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by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Oct 20, 2010 12:00 PM EDT in Daily Links

Today's theme in the daily newspapers? Andrea Bargnani finally abandoning his seat at the front of the bus with the coaches to join Sonny Weems and crew in the back. Check out different versions of the same story from the Globe and Mail and Toronto Sun.

Unrealistic expectations? The Raptors' coaching staff would like DeMar DeRozan to make eight free throws a game.

A scout thinks DeRozan can be a superstar and reach the Vince Carter level... so at what point does he quit on the team and demand a trade?

Scott Carefoot of RaptorBlog profiles Leandro Barbosa.

Barring an Erick Dampier signing, it appears the Raptors roster is set.

It's starting to look like Jose Calderon will be the starting point guard.

Weems doesn't mind coming off the bench.

He's no Mars Blackmon. But here's comedian Ken Jeong as "Slim Chin" hyping Derrick Rose's newest shoes.

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Weems doesn't mind coming off the bench

are you kidding me….

by Rapster on Oct 20, 2010 1:26 PM EDT reply actions

He should be starting

I mean c’mon…it’s not like he barely made the team just a year ago

by lambo on Oct 20, 2010 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Well why not..guess you guys haven’t really seen but weems hasn’t outplayed DD and for sure not klieza so makes sense to me for him to come off the bench..DD maybe the level of Vince Carter, hmmm that would be great if it eventually happens. At least he’s getting to the line, 30 times in 6 games is a pretty good rate.

by sherwin316 on Oct 20, 2010 2:46 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Right now DD is averaging 5 FTA’s per 25 minutes played. the top players in the league play 36 minutes per game (or more), so his effective per 36 FTA count is 7.2 right now. 7.2 FTA per game would have qualified as 11th in the league last year. It’s not hard to see how he could improve to the point where he is very good at getting to the line (pretty effective already, based on a small sample size).

Even from last year, there is improvement: he achieved 2.5 FTA per game, at 21.6 MPG – leaving his per36 FTA’s at 4.1. So he has almost doubled his rate of getting fouled from last year to this one. Although, as a note his preseason last year, he average 4.9 FTA in 25.8 MPG, which yields a per36 of 6.8, so we’ll see just how his current rate transfers over to regular season play.

by dhackett1565 on Oct 20, 2010 4:07 PM EDT reply actions

Possessions = FGA+FTA/2+TO (approximate)

09-10 preseason poss = 7.6+2.5+1.1 = 11.2 possessions per game (in ~25 MPG)
09-10 regseason poss = 6.6+1.25+0.8 = 8.7 possessions per game (in ~22 MPG) = 10 possessions per 25 minutes
10-11 preseason poss = 10.7+2.5+1.2 = 14.4 possessions per game (in ~25 MPG)

Here we see that DeRozan has also had an increased usage in this preseason, and that his usage dropped from pre- to regular season last year, by about 10%. So part of his drop-off in FTA’s per 36 from preseason to regular season last year (about a 40% drop) was due to decreased usage, though certainly not all of it.

by dhackett1565 on Oct 20, 2010 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Good breakdown

The only thing I will add is that Bosh and Turk played limitted minutes/roles in preseason last year and then obviously increased in the regular season. This could explain the dropoff in Derozen’s production/usage from pre to regular season last year. Let’s hope that with both those players gone the path is open for increased usage and therefore development opportunities for young Demar.

by MAS11 on Oct 20, 2010 6:13 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

So if Dampier came

The player cut has got to be Dorsey right? More or less play the same position, and no one seems more expendable than Dorsey.

by IWillPartyHard on Oct 20, 2010 4:44 PM EDT reply actions

At this point, I’d take Dorsey over Dampier.

by DW19 on Oct 20, 2010 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

In a heartbeat!

The Raptors aint making the playoffs so play the dam kids! Plus Dorsey posses the edge, toughness and work ethic that can bleed into some of his young peers. I’ve never heard anything that would suggest Damp could be a good influence or mentor for the young players on this team.

by MAS11 on Oct 20, 2010 6:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

At this point I wouldn’t take Dampier either, even though I was the first to suggest it on the site, simply because we should build the stock of the players we have now in order to have them either more valuable as players we keep or more valuable as trade options to get a BETTER big man in a year… or two…

by Mikthaniel on Oct 20, 2010 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Dampier is a true center. He’d be the only true center on the team. I think that’s why you have to take Dampier if you can get him. Then you can let Bargs play some PF.

by IWillPartyHard on Oct 20, 2010 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Only reason I can see to pick up Damp is to use him in a trade later in the year to a contender. Similarly to how I hope Banks, Evans, and Barbosa will be used (and Jose if it can be done).

by dhackett1565 on Oct 21, 2010 8:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Regarding Bargnani, I don’t think he is a PF. Can you imagine him trying to cover a guy like Bosh? Bargs would foul out in 5 minutes. Just my opinion, but I think if Bargnani is going to make anything of himself in the NBA it has to be at the centre position.

by DW19 on Oct 21, 2010 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions