Summer Time in Vegas

by RaptorsHQ - Archives on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT in General

Could a former Blue Devil be backing up Jose next year?

While the Vegas league officially gets underway today, Toronto’s first game is against Sacramento tomorrow. After that, the Raptors will face Denver on Monday, Philly next Thursday, the LA Lakers next Friday and finally Golden State a week from tomorrow.

As we’ve previously touched on, this year’s Summer League roster contains a few well-known names in addition to some interesting players with NBA upside. We’ve talked at length already about guys like Benson, Lucas Jr, Adams and of course Joey Graham, so let’s take a look at the rest of the roster:

SEAN BANKS
Who is he? 6-8 Forward from Memphis.

Banks has been a D Leaguer for a few years now and last year with the LA Defenders was voted to the All-Star team. He averaged 21.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3 assists per game in the 07-08 campaign and talent wise looks to be ready to make the leap to the league.

What Can He Do? Some may remember Sean Banks for being a black cloud as a Memphis Tiger. Here’s a player who skipped out on the under 21 Team USA invite he received, only hours before, without explanation. Here’s a player who also was suspended numerous times by the Tigers, ended up in a post-game fight with a team-mate, and eventually entered the draft simply because he was forced off of Memphis due to academic issues. And that’s not even getting into his two arrests in high school, one for aggravated assault with a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child.

Yep, sounds like the perfect Raptor right? The thing is, skill-wise Banks is probably more talented than half players currently in the NBA. He has a silky smooth jumper, great size for the 3, and the ability to score from almost anywhere on the court. He’s a great rebounder as well for his position and doesn’t shy away from contact or from taking the ball to the hoop. Banks in fact was destined to be a lottery pick out of high school but never had the maturity to keep himself out of trouble. He was abandoned by his mother at an early age and is the classic case of a player with "out-of-this-world talent" who just never had the proper teaching, guidance and role models in his life. The last three years toiling in relative obscurity however seem to have been just what the doctor ordered in this department and it will be interesting to see how he plays in Vegas. If Banks can get his head on straight there’s no question he could be a great Stephen Jackson type player in this league; an inside-outside offensive threat and great, hard-nosed defender.

CJ GILES
Who is he? 6-11 Center from Oregon State.

From one troubled soul we head to the next. Giles averaged only about six points and six rebounds for the Beavers but at one point in his college career, looked like a potential first round pick. However, he was kicked off the Kansas Jayhawks basketball club for on and off-court violations, and was forced to resurrect his career by transferring to Oregon State. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out there for Giles either as he was dismissed after 10 games, and fell off the radar of most scouts.

What Can He Do? That being said, Giles does have a number of NBA attributes and is one of the more interesting players on this Raptors team. He has legit NBA size up front with a tremendous wingspan to boot. He’s still quite raw offensively, but it’s on the defensive end that he could have a tremendous impact off the bench for a club. He has that rare combination of athleticism and timing as a shot blocker and at only 23, still has a lot of room for growth and development.

Like Banks, Giles maturity issues have always overshadowed his on-court performance so the big question is, has he gotten things together yet? His college record doesn’t exactly read like that of a Shane Battier however it’s worth noting that his dismissal from Oregon State was perhaps more due to the firing of then head coach Jay John and the controversy surrounding the Beavers at that time than any one thing Giles did. After all, this is a player who paid his own way to get to Oregon State after flopping out with the Jayhawks, living in a garage and providing radio commentary on baseball games, so he doesn’t exactly have a prima donna attitude. A solid camp showing could see him finding a spot with an NBA team’s roster for next fall’s set of training camps.

THOMAS GARDNER
Who is he? 6-5 Forward from Missouri.

After going undrafted out of Missouri and playing a season in Belgium, Gardner latched onto the Chicago Bulls’ roster briefly last year appearing in four games for the Bulls.

What Can He Do? Gardner averaged nearly 20 points a game in his senior year for the Tigers and is a player who can score in bunches. While he played forward throughout most of his college career, he’s really your proverbial combo forward at the NBA level; not enough size or athleticism to play the 3, not a good enough ball handler and slasher to play the 2. He does have a great outside stroke though and is a solid defender using his strength and understanding of the game to keep opponents in front of him.

In terms of NBA potential, Gardner definitely has some, especially if he can continue to work on his ball-handling abilities. In many ways Gardner actually reminds me of former UConn Husky and Canadian National team member Denham Brown. Both are solid defensively although not the greatest athletes in the world, and will continue to be fringe NBAers until they hone one particular skill that gets them to stick with a team. In Gardner’s case however, he’s a much more consistent long-range shooter which could be his ticket.

DANIEL EWING
Who is he? 6-3 Guard from Duke.

Averaged 15.3 points and four assists in his senior season at Duke. He was drafted by the LA Clippers in 2006 and played in Moscow last year averaging 11 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

What Can He Do? Ewing has been on the Raptors’ radar for quite some time. He was brought in for a look during the 2006 draft working out against current NBA’ers like Monta Ellis, Raymond Felton, Jarrett Jack and Nate Robinson. Ewing has always been that shooting guard type who is seemingly trapped in a point guard’s body and while he drew comparisons to former Blue Devil Chris Duhon for obvious reasons, Ewing has never had the sort of point guard mentality that Duhon possesses.

However Ewing is a better offensive player and the hope from Toronto’s perspective is that he’s been able to hone his PG skills over the past few years to complement his scoring prowess. For Ewing to stick with Toronto after Summer League therefore, the team is going to want to see him control the offense, score when he has the opportunity to, and simply lead the club from the 1 spot.

COLEMAN COLLINS
Who is he? 6-9 Forward from Virginia Tech.

After graduating from Virginia Tech in 2007, Collins played with the Denver Nuggets’ Summer League entry last year and then spent the season working on his game with Ludwigsburg in Germany. There, the 6-9 forward averaged about 11 points and four rebounds.

What Can He Do? Collins is perhaps the player I know the least about on this team as I barely remember him even as an ACC opponent of Duke’s at V-Tech. He actually had a poor final season at Virginia compared to his two previous years and was hardly on scouts’ radars come draft time a year ago. However he had a very impressive Orlando pre-draft camp as one of those players who simply gets it done.

He’s not going to wow anyone with his athleticism, shooting, or scoring, and is undersized for a power forward at the NBA level, but is the type of player who could turn into a do-it-all bench man ala Ryan Gomes. I’m not sure how he fits on a Toronto team that hopefully already carries a few such types, but he has a chance to show other teams that he’s worked on his outside shooting stroke and is ready for a prime-time gig.

JOEL BOSH
Who is he? 6-7 Forward from Alabama State.

An All-State high school player, Bosh is looking to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Chris and get to the league. He averaged about five points and four rebounds in his senior year for Alabama State.

What Can He Do? There really isn’t much to discuss about Bosh at this point in time other than the fact that he’s more of a courtesy appointment to the team than a potential Raptor. Yes, Joel Bosh has some nice skills, including a good long-range shooting stroke, but "Bubba" from the now classic Youtube All-Star promo video for CB4, has a long ways to go before talking NBA.

He’s essentially my weight but almost a foot taller and considering he projects as a forward at the next level, needs to put on some serious size. He’s also just never been that prolific a scorer and considering he’s definitely not a point guard prospect either, doesn’t stand to make one of Toronto’s final roster spots. That being said, it will be a thrill for the young Texan just to run with the Raptors’ summer league entry and interesting for us fans to watch.

DEJI AKINDELE
Who is he? 6-10 Center from Chicago State.

After playing two seasons at Chicago State, Akindele spent last season splitting time between the Iowa Energy of the D-League, and Pau-Orthez of France. He averaged 12 points and 8.6 rebounds to go with 2.5 blocks per game in his final collegiate season.

What Can He Do? Raw, raw, raw. That’s about all you need to know about Akindele. He’s got the perfect NBA body for an NBA center with a long wingspan and fantastic athleticism to match. He’s extremely quick off his feet and has good instincts defensively, making him a very effective shot-blocker.

However the rawness piece factors in when you see how foul-prone Akindele is, not to mention his atrocious free-throw shooting mechanics and almost invisible offensive game. To top it off, Akindele is one of those players who THINKS he can do more offensively then he can. (I can recall seeing him pull up for long-range jumpers or settle for fadeaway turnaround J’s during his time at Chi. State.) However there’s no question that Akindele with some seasoning could be a nice bench player for a team, especially in terms of his defensive and shot-blocking abilities. He’s worked with uber-trainer Tim Grover in the past and with some more seasoning and basketball experience, perhaps could be a nice fit for an NBA club.

So all in all, who should Raptors’ fans be looking at? Well besides the sentimental favourites like Joel Bosh and Rod Benson, and the interesting reunion of former Oklahoma State teammates Joey Graham and John Lucas III, I think the focus should fall mainly on the point guard position.

There are really only two options in this spot for Toronto (unless someone like Hassan Adams or Sean Banks play some point forward) so it will be the Daniel Ewing and John Lucas show.

Of the two, Lucas projects better as a true point guard however Ewing is the more skilled of the two. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. In addition, Sean Banks and Rod Benson are still two players who I think could really help this team in limited minutes. Of course considering Toronto’s salary situation, it’s probably a real long-shot that anyone other than a 1 or a combo guard makes it to Toronto’s final roster.

That actually brings me to a question.

Yesterday on the site a few of our readers speculated that BC already has how much he wants to spend on a final contract. However, even if BC knows how much say Jawai is getting, Roko is owed, etc, how does he know about the final player? Perhaps he has a certain amount set aside (say $500,000) like a war chest. But even if that's the case, that won't guarantee him the player he may want. Let's say Daniel Ewing lights it up in summer league and Toronto wants him to be the club’s third stringer. With only a set amount available for him, there's no guarantee another team won't swoop in and offer Ewing more money.

So then does Toronto have basically a list of back-up options, hoping that one will take the league minimum or whatever the Raptors have set aside for a contract? Or will they be scouting as Vegas goes on in hopes of plucking another diamond in the rough out of Summer League muck? It’s a tough situation as in the NBA, $100,000 is like 20 bucks for most of us however considering how cash-strapped the Raptors are, Toronto may very well feel like the most they can up the ante to get the player they covet, IS about 20 bucks!

It’s sort of a strange situation in my opinion where Toronto may indeed be unable to afford the guy they really want. This then echoes back to the whole Roko situation. If they can't get who they really want, do they care? It sounded Wednesday like BC wants some insurance at the 1 behind Jose besides Roko so does Toronto already have an agreement with a certain player and are simply using Vegas as more of an opportunity for Adams, Graham and Jawai to get some run?

It’s hard to say.

But the whole situation is certainly intriguing and I’m quite anxious to see if Toronto in the end settles on a Ewing or a Lucas, or goes in another direction entirely.

I guess starting tomorrow afternoon, we’ll see how this all plays out.

FRANCHISE

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Comments

Am I right that league-minimum salaries don't count against the cap? If I am, that means BC can add a 14th guy without incurring tax consequences while still having a budget for the vital 13th man/combo guard. Jawai may not be ready for the NBA, even as a 13th man or may need the minutes the D-League can provide him. It makes sense to at least have the option of another big as a 14th guy.

by Sam on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

On Doug Smith's blog today:

I thought the question was hilarious, until I read Doug's response...interesting!

Q: Hey Dougie, maybe this Hassan Adams kid will turn into this year's sleeper. Now, I'm not the type to get fooled by a player's highlight reel. Obviously, (a clip I’ve seen) doesn't give a representative picture of the guy's overall game. HOWEVER... this guy isn't afraid to take it to the hole, and knows how to finish! The clip shows about five or six muscular, in-traffic slashes and dunks, which by my count is five or six more times than Moon did it last year. That alone endears the kid to me. But throw in the tenacious D that he is known for and I can see this guy maybe getting starter minutes at some point, probably at the 2 at AP's expense, but maybe even at SF. You agree?

Lee Z, Ottawa

A: I have no idea what Hassan Adams will end up doing here, or who’ll he’ll supplant in the rotation but I do know that my respected friend Dave D’Alessandro in New Jersey says Adams being cut was one of the most egregious personnel errors the Nets have made in years and that the Raptors brass who saw him at the free agent camp here were determined to sign him after about the second practice session.

I fully expect him to challenge Parker for minutes, if not the starting job at some time during the season based on what I’ve been told.

by Assistant GM on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

...and Sam...

...league minimum salaries don't count against the cap, but they do count against the luxury tax. Since we are only $1100 below the luxury tax, these exemptions are meaningless!

by Assistant GM on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks AGM. That answers my question and means us fans need to start a Boom Tho in TO movement now. Pay the tax. It'll be worth it!

by Sam on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Interesting...

"the lakers have made an offer to Jorge Garbajosa. The Spurs are also interested in the former Raptor forward"

by Zona on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Where did you hear the Garbo talk....I guess it would make sense,garbo & Paol

by d279 on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Hoopshype

by Zona on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Unbelievable...The Raps vs. Sacramento is not on Raptors TV tomorrow. They are choosing to show reruns of today's games instead. I even checked Sunday's schedule and they are not on the schedule...I'm annoyed!

by Assistant GM on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Are any of these games going to be televised? From the schedule on raptorsTV's website, it seems like none of the games are on. Too bad.

by Aaron on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah, the summer league coverage is suspect at best. It's never live so you end up watching it a day or two after the fact. We'll mention scores etc here on the site right after the games but will wait to watch the replays on Raps TV before getting into full-on breakdowns.

Assistant GM - thanks for answering the salary question. So yes, with that fact added into the equation, it really makes you scratch your head as to what Toronto will do in terms of final roster spots. If they grab someone they want for whatever min. amount they have set aside, good to go. If not...

Here's another question now that I think about it. It's a dollar for dollar luxury tax but if the Raps only go about $100,000 above, is it REALLY that big of a deal? I mean, that could mean the difference between a Darrell Armstrong and a Darrick Martin.

Really interesting option now that the Clips renounced his rights...Shaun Livingston. Not sure he's the insurance policy you want as a possible back-up at times to Jose but in terms of intrigue...

by Franchise on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

There is no TV coverage because MLSE will not spend money on Raps TV. they should have a crew out in Vegas filling reports, showing games, etc but no they just pick up the feed from NBA TV. It's a joke. No preseason games were shown either last year excluding the ones they picked up from Europe. May I suggest we all call or email in to Raptors TV and voice are anger because maybe they will realize that they have to at least show us the preseason games this year.

by raptorize blogmaster shayne on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

My question is, what can we turn hump into, we just snapped up some size, hump has a decent contract, maybe a vet who can only handle limited minutes would be perfect.

by axl on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Lets not be too quick to blame MLSE. We griped about lack of coverage on last year's Euro's and then we found out it was licensing issues. We don't know all the details.
Am not a Leaf fan but know enough that MLSE is not stingy. Personally am not a fan of going over the Cap. Why does everybody hate the Yankees? Buying championships cheapen the process. Garnett should of won in Minny and Bourque should of won with the Bruins.
While I would be glued in front of the TV for the Raps Vegas games, am willing to bet there is not 99 other people(with the exception of the loyal posters on this site). Keep in mind it is a business.
Playing Devil's Advocate - I doubt the WNBA draws 100 viewers either.

by Tinman on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

I recall reading somewhere that going over the tax negates a team from recieving money from other teams over the tax. therefore could it be that 100,000 over the tax means 2 mil less for MLSE? Also, if BC could somehow get ride of hump for some picks maybe that would clear up 2.5 mil. which they could use .5 to sign a benson or some other athletic rebounder to replace humps role and then have a coupla mil to throw at a decent backup pg. Does this make sense? Are there any teams that would want Hump?

by Carl on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

In regards to Summer League Coverage..

nba.com is showing all the summer league games including the raptors games on their website..Most of the games are live also...

go to the site and scroll to the bottom under events..
You might have to sign up first, like I did.. But it is free

by Coach C on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Tinman

My expectaions of a network is to show and cover the team through out the entire caledner year. Yes it's a bussiness but cutting corners and not satisfying there most pasionate customers to me is a joke. I realize they are doing this to save cash and sure its a bussiness decision and it's because there cheap. They spent money on the leafs salaries but the team was generating way way more then you can imagine and they did not pay there scouts well or get the best scouts in the business thus they are we they are now. The only reason they pay BC big bucks is because Babcock (who was the lowest paid GM in the NBA at the time) was running this team into extinction and if they did not get a big name in to come save the ship from sinking they would have lost more cash and not had a second tenant in the ACC.

Addressing your second stupid comment, teams going over the tax are not buying championchips this is not baseball, the extra 5 million this team would spend on tax they would likely make back in extra playoff revenue as in more rounds they would play. Yes it would be a gamble but it would be one that would pay big divends if this team makes it deep and would be a huge boost in upcoming seasons aswell. Buying championchips would mean there salaries far excced others and that is simply not the case either way.

For your third stupid comment in such a short span I might add. If the WNBA only gets 100 views (I know you were exagerating but your right) then clearly they get money from the NBA (its one company) so what I am expecting is MLSE to put some money into RAPS TV (not millions just some money to watch the summer league games and preseson games that us hardcore fans want and deserve as customers.

Cmon Tinman you can like a team but like the owners. If Mark Cuban owned the team do you think we would be having this conversation. No would be offering restriced free agents the midlevel, which could put us over the top by the way (which in turn would make MLSE millions more then the tax they would pay)

GO RAPS

by raptorize blogmaster shayne on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Blogmaster Shane -

Get spellcheck before you call someone's comments stupid.
Your spelling is horrible.

My comment about lack of Vegas coverage concluded by saying "we don't know all the details" and we don't. Do you work for NBATV? RAPTV? I think the more appropriate question, judging by your grammar is " where do you flip burgers?"

by Tinman on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

I sure hope Bc has at least more than the league minimum to offer for some leverage below the tax and I dream he has enough to pay the vets minimum.
If I was Bc I would hold on to the MLE and any other exceptions for two possible senarios. 1. If some player becomes available in free agency that I was sure was a bargain with huge upside or 2. If the Raps start Celtic-like I would use them to solidify the roster for the playoffs

by jimbo on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

I would be very surprised if any of the player on the summer league team end up on the final roster. Aside from the one that are already on there, of course. Only Ewing comes close to matching what the Raptors brass seems to be looking for. My best guess is that we end up with a veteran cast off, who can handle a few minutes at point on the occasions that Roko Ukic is really off.

by Sorael on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Carl,
The Dump Hump option is the kind of thing that I could imagine BC doing if he is stuck having to add people due to injuries - say if a Calderon goes down.

We forget how good some of these guys are. Hump has been pretty solid in his work ethic and attitude. Occassionally he puts up big numbers only to get the bench for the next 3 weeks while Bargnani grabs a rebound a game. As the fourth big, he is going to log some minutes this year on a more consistent basis, I think.
Or, Moon and Graham play some 4? Hump's role is debatable, but I think he is gonna play a lot this year if only to come in and foul hard for 5 minutes on some nights. But he is a guy who can score- though he needs to stop trying to play like he is Chris Bosh - and provide a serious difference 5 times a year. Those other guys won't do that.

Garbo to the Lakers blows my mind.

Tinman, Shayne:
Easy on the "Burgers" and "stupid" comments, please. This is a blog for fun and for all of us hardcore fans to just talk about stuff that is so far into the future and so unimportant in the greater scope of things. I don't need the pressure to have to perform.

In defence of Rob Babcock, he was executing a plan the Board at MLSE approved. Sort of like they probably did with John Ferguson. The suits who run the teams into the ground make stupid decisions and then blame others for them. BC, I am guessing, has the weight to lead those idiots around. And, he showed them how to make more money. BC was brought in by the NBA, really. Now they are finally willing to bring in Burke for the Leafs and let him make money by getting to the playoffs.

Soreal,
I agree that the last player the Raps add is not on their Vegas squad.

by EaseMyPain on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Just because I'm bored and slightly drunk, here's a couple fearless predictions for next season. In no particular order.

Despite LBJ's tremendous talent, Danny Ferry's idiocy will finally lead to a low playoff seed for the Cavs.

Detroit is going to make a major trade at some point. At least two of their starters from last season will be gone. This might not happen until right before the trade deadline.

Raptors will have homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. I will even go so far as to say that they will win at least one round.

The Magic will take a small step backwards. The signing of of Pietrus is not enough to keep their edge on the rest of the East.

Boston will have the best record in the East, but New Orleans or LA will have the leagues best record.

The Dallas Mavs won't make the playoffs, but they will come close.

Tracy McGrady will finally win a playoff series. Carmello and the Nuggets will not.

New York will suck again and they won't be much more fun to watch. D'Antoni and Walsh will take at least a full year to make any difference.

The Milwaulkee Bucks will be the biggest underachievers this season.

Atlanta will not make the playoffs, either the Nets or Pacers will take the final spot.

Washington will win about 42 games again this year and will lose again in the first round of the playoffs. Their defeat might even be at the hands of LBJ and the Cavs.

Derrick Rose will have a rough year and people will wonder if he was the right choice.

Kapono will win the 3-point shooting contest again.

Westbrook will win the rookie of the year.

Phoenix will continue it's slide into mediocrity. Though it will take another year or two before they stop making the playoffs.

Chris Paul will win the MVP, like he should have last year.

No sub .500 teams will make the playoffs in the East.

Bargnani will be better, but still frustratingly inconsistent.

Hassan Adams will turn out to be better than we all thought. So, will Roko Ukic.

That is all, night

by Sorael on Jul 11, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

What kind of value do our remaining expiring contracts have? It seems that is our only way to add talent, apart from minimum salaries.

by TJ Caino on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Is it a telling tale...I read somewhere that the 7 of the top 8 teams are in the luxury tax bracket,is that a coincidance ?
Playing with the big boys,we have to pay.... I dont foresee any Minesota Twins here...Dont get me wrong, there is always going to be the Knicks and Yankees who really dont care because of their markets.

by d279 on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Some interesting predictions, I would put Beasley ahead of Westbrook for ROY, I also agree with your prediction of Rose however I think he will become the best player from this draft class.

This is going to be lebron's 6th year in the league coming up. He has never had a good second option, how long does it take? Boozer would have made a good second option don't ya think?

I also agree with the comment about the Wizards, Gilbert is overrated and not good for that team. The guy is making around 20 million a year....not worth it. Caron and AJ are scorers above everything else, so it Gilbert. THe only problem is there is only one basketball. I think they should have split their money and offered Jose 10 million and offered Okafor 10 million. That way they would have two go to scorers in Butler and Jamison and two other guys who would be able to do other things that are needed to win ball games like pass, initiate offence, rebound, block shots and so on.

Rumour has it that the Clips will be going after Josh Smith and Emeka with the money they saved on Brand and Maggette. IF they can get both they nearly as good but a lot younger which means they can rebuild around those guys.

by wtf on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Sorael - Some good predictions, I'm actually along with you for the ride on the majority of them. I think the Beast on the Heat will win ROY but like you I think Rose will struggle in year 1.

I'm hoping the Clips get Smith at least. I actually feel bad about what happened to them with Brand and I think David Falk is at the root of things. However it's also changed my opinion of Brand, who was always one of my favourite players. And actually, what's with ex-Duke powerforwards giving their word on contracts and then going in the opposite direction?

I'm just waiting for Shavlik Randolph to make his move now...

by Franchise on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

LOL

by wtf on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

The reason I like westbrook is because OKC is still in the 'letting the young players get experience' mode, so he should get lots of PT without a whole lot of pressure. Beasley would definitely be my second choice. However, I think he's going to struggle as he gets used to playing against bigger and quicker PF's in the NBA.

The Clippers need to acquire either of Smith or Okafor if they want to be the least bit relevant. If they can get both they would be set for a long time. If they can only get one Okafor would fit better with their team and would be a decent replacement for brand. Smith is more exciting, but I think they would win less games with him.

I do think Rose will be a great player one day, but not this year. It's very hard for rookie point guards to pick up the NBA system. Also, Chicago will have a rookie head coach, with no previous coaching experience. It will take at least a year for both of them and the rest of the team to find their groove. They have a very bright future though. Especially since they should get another lottery pick next year.

by Sorael on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Joey Graham had FIFTEEN free throw attempts? Did he, dare I say it, aggressively, CONTINUOUSLY, go to the basket? Wow.

Oh, and 8 fouls to boot >_>

by Frank on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

I found this clip on the RealGM board. The video is on Bargs in his first Summer League in 2006.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=u15IORiDlz8

Talk about a completely different player with a different level of confidence. His shooting stroke is much different than what we saw last year...silky smooth! The poster on the RealGM commented that his weight was probably a factor. He was blocking shots, rebounding and seemed very quick on his feet. Maybe they really need to let him get back into his comfort zone and play his natural game. Having him bulk up has had a negative effect on his overall game.

by Assistant GM on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

According to league rules Greg Oden will still qualify for ROY. So I'm gonna go with him to win it.

by LAs Only on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

AssistantGM,
I do not think we have to go too deep into the analysis, the difference between that Andrea and the one we have now is that if the defender was one step away from him he would shoot over him with lethal accuracy. His shot was off this year so the defender could wait one step away keeping him from driving. End of the story. Note, every time his shot was falling (not many times indeed, but interestingly enough against Garnett and Rasheed) he was his old self all over again. So, that Andrea is still with us, the point is to have him to do something more than that. He needs to get stronger to be able to play defense without pushing too much, his defense against garnett, "looks" bad as he cannot keep his position against him, and Garnett is not the most powerful man in town. If he becomes strong enough to keep the position without looking "pushy" you already have an all star. Funny how people have tunnel vision about things, Dirk is a laughable defender, a slightly better on offense (when Andrea's shot is normal) and a better rebounder, we have also seen them playing against each other, thinking one is 22 and the other one has been around for 10 years I would say Andrea's ceiling seem to be higher.... not that you will read any of this on Realgm....

by renato on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

There were a lot of things that went wrong with Andrea last year. Trying to get him to switch positions and start was just foolish. Expecting him to be an elite interior player in his second year. That knee injury near the beginning of the year was huge.

There's not reason to give up on him. He clearly has talent, it just a matter of being patient.

by Sorael on Jul 12, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Sorael:
true, in relation to that I remember Colangelo making a statement at the end of the season in relation of "Putting Andra in a position to succeed" that was read as "At the opposite of what we have been doing". Maybe they are playing with the idea of Andrea as a big 3. If you look at that video, if Andrea offense is at that level with CB and JO and Parker and JC, it would mean a long night at the office for all opponents. You would need to become "creative" on the D thought. Maybe it would be a good idea to bring in a defense specialist. Who had Messina's cell num?

by renato on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Raptors take from the Lux Tax pool was $4 million this year. Don't look for them to pass that up by going over the limit, nor should they, until they have a shot to win, which is at least 2/3 years away.

by Johnn19 on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

If you want to put Andrea in a position to do well then you put him at the 4. The only problem is that Bosh plays the 4.

No that JO is here Andrea will mostly be playing against 4s because not that many teams have an actual center let alone a back up center. Its mostly powerforwards playing out of position which is what Andrea will be doing.

It'll be interesting to see how Jose does with the massive increase in minutes in addition to playing in the Olympics....although he never given any indication that he actually breaks down a little as the season proceeds.

by wtf on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Actually, the defensive specialist ONeal, and Adams might be better than we might think. I think Bosh could be persuaded to join the fray if Jerms set the tone. Were Peirce and Ray all that D-minded, before KG showed up?

I would really like to see Bargs at the 3. With ONeal in the fold for 2 years, that gives Jawai 2 years to develop. Don't know, I that kid could be something special. To me, that might indicate a switch in philosophy, that Bargs is not projected to be a center anymore - which would be a relief.

As a 3, he would present nightmare matchups for the opp, and Adams/AP could work the doubleteam if needs be, with Jerms and CB clgging the middle.

I think our 2nd unit could be interesting if people FINALLY start meeting expectations. Roko and AP/Adams, Kaps/Moon at the 3, Joey/Humps at 4, and a question at center. That lineup has some speed, shooting, and a little d and toughness. I would really like to see Humps get more consistent minutes in that second unit, BTW.

by gerry on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

I think Bargs would be absolutely terrible at the 3 and there are a few reasons why.

There is an abundance of centers in the league so often Bargs can play center because he is actually going up agianst a powerforward which is his natural position. There is certainly no lack of small forwards so he will be going up against legit small forwards on a nightly basis.

That means he has absolutely no chance of stopping any of them on the defensive end, they are way to quick and good off the dribble for Andrea to have any shot at stopping them.

On offence Andrea's biggest advantage is his ability to step out and take slower bigger guys off the dribble or attack them using his speed. If yoi put him at the three his biggest advantage has just be neutralized. He has absolutely zero post game and won't be able to back small forwards down so in addition to being useless on the defensive end he can't give us anythning on the offensive end either.

Note the above post was based on Andrea's rookie season where he actually did stuff for us not his sophmore season where he gave us nothing for the most part.

by wtf on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

wtf: your 2nd paragraph set off an alarm here at the dictionary.

Abundance: # Abundance (economics), the opposite of scarcity.

by dictionary on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

It wasn't just a question of Bargs' shot just not falling last year. The point I was trying to make was that his shooting mechanics have changed over the course of the first two years. The excess weight could have been a factor, but it doesn't necessarily mean it was the case. I do recall in his first season the Raps were saying that they were trying to get him to shoot with more of an arc. While I agree with that assessment, sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone. If it ain't broke, it don't need fixing. I do still believe that Bargs is a special player and I would like to see him play some at the 3 as well, since that was his natural position with Benetton. I think having JO on the team will really help him regain his confidence and hopefully....his shot!

by Assistant GM on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

yeah AssGM I agree that muscle development may be the root of Bargs' mechanics problems.

by ZoneD on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Whops I meant there is not an abundance of true centers

by wtf on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Andrea playing the 3?
Other x factors or questions going into the season

I have to agree with WTF
He can NOT guard any 3's in the east, maybe Orlando's.

Let's not forget who the small forwards are in the east that we would be facing him: Pierce, Prince, Lebron, Butler, Lewis or Turgulo, Iggy, J Smooth, Jefferson, etc. That is just defensively

Offensively I agree with WTF again here. I thought Lawrence Frank 2 years ago in the playoffs was brilliant in putting a smaller guy on Andrea he could not drive and Andrea just became an outside shooter with an athletic guy right in his face making his shots contested, rushed and him thinking twice about shooting. Andrea needs to use his quickness and he only has a quickness advantage on other bigs he needs to come off the bench and play the 4/5 he will have a much better offensive year and his defence was a lot better then people gave him credit for last year (excluding his rebounding offcourse) and I anticipate playing against backups his D will improve that much more this season. In fact I cant remember one game last year where the guy Andrea was guarding lit him up (I am sure it happened, but not as often as a wing player lit us up which was every bleeping night)
I can see Andrea having a huge impact for us and he will get to start a bunch of games becuase its very doubtful Oneal and Bosh will start 82 games this season.

He is defenalty on of those X factors or question marks for us this season.

Others would be Kapono.

Can he be the Kapono of the playoffs?

Graham/Adams can they make solid constant contributions when called upon this season?

Back up PG? It's only 10-12 minutes a game but Ukic or someone else has to atleast be decent.

Parker's Defence?
It has to get better he is not the most gifted defender but if Kapono starts he will be guarding the most explosive wing player on the opposing team and he has o do better then last year keeping guys in front of him?

Can Moon take it to the whole? Look this guy can do a lot of things very well but shooting 3's when we have Kapon, Jose, AP, Andrea is not a good idea, with his athletic ability he has to go to whole more, I know his handle is not the best but I can live with a few more turnovers if its in attemp to be more aggresive. Basically catch the ball and if your open go to the rim (he can actually pass good on drives as well)
To me Hump is not a question mark, he will be a solid rebounder and continue to bring energy.

Can we stay healty?
This goes for every team but we need our big 3 to play most of the season and be healthy for round one of the playoffs.

AND DRUMROLL PLEASE

THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION IS..

How good will our team defence be this year?

Let's face it we can score the ball, offence will not be a problem with our 2 post players a great point guard and great outside shooting.
Last year our team defence was awful. We could not stop penetration.
We could not stop leaving wide open quality shooters good looks mostly due to not keeping offensive players in front of us, our team rebounding was poor.
All these things have to get better and yes Oneal and Bosh are there when guys get open but we can not get broken down as much as we did last year it does not matter if Shaq and Howard are back there if a wing player gets past you and Oneal helps its a simple pass to the guy Oneal left open.

This bring me to the starting lineup.

I fell our best chance of sucsess is to come out early and stop people. As much as I want Kapono in the starting lineup this year I think Moon or maybe providing a miracle the Joey G of the last 20 games of the regular season 2 years ago should start at the 3, with Parker stating at the 2.
Having a weak defesive PG I really think if you through Kapono and Parker out there as the stating 1,2,3 it does not stand a chance in keeping opposing starters in front of them consistantly enough. Sure we could try to win 115-105 every night but might not work in the playoffs.

I would suggest a rotation like this

STARTERS:
ONEAL
BOSH
MOON (only if he stops shooting ill idvised 3's
AP
JOSE

BENCH
KAPONO
ANDREA- instant offence with Kapon and Andrea comming off the bench strecthing the floor and giving Bosh and or Oneal (who ever stay on the floor longer) more space to operate.

Rounding out the bench you have your energy guys

HUMP
JOEY
ADDAMS
BABY SHAQ

all four of these guys can provide a spark and will fight among themselves for what is allready limited minutes (watch out for Joey G to have a nice year and solify himself as an NBA contributer)

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST OUR BACK UP PG'S OF
UKIC
_________

who ever this fill in the blank is going to fight ukic for these 12 minutes a game. Let the best man win and lets hope they can just be average back up PG's and we will be fine.

GO RAPS

by raptorize blogmaster shayne on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

The knee injury killed Bargnani's shooting mechanics. After it happened he stopped using he legs properly when shooting and that threw everything off. It's something that he can correct easily if he spends enough time on it over the off season.

by Sorael on Jul 13, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

blogmaster : The problem I have with your analysis is that Andrea had a brilliant playoff run against New jersey and (but for his first game after the comeback) he hit them from everywhere including the paint. I remember midrange shots, fadeaways 3 pointers and he was stopped by his team mates who were trying to get Chris involved. I remember Andrea making a fast first step leaving Vince there wondering what time of the day it is, stop in a dime and hit a three so I do not buy entirely your argument. Reality is, from the three to the midrange nobody has found a way to take away Andrea' shot. Suer Andrea can miss, like he did for large parts of the last season, bu that has to do more with Andrea himself (physical problems? confidence? etc) that what they have thrown at him up to this point.

by renato on Jul 14, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

sorry, maybe I am just being dumb here with the following, but hey, can't learn if you don't try, right?...

why do we HAVE to go man to man? What is wrong with zone defence? Seems to work in the NCAA, but with all the showmanship required in the NBA, that to me seems to be the main reason why zone is not used. With our size and arm length, why make us run? The zone also gives a faster transition option for the fast break, no?

Sure the 3 gets by Bargs...and steps into the twin towers. And then goes where? A backpeddling fadeaway that Jerms pulls down or blocks. So, what am I missing here?

Offence...not sure why folks seem to so hung up on positions. he is a 3, he is a 4...sheesh, in street ball, when you have 3 big guys who shoot go up against three little guys who can shoot, you get block, dunk, block, dunk...now, it is more complicated in the NBA, of course, but does it really have to be?

Why not a 1-3-1 setup, like a diamond, with Bargs set up at the top of the key. JC gets it into Bargs, who swings it around to one of the wings (Bosh or AP) who is cutting through the key (has height advantage to throw over his defender), or picks for JC who turns the corner and bounce passes to either Bosh or Jerms cutting backdoor. Nothing there, drives or then back pass to Bargs for tunaround jumper at 10 feet, Bosh and Jerms both collapse for the rebound. Left over wing then becomes the last option in the set piece.

Sorry, my experience is pretty much limited to street ball, and hacking around on my HS team as 6th man 20 years ago. That be it. And it shows, I know...

by gerry on Jul 14, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

another related comment. from my understanding of what I am reading, the offensiove strategies suggested here really seem to depend on individual players on the Raps taking on individuals on other teams. "Bargs has have a step on his man, to set up his three," thus he can't play the 3.

But, why is Bargs taking a contested perimeter 3 anyway, when you have a much higher percentage 2 with Bash and Jerms down low? Seems to me to be much better to have the tall guy develop some court vision (which he seems to already have) to make the second pass.

Really, our problems on offence seemed to center on the fact that our offensive plays really involved one pass down low, one dribble in to beat the defender, or swing it around the perimter fast enough to find the open 3 pointer. That is it. One pass and out. Nothing here about penetration, making plays with multiple players involved and several passes.

We complain about what OTHER teams seem to be able to do to us (ie get into the key at will), but we never seem to turn the tables, and still talk about the long jumpers as our only weapon. I think Bosh and Jerms could do some serious damage down low.

What about the foot work in the key? What about the little hand passes down low, and the alley-oops? With our size, one big step through the key allows our 3 bigs to "beat" their defenders. We're not talking about the 100 meters here, we're talking about 1.5 meters, and that is one big step for our guys.

by gerry on Jul 14, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

gerry,I could not agree more on your defense theories, that is why I was suggesting Messina as an assistant coach focusing in raining our defense. The Hell, a nice zone defense has stopped the "used to be called" Dream Team three times in a row with a menace of doing that again soon

by renato on Jul 14, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Assistant GM said "Bargs natural position was at the 3 in Benetton"...

forgot about that. and wouldn't that be an argument in favor of getting him back in his comfort zone? The zone allows him to work on his matchups with his team backing him up.

Again, ith these young guys, isn't zone the way to go?

BTW, was that a zone defence I heard Boston was using so effectively during the playoffs? What was it they were using to shut down Kobe? No one matches him up straight up in the league, but the Celts handled him as a team.

I think that is what we need: a TEAM. Jose the newly crowned general, and Jerms the sacrificing defender, I think that might set the table for that to happen?

by gerry on Jul 14, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

renato - I agree with your assessment of Bargs in the New Jersey series. He was one of our best players and had ice in his veins that playoff series scoring at will.

gerry - I too would like to see some more zone defense from the Raps. We were a bit one-dimensional last year. If anything, it will help them learn to defend as a team better.

by Assistant GM on Jul 14, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

I have to agree with the concept of playing Andrea in the 3. Can he stop Lebron, or Pierce or any of the other good small forwards in the East, one on one? Probably not. They are quicker but they are also smaller. Meaning, they won't be able to shoot over him. Pushing those guys into moving into the paint is all he has to do, then Oneal and Bosh can step over and change their shots. The truth is no one on the Raptors is a good enough individual defender on the wing to stop those guys so his defensive weakness of not being quick enough to guard the elite wing players in the East is a moot one. All he has to do is try and stay in front of them (maybe give them a step) and then close out when they pick up their dribble. It ain't rocket science. I believe, when he is committed, he can at least cause them some problems because of his size and with Oneal (if he stays healthy) helping in the paint, he won't have to be a lock down defender. If it makes him more comfortable on offense, isn't it worth the defensive risks?

by McGateway on Jul 14, 2008 12:00 AM EDT reply actions