RaptorsHQ Stock Watch for January 27, 2009

by RaptorsHQ - Archives on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST in NBA Draft

Franchise would love to see the lightning-quick McNeal in a Raptors jersey next year...

Blake Griffin

Hasheem Thabeet

Stephen Curry

Ricky Rubio

It’s not even February yet but you know the names. These and various other names have been on the collective radars of scouts, GM’s, and draftnicks everywhere for quite some time.

For a Toronto Raptors squad that looks to be heading for a pick in the mid first-round however, most of these names won’t apply as other teams will be calling them to the podium long before the Dinos are on the clock.

That’s why, for RaptorsHQ’s first edition of "Stock Watch" this year, we thought it might be interesting to talk about five lesser-known individuals; five players who fit specific needs for this team and who are currently not amongst the lottery talk.

1) The Physical Presence – DeJuan Blair

NBA GM’s love to shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to the draft. They reach on athleticism and size, discount experience and winning at the college level, and often try and project a player’s development into the future, even if they themselves might not be around to see it come to fruition.

One of the best examples of this in recent draft years is Paul Millsap. Here was a player who lead the nation in rebounding every season he was at Louisiana Tech despite being undersized at the 4. And yet GM’s worried about his size again when it came time for the 2006 Draft and he wasn’t selected until the second round, 47th overall. Granted, no one could have predicted his offensive development, but if there is one stat that’s shown to be transferable from college to the NBA, it’s rebounding. Undersized 4’s like Leon Powe, Jason Maxiell and Carl Landry have all carved out nice niches in the league for themselves and all were late first-round or second round picks.

That’s why Pitt’s DeJuan Blair could be a steal for GM’s this year. He’s not an explosive leaper, and at 6-7 is indeed on the short side for the power forward position in the NBA, but talk about a wrecking ball in the paint. Blair has averaged double-digit rebounds through two seasons in the nails tough Big East and is Pitt’s team-leader this season. He’s quite raw offensively (although he’s averaging almost 15 points a game), but has a tremendous wingspan, a nice touch around the rim, and a motor that won’t quit.

At present he looks to be a late first-round pick but if he drops into the early second-round, this is a player a very soft Raptors’ club should take a long, hard, look at.

2) The Perimeter Defender – Tyler Smith

By now everyone who reads the site knows my affinity for Tyler Smith. He’s drawn comparisons to Josh Howard for his athleticism, he’s one of the top players in the SEC for Tennessee, and he can pull highlight reel plays out of his hat.

However beyond those factors, this is a player who shows tremendous leadership characteristics, is as competitive as they come, and is an excellent perimeter defender – all traits the current Raptors’ club could use a solid injection of.

When Tennessee lost a few games recently that they should have won, and things started to unravel for the Volunteers, it was Smith who called a players-only meeting and helped clear the air. The team promptly got back in the win column and started to play much better at the defensive end of the court. Smith helped to lead the charge in this area using his superior quickness and athleticism to lock down the opposing team’s top players. He’s guarded everything from 1’s to 5’s for the Volunteers this season and yet has still averaged nearly 18 points a game to go along with six rebounds and 3.8 assists.

Individual workouts could see his stock rise from late first-round to late lottery but here’s hoping that Bryan Colangelo does all he can to snag the Junior. Right now he looks to be a much better fit at the 3 than Jamario Moon and would bring a completely different tone to the club.

3) The Sparkplug – Jerel McNeal

McNeal was another player I was quite high on late last season. However for some reason, he’s been an afterthought on most draft boards. Yes, he’s a 6-3 shooting guard with a slight build. However he’s a freak athlete who plays the point guard position at times for Marquette and I struggle to find much difference between he and another athletic 1/2 - UCLA’s Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook is perhaps an even better athlete with an extra inch or two of height and length, but both players are relentless in getting to the rim and of the two, McNeal is the more natural scorer.

Last night’s match against a tough Notre Dame squad was a perfect example as McNeal nearly matched last year’s Big East Player of the Year, Luke Harangody, basket for basket. McNeal finished with 27 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and two blocks in a big win for the Golden Eagles and showed just why he’s in the running with Harangody for this year’s award.

For the year, McNeal is averaging nearly 20 points a game, 3.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds and is shooting a great percentage from both the field and from 3-point range, something that was a knock on him early in his career at Marquette.

Perhaps he’s not quite first-round material at this point, but if his name hasn’t been called early in the second when the Raptors’ pick rolls around, they’d be crazy not to scoop him up. He’s an excellent perimeter defender, one of the quickest players in college from baseline to baseline, and I can’t help but think of how valuable he’d be as an energy guy off the bench for Toronto – something this team right now is sorely lacking.

4) The Shot Blocker – Jarvis Varnado

We’ve already talked about rebounding as a trait that translates well to the NBA but here’s another – shot-blocking. Besides perimeter defence, rebounding and toughness, the Raptors also need to address their lack of an interior defensive presence, especially if Jermaine O’Neal is shipped out this off-season. Jamario Moon may not be around either, so that leaves Andrea and CB4 on swat duties. While both are capable of holding their own, they’re hardly lane-intimidators in the mould of guys like Mutumbo or even smaller swatters like Tyrus Thomas.

Ironically, Varnado has drawn comparisons to Thomas for his athleticism, length, and defensive skills however that’s where the comparisons stop. He seems to have a much better head on his shoulders and has stuck around Mississippi State for three seasons, improving each year.

While UConn’s Thabeet gets all the press as the nation’s premier defensive presence in the paint, Varnado actually leads the NCAA in rejections at almost five a game. This is the second straight season he’s done this as well. He’s still quite thin and his offense is almost as none-existent as Thabeet’s, however he put on some awe-inspiring performances at the Lebron James Skills Academy this past summer and continues to build on that this season.

He’s slated as a late first-round pick but again, this is a player I would love to see coming off the bench for the Raps…even if it’s just to get a few more exclamations of "get that gaaabage outtttta here!!!" from Jack.

5) The Do-It-All – Terrence Williams

We’ve covered toughness and rebounding, shot blocking, perimeter D and athleticism, and scoring off the bench so what’s left?

Well, how about a guy who can do all of the above, and serve as a second-unit type glue guy?

My nomination for that role is Louisville’s Terrence Williams.

So far this season Williams is averaging 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.6 steals and almost a block a game for Rick Pitino’s Cardinals. Oh…and we’re talking about a 6-6 player here.

I’m not sure there’s a more complete player in the country and while he doesn’t perhaps have the "upside" of teammates Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels, he’s rock solid and has been huge in keeping the up and down Cardinals afloat in the Big East.

In terms of comparisons, I’m not sure who off-hand makes the most sense. Some have said Corey Maggette due to their similar physical build and athletic abilities. Others have mentioned more complete players for comparison sake simply because Williams is also an excellent rebounder and passer for his size/position.

A good Big East tourney and NCAA run could send his stock soaring but right now he’s projecting as a borderline early second-late first-round pick. If I’m Bryan Colangelo, this is the type of athletic, strong and competitive wing that I want coming off the bench for the team going forward, and hopefully

As the season progresses we’ll be taking a closer look at other prospects, especially once we start to get a better idea of the Raptors’ draft range. Right now there are obviously a lot of holes to fill for next year and we’re hoping BC is starting his homework nice and early.

On a non-draft related note, check out the chat we had last night with The Arsenalist and our compatriots over at RaptorsRepublic.com. We touched on all things Raptors-related and as you’ll hear, there’s no real consensus even between Howland and I on how BC is going to right this ship.

FRANCHISE

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Comments

1. Ideal draft if we can aquire another low lying first rounder and/or some more secound rounders (umm I love AP to death, but you also have to think long term here) .

2. Nice to see the change of tune on DeJuan Blair from the HQ!

3. If we have JO at this time next year, we will have a s**t hot stock to sell; right now we are real close to being beggars. I insist we sign who need to. MLSE and cap be damned... it's what is best for this team... At this point this is a pill management has to be thinking about swallowing for once - not just us at the gates and arguing with cable providers - as usual.

Either way I still love watching this team develop.

3. If we can't trade JO this year; MLSE has to let us go deep into the luxury

by JENGE on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

I'd love to see another Curry in a Raptor Jersey as I was a huge Dell fan even with his limitations. The kid is just stone cold, and I can see him take the final shot in many close games. He's basically a smaller version of Anthony Parker, however, has been touted with PG possibilities even though he hasn't played the 1 that much.

However if possible, I'd love to see James Harden from Zona State on this team. Probably not a franchise type player, but his first year numbers were consistant with Kevin Love and OJ Mayo.

Another guy that is kinda of the Jamario Moon/Keon Clark model would be Earl Clark. Looks like he needs work on all of his game, but has shown enough that he's another high potential knda guy.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to watch much NCAA games this year, but I sure hope to change that now that Football season will be over.

by ustation on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

I love the Tyler Smith suggestion. LOVE IT.

Off topic but;

Player A = 19.6ppg, 5.8rbs, 5.3A

Player B = 20.9ppg, 6.7rbs, 1.4A

Here's the rub, Player A's stats are those of Brandon Roy for January. Player B is Bargnani for the same period.

Where's Bargsbust when I need him?

by Bedhead on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Don't follow college ball - usually catch a bit of March Madness so am not in a position to comment.

Previous post ended with MAS asking me a question - just copying my response.

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Johnn19 says:
January 25th, 2009
Calderon is the emotional spark plug, and on the floor leader of the offense. He is the consumate team guy, with a high BB IQ, and has outstanding vision to see the defense, and his own team mates, and taking what the defense gives up.

When his shot is falling, like now, he can score whenever he wants, or circumstances and score dictate.

Given that this is his first taste of being the MAN in charge of the team, he will only get better, as he gains more experience.

An excellent decision by BC to sign him for 5 years at a very reasonable number.

Johnn19 says:
January 25th, 2009
By the way for those who have indicated Calderon is always looking for Bosh, he had assists on 5 of Andreas 7 FGS, and none on any of Bosh's. Obviously he was watching the games when he was injured.

Rt says:
January 26th, 2009
Everything is good right now but watch the knives come out after the next loss. It will be: "Calderon's too slow, he can't stop the opponents drives"

Flying J says:
January 26th, 2009
Great article, VD. I completely agree that Bosh is trying to do too much in the post. I hate it when he shoots fade away jumpers against 2nd stringers. If Bargnani continues to be aggressive, I really believe that the time will come when he becomes our #1 option. The sooner this becomes reality, the better. I love Bosh, but he has proven over the years that he is much more suited for the 2nd option role. Just imagine if BC had traded Bargs earlier this season like many on this blog were calling for...

Franchise says:
January 26th, 2009
I was talking with Howland about this on the weekend, but is anyone else still completely in shock over Bargnani? I mean, it's not like Joey, where we saw some good signs early and often, and things went from there. Bargs went from 8 and 3 to suddenly looking like an All-Star...and every night! It's as is if the real Andrea is locked away in the ACC somewhere and his android duplicate is tearing up the league!

Vicious D says:
January 26th, 2009
Flying J - I was saying the exact same thing to Franchise last night about trading Bargs.

I don't think we'll see the same calls for Calderon again. Personally, I think the injury to the hamstring really hindered him earlier in the year. I also think that Smitch didn't match up properly defensively a lot of the time, so I think Triano's been doing a good job switching Parker and Calderon when they have to guard a more quicker/shot happy guard. With Parker being the primary backup right now, it allows the Raptors to guard better on the point anyways. But if it happens, I'll still feel the same: Calderon's the guy for this team.

Tinman says:
January 26th, 2009
Can't call it shock. We all saw the potential was there. Makes this current streak of his all the more satisfying.

axl says:
January 26th, 2009
really interesting points about bargs and bosh, though I mostly disagree that he's doing too much.

To me bosh and bargs both have their go-to moves and and play off the ball well, but bargs has something else... creativity. I think these two are complementing each other perfectly and JO as well. I absolutely love this front line.

I am still concerned about calderon, he's in slow motion most of the time and reluctant to do the full-out burst to the rim. But hey, half a calderon is worth about ten solomons and 7.5 ukic's.

renato says:
January 26th, 2009
Fracnhise,

there was an interview in Italia of Andrea where they asked him what has changed, his answer was: At a certain point I stopped listening to all the people telling me what I should do and I insted just started shooting, and as the shots went in, it all fell into place.

To be honest, the current Andrea reminds me a lot of the Andrea we were seeing just before his appendicitis. To be honest, I believe that Smitch's attitude towards not shoointg / tough love, close to the bucket ideas are going to help Andrea in the medium / long run. I believe, never the less that if for nothing else than to try to overcome them, Toronto has been playing Andrea for his weaknesses rather than for his strengths and it is amazing what confidence can do to a player ( to any player)

axl says:
January 26th, 2009
I'm not in shock either, I've been calling the bargs the second best player on this team for a while now... have had my moments of doubt mind you.

lessthanzero says:
January 26th, 2009
Does anybody else feel like the line Bargs put up will become more and more common?

2 - 3s
50% FG
80% FT
24 PTS
7 REBS
1 BLK

Maybe a few less points and a couple more assists, but I fully expect to see his averages hover around these numbers if he can keep the ball rolling.

And just for fun... any one else think that Jermaine will be trade AFTER his bobblehead night this Friday? Talk about an awkward situation if he gets dealt before then, though he had a pretty decent game... a couple more of them and the showcase should be over.

Clawed says:
January 26th, 2009
Question for those in the know - if BC decide NOT to trade JO, is there salary available (knowing that MLSE won't allow a tax hit) for a FA small forward this off season?

axl says:
January 26th, 2009
I think bargs will still have trouble for a while inside against shot blockers, haven't seen an overly physical side of him yet, could be coming you never know...

Vicious D says:
January 26th, 2009
Clawed - Off the books this year are Garbo (4.3 mil) and AP (4.5 mil). Joey has a qualifying offer at 3 mil, which I believe he'll take. Voskuhl, Solomon, and Moon combined are about 2 Million. So I'm not sure. AP might be getting a raise to 6 mil if we keep him, and to bring Delfino back, I think you'd need about 4 or 5 mil. Then, there's a need for a 12 man roster... So yeah, money's tight.

Howland says:
January 26th, 2009
The guy stand stood out to me last night is the guy in the photo above. Joey Graham was a beast last night, although you don't see it in the stat line.

Jamario Moon's defense was God awful last night and he was given the early hook. Graham too full advantage of the opportunity and it was his insertion into the game that really helped change the tide. He played fantastic defense and was really physical, just what this team needed.

If the message to Moon isn't getting through now, in particular given Triano's willingness to let Joey continue to play with 5 fouls, nothing will.

bedhead says:
January 26th, 2009
I've been a Koolaid drinker for Bargs from the beginning, but the thing that has surprised me is his progression on defense. From early on he flashed a scoring stroke, passing ability, a quick first step and deep range.

But on the defensive end the early memories include Bosh screaming at him to box out on basic defensive rebounding - so we always knew where the biggest room for improvement was.

For me it started in the playoffs with Bargs guarding Howard. Since then, he has made steady progress on the defensive end and the results are speak for themselves.

The Bargs-Bosh combo is the highest scoring big man tandem in the league for January. Sweet.

Mycall says:
January 26th, 2009
Aaaahhhhhh optimism.. The cornerstone of any and every Toronto franchise..

On another note, do you think maybe Moon has Triano's kids tied up in a basement somewhere? I just can't seem to understand how or why he ends up starting every game.

fromlongrange says:
January 26th, 2009
Love the way the raps are playing offensively the past two games - just lots of movement, cuts and attacking. Anyone notice this team has changed from a club that never gets tot he line and only shoots 3s to the opposite????

BC says:
January 26th, 2009

Good to see Calderon hit another 3 FT (now 86 in a row).

Not to look too far ahead, but I just noticed that -- given his current pace of 2-3 FTA per game -- the New Orleans game is the most likely candidate for Jose trying to break the record.

Now: based on the current TV schedule, that game is slated to show ONLY ON TSN2!!!!!!

MLSE and Rogers -- get your heads out of your collective buttholes and get Raptors games back on a *National* TV station!!!!

axl says:
January 26th, 2009
oh man howland I thought the same thing about graham, he really caused some problems for the kings, and the way he jumped in there in the bargnani staredown, was awesome to see... would like to see him get some retroactive payback on horford (tj) and swift (as a grizz taking down moon) - we need a guy like that, always thought it should be joey, glad he's finally stepping up

syMMetry says:
January 26th, 2009
Franchise, with all due respect brother, I think it was his android clone that was playing this whole time and the real Andrea was hidden, the one that BC drafted, the confident young buck with a stroke like ray ray from the team whe shall not mention.....my take on the situation is that the reason o'neal was absent so long and no one was giving information on his injuries, was because he was actually doing some private eye work privately for Colangelo, and he found the real Andrea in a wine cellar BC has in the ACC, and once he found the real Andrea that's why he was ok with coming off the bench, see BC i knew the 22 mil u were paying o'neal wasn't just to come off the bench :P

syMMetry says:
January 26th, 2009
when I said private eye I meant private i. aka private investigator =D

JENGE says:
January 26th, 2009

Q: Does VD have a relative called FEROCIOUS D? I think i ran into him at the snackbar...

Did any of you catch the Jack and Devlin snippet, where they said that over the last 15 games or so that Bargs and Bosh are the #1 frontcourt scoring tandem in the league? Sounds scary and bodes well for the future if its true. As for the present, (and) if O'Neal stays healthy - we could be seeing a frontcourt ferocity that we have never seen the likes of in TO. I would be sweeter with a solid winger too ... but I guess we should give it time...

CLAWED:
Hoopshype.com has really good Salary tables for all NBA teams - I highly recommend it.

RaptorsAddict says:
January 26th, 2009
I also love to see Joey in the quasi-enforcer role. More importantly, it seems to be one that comes to him naturally, which is not all that surprising seeing as how he's a super-muscled physical freak in a league with a lot of guys who are either tall & skinny or half Joey's size. We're finally seeing the development we all hoped would come, and while he will still toss out the odd clunker of a game (see the last game against Detroit), he has become far more consistent. He isn't a starter on a championship team, but he's a nice role player who will help us win games in a 8-9th man role.

As for Bargs, I finally feel vindicated for being such a nut-hugger of his for so long. It's not like this was exactly brilliance on my part, because it has been evident to just about anyone that he is capable of doing things at a skill level well-above the NBA norm. Indeed, his problems seemed to stem much more from his mentality than his physical ability; his on-court body language revealed that he simply was not in the right frame of mind when playing the game. He was tentative, lacking in confidence and, most importantly, he just looked miserable out there. After having endured the Araujo era, I greatly preferred a player whose deficiencies were possible to overcome (ie. Barg's confidence) to a player whose extreme lack of any basketball talent whatsoever meant that he would never, nay, could never, become a decent contributor (ie. Hoffa).

All of this said, I still believe that we should be tanking our asses off and changing over a large part of our roster.

Blanco says:
January 26th, 2009
Hey all,

Would like the opinion to what the percentage chance of that marion trade going down is? In your minds?

Assistant GM says:
January 26th, 2009
Actually, I heard Triano mention in several interviews that the reason Joey isn't starting is because he brings a better overall balance to the second unit. The fact that he has openly stated this a few times makes you realize that he is appreciating Joey's effort and wants him to know it.

mcclarky says:
January 26th, 2009
There's no denying Calderon's lack of foot speed on defence. The biggest difference I see with this team is their ability to rotate PROPERLY now to account for the lack of foot speed. They are playing stellar help D.

As long as that continues I expect the raps to win.

Johnn19 says:
January 26th, 2009
For those that worry about Calderons defense, he is an average defender, a good team defender, working to get better.

Very few players are 1 on 1 defenders in this NBA, touch foul system.

Keep in mind,a fellow named Nash won 2 MVP awards based on his offensive play, not his defensive abilities.

Jose is in his 1st season as the MAN in charge of the TEAM offense, and still has lots of room to grow, with a contract for 5 years, an excellent decision by BC.

Johnn19 says:
January 26th, 2009
Although Calderon is playing and looking good running the offense, and scoring he still is not 100%, and may not be for the rest of the year.
Triano will continue to limit his minutes on the floor, and AP will play PG for 15 odd mins and Ukic 5 odd mins. Solomon will keep the bench warm waiting for garbage time, barring injury or foul trouble.

RAPS4LIFE says:
January 26th, 2009
I really wish that TSN looses their nba contract with the Raptors next season and Rogers Sportsnet get the contract back. Does anyone knows if the contracts are up for negotiation next year. I can't believe that Raptor fans are being handcuff by TSN. What a stupid channel TSN2 not available to the main cable provider in Ontario that is simple unacceptable. Please send your email to the CEO at TSN and voice your concerns...Anyways here is an online link that you can watch the TSN@ games on ... http://atdhe.net/
Keep up the good play Raps.....Raps4Life.

Chris says:
January 26th, 2009
Good win. Good write up. It's nice to see Bargnani look like a basketball player. He needs to get more comfortable finishing around the hoop, he'll never be Kevin McHale but he's got some room for improvement, but he's made some nice progress.

I think it needs to be mentioned that the kings missed a ton of open looks from three in last nights game, maybe that was a result of the raptors knowing their opponents, but I bet Kenny Natt was pulling a Smitch in the post game, "we just didn't make enough shots"

Franchise says:
January 26th, 2009
syMMetry - That's a whole blog post - the random closet that the REAL Bargs was hidden in. Perhaps the real Chris Jeffries and Rafael Araujo are in there too?

Ok...maybe not.

Heard the Devlin and Armstrong chat about the productivity of Bargs and Bosh...pretty lethal.

And as for the Marion deal, I'd still do it in a flash, even with Banks. JO off the bench even when healthy could be solid, but I'd rather have Marion as a starter at the 3 and clear his salary off the books this off-season to beef up the roster around Bosh, Calderon and Andrea.

McGateway says:
January 26th, 2009
Why does the picture above make Joey look like a victim in "The Ring"? Scary.
According to SI rumour page, Miami is requesting Moon be included in the deal. I would just like to say - sign me up for that. Hell they can take Moon straight up for some Bballs.
This last stretch reminds too much of the stretch where they had 4 wins in 5 games against Houston & Orlando et al. It is way too early to talk about them turning the corner as they can always fall back to their old ways again and I am holding off until they beat a team of substance (and NJ doesn't qualify).

casey says:
January 26th, 2009
The latest iteration of the O'Neal/Marion deal has them asking for Moon in return. If we included Moon in the deal, we could ask for Dorell Wright in return and maybe toss in Joel Anthony as a back-up centre in the deal. It works money wise too!

Flying J says:
January 26th, 2009
Why the hell would anyone in their right mind ask that Jamario Moon be included in a trade? Is Pat Riley retarded? Why not ask for Will Solomon while we're at it, Riley. Both players have outstanding Basketball IQs!!!

MAS says:
January 26th, 2009
Tinman, AXL,
Really? You're not at all surprised with the absolute 180 Bargs has done in the last 6 weeks? I mean, I can't remeber when I saw an NBA player go from near wash-out to possible future All-Star litterally overnight... I mean you have to congratulate him and be thankful as a Raptor fan that he has started to play well... but if you put his production (more than just stats, but confidence, mental toughness and intangebles as well) on a line graph, what would the trajectory look like? It was an absolute flat line and then an upwards spike at almost 90 degrees! In fact I thought that earlier in the year he played some of his worst games as a Raptor. You can't honestly say you saw this coming?? Hey, don't get me wrong, its amazing and just in time!

Vicious D,

I can't see any scenario playing out where we bring back Parker at an increased salary (6 mil as suggested). I like Parker, but he was AWOL for much of the first quarter of the season and ain't getting any younger. If anything, I see them re-signing him at a reduced rate (2yrs 3 mil a year) to (hopefully) tutor his replacement that the Raps will be drafting.

Vicious D says:
January 26th, 2009
MAS - Here's what I would say... The 4 mil contract was a test to see if Parker could play in the NBA, and he's proven that for 2 seasons and a bit, he can. If you're going to pay Kapono to be a 6 mil one-dimensional player, you can bet AP will be worth at least that much. In your scenario, paying him LESS (at about Joey Graham's salary I might add) is not likely. Heck, I'd take it as an insult. And just looking around the league, even Bruce Bowen gets at least 4 mil.

Skywalker says:
January 26th, 2009
Is Joey the new Bruce Bowen, without the vicious attempts to injure? That's going a bit far, but if he can keep it up, there's definitely a place for him in this league - and on this team.

MAS says:
January 26th, 2009
Vicous,

I don't see how you can rationalize signing Parker for 6 mil based on Kapono's atrocious contract... As for Parker taking an offer of less than 4 mil as an insult... So be it. Do you see another team offering Parker a guaranteed deal at 6 mil a year? Seriously?

We have the worst swings in the league, a group which Parker is a part of. Yes, he has played better over the last 4 weeks or so, but again, he has been up and down all year.

He doesn't create his own shot very well, does not penetrate and break down defences, does not create shots for others, his defence and shooting percentage have slipped this year (quite dramatically) and he will be 34 on opening night of the 09/10 season.

I would be disappointed if the Raptors didn't go in another direction altogether next season. If the Raptors are to improve it has to be at the shooting guard and SF spot as the other three starting positions are already set pretty much in stone. The point is they have to get better than Parker at the shooting guard if they are going to progress. How many upper echelon teams would AP start for?

I never stated that AP would re-sign for LESS money. My point is it would be stupid to sign him for MORE, thereby not improving this team and tying up more money to a 34 year old SG. That would be 12 mil tied up in Parker and Kapono! That's crazy...
If Parker is willing to come off the bench for less money then by all means bring him back.

Assistant GM says:
January 26th, 2009
I do agree that there is no way that anyone expected AB to be playing this well. But, Bargs potential was there and we saw it in spurts. Most of us believed that Bargs had the potential, but had regressed due to a loss of confidence/ fear of failure/ home sickness/ rotation...whatever! You don't just forget how to play basketball or shoot the basketball for that matter. Many people just felt that he was in a mental rut. I even began to believe that a change of scenery was what he needed. Franchise even commented on it in numerous posts; how we trade Bargs, he develops into the player we envisioned, and then gives it to us! Imagine what we would be saying right now had we traded him. I think I would have hung up my sneakers...permanently.

Assistant GM says:
January 26th, 2009
Parker doesn't deserve 6 million. Just because BC overpaid for Kapono doesn't mean that an aging Parker who is only capable of playing at a medium to high level for half a season deserves that kind of money. AP was MIA for most of the season and his 3 point shooting % has dipped. He is a valuable piece on the bench for the next couple of years, but at a reduced cost. I say, 3 million a year tops. You can find value at that price.

Interloper says:
January 26th, 2009
Maybe the key to this team doing well next season is a solid back up point guard that allows Calderon to rest for about 15 to 20 minutes a game. The Calderon everyone was so enamored with in 2006/2007 and part of 2007/2008 was the one basically splitting minutes with a very capable TJ. Perhaps Calderon operates optimally when he is not logging more than 32 minutes a game. It would be interesting to take a look at his history even when in Europe to figure out how many minutes he was handling back then. Yes, he's looked like a different player but is that the consequence of being healthy or playing fewer minutes with Parker's emergence as a competent back up. Also wouldn't it make sense to have Parker back next year at 6 mill, if he plays as the back-up 1 and 2? Especially if the goal is to have a lean roster once more. Laslty, if the trade offers are good for the team's long-term BC could always trade Parker before the deadline this year and re-sign him as a veteran presence off the bench in the summer.

axl says:
January 26th, 2009
Mas - I wouldn't say I saw this coming, but everytime barg has played well, I've just felt he could be a superstar. He's not there yet, and his rise is not unprecedented and neither would be his fall... I'm cheering for him... Go Bargnani

Vicious D says:
January 26th, 2009
Parker at 3 million is not going to happen. Any team out there would love to to have Parker at that price. Yes, it's gonna be a bargain, but it's just not feasible for a player who can sometimes hit offensively, plays good defense, is a team player who is able to play a leadership role, and in a pinch, can be a clutch 3-point shooter. I do think Kapono is overpaid at 6 million, but I don't know how realistic everyone is being about how much Parker means to the team and how much that should be worth.

Let's just ask this question. Say you bring Delfino back. How much are you willing to pay for him? 3 million is what people are willing to pay for Parker, so Delfino is worth that much? He's going to ask for at least four or five, guaranteed since he wouldn't accept the Raptors' qualifying offer. In my mind, Parker is at least twice the player Delfino is.

I feel like people are focusing way too much on the beginning of this season to determine AP's contract. The whole team was struggling, the defensive schemes were all out of wack, and the offensive flow was non-existent, thanks to O'Neal's presence. People point to the Raptors as having the worst tandem SG/SF in the league, but Parker's proven in the last month that he's not washed up like some people believe. What can you expect when you only spend 13 million at the SG/SF position COMBINED? I can't name one other guy in the league that can defend the opponent's best player and still knock down the occasional shot and contribute in the intangibles for even 6 million... Not unless he's a guy on his rookie contract.

Sure, Parker is nobody's sexy pick, but he is a guy that reminds me a lot of Shane Battier, and you absolutely need guys like him on your team to be successful.

syMMetry says:
January 26th, 2009
alright boys well I don't know if we're still doing the camp thing, but uh I'm back in the optimistic camp for playoff contention, especially if we win the next two games against the nets and milwaukee, because michael redd is out for the season with torn ligaments in his knee =D...and even though its very unethical a big YAY from syMMetry...

McGateway says:
January 26th, 2009
I have actually had a change of heart for Parker. I have derided his d skills (they are slipping and at his age it is no wonder) but I really believe he could be a valuable SF for this team. He is versatile enough that with a true scoring 2 you could move him to the three where he still has the speed to cover other 3s and his shooting is good enough from 3 point land that he could camp like Mo Pete used to do. Currently, he is worth as much as Kapono and you solve that issue by trading kappy to another team before the deadline for either an expiring contract or 2 as I just never felt he was a good fit with this team as he tries to do too much when they just need him to camp and fire away. Sending him out of town would actually solve a lot of the Raptors problems for next year as they could use his money somewhere else (back up pg?). I know a lot of people feel you won't get much for him but I really don't think you need much more than a couple of bodies to play out the season.

Tinman says:
January 27th, 2009
MAS-
My only answer is yes, I thought Bargnani could consistantly perform at this level. And I knew that one day it would just click.

Raptors handled him incorrectly since beginning of season 2. A big a fan as I was with Sam, do not think he was the right coach for Bargnani.

Even during his struggles, Bargnani never took bad shots

by Tinman on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

OOOPS Did something wrong.

by Tinman on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Nice work on the copy and paste Tinman ha ha.

Bedhead - very interesting stats. If this is Jan's stats, I can't wait to see another off-season of work and then his play in 2009-10. That's why it's so important for BC to make moves this summer to instill faith in Bosh. Having Jose around and seeing Bargs' development are two biggies, but some more young talent and help around him would go a long ways come the following summer.

by Franchise on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Great preview Franchise, gives folks a few players to keep in mind in the leadup to March Madness.

Pretty sure our 2009 and 2011 second round picks were traded to Detroit in the Delfino deal.

JENGE, picking up a low first would be awesome. Give us a chance to draft best available talent with our first pick, then go for a more mature player with the second. I would pass on Blair unless he drops some serious weight and steps up his athleticism. Even then, with Jawai already here, we should focus on grooming him for that physical 4/small 5 role.

When we were on our losing streak I looked at Draftexpress, and thought we might be hardpressed to find better "value" in the late lottery range then picking Brandon Jennings or Ty Lawson.
There seem to be plenty of undersized PFs and SF/PFs in this draft class. I can see what Franchise and Howland were saying when they said that there's no one that really jumps off the page at you, especially from late lottery down. Hopefully, March Madness features alot of breakout performances.

by yardly on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

yardly: I am all for drafting a bunch of SF/SG's. I am just ruminating about all the posts about how we have innept management that didnt draft Millsap - when Blair might be a simmilar gamble - although there will most certainly be different results.

That Aminu kid wasnt mentioned in the writeup - I guess Franchise is keeping a few cards close to his chest... or becauase he has worked his way into the mid-lottery expectations.

I think OKC and and MIN have three first rounders each, and I don't know if Portland is going to keep its pick...

From what I gather ... I'm not sure if we re-aquired our second round pick this year.... Does anybody know what the facts are?

Overall, I think there is some feasting to be had at this years draft from the 15-spot going on 40.

by JENGE on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Yardly - Interesting. I completely forgot about the Delfino deal, plus for some reason, mock drafts are still showing that pick as ours. However we definitely do owe Detroit a second-rounder this year and in 2011. Suddenly the Delfino deal isn't quite as sweet unless we can sign him back for cheap.

In any event, one of my future articles was going to look at teams with multiple picks and this year there are a number. So hopefully BC can grab a late first-rounder or early second-rounder if he sees a player he really likes.

by Franchise on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

I just checked.. we have NO 2nd ROUNDER this year...

uggh...

I guess I shall start reading the rule book about a cash purchase for a second rounder...

by JENGE on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

News from around the league:

Hawks go for more than a quarter of basketball without a basket.

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/01/26/hawks.shooting.ap/index.html?rss=true

yikes!

by mcclarky on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

For all of you that are wanting to trade Parker read Interloper's comments. One of the best insights about the Raptor's guard situation that I've read in this post. I'm not going to get too pumped up about beating 2 teams that Raptors should have beaten anyway but the games showed the potential of the players that the Raptors have and Triano's use of Calderon and Parker has been inspired. Calderon's fresh because he's not playing 42-43 min (so's Bosh for that matter). Parker is involved (it's tough to sit in the corner and wait for someone to notice you) and obviously playing better for it. Graham and Moon are contributing. For all you Moon naysayers, I see an improvement in his rebounding that I'm attributing to Triano. I'm sure Bargnani's sudden improvement is due to Triano teaching the game and give Bargnani credit for trying new stuff. I see the same untapped potential in Moon and Graham and I think Triano is working with them to get it out on a consistent basis. The only one of the key contributor's that's still not all there is Kopono. He's got a great feel for the game and I'm hoping that with the improved ball movement that we're seeing, that Kopono will start to go as well. Bosh, Bargnani and O'Neal - instead of Killer B's, I like having the BB&O Railway steam rolling over all comers.

by melon on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Good Job Franchise,
I watch a lot and NCAA & and have hard ons at draft times.
And Mcneal and Williams are both fantastic picks. Talented kids with that take and make big shots, without hesitation. I would combine second rounders with the 1st round, to move up and grab those guys around the 10 spot, hopefully the 17th!

by Doug on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions

from a nets fan on nj.com ... "I'm sorry but the nets need a new coach,frank is too calm,if the coach doesn't have that fire, the team doesn't have that fire! He has no passion!"

Too bady ou cant trade coaches. Smitch for Frank would have been awesome.

by raptorville on Jan 27, 2009 12:00 AM EST reply actions