Raptors HQ Announces the Winners of Its Intern Search!
by Adam Francis on Dec 21, 2010 8:01 AM EST
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It was a tough decision, but the HQ has settled on two new members of its team...
It's a big week here for us at the HQ with numerous announcements on the way.
First, we wrapped up our intern contest on the weekend and are thrilled to announce that Sasha Kalra and Sean Tepper will be joining the HQ team!
All of our intern finalists did an outstanding job but in the end, we decided on these budding journalists to help us provide Raptors' fanatics with even more content, coverage and analysis. The HQ though would like to offer our sincere thanks to everyone who participated, and to our readers who helped in making the final call.
Second, we hope to roll out another contest this afternoon, one that will have us partnering with LG and their "Fanbassador" initiative.
And finally...well...we'll stop there for now but with a day off in Raptors' action, let's get some thoughts going on a topic that's been showing up more and more in the comments section of late; tanking.
Considering the Raptors are currently projected to win 31 games, but miss the playoffs yet again, what's Bryan Colangelo's best move here?
Should he be making suspicious transactions to further cement this team's status in the NBA basement?
Or should he look at his team's play to date, a good chunk of it missing key personnel, as a sign that with a few upgrades, the Raptors will be back in playoff business in the East?
And there's a third option too I suppose...
...leave things be.
It's a tough decision and we've heard arguments on all sides of the dice.
For me, it really comes down to how you feel about the current personnel.
If you think in a year or two there are 45 to 50 wins in the core of Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan, Sonny Weems, Amir Johnson, Jerryd Bayless and Ed Davis, then you probably leave well enough alone.
If you think there's closer to 35 in that group, like I do, then something's gotta give. As we've seen in the NBA, the worst place to be is stuck in that 28 to 38 win range; usually poor enough record-wise to miss the playoffs, and yet not atrocious enough to get a top spot in the NBA Draft Lottery.
So what to do?
From my perspective, I think Bryan Colangelo needs to keep accumulating assets in the form of draft picks and youth. Cap space is nice to a certain extent in terms of flexibility, but the reality is that Toronto still isn't a primo destination for free-agents. This club still needs a major influx of talent, and it's tough to do that without overpaying since TO has neither the cache of an LA or Miami, nor the heritage of a Utah or a San Antonio.
That doesn't mean I think he should suddenly mortgage the farm, but as Tim Chisholm notes in his recent piece on the subject of trades, Colangelo should continue to seek out opportunities to collect said assets when they arise.
The Bayless deal was a good example of this, and even smaller moves prior to the season like snatching up Joey Dorsey echo this philosophy. We've seen teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder use this methodology in the past, and I'm hoping BC goes the same way instead of making another swing for the fences.
It will still take some luck, and it would help if there was no lock-out, but this approach would allow the Raptors' to stay lean on salary until they were sure they had a solid base to build from.
Right now that simply can't be said.
As much of a fan of Weems, Bargnani, DeRozan etc, etc, as you may be, none have proven that they can carry a club at this point in their young careers.
They may down the line however, and that's why our crew here at the HQ delights in breaking down games the way we do, even seemingly meaningless Raptors wins over the Nets in December. The point is that all of these games are important for a young developing team such as this, and this season and probably the one after will be instrumental in shaping the Raptors' franchise for years to come.
Unfortunately that means fans will likely be playing the waiting game for a while, perhaps not only for the remainder of this season but the next one as well.
However I'll take that plan of action over the quick-fix "trade for Elton Brand" any day of the week...
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You should also note that Bryan has to ensure that the players he currently has will stay in Toronto. Demar DeRozan, Jerryd Bayyless, and Ed Davis are quite likely to call it quits once their contracts r up.
by Jeffrey Thompson on Dec 21, 2010 8:52 AM EST reply actions
The key then will be for the Raptors to have enough on-court success to convince them to stick around…
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Dec 21, 2010 10:12 AM EST up reply actions
I’d have to agree…although I think Amir can be a really nice piece if surrounded by certain other types.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Dec 21, 2010 11:40 AM EST up reply actions
Amir I would consider a keeper as well, just keeps improving, if slowly.
by axl t on Dec 21, 2010 12:59 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Disagree to a degree
Unless blown away by an offer, I think you gotta keep Johnson , DeRozan, Davis, and Bargnani. We have these 4, tied up for the next 5 years and all have the potential to develope into real good ball players. Keep in mind we should get a decent draft pick this year as well.
It is way too early to give up on any, even the Big Guy. Allow one more season to properly assess. If we see no progress this time next season, then you look at a shake-up.
Always the optimist, I like the core of these 4 going forward. Each will be a better player next season, and better the season after that. And his year’s lottery pick.
Remember going in, it was understood this was a rebuilding year. The lower the pick the better. Am I the only one pleased with how things are going? Actually got caught up a little in playoff fever few weeks ago and I think this recent losing skid brought me back to reality. That W against Jersey hurt our lottery chances!
Just not seeing it with derozan, but he plays a tough position, so no doubt he will improve. I’d just like to see BC bring in a good veteran or some kind of special/surprising player at the sf/sg and there isn’t a ‘small’ on this team I wouldn’t sacrifice to get it if I was BC.
I actually thought Kleiza was maybe that player, but so far hasn’t happened.
My thing with Demar
he may be 21, but he is a young 21. It will take him a little longer to catch up, and I do see the potential there.
Same with Davis, he is a player but look at him, he is a baby.
Both are two more seasons away from bringing all they can, but that’s OK. We are in the rebuilding mode.
Just don’t know if Demar has the toughness. His defense is so soft he might as well not be there.
His upside though seems like he could be a paul pierce type guy, but again he’s got to play tough, bang, give and take contact night in, night out. I think his ‘athleticism’ is overrated but he seems strong if that makes sense.
I’m more of a win now guy, so I’d like to see an upgrade at the trade deadline.
agree with everything you said
Me I’d like to keep this group and add through the draft..I think we can get Irving in the draft since his toe Injury his draft stock is all over the place..nbadraft.net don’t even have him in the top 10 right now. To me we got enough bigs on this roster of given playing time could improve, and if DD can continue to improve at the wing (same with weems) than I think the logical choice would be to go for Irving.
by sherwin316 on Dec 21, 2010 8:52 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I still think Toronto needs a top 3 pick for a chance at Irving. A toe injury isn’t like an ACL tear or something, no big future risk. They took him out because he simply may return to Duke for another season now if he is indeed done for the year. But should he enter the draft, no way he goes lower than 3…
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Dec 21, 2010 10:14 AM EST up reply actions
good 'academic' question
but with really no answer, unless you know who is available, especially at the trade deadline where maybe some teams, with the new CBA looming will be looking to shed contracts. Let’s say you even believe this core will, in two years, produce 50 win. What if our friend “Chrash” from Charlotte is available? what if Chandler / Bynum can be obtained? What if (put the name of a very good player here, not even a superstar) is obtainable, maybe at the expense of one of our onez?
I can hear a resounding “IT DEPENDS” coming. It depends, indeed.
It definitely depends, but I guess what I’m wondering is what fans think should be the “philosophy of choice” so to speak for the Raps. Are they close to returning to the playoffs with the current core? Do they need to break things up? Etc, etc.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Dec 21, 2010 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
Hard to vote
Because all 4 are possible depending on what is out there.
I’d like this team to be a little stable for a while just to develop. Good teams tend to not have revolutionary changes. Instead, they evolve with a limited number of roster changes every year. On the other hand, there’s talent lacking that can only be addressed by changes.
Use the TPE if there is a worthwhile talent available. Or don’t if there isn’t one.
Small changes aren’t likely to improve the team significantly. On the other hand, small changes allow for greater flexibility in the future.
Blow the whole thing up because there are a lot of mismatching parts on this team but on the other hand, too much change prevents the team from growing up together.
I suspect that all four options apply in some way.
Banged up Raptors
Might be a lot of Julian Wright and Joey Dorsey against the Pistons tomorrow night. Amir Johnson, Sonny Weems, Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, and of course Reggie Evans and Peja Stojakovic all missed practice yesterday, and I guess Kleiza only got through half of it…
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
I swear I have yet to click the the link
but I am sure it involves Andrea, maybe for Garbo this time…
Seriously review it though...
It actually works and leaves all the teams better off…
Raptors get scoring from places other than the C and we use our current bigs in rotation to defend the paint… good
Denver replaces a good chunk of Carmelo’s scoring and gets $19M in expiring contracts for next year while adding a very good young player to their rebuild… good
NJ gets the Melo and Harrington deal they so badly want and still have pieces to put other decent guys around them… good
Sounds like a winner to me, then the Raptors draft a nice young SG/SF (Barnes) use the TPE on a solid expiring big man with a possibility for re-signing if he performs (Oden) and the Raptors end up with:
Harris / Bayless
Smith / Derozan
Outlaw / Barnes / Weems / Wright
Johnson / Davis / Dorsey
Oden / Anderson / Alabi
I like it lots…
What if we use the TPE on...
…say Travis Outlaw from NJ as they make space for Carmelo and his salary.
To re-enter the realm of plausibility for a few moments…
Yahoo Sports right now is reporting that the Nets and Nuggets are working on a restructured deal so it’s an interesting point, could the Raptors get in on this?
I’m guessing Favors goes to the Nuggs – so who on the Nets would Toronto want to take a flyer on? Or who on the Nuggets if Denver needs to move pieces? Maybe a small piece like Aflallo?
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Dec 21, 2010 11:28 AM EST up reply actions
Me too – especially with a potential lock-out…you want as many kicks at the can as possible…
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Dec 21, 2010 11:39 AM EST up reply actions
Not necessarily. I could be persuaded to take Denver’s 2013 if it has lesser lottery protection on it. That is, 2012 with top 7 protection or 2013 with top 3 protection, or 2014 with no protection.
Denver are the ones that are going to be getting picks. NJ is the team that is going to be giving up picks.
by JumpShootersRUS on Dec 21, 2010 11:46 AM EST up reply actions
+1
And nobody ever did say, what do people know about Travis Leslie, he looks like he could be a good grab for us…
The rumour is Carmelo would like the Nets to also acquire Al Harrington. The Nuggets are rumoured to be getting Troy Murphy’s expiring contract and Derrick Favours in a deal for them. Sending out those 2 alone would be 2 million 688 thousand short of being able to afford Melo + Harrington. The Nets would need to send out at least that much more to get the deal to go through.
The Raptors could use the TPE to absorb some salary if it were a worth while player or if they were to get a pick to do it.
by JumpShootersRUS on Dec 21, 2010 11:41 AM EST up reply actions
It’s like a card game: I see your one inefficient scorer and raise you another inefficient scorer.
by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Dec 21, 2010 12:33 PM EST up reply actions
so, if Denver does that they do it for rebuilding,
so maybe Nene could be available, but would you want him given where this team is at?
The guy that I think NJ would really want to dump would be Travis Outlaw. They overpaid him for a number of years. Melo coming in would make him even more overpaid. I would not want Toronto to take on Outlaw.
I doubt NJ would be dying to dump Morrow. His contract is reasonable.
They would surely like to include Sasha Vujacic (expiring), but he can not be dealt for just under 60 days (60 days from the time he was acquired).
Maybe if the deal takes a while, the Raptors could get one of New Jersey’s extra picks for taking him on via the TPE.
Something like: Melo, Harrington, piece of TPE to Nets. Murphy (expiring), Favors and 2 draft picks to the Nuggets. Vujacic (expiring) plus 1 draft pick to the Raptors.
by JumpShootersRUS on Dec 21, 2010 11:53 AM EST reply actions
I would take on Outlaw...
… IF Kleiza is truly returned to form that is… and we ship out Weems…
Split time evenly and situationally between Outlaw and Kleiza depending on if you’re playing a more athletic team or a bigger team or if you need a shooter or, or, or…
I think they offer a good selection at the 3 spot combined…
He makes 7 million dollars a year, for three seaons after this one. That is too much.
by JumpShootersRUS on Dec 21, 2010 12:02 PM EST up reply actions
If I see what Denver is able to get for Melo
Makes me wonder what offers were there fro Chris last year, if they were really underwhelming I have to believe the rest of the league was not at all interested in #4 services or BC really screwed that up (or your dear #4 screwed the Raps up)
Melo looks bad going public with that he will be leaving the Nuggets. It would have been better of him to tell the Nuggets in private, but he was better to his current team than Bosh was to Toronto, in my opinion. That opinion is based on the assumption that Bosh knew a year before leaving that he was not coming back.. He could have given the Raptors time to make a deal, like Melo has given the Nuggets time to make one.
by JumpShootersRUS on Dec 21, 2010 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
What about the Magic?
They are salary heavy and still looking to make moves…
What about the Raptors’ TPE for Reddick,
And then Weems for Lewis’ TPE from the Magic
and then Evans for Brandon Bass?
Magic wouldn’t have to use TPE – Weems for Reddick works for them since they are sending out bigger salary, and Raps would only need to use the difference in salaries of their TPE, instead of Reddick’s full value.
by dhackett1565 on Dec 21, 2010 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
Well, technically you can’t – but the Raps would absorb Reddick, then the Magic would use the resulting TPE to absorb Weems – so the Magic’s larger TPE would be untouched. They could organize it however they want of course – could use part of the Lewis TPE instead, leaving them with two smaller TPE’s (can’t imagine why they would want this).
by dhackett1565 on Dec 21, 2010 2:21 PM EST up reply actions
Yea, that's what I was saying...
Raps use part of their Bosh TPE leaving them with about $5Mil
Magic use Lewis’ TPE leaving a small useless bit…
Blow the whole thing up?
What’s there to blow up? It’s arguable that the Raptors may not have a single "starter-quality" player on their roster, and more than likely no All-Stars. The dearth of talent on this squad is terrifying, especially when you start to factor in the following:
- Can a team really be a legit contender with Bargnani starting in the front court? Especially if you are going to pair him with either Davis or Amir (both on the small side themselves)
- Is Sonny Weems, a 2nd rounder cast off by two other teams truly going to make the leap to consistent producer and improve his defence?
- Is DeMar Derozan going to live u to his potential
- How many good years does Calderone really have left (despite his improved recent play, the question of whether or not he was done was a legitimate debate earlier in the season)?
- Can Amir Johnson stop fouling!?!?!?
Taking these questions into consideration, also remember that these players are either the highest paid players or have the most invested in them in terms of future potential for the Raptors.
My position would be this team has a lot of upgrading to do if the intent is to eventually compete for a championship. I can’t remember who made the following comment recently around these parts but it was absolutely spot on (paraphrasing): "The Raptors have great talent on their bench, it just unfortunately bleeds into their starting line-up). Totally agree. The only way to achieve this level of talent influx is through the draft, over a few years. The Raptors aren’t going to get a marquee guy through free agency unless they over pay. They also don’t have the trade chips to get a marquee guy via a trade (not yet at least). So I would suggest we let the TPE expire, unless we can get back youth/draft picks in return (highly unlikely). I also suggest we play next season out as well. By that time, potentially we would have two lottery picks and some cap space to go shopping. It will take patients, but it is what it is.
But it all comes back to the questions of whether or not this team is really focussing on building for a championship, or to make the playoffs every year as a 8 to 6th seed only to get bounced. If it’s the latter, go out and use the TPE on a veteran the other team doesn’t want (remember this would be a guy the other team would give away for next to nothing – not going to be Dwight Howard) and grab the 8th seed and we can all watch 4 more Raptors games per year. Yay…
Just read tim Chisholm's piece
Got to say that it is encouraging that it appears BC has backed away from crazy town and is in complete acknowledgement of his team’s status talent wise. More encouraging is the path they are on to rebuilding. From the way the article is written, it looks as though the decision has been made to rebuild slowly, prudently, earnestly. Which is the right approach in my estimation. Also, kudos to Colangelo for the Bayless deal. Chisholm provides a great breakdown of this deal and he’s right in his conclusion, these are the types of deals the Raptors will be (and should be) pursuing in the near future.
LInas kleiza plays like a poor man ANdrea BArgnani??
ha ha ha ha and I am writing here , so I must be a poor man Tim Chisholm .. Dear Tim, one can play the three, the other one not, go back to basic… next!!!!!…..
I know I thought it was an insult to Kleiza as well. Kleiza, over the last two games at least, appears to actually care about rebounding.
it is not a matter of insults
what hey have in common is that they both want to throw a round brown ball into a bucket. The similarity stops there.
oops no, they have a shirt of the same colours every time they play an official game….
They’re both horrible defenders? Just throwing that out there ;)
by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Dec 21, 2010 2:37 PM EST up reply actions
I think with the trade combination options using Calderon, Wright, Evans and Dorsey, and with the TPE and with the money from Peja’s expiring we should be able to land a star to play ahead of Bargs and have leftover decent talent for garbage minutes…
We have an awesome bench, it just currently extends right into our starting lineup…
by Mikthaniel on Dec 2, 2010 2:59 PM PST
The bench extending into our starting lineup isn't really a great bench then is it...
It’s just having a shitty starting lineup.
I think that's exactly the point he was making...
That’s the way I took it anyways.
Raps and Melo trade
Note that Denver and NJ don’t need a 3rd team to make a Melo trade work eg.
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=2dywust picks
Or
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=269cjj4 + picks
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=2dm8ot5 + picks
However, Denver’s GM loves Alabi and since they already had Petro who left to sign with NJ they may not care for him back. I say we get in there and grab Petro as a backup C.
I watched Petro since he was in Seattle thinking he would be good for the Raps back then and at the very beginning of his career he was thought to be a potential star in the making bec he played very well but his poor work ethic (reportedly) and lack of body development (strength & Condition) was the reason he fell into the dog house in Seattle as time went along. In Denver he played behind Nene and Birdman and hardly saw the floor so his development was stunted. This guy is a legit C at 70 247lbs (a little on the thin side tho) and only 24yrs old. Watching him in NJ over the last few games he looks below average in terms of his rebounding and over all play but at 3mil/yr I still think he would be valuable for us to throw in the mix when facing big front courts. Also at 24yrs old and 5yrs NBA experience he qualifies as a young veteran who hopefully still has some upside.
We could become involved by doing this:
Good thought
i couldn’t load your trade as my work cpu is on Explorer 6 – But I assume you are basically trading Alabi for Petro. My question would be, why would you trade a guy with potential and might become something for a guy that had potential and didn’t make anything of it? I get that he is still young, but Alabi is much younger…
I hear yah and good point on the sideways aspect of the trade but
Alabi is only 2yrs younger and is so incredibly raw that he failed to make an impact in the D league while Petro has been playing for 5yrs in the NBA and at only 24yrs hasn’t even hit his prime yet. He definitely failed to follow through on a promising start to his career but he was 19/20 and clearly lost his way. I think at 24 he can be a contributor off the bench at the very least or even as a starter 3to4yrs from now. I’d rather work with Petro’s 5yrs of experience and proven ability to play on this level than work with a guy only 2yrs younger who is considered a long term project.
Fair enough you've made some good points.
I think it may come down to like for like. Let’s not forget that Alabi makes significantly less. And I thought Alabi had pretty good stats in the D league (not mind blowing but solid). In fact I think he had one game where he had like 12 and 7 with 7 blocks (or something crazy like that)…
BC and Andrea:
GM Bryan Colangelo and centre Andrea Bargnani re-affirmed their commitment to the hospital ( for sick children) with separate $125,000 donations to the hospital.
Nice, I wonder whether BC did it in behalf of the Raps of out of his own pocket
It was Raptor money
But Andrea got his tax receipt.
oops
in the heat of the discussion I guess nobody of us spent a word to congratulate Sasha Kalra and Sean Tepper ….
Congrats to you guys
re:Oops
Yes, congratulations to both of you.
by JumpShootersRUS on Dec 21, 2010 2:33 PM EST up reply actions
What ever happened to dear Marcia. Ah, the good old days… or maybe not!
by los sonadores on Dec 21, 2010 3:52 PM EST up reply actions
I don't miss Marcia
-The bad grammar, the “TJ Ford can do no wrong” attitude, the incoherent babble, the swearing and personal attacks…aaahhh…maybe I do miss her?
Actually, anyone remember from our first site, the Wordpress 2.0 one, we had a commentator named “Little Scrappy?” That guy cracked me up.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Dec 21, 2010 4:25 PM EST up reply actions
lol.. well when I say I miss her, I mean being entertained by her. I can’t believe you guys banned her. :)
lol.. well when I say I miss her, I mean being entertained by her. I can’t believe you guys banned her. :)I think I actually hit my head on the desk once (literally) after reading one of her posts, so hard it left a permanent mark on my forehead.
Bring back Marcia pleeeeeaaaase!!!
by Assistant GM on Dec 21, 2010 9:47 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
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