NBA Free Agency 2011 - Top Center Options for the Toronto Raptors
by Adam Francis on Jun 30, 2011 9:34 AM EDT
in Feature Stories
Email
Print
D Day for the NBA's labour talks but the HQ forges on, looking at this year's free-agent center crop...
Loren Woods.
Jerome Moiso
The "Banger Bros"
Mengke Bateer
Yep, these are just some of the illustrious names of Raptors-years past who tried manning the 5 spot.
The fact is, the center position has traditionally been one of extreme weakness for the Raps, and again as they enter this off-season of uncertainty, it's an area sorely in need of help.
The problem is, and as we discussed yesterday, the team doesn't have a lot of money to facilitate any "hole-plugging."
And on top of that, there just aren't a ton of great "hole-pluggers" available.
With that being said though, this morning we take a look at the center crop of 2011 NBA Free Agents, dividing it into various...um...tiers...
Let's start at the top.
The "I'll Hug Colangelo" Tier:
1) Tyson Chandler - The top option in this entire off-season recruitment process has to be Mr. Chandler. He's still reasonably young, is fresh off a near MVP playoff performance where his club won the whole thing, and he would both plug a big roster hole on Toronto, and fill some big needs as a defensive-minded, shot-blocking center.
But as we discussed yesterday, is he a realistic option?
I sincerely doubt it.
First, I think that Dallas will do everything in its power to retain him, and second, if Tyson does look elsewhere, would he really choose a 20 win club like the Raps, even if their new head coach is his former assistant in Dallas?
One with only about $7M to spend this off-season on him?
Next.
2) Nene - There's not much point going into mega detail on Nene here as while yes, he'd be an absolute beast in the middle for Toronto, his situation is similar to that of Tyson Chandler; Toronto most likely can't afford him, and why would he choose the Raps over a myriad of other options, all of which can probably pay a lot more.
The "Nice Work if you Can Get It" Tier:
1) DeAndre Jordan - In this tier, I've grouped two slightly more plausible options. Plausible for Toronto because a) these players won't likely command the same salary as the two in the previous tier and b) the teams that employ them have a history of losing key free agents.
So can Raptors' fans hope that the Clippers return to form and let Jordan walk? It doesn't sound like it. By all accounts LA is bent on keeping Jordan, even if it means moving another center, Chris Kaman.
In addition, Jordan will probably command in the neighborhood of $8 to $10M, slightly out of Toronto's price range, and the Clippers, about $11M under the cap, should be able to award him the contract he desires.
As the antithesis of Andrea Bargnani, Jordan would be a sight for sore eyes for Raps' fans, however at this point the whole idea seems to be a mirage.
2) Marc Gasol - Gasol is in a similar situation as Jordan. He too is a restricted free-agent, one his club seems hell-bent on keeping, but playing for a team which hasn't always fared well in terms of retaining key players. (See his brother.) The added wrinkle here though is that the Memphis Grizzlies salary cap situation is not nearly as good as that of LA, or Toronto for that matter. The team recently signed Rudy Gay and Mike Conley to big deals, and has re-upped on power forward Zach Randolph.
That doesn't leave the club with a lot of money and while last off-season was a good one I'm sure for the team's pocket-book, we're still talking about a club that's hardly in "free-spending" mode.
Gasol could be had then for the right price, although Toronto will also be competing with numerous other clubs undoubtedly for his services. $8 to $10M ala DeAndre Jordan sounds about right but if TO can somehow get him for $7ish and possibly offer a more lucrative back-loaded deal, there may be a glimmer of hope.
But considering Memphis has first-right of refusal here, I'd say it's just that, a glimmer.
The "Fine, I Guess That Works" Tier:
1) Joel Przybilla - In this tier, we look at three options that make sense on paper, but have big risks attached. Mr. Przybilla is the top dog here for me, as he would provide a legit shot-blocking and rebounding presence, and probably one that could be had for under the $7ish million the Raps look to have to spend.
Yes, he's struggled with injuries of late, but if healthy, we're talking about one of the best per-minute rebounders and shot-blockers in the league, with an underrated offensive game. He would be the Dinos' first legit rim protector at the 5 in eons, and as a great character guy who's been in the league for a while, a solid veteran presence for the team's youngsters.
That being said, do you really want to award a long-term deal to a 31 year-old who relies a lot on athleticism to be effective, and who' s best years seem to be behind him?
2) Samuel Dalembert - You could nearly duplicate what I just wrote about Pzybilla for Dalembert here although the former 76er and King is slightly younger, and hasn't had the same history with injuries.
But again we're talking about someone whose defensive traits at the 5 would make an immediate impact.
However considering his $13.4M price tag last year, it's doubtful he settles for under $7M (even if that's what he's actually worth) and he doesn't exactly have the best history in terms of locker room chemistry. (Not to mention the unintentional comedy involved with he and Leo Rautins working for the same organization.)
3) Kwame Brown - Finally, we get to the bust of all busts, Mr. Kwame Brown.
The funny thing is, Kwame has carved out a little niche for himself at this point in his career as a defensive presence at center, obviously something Toronto could use.
His price tag works as well, he made only $1.3M so could be had as a stop-gap solution until the Raptors bring over Jonas Valanciunas in a year.
However it's hard to get too excited about the team signing someone like Brown, and for me, while I'd be ok with it, I'd be much more "ok" if he could be had for cheap to enable other areas of need to be addressed by the team as well.
The "These Guys are Kind of Interesting" Tier:
1) Chuck Hayes - Undersized yes, but a beast of a rebounder and hustler who has the length to play the 5 at times. For $2 to $3M, you could do a lot worse, especially as a stop-gap.
2) Jeff Foster - Not really a defensive ace or shot-blocker, but he'd rebound the hell out of the ball and probably challenge Andrea to fight every practice. That alone could be worth throwing a couple mil at.
3) Jason Collins - Collins is still in the league simply because he plays great D. The Hawks used him to give Dwight Howard fits last year (he's one of the few who can do this), and he could probably be had for a very good price. He's no Chandler or even Gasol, but if the club is looking to hit the lottery hard next year while making subtle improvements on D, this could be the way to go.
4) Dan Gadzuric - He's coming off one of the worst contracts in NBA history, but he does block shots and rebound the basketball. Like Collins, if he could be had for cheap on a short deal...
5) Kyrylo Fesenko - This is a very interesting sleeper pick. Fesenko is no Dwight Howard in terms of being a shot-blocker and exceptional athlete, but he's a huge kid who gives other players problems thanks to his size and strength. Again, if he could be had on a two-year deal for relatively cheap, Fesenko might offer a very nice return on investment.
The "Just Say No" Tier:
Spencer Hawes, Nenad Krstic, Tony Battie, Eddy Curry.
Enough said.
98 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Odd...
I read that list and think Kwame Brown could be the best of the most realistic options.
Geoff Rahal
Author, RaptorsHQ.com
by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Jun 30, 2011 9:42 AM EDT reply actions
Scary eh?
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Jun 30, 2011 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Kwame
He might be my first choice, too. This is just a stopgap anyway. I would be fine with Jason Collins or maybe Dan Gadzuric if the price was right.
Pryzbilla doesn’t interest me much due to his injury history and I would worry a little about Dalembert’s price-to-attitude ratio (it wasn’t great in Philly).
Fesenko had pretty brutal stats this season:
FG% dropped from 54% in 09-10 to 44% in 10-11
FT% of 39%
WS/48 of -0.011
Portland made Qualifying Offer ($8.9 Million?)...
We would need to exceed that to get him…
"the Truth"
Erm… no we wouldn’t. We could have him for a minimum salary if Portland decides not to match our offer. Just because they are willing to risk 9 million for one year, doesn’t mean they would be willing to risk, say 5 million for 4 years. The actual value of the QO has no impact on a team’s ability to make an offer.
I was looking at it from Oden's perspective... $9 million to stay where I am comfortable and am getting my treatment and doctors... or $5 million to move to Toronto and let myself get Kleiza'd?
We would have to offer him as much or more money…
Maybe we don’t “have to” literally, by the rules, but yes, we would have to with any semblance of realism…
"the Truth"
Here’s a question – 9 million guaranteed before your career quite possibly ends, or 20 million guaranteed? In an even more likely case, offering a 5 year deal at say 6 or 7 million is clearly much better for Oden than accepting a one year deal, considering his state. Would you, in his place, really accept a QO if you had a real deal on the table?
The offer that pries him away will NOT have a per year rate of over 9 million – it will be lower. It is the guaranteed years that will sell him (and possibly scare Portland enough not to match).
Report: Nene to opt out, become free agent
Posted on: June 30, 2011 1:31 am
Edited on: June 30, 2011 6:41 am
Denver Nuggets center Nene Hilarious will reportedly opt out and become a free agent. Posted by Ben Golliver. nene-hilario
The free agent class of 2011 isn’t particularly strong. But it should be adding a fairly big name near the top.
The Denver Post reports that Denver Nuggets center Nene Hilario will opt out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent.
The Nuggets starting center will opt out of the final year of his contract worth about $12 million and, as a result, become an unrestricted free agent, a source said Wednesday night. It means Nene can sign with any team without the Nuggets getting a chance to match the offer when free agency begins after the expected NBA lockout, which should begin Friday.
Even with JV coming I say with regard to Nene
BC make it so
I don’t care how he does it. Move Bargnani and sign Nene
He’ll have to, especially since with Nene opting out, that likely means he assumes he’ll be the pick of the litter so to speak, regarding this free agent crop.
BC has some major cap clearing to do if he wants a shot at him.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Jun 30, 2011 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions
True Enough On The Cap Space
Led the Cap experts figure it out.
However, I am sure that it could be done; i.e. clearing enough cap space along with some creativity in the new contract unless the new CBA makes it impossible.
Numbers gurus have a way of figuring these things out. After all that is what they are paid the big bucks to do.
Johnny Davis As Lead Assistant Not A Done Deal
Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach mulling Raptors’ offer
Davis also in talks with Griz but deal hinges on length
PJ Carlisimo & Alex English out... Micah Nori & Eric Hughes & Scott Roth still in
by Al Bundy is my hero on Jun 30, 2011 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions
More Extensions By Raptors
RT @raptors: Senior VP of Basketball Ops Maurizio Gherardini & Senior Director of Scouting Jim Kelly have been extended for the 2011-12 season.
Hate hate hate hate
Our first pick was just a European, with a complicated buyout. Good thing we had an expert from Europe to put BC’s mind at ease. Anyone seen any of Big Jonas’ numbers from the tourney? He’s playing pretty well for a guy with no NCAA experience.
Walker McKenna
by Robert Archibald on Jul 2, 2011 7:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Interesting that none of this has been sent via press release by the Raptors…wonder if they’re hoping some of this stuff flies under the radar.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Jun 30, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions
you mean its a) just a flock of geese? or b) a malfunctioning hovercraft on Lake Ontario?
'....as a child, I dreamt of being a baseball.'
I Doubt That Chandler, Jordan or Gasol Are Going Anywhere
1. Why would Chandler give up a chance for a second ring to play in Toronto?
2. Clippers looking to move Kaman. Blake would have a hissy fit if his buddy DeAndre didn’t return
3. Marc Gasol loves Memphis. He went to high school there.
Nene is the best option
BC Make it so.
Tim Chisholm
He made a good point about Nene being just an average rebounder at the Center spot – never grabbing 8+ rebounds in a season. I don’t mind if it’s him playing with Ed Davis, but Bargnani and Nene would be a disaster on the boards.
Dump Bargnani
Nene and Amir or Nene and Ed or Amir and Ed would grab more than enough RPG
Sounds good to me.
Nene would make up for all but about 6 PPG from Bargnani
Nene led the NBA in FG percentage.
His WS/48 is very good
His defense and defensive rating are very good
People put two much weight on rebounding
With Nene, Amir and Ed the Raptors would have the highest FG% Big man rotation in the basketball world. I will gladly sacrifice a rebound or two for that
The six points a game on offense that the Raptors would lose in the replacing Barney with Nene can be made up at other positions and when you add in the defense it would be a big plus net gain for the Raptors in PPG differential.
BC make it so.
Its one thing I agree with
is Bargnani + Nene = failed front court. No rebound and little shot blocking.
Nothing against Nene, but his defense comes from having good hands, good quickness, and strength. What Bargnani needs is a 7ft gorilla (vanilla or not) beside him.
Nene + Ed (and/or Amir) though, now we are talking.
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jun 30, 2011 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Left Oden off because the Blazers made him a qualifying offer, and I’ve got a feeling he’s going to take it.
Add on that the offer was more than Toronto’s cap space and…
However he would definitely fall under a tier of his own, between the “fine, I guess that works” and “These Guys are Kind of Interesting” tiers.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Jun 30, 2011 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Would he really refuse an 8 million per year, 3 or 4 year deal to take a 9 million dollar one year QO? The Raptors can definitely make a play for him.
The real question is whether it is worth the risk – to pry him away we’ll need to offer a long term deal, for a player who may never play effectively again. Very high risk, very high reward.
by dhackett1565 on Jun 30, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Do we want him for 4 years at that price??
Chances are he’ll miss probably a year of the 4 so that’d be a pretty unwise investment
It all depends....
What is the team goal for the next (most probably shortened) season? If the season is significantly shortened, i.e. to 40-50 games, it may be better to go with what we currently have to get in better position for next summer’s draft. I’d say that losing a few games this upcoming season and using the playing time for developmental purposes would be a strategy that should be considered given Toronto’s current level of talent.
I’m thinking that the Raptors should go low-rent on a C for this year. I don’t think they’ll be able to sign a quality C for the money they have available so I’m thinking they should just try to keep as much cap space as they can.
This would put them in the position on being able to absorb a contract at the trading deadline if an interesting trade opportunity arises or they will have even more flexibility in the following year. I really don’t see the point of spending to the cap getting mediocre veterans to just fill out the roster. Veteran players should only be signed if the coaches think they can teach the young players about how to play winning basketball.
2011-12 is about creating an identity for this team and developing the existing talent
2012-13 should be about learning how to win by fighting for a playoff spot
2013-14 should be about fighting for home court in the playoffs.
Optimistic? Yeah, but why not.
I love this post and totally agree with the plan. That’s the way BC has to think and therefore I’d rather he keep the loot this off-season, patch up a few holes with defensive upgrades, where possible, and go from there.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Jun 30, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
When Kwame Brown is your most realistic option...
… perhaps trading is the better route to take.
Andrea Bargnani to the Suns for a combination of Josh Childress and Robin Lopez?
Geoff Rahal
Author, RaptorsHQ.com
by RaptorsHQ - Defensive Stance on Jun 30, 2011 11:37 AM EDT reply actions
No way!
If only because I don’t want to have to look at Lopez’s super scruffy un-shaven neck hair! lol
But seriously, I think the Raps could do a lot better than those two. Childress has always been way over valued, and we can do better elsewhere… get someone with true grit and a hardcore attitude to change things around. As much as Bargs annoys me he is still worth more than a robin Lopez alone.
by Oximusprime on Jun 30, 2011 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
If the Raps can get a serviceable big man like Lopez for Bargnani they should consier themselves lucky and pull the trigger.
best part of this
is a certain hoffa fan recommended a Ed Davis + Pick for Robin Lopez which was ridiculously bad trade. Bargs for Lopez…. Raps gotta consider themselves lucky. lol.
I’d do it.
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jun 30, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions
AH, JT
The sky is a different colour in his world.
But his opinions were generally insane and you wonder if he really believed anything he wrote or if if was just posting radical ideas for effect and eventually advertising.
Robin Lopez, ugh. JT still thinks Hoffa could be a starter and Andrea will prove us all wrong and prove eventually to be better than Dirk. Excuse me sir, we have a problem, you are going to have to return to the white room and settle down. Take your meds and be a good boy.
by defensive rap on Jul 1, 2011 2:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Kwame Brown or trade for Chris Kaman
A trade for Kaman is easier said than done tho bec there isn’t much of a good match between the two clubs. Outside of Kaman, K Brown seems like the best pick when you consider price tag, length of contract offered/accepted & durability.
I like Fresenko as well but he’s too much of a gamble. If he was more proven then yes, but if u sign him for 2 yrs and he can’t play we’re in trouble. K Brown has played decent ball the last 2 seasons so if we look past his bust status and look at how he actually played last couple of yrs, we might realize he’s not a bad choice.
Kaman - Forget It
The guys basketball IQ is about zero.
He is a disaster on offense in the fourth quarter or whenever he is double teamed.
He is a long history of injuries.
As a Clippers fan I would love to see the Clippers get rid of Kaman. LOL
Bargnani for Kaman straight up? Who says no?
by dhackett1565 on Jun 30, 2011 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes please in about 10 seconds.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Jun 30, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Sorry, re-think
Raptors (BC) say no.And he’d be wrong.
Fresenko
Not sure how the team would be in trouble more than they already are by giving this guy a 2 year deal.
Dave "Howland" Randell
Co-Creator of RaptorsHQ.com
by RaptorsHQ - Howland on Jun 30, 2011 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Fesenko intrugues me too
But only for his age and size. I haven’t seen him do much on the court, but he has the tools and Utah is a nice place for a big man to develop. Even when Big Jonas gets here, Fesenko would be a good back up. However, I think Brown might be the safer pick – typing that feels weird.
All this talk still seems ridiculous. We are talking about using cap space on question marks and flops, just to keep Bargnani happy at PF? And reduce the time of Amir and Ed, arguably our two best players? We should be telling Bargs to shut up or put up at C and not messing with our PF situation.
We’d could bring Fesenko/Brown/Pryz and Alibi off the bench, all an upgrade over Ajinca – giving Casey better options off the bench than Triano had and hopefully reducing Bargnani’s role (especially when he isn’t trying on D). Heck, even David Andersen was eating into Barney’s minutes before we traded him. Bargnani still gets a chance to improve/prove himself, but not at the cost of Ed and Amir.
Walker McKenna
by Robert Archibald on Jul 2, 2011 8:06 AM EDT up reply actions
what may be the best option…. resign Dorsey and use Ajinca/Alabi/ or Dorsey at C. Whats the worst that can happen… the Raps lose games? Those 3 get some experience?
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jun 30, 2011 12:23 PM EDT reply actions
+1
If the FA centers are going at top dollar, why lock into something long term when, ideally, the long term solution at C is playing in Lithuania and coming over next year?
To me, it’s a couple years of someone like Brown, lucking into a young player like Jordan or Gasol, or just letting out own prospects play into the position – see what an Amir-Ed frontcourt can do with significant minutes, with guys like Alabi, Ajinca or Dorsey handling teams with gigantic C’s neither of our PF’s can guard.
I’m actually thinking that Tyson Chandler or Nene would not be the best case scenario for this summer – this team is not going anywhere for a couple years – why grab these guys at the end of their primes?
by dhackett1565 on Jun 30, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d like a vet journeyman who can add some experience and toughness (maybe Kwame or Collins?), but I don’t want get locked in to anything more than a few years and low dollars.
If that is not possible, then I agree with the Alabi/Ajinca/Dorsey approach. Basically, the Raptors will be starting Amir and Ed and bringing those other three in depending on the needs of the game and the match-ups.
This all presumes that Andrea is traded and no post player comes back in the deal.
+1
If we can get Gasol or Jordan – do it. Otherwise, I’d go with NSFS suggestion and play the young scrubs we have as opposed to signing other scrubs for more money.
+2 for Gasol
Gasol is a beast, and would be exactly what we need. Best of all possible worlds is we throw big coin at Gasol in an overpay and the move Bargs to make it work financially.
by CamHilton on Jun 30, 2011 8:58 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Totally agree. Going to talk more about Dorsey when we look at the power forward position but statistically he makes a ton of sense to retain. Unfortunately there are some “other” factors to consider.
Adam Francis - Publisher - RaptorsHQ.com
by Adam Francis on Jun 30, 2011 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
His QO is identical to Weems’, FYI. 1.091 million.
by dhackett1565 on Jun 30, 2011 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Chandler To Hit FA Market
Updated: June 30, 2011, 12:06 PM ET
Sources: Top big men to hit market
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
There are actually two notable deadlines Thursday in the NBA.
One is the buzzer sounding at midnight that signals the end of the current collective bargaining agreement and sends the league into the uncertainty of a lockout.
But Thursday is also the last day for free agents-to-be such as the Denver Nuggets’ Nene and the Dallas Mavericks’ Tyson Chandler to sign contract extensions that would keep the two big men off the free-agent market … whenever free agency starts after the forthcoming lockout.
Yet in both cases, no extension is anticipated Thursday
Sources: Raptors To Go Hard After Chandler
Besides big-spending rivals such as Miami and New York that sources say would love to try to steal Chandler from the Mavs if they had any financial flexibility, sources likewise indicate that at least two teams projected to have some salary-cap space in the NBA’s new frontier — Sacramento and Toronto — are already making plans to go hard after Chandler when they are finally granted that opportunity.
Works for me. LOL
Casey - Chandler Connection
This could happen.
Amir and Davis to the bench? with Bargnani at PF?
Then Again A Chandler Signing
could mean the end of Bargnani as a Raptor.
Casey has already mentioned how Amir could become an above average defender. No way that happens if he and Davis are splitting 30 MPG or less.
If the Raptors sign Chandler then either Bargnani, Davis or Amir will have to be moved.
Chandler sign-and-trade
Maybe the Raptors can sign-and-trade for Chandler sending Bargnani the other way to be Dirk’s understudy off the bench. The Raptors could send along Reggie Evans in a separate sign-and-trade deal so he can continue to be Bargnani’s rebounding caddie when he comes on the floor. In the Evans deal the Raptors may have to take back some dead weight from the Mavericks.
I should point out that my suggestion is meant to be facetious. Considering Cuban owes BC for the help BC gave him in putting together his championship squad maybe now is the time for Cuban to return the favour. LOL! ;)
Great article/review Franchise. After looking at this murder’s row of options, it makes one that much more hopeful that Jonas V. Pans out! It’s amazing how few and far between the options are at Centre in the NBA these days… It’s a dying breed. Let’s hope we have a Centre of the future in Jonas as I think the hardest position to fill in today’s NBA is the Centre position.
Keep it in your pants BC
There is no reason to sign a centre to a long term deal for more than 10 million this off season. If we do, and we get Gasol or Chandler than ok, but I am not sure it’s worth the risk or that the timing is right.
The real key here is to trade our last years starting centre for next years starting centre. Is Kaman a good prospect? Not really but he is an upgrade and his contract dies sooner, so that makes it a resounding YES.
And as for Buddha’s critic of his BBall IQ, are we really losing basketball smarts in this deal? Because Andrea is such a clever player who does all the intelligent and gritty things a team needs to win? Pardon? I said pardon!
Kaman starting beside Amir and Ed sounds like a big improvement from last year. And the contract being shorter is a huge plus.
+1 and LOL at "Keep it in your pants BC"
BTW was your “Pardon?” meant to be read in the voice of “the Champ”? If so double LOL!
The Champ
Toronto radio when I was a kid in the 80s. Nice catch MAS11.
by defensive rap on Jun 30, 2011 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions
The Champ
So I heard BC traded Amir for Okur with Utah hoping to play Okur at the five, Andrea the four, Linas at 3, DD at 2 and Jose at the PG. So I lose it, I snap. I take BC’s left hand and start make him punch himself in the face until he is out cold….and ever since….I’ve been the champ.
by defensive rap on Jun 30, 2011 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Getting Cs however you can
With Casey saying that Bargnani will be a PF, that leaves us with four or five PFs and one or zero Cs (depending on your opinion of Alabi). Colangelo must be planning to trade one of these PFs. The lineup makes no sense otherwise. Perhaps a more interesting article would be what sort of Center the Raptors could get by trading one of these PFs or perhaps Calderon.
Calderon or PF
The issue is simple; most of the fans on this site, myself included, don’t want to trade Ed or Amir. We want to move Andrea, Reggie, Barbossa, Calderon, Linas or someone else.
Not Ed, Amir, Jared, JJ, JV, DD
So what will BC do? The one thing that really gives me hope that he may move Andrea is that there is likely a decent market out there for Andrea. It may only be a few teams, but his 21 pts per must look attractive somewhere. Maybe in Minny. Beasley and 2012 first round pick and I am good with it.
But like I said, the question is who is BC shopping out there? Simply put
Amir loves it here, why , why would you move the hardest working, grittiest and happiest player on your team? He’s very efficient on O and he doesn’t need plays called for him for him to get 13 and 7 and shoot over 50% from the field
Ed showed huge potential last year and he is so young. He claimed he would come back 25lbs stronger next season. Who here doesn’t want to see how that plays out? I see a guy who gets 15 and 10 and plays great defence and shoot over 50 fg%
Andrea is going into his sixth year. We have a good idea of what he is and how he plays. He’s a talented offensive player. He is a nightmare on defence and rotations. His offensive skills are slightly negated by his inability to pass well and his dependancy on the long two point jump shot. He continues to shoot at 45% or lower and he does not get to the line frequently enough to help this number. He’s a 21 and 5.6 guy, who shoots inefficiently, plays porous defence and who stops the ball movement on O every time it reaches his hands (where it stops far too often).
Trade Andrea, a bona fide top team scorer in the NBA last year and only 26 years young, for Beasley and a first round pick or for Kaman…or for Hamilton, or Odom, or Gay or Josh Smith or whatever the best offer we can get back. Don’t trade a 20 year old with huge potential. If we could have drafted Ed this year and he was just coming aboard I would be thrilled. He is part of the future of this franchise. He’s exactly what we are trying to acquire, young and full of potential.
+1
I think you should repackage this as an “Open Letter to Brian Colangelo” and send it to the Raptors. Well said. One note: I would remove Hamilton, Odom, Gay and the rest of the names on your list and replace them with “anything, including mere cap space”.
anything including mere cap space
I don’t think so. It’s a business. Personal feelings aside, Andrea has value and we should get the maximum we can in return. But we basically agree.
Since we are rebuilding, you can’t move Ed and Amir and keep Andrea. It doesn’t make any sense unless you are one of those people…who thinks Andrea can change and become a more well rounded player. That is the only logic that dictates we keep Andrea. But that logic is tragically flawed. If we go that route we will feel like a stupid female who marries a man she is not satisfied with as he is but hopes to change him. Or for the PC people out there, like a stupid married person who married a person who was not what they wanted but hoped to be able to make them change. Ask a married couple, it doesn’t work that way, at all.
Andrea, though he plays pretty at times and seems very delicate, is not about to sprout wings and turn into a butterfly. He’s a soft scorer. Think Kukoc with less passing and better scoring. Stop thinking he can be the face of a franchise…or at least start hoping it will not be your franchise he is the head of. I think he would look good in Minnesota and the irony is it’s colder there than in Toronto, so it’s kinda perfect.
Beasley and a first round pick…..come on BC. Casey has a better chance of turning Beasley into a solid defender than he does Andrea.
by defensive rap on Jun 30, 2011 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Small disagreement...
“Not Ed, Amir, Jared, JJ, JV, DD”
I would replace Calderon for Bayless on the ’don’t trade list’, and move DD on to the ‘assets we can move’ list. Calderon’s winshare is very decent, even for his salary, Bayless isn’t half as productive, and DD is well underwater for SGs. Sell on DD before the league catches on.
by CamHilton on Jun 30, 2011 9:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I respectfully disagree
Your thought is sound but I see more upside from Bayless and DD than you do. Jose is a good piece and we should only move him if we get back what we need in return.
Bayless, DD, Ed, Amir, JJ, they are all young. Amir is the oldest in terms of years in the league but his first few with Detroit were not productive so he’s new too. We need these players to develop. We don’t need to give up on 23 year old pgs who get 18 and 8 when they start and show the potential to be excellent defensive players.
Jose is a nice piece for this team because he can settle the youth down on O and he’s a very efficient offensive leader. Ideally, we keep him and Bayless takes over the starting role in two years and Jose is our backup PG when we make our push to the finals.
by defensive rap on Jun 30, 2011 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Chandler> You guys really think he's coming here at this stage in his career>
y> y would he do it> what’s in it for him> Doesn’t make sense to me. Let’s talk abt realistic options.
7mil is not that much for a championship calibre C
He’d easily get more on better teams. Also, should the raps really break the bank on a stop gap center when they have a potentially good young one on his way up> I’m not sure I would.
Jonas Valanciunas 19pts and 13rebs today against Croatia
He didn’t shoot a good percentage offensively but played tough inside on both ends I’m being told. This pick is begining to look better and better. I wasn’t a fan of his early in the draft process and even at the end I was more in favor of Knight and Leonard but JV is looking pretty good against his peers. Hope this continues through out his career, dominating his peers I mean :).
+1
While not the be all and end all, the performance of international prospects in international tournaments is a great measuring stick. I’m glad that Jonas is being placed in such a prominent position with his national team. It bodes well for how much he gets out of the opportunity when he competes with them.
In a perfect world, I would address the PG and C positions before all others. It is the lack of availability of C’s in general which swayed me favor of Jonas V. Brandon Knight could end up being great for all I know, and I’m pulling for him since he seems to be very mature and professional for someone so young.
Kawhi Leonard was intriguing to be sure, and hand some good hype around him. In hindsight, I think that the impact of his great rebounding ability at the wing positions may not transfer as completely as it does for players who play closer to the basket (C, PF). In a draft like this, seeing consecutive teams pass on him for the Morris twins makes me think that he was overrated to some degree. I just can’t understand how he was passed on for people like Jimmer Fredette, Klay Thompson, Alec Burks, unless people think the one thing he’s got NBA level skill isn’t that much of a strength. Based on pundits, NONE of the guys I have just mentioned were in consideration higher up in the draft. And Leonard worked out for the higher echelon lottery teams, whereas the others did not (aside from Marcus Morris).
Oh and 5blocks as well
so 19pts, 13rebs, and 5 blks. Pretty good stuff
13 rebounds
When was the last time our centre had 13 rebounds?
5 Blocks?
This is the type of stat line we hope he can produce in the NBA. Fingers crossed, I always loved this gamble. Best move BC has made as GM.
i think that was ed davis playing C..ur I mean PF ..er I mean ...uggh
'....as a child, I dreamt of being a baseball.'
+1
In terms of really putting himself on the line for the sake of the greater good. Drafting Biyombo would have been even more gutsy. However, I think THEY THINK that a defense first big can be obtained via another means, either trade or a future draft.
I think that was part of the reason why Jonas V won out. He seemed like a guy that could play both ends reasonably well, and a more balanced piece to put down in the team’s foundation.
Placeholder or Young w/ Potential only please
Tyson Chandler or Nene on their own will not improve our club’s win loss record one bit in the short amount of time we would have them for. There is no point in adding such bluechip talent to a rebuilding team, we must wait for DeRozan, Davis etc. talent’s to crest and then sign all stars and champions to push us over the top. If we add elite players to a crappy team, we are just masking our problems and prolonging our mediocrity whilst handcuffing us financially.
Stay with the youth movement please Mr. Colangelo and only sign vets a year at a time to just fill out the positions. We need to think big picture, and I am actually confident that BC has had enough trial and error now that he will stick to a slow build which gives us a shot at being very good for a long time… after a period of awfulness.
My top placeholder would be Kwame Brown and I think the young player worth taking a flyer on is Fesenko.
Assuming the Raptors stink it up next year and get a high draft pick in a strong draft, they could go into the following season bringing in an elite player – a la harrison barnes or anthony davis – as well as a one-year matured Jonas Valanciunas. That would be quite a haul and give the franchise something to build around along with Ed Davis and DD. I agree, don’t muck it up this year by overpaying for a free agent who won’t get us over the hump but might take us out of the lottery and limit our cap space in the future. Let’s wait until we are ready to compete for a playoff spot then jump into the FA market to get a missing piece or two
POWER FORWARD
Does anyone else find Andrea’s new title a little strange for him? He’s not really a power anything.
How about shooting forward instead. Or Soft Shooting Forward if we were being honest.
szdfgsdg
hello everyone,im wholesale supplier online
Welcome to our website
==== http://shopping01.org ====
accept paypal or credit card and free shipping
We need your support and trust!!!
Dear friends, please temporarily stop your footsteps
To our website Walk around A look at
Maybe you’ll find happiness in your sight shopping heaven and earth
You’ll find our price is more suitable for you.
==== http://shopping01.org ====
==== http://shopping01.org ====
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
Related FanPosts on Raptors HQ
Related FanShots on Raptors HQ
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Shaquille O’Neal is in a Chinese beer commercial, too (VIDEO)
- ‘Deep Thoughts’ and Cheap Thoughts: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- C-a-C: This is probably as close to LeBron James working with John Waters as we’ll ever get
- Dwyane Wade’s hot pink pants: The kind of thing you can get away with when you drop 41
- Lamar Odom to New York? Dwight Howard on the move? For now, it’s all talk
