The Winds of Change

by RaptorsHQ - Archives on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT in NBA Draft

Evans is hardly an offensive force, but his rebounding abilities and aggressivness are just what the doctor ordered for the Dinos.

The Legomaster is at it again.

In a rare early June trade the Raptors have dealt Jason Kapono to division rival Philadelphia for Reggie Evans.

This deal shouldn’t come as a surprise, unless of course you thought Jason Kapono and his salary were completely untradeable.

In our recap of Colangelo’s end of season media address we wrote the following:

The Major Needs:

Outside of the back-up PG situation BC pointed out that the team’s biggest needs were two-fold – a player who can both create offensively and be a solid defender to help protect Jose at the 2, and a rebounder. Raptors fans are craving the former but the focus during the press conference was on the latter. In regards to rebounding BC pointed out that the team, as currently constructed, will never be a great rebounding team. Although Bosh averaged ten rebounds, BC does not feel that Andrea "will ever be a monster on the glass" based on his style of play, and the team needs help in this department.

It's not just rebounding that the team needs help in however. The team is soft and Colangelo acknowledged as much saying that the team needs is too nice as a group. There clearly is a toughness deficit on this team and it's nice to hear that BC will be looking to address it even with the big guys he added over the course of the year.

The motivation for this deal is crystal clear. By acquiring Reggie Evans, Colangelo has helped to address not only the team’s lack of toughness but also its dire need for a rebounder.

Make no mistake about it, statistically Reggie Evans is a one trick pony in that he is a very good rebounder, but provides little else. In his six-year career, Evans has been consistently ranked as one of the league’s best rebounders per 48 minutes and in 2006-2007 he actually led the league in that category. Last season he produced 4.6 rebounds in just over 14 minutes of action.

What can’t be measured statistically is the toughness he brings to the front-court. Evans is your prototypical "banger," something this team has been lacking since the days of Charles Oakley and even Antonio Davis. In fact, Evans brings with him a tag of being a bit of a dirty player. (Everyone remembers the infamous "Evans low-blow.") After watching the Raps shy away from contact though and play the victim more times than not, acquiring a player of Evans ilk can’t be viewed as a bad thing. It’s nice to know that if the other team pushes, the Raps have someone who will push back.

Reggie comes with some glaring flaws however. The big man is a horrific free-throw shooter and has no offensive game to speak of. There’s no question that Evans will carve out some minutes on this team, likely at Humphries’ expense, but don’t expect him to be a crunch time player.

This deal was basically a swap of one skill set for another; 3’s for boards. It is debatable which skill is more valuable, but the Raps were desperate for what Evans brings. Of course simply bringing in Evans shouldn’t be viewed as the quick fix to the Raps toughness issues. This team still needs a 2/3 who craves contact both on the offensive and defensive end of the court.

From a cap perspective this was a no-brainer for BC as the Raptors are taking back a lesser-paid player. Kapono’s contract expires in 2011 as does that of Evans, but rather than doling out $6,212,960 and $6,641,440 over the course of the next two seasons for Kapono, the Dinoss are now on the hook for $4,960,000 and $5,080,000. This is substantial savings at a time when the cap looks to be decreasing, and Toronto needs all the money it can get to fill other voids.

And here’s a question; does this trade increase the likelihood of the Raptors re-signing the Matrix?

One thing the trade does do is that it virtually guarantees that the team will be taking a wing player with the 9th pick in the draft. With this move the Raps have no one under contract for next season who can play the 2/3 spot (with the exception of yikes, Quincy Douby). Although it would be nice to see a player like Jonny Flynn in a Toronto jersey, unless BC manages to grab another high first round pick the Raptors will certainly be looking for a player like Tyreke Evans, Demar DeRozan or James Harden to fall. And if those three aren’t there, it’s not impossible now that they will trade down to nab someone like Gerald Henderson or Terrence Williams. The one potential draftee who definitely seems to be out of the running of course is DeJuan Blair, a virtual clone of Evans on the glass, and a player quite similar in build and style to Nathan Jawai (whose team option seems to be a no-brainer for BC and co. to pick up.)

Seeing Kapono dealt won’t cause much of a stir amongst Raptors fans. Yes, he was a fan favourite in many ways because of his professional conduct, but other than the 2007-2008 playoff series against Orlando, Kapono’s play has left much to be desired. Save for a couple of 3-point shootout victories in the All-Star Game, unfortunately Kapono will not be remembered for much during his stay in TO. It’s a shame too because I think the majority of Raptors’ fans really WANTED him to succeed, but this just wasn’t the right situation for a player who is so dependent on the talents of others in order to elevate his game.

Kapono may find more success with the 76ers who have been looking for a sharp shooter since dealing away Kyle Korver. In their incoming Princeton-style offense, and with a slasher in Iguodala and a dominant post-presence in Brand, Kapono should find some easy looks. That of course doesn’t take away from the fact that he is a defensive liability and when he is not hitting said shots, but for a Philly team dying for some long-distance accuracy, this is a great move for them, especially since Evans barely played last year.

What should not be lost in the shuffle here is that BC once again quickly set to work in righting a past wrong. (You wonder in fact if he wouldn’t have pulled the trigger on something similar last year had it not been for Kapono’s series against Orlando, and the prospect of open looks in the Bosh-O’Neal experiment.) By making this swap, BC is clearly acknowledging that signing Kapono to such a lucrative deal just a few years ago was a mistake. We the fans knew this was the case and now it has been confirmed. As Vicious D so aptly pointed out in his last article, Kapono was signed rather than players like Pietrus at a time when Toronto desperately needed some defense and athleticism at the wing position; essentially the antithesis of what JK brought to the table.

The trade of course does make you wish that Colangelo wouldn’t have made the Kapono mistake in the first place, but the fact that he was able to get some value for Kap-One, and value that addresses team needs, is quite satisfying. Franchise might have gone a bit overboard yesterday when he called if "Hoffa for Hump Part II" but you get the idea. This was a case of moving something that was providing little to no benefit to the team in exchange for something that looks to be a very nice fit.

Now if only he could do the same with Marcus Banks…

HOWLAND

PRE-DRAFT WORKOUT FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH.

As Howland mentioned above, with the Evans move it seems more and more clear that the team is bent on drafting a wing.

However you’d never know that from the list of players expected to be in attendance at the ACC this morning; 4 forwards (who project as possible be power forwards in fact at the next level) and two point guards in the form of Xavier’s 6-8 Derrick Brown, Gonzaga’s 6-11 Austin Daye, Wake Forest’s 6-9 James Johnson, Louisville’s 6-9 Earl Clark, Maryland’s Gievis Vasquez and North Carolina’s Ty Lawson, with Vasquez and Lawson being the 1’s in this group.

Huh?

What gives?

Well at first glance it is a bit strange to see that Toronto assembled this group but on a closer examination, things do make sense.

For those unfamiliar with some of these names, Brown, Johnson, Daye and Clark are all extremely versatile 3’s who could play a range of positions in the NBA depending on how they develop.

Clark is the front-runner from the group, a Lamar Odom type who can score from inside and out with Shawn Marion type athleticism. He tended to disappear at times in college and while he put together a strong final season overall, it’s really hard to say just what type of NBA future he has. At times he’s completely unstoppable due to his range and athletic ability however last year for Louisville he coasted on occasion and simply didn’t dominate the way many expected a player with his skill-set would.

Clark delivers one of my favourite dunks from last season...hello Mr. Harangody!

Johnson and Brown don’t have the same "smoothness" to their game as Clark but are much more physical specimens. Both extremely strong, have great length, and like Clark, great leaping abilities. Johnson is the more highly regarded of the two but Brown has been creeping up mock draft boards.

Finally we come to Daye, a top 10 talent on paper but who can’t seem to shed the "soft" label. In individual settings like this morning’s, Daye will look terrific displaying an incredible arsenal of offensive moves, with a Tayshaun Prince type build and length to go along them. However his combine results hardly blew anyone away, and like Clark to a lesser degree, he just didn’t dominate at Gonzaga the way many expected him to when he first joined the Bulldogs.

So are any of these four possible picks for Toronto at 9?

It’s tough to say.

To me it looks like Colangelo is simply doing his due diligence as the four forwards represent sort of the "next tier" of talent just after the lottery. Considering how equal players from 7 to about 17 seem to be, it’s not inconceivable that Colangelo grabs one of these four if none of the original players he has had his eye on are left at 9. Or, perhaps because of this equality in options, the Raptors look to trade down in the draft, thereby grabbing a 3-4, and still picking up a wing.

The bottom line is that it never hurts to get a closer look at as many players as possible, especially with the draft looking to be so up in the air.

And bringing in the point guards with this group of forwards this morning kills two birds with one stone; it helps facilitate the 3-on-3 action all the while giving TO a look at two possible back-up point guard options. Of the two, Lawson definitely has the winning pedigree and is the more NBA-ready of the two but Vasquez is interesting as well. I watched him kill my Blue Devils plenty of times last year in ACC action and the Maryland alum is a bit of a Carlos Delfino type; he can handle the ball and run the offense and yet at 6-6 can be a threat at the 2 with his long-range shooting and crafty moves.

We’ll have a full report tomorrow regarding the workout, which looks to be Toronto’s second-last.

As we reported last week, Colangelo alluded to another final session next week, one that we’re guessing will have some of the final big names such as DeRozan, Curry, Evans and Henderson. Outside of those four names (and some of the bigger ones like Harden and Hill), the Raptors will have seen except Brandon Jennings who is slated to be taken with picks about 5 to 17.

Therefore while next week’s workout is obviously the one we’re waiting on with baited breath, this morning’s action still promises to be quite intriguing. There’s no question that both Johnson and Clark have NBA All-Star upside and it will be a real treat to see them gong one-on-one.

In a draft so devoid of sure things, perhaps in the end it’s a workout like this morning’s that makes the Raptors’ draft decision.

FRANCHISE

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Comments

On the Evans trade, it adds a valuable component similar to what Rodman gave to the Pistons and Bulls in their Championship years: rebounding and hussle. Those type of players seem to be on all championship teams so it appears to be a great trade for Toronto, at least on paper.
On choosing a draft player, I hope a great deal of consideration is given to their history of performance in big games. It seems that Harden and Flynn, both have had strong performances in big games. I'm not sure what other players in the draft have this "prime time reputation" but that should be a very important factor in the Raps choice.
Finally, I hope the need for a clutch scorer is not lost in the shuffle this summer. If the organization still veiws Bosh as that option then they will not have improved enough this summer and Colagelo will not have done his job

by Rt on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Before I get to far into this I wan to say that I do like the Kapono for Evans trade. It seems like a great deal for both teams (both getting players they desperately need) and the Raps make out with roughly an extra 1.5 mil cap space.

However, my concern is who we traded to. Not only is Philly in our division, they will likely be competing for a similar playoff spot. (that is ofcourse assuming the Raps can return to previous form). Kapono is the type of player that can change the momentum of a game with a couple threes... can stretch a defense with his ability to shoot.... and if he gets hot can put 20 points on the board. Now I know he didn't have a tendency to do this in T.O., but that doesn't mean he won't do it in Philly. (Remember his playoff series against Orlando)

Trading in your own division is always risky business... and this could end up haunting the Raps when the playoffs (or even the playoff race) comes around.

That said, I still do like this deal. I've always liked Evans and have little concern over his limited offensive game. All he needs on O is to get those easy buckets when they are there and offensive boards. He is a solid defender and a greater rebounder. It also never hurts to have slashers concerned that they may get hurt if they try to get to the bucket to many times.

by Swirskys Soldier on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

The intangible is going to be whether Evans inspires guys like Graham and Humphries to use their big bodies more aggressively in the paint. It would be great if his energy becomes a bit contagious. Maybe Rasho (if he's back) and even Bosh will catch the fever.

by wrapper on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Curious to see what BC follows this up with. Great move, but having absolutely no wings and additional cap space certainly suggests that a number of moves are forthcoming.

What would be required to add another high first rounder as you mentioned? Also what team could the raps target if that were the case?

by Jas on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Needless to say Wages Of Wins has this as a clear cut victory for the Lego-master. Kapono was one of the five worst Wow scores last year, and Evans ranges between 1.21 and 1.6 depending on when he was evaluated.

If I run the calculation correctly just replacing Kapono with Evans gives us on the order of 5-6 more wins than last season.

by bedhead on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Swirskysoldier - I actually said to a friend yesterday that while I like this trade for both teams, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Kapono kill the Raps at least once next season with a barrage of 3's. Doesn't mean I still wouldn't do the trade - just something that seems likely to happen.

PS - We've got our newest correspondent at the draft workouts this morning and from early reports, sounds like Clark and Johnson have been pretty impressive.

by Franchise on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

The trade, to me, works out more on the money side. I like the toughness Evans brings, but I think a player like even Bryan Skinner would be a better fit. However, beggers can't be choosers, and the fact that the Raptors managed to move Kapono's contract is pretty telling in itself. Colangelo mentioned previously that there was interest in Kapono towards the deadline, and I suppose this was one of the deals.

SwirskysSoldier - Great point, but I think Philly still has an identity crisis on their hands and is in many ways, in danger of slipping like the Raptors. With Kapono now, are they any more of a running team? Does that allow them to play two styles? Still, it is trading within our division, so there is risk.

by Vicious D on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Update from this morning's workouts - Alvin Williams is a go...should be an announcement soon apparently.

Johnson and Clark were the stars in the workout with Daye looking just as weak as his combine results dictated.

We'll have a full update with pics up tomorrow but exciting to have Alvin on board as one of the assistants.

by Franchise on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Just a few thoughts on Earl Clark. I watched more Louisville games this year then any other team and Earl Clark can infuriate you. There were times early in the season where I couldn't understand what had happened to a promising player from the year before but as the season wore on he showed flashes of brilliance.

The biggest knocks on Clark is that he sometimes seems to disappear and he relies too heavily on the jumper even when it is not falling. He has good form however and decent range.

The inconsistency is what scares me. In some ways he reminds me a little of Tim Thomas.

The area where he and TT are very different is on the defensive end. Clark is a near great defender.

He's an enigma.

by Howland on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

franchise - as soon as I heard about the trade I pictured Kapono hitting a 3 clinching a playoff series against us (this is after doing nothing all season).

Vicious - the thing about the trade is it doesn't make either team worse (except maybe contract wise). Both players were expendable.... Even if they don't pan out as players there was little use for both on their respective teams. However, given that Phillies biggest problem last year was their 3 pt shooting (worst in the league I believe) this could turn the tides for them. At the same time, rebounding and grit is just what we needed. As long as the deal improves us as much or more than Philly its good. However, if it improves Philly more than T.O. it could be concerning.

Again, still love the trade... just wish it was atleast outside the division.

by Swirskys Soldier on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

I love Reggie Evans, thought we should've got him two years ago when he was coming off an injury and his stock was low.

I really think people go gaga over caponomics. This is basically a deal that makes sense basketball-wise, the numbers just happen to align right for both teams.

I'm not keeping up with the workouts so its good to get a take on them here.

by Arsenalist on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

BTW, Chad Ford just came out with Mock Draft 4.0 and he still has the Raptors picking DeRozan.

by Arsenalist on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Howland, I think you nailed re: Colangelo and his penchant for correcting mistakes. He did the same thing with Fred Jones. This trade for Evans is perfect for a club that intends to bring back AP; Parker does everything Kapono does, is a superior defender and will assuredly make much less money.

The thing about bringing Evans in is that I believe BC will now look to move Hump because he and Evans bring the same skills to the court; especially if they can bring back Rasho.

I fully expect to see Marion dealt to another team (Warriors?) in a sign and trade, with Hump used as a sweetner (Warriors could use the size too).

Rob

by 2nd Raps fan in LA on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

2nd Raps:
In a limited role, I see Evans having a more consistent place in the rotation then Hump. He could be a useful complement to Bargs, since he can hold his own on the offensive boards when Bargs draws his matchup to the perimeter. However, should injuries strike, Hump would be the better pick for an expanded role and close to starter's minutes. I recall watching a series of possessions where Evans and Dalembert were manning the frontcourt last season. It looked like an audition tape for "World's Worst Basketball: Big man Edition". Evans seemed to lack awareness of his body relative to the opposing basket, resulting in some UGLY misses from in close, and subsequent rebounds. Combine this lack of touch that with a lackluster vertical (26 inch, draftexpress) and its no secret why his field goal percentage is so low for a bigman.

I see Evans being used in a slightly similar way to Rasho, with his minutes fluctuating depending on matchups. If Hump is shipped out, I can see Marion covering minutes at PF with Evan's minutes remaining the same (Should Bosh be injured). If Marion isn't retained, a more versatile (PF/C) big then Rasho should be signed for the LLE, just in case.

Swirsky Soldier, I think there was a limited market for Kapono's limited skillset, although your point is a valid one. Factor in his salary, remaining years left,the urge to clear space for 2010 and a cap which is going to decline even more next year... It was fortunate for the Raptors that Evans no longer had a place on the Sixers roster. The fact that we took backless in salary is icing on the cake, since this deal gets done at even money as well. Credit where credit is due, BC having the patience to not just go for the first bad deal thrown his way.

by yardly on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Hopefully this means no more "Fill the basket" ads

by SV on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Howland, you make the claim that the Raps will almost certainly draft a swingman with the departure of Kapono. Hard to argue, but if Curry manages to slip down to #9 (and I don't think that will happen) he would be a worthy replacement as a designated three point shooter. However, I took a quick swing through several mock drafts, and DeRozan seems like the unanimous pick at #9.

Well, if it comes to that, I'd rather have DeRozan than the disappearing act known as Earl Clark. Or, god forbid, Chase Budinger (shudder).

by Skywalker on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

For everyone worried about Kapono winning a game with some threes, just remember how much of a liability the guy was when all the raps needed was a score and a stop - we never got the stop.

I like the trade, though I think Evans will sit a lot and be more OK with it than kapono was and that's a good.

I fully expect hump to be back in the form of two seasons ago. He was playing on a fractured leg after all.

Glad to see kap's large contract came in handy after all. That would have sucked to send another player off just to balance the deal.

by axl on Jun 10, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Actually Axl, the raps could have taken on Evans contract without shipping out anything more than a 2nd round pick (not that I am hating or anything as getting anything for Kapono at this stage is a bonus even if it is a bench warmer with a cheaper contract) as the Raps are well under the cap.
I still do not buy the logic of signing Rasho to anything other than 2 mil per year as I do not see him contributing enough to warrant anything more than that. There are simply too many younger bigs around the league who the Raptors could throw money at and get the same production as they would with Rasho. My hope is that now that Kapono is gone, BC will target one of the young RFA's from a team without much in the way of cap space and steal a player who play the swing (there are a few I am sure) rather than reach for a swing player in the draft just because of need.

by McGateway on Jun 11, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Potential Free Agents the Raptors could or should target. Should Target in Caps.
Team (Salary level)
ATL (40)- Marvin Williams (SF)
Bos (73)- Leon Powe (PF), Glen Davis (PF)
Chicago (63)- BEN GORDON(SG)
Cleveland (71)- Joe Smith (PF),Tarence Kinsey(PG)
Dallas (68)- BRANDON BASS (SF/PF), GERALD GREEN*(SG/SF), James Singleton (PF)
Denver (63)- Danhtay Jones (G)
GS (59)- Marcus Williams(PG), CJ WATSON(PG)
Houston (64)- Luther Head(SG),VON WAFER(SG)
Indiana(57)- rasho nesterovic
Clippers (56)- Brian Skinner
LA Lakers(74)- LAMAR ODOM (SF/PF), TREVOR ARIZA(SF), SHANNON BROWN(G)
Memphis(34)- ANTOINE WALKER(Just Kidding)
Miami(64)- Jamaal Magloire (C),Jamario Moon (SF), Joel Anthony(PF/C)
Milwaukee (64)- Charlie V(PF),RAMON SESSION(PG)
NJ(50)-Chris Douglas Roberts(TO)
NY(69)- David Lee(PF), Nate Robinson(PG)
Oklahoma(41)-DESOMOND MASON(SF)(depending on his health)
Orlando(70)-MARCIN GORTAT(PF/C) Much better option than Rasho.
Philly(58)-Andre Miller(PG), Kareem Rush(G), Royal Ivey(PG),
Phoneix(62)- Grant Hill(SF), Matt Barnes(SF), Steve Nash(PG)(TO).
Portland(50)- Channing Frye(PF)
Sacramento(51)-Bobby Jackson(PG)
San Antonio(65)- Ime Udoka(SF)
Utak(71)- Morris Almond(SG), Paul Milsap(PF), Carlos Boozer(PF)
*- Gerald Green can be gotten cheap and maybe they can get him some minutes and see if he can improve. Low Cost Risk.
(TO)- Team Option, team could cut player loose to FA. It is unlikely that Phoenix would cut Steve Nash but they have been trying to cut costs and they are currently over the Cap though not sure where they are for the Luxury tax.

by McGateway on Jun 11, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

McG, so you're saying salaries no longer need to match in a trade? since when?

by axl on Jun 11, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Axl - They only have to match if the receiving team is over the Salary Cap, which the Raptors will not be come July 1st. So if they waited 3 weeks, they could technically take Evans (or another player) without matching salaries. That is how the Clips got Camby last year.

by McGateway on Jun 11, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions