As for back-up pg, BC has a lot of options and will likely pick the pg you lest suspect, except "the best point guard in the world" Stephan Marbury. Best of luck raptors, watch out for the blazers down west... as they should be smmmmmmokin..

No... No... and No.

If we were to sign Marbury/Francis and Smitch kills somebody, he would get off 'cause that's entrapment.

Marbury carries an absolute cap killer of a contract and he's a two guard, not a point, no matter what Jeff Van Gundy says. Starbury's "still a very, very good point guard"? Is JVG on crack?

Francis at this point in his career is a cheaper, banged-up version of Marbury. I'm still not interested.

Livingstone IS interesting, as he's a true point guard with great court vision, but I have a feeling he's probably too injury prone to have much of a career. Worth a look, though.

what about kenyon dooling?

I think he's a FA but I'm not sure if he's an UFA. He can guard the 1 and 2 positions very well, and can shoot the corner 3.

He should cost well under the MLE (3-3.5 mill) so there is enough room to fill out the roster without going over the cap.

I meant not going over the luxury tax

Glad to see my Sunday thought stirred up the pot ha ha...in reality, I have no desire to see Marbury here and Francis...well, not sure he's much better. Livingston would be a big risk too but perhaps if he's sitting out there after July 1, Toronto should take a look.

MAS - Love the Paul Shirley idea...in my books it's either him or Benson at the end of the bench.

As for Keyon...he'll be a bit part of tomorrow morning's discussion...

Why not Rod Benson AND Paul Shirley? Put them together with CB4's YouTube antics and we'd be the best insider-covered sports team EVER! LOL

Im with pretty much everyone else. No, no, and no. And it's a no to livingston as well. With no TJ, we will need a dependable pg for backups. As much as he is/might be a great player, we cant trust him to last a full season. With Calderon, this will be his first full year, and he was injured in his first year as well. So like I said, we need somebody who has a tough body, who can play the full 82 game schedule.

As per starbary and stevie franchise (the ball hogging, prima donna...not the great writer on this site) I'd rather have manute bole.

BTW, people keep talking about getting a big man coach for bargs...what is somone like Sabonis doing? He is international, has NBA experience, a great big man. And from all accounts a very high bball IQ. He sounds like the perfect fit. Does anyone konw what he is up to? I have a feeling he is back in Europe coaching, or gm'ing somewhere.

I actually think Chris Duhon would be a nice backup for Jose Calderon.. Roger Mason may be had for cheaper but I'm not sure his first stint in Toronto was all that memorable?

I absolutely agree with signing Paul Shirley as the 12th man.. in this day and age, organic internet marketing can only help the Raptors.

I really like Posey, more grit that we need....but why do people seem to assume he won't re-sign in Boston?

well roko ukic is coming to toronto this upcoming season so that already fills out the backup plus marbury has to much of an ego and is too full of himslef. Francis i don't know

Francis would be very intriguing. Starbury would be too much me-first. and Livingston would be interesting too. Im sure BC will be kicking the tires in respect to Livingston and his health status...

i think that Steve Francis Wouldn't be a bad idea,except for the fact that he was first drafted by the vancouver grizzleys' and didn't want to play in canada. But maybe his attitude has changed.