The Ex-Girlfriend Tour

Orlando, Florida - November 12, 2010
Miami, Florida - November 13, 2010

If I could make a spiffy looking shirt with these tour dates on the back, I'm sure I could sell a few while waiting in line for the next Raptors game.

Vince was always criticized for smiling too often during games, especially those of the blowout variety. But now it all makes sense. Maybe he knew something we didn't.

With the Raptors making their first visit to Orlando this season, along with their first ever look at the Miami Heat, Raps fans will be treated with an interesting clash of the old and the new.

So what exactly have our former flames been up to lately?

Well Mr. "Air Canada" recently found himself grounded.



While CB4got to get involved last night...




Being realistic, the Raptors lose the next two games and fall to 1-9. To some fans, that's good news as it would bring us one step closer to a top 3 pick in next year's draft.

MEMO To Future Raptors Franchise Players:

It may be sunnier in Florida, but it's definitely not always greener. In fact, do yourself a favour and stay a couple more years than you'd prefer. If T-Mac had done so, he and Carter would have formed one of the most dynamic duos in the modern NBA. And if Carter had done the same, he and Bosh would formed an excellent wing-big combo that often works well.

Failure to adhere to this advice may lead into choking two pivotal free throws during the playoffs, or admitting you look lost on the big stage.

Just sayin...

What Kind of Raptors Fan Are You?

With the 2010-2011 NBA season already well underway, I ask every member of Raptors Nation this: What kind of Raptors fan are you?

Going into our first season without Chris Bosh, we can still REALISTICALLY go one of two ways.

1. Overachieve and scrape by with the 7th or 8th seed.
2. Meet expectations and finish at the bottom of the league.


Most casual fans would look at the standings, see a lowly "1-4" record next to the Raptors, and feel validated in their lack of confidence within the team. But for those who have actually watched the games this year, you know the Raptors have been been in every game they've played so far.

When it comes down to it, the Raptors have been within striking distance of a win in each of their first five games (yes, even against the Jazz and Lakers). One of the other encouraging signs revolves around the intensity and effort this team has shown night in and out. Regardless of how many points we may fall behind, this year's installment of the Toronto Raptors refuse to hang their head and give up.

So with that in mind, which route would you like the Raptors to go?

There's no question the players want to make the playoffs. You don't make it to the NBA without that insane obsession of winning. These are professional athletes, all they've been used to is success.

I'll go out and say this now. If the Raps continue to play like they've been playing on this road trip, they will be within reach of one of the last two playoff spots. It's a funny thing to say, but this team is better than last year's in some aspects.

But is that what's best for the franchise long term?

If expectations and predictions come to fruition, the Raps will likely come out of this with a top 3 pick in next year's draft. Don't worry Raptors Nation, I know, the draft has hurt us plenty of times in the past. But truth be told, it'll be hard to mess this one up. And if you take into account our last two drafts, we've come away with two very nice pieces in DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis.

Imagine pairing these two up with the likes of Kyrie Irving or Harrison Barnes?

Suddenly, the Raps would actually start to look more like the "Oklahoma East" DeRozan coined us to be earlier in the season.

Establishing a winning culture? Or roll the dice for the big payoff?

The Raps will go one of two paths. Which one are you holding the sign to?

Hedo: From Toronto, With Love

The highlight of the yesterday's Raptors/Suns game (besides getting the W obviously) occurred late in the 2nd quarter with under a minute left. Even through my league pass stream, I was able to hear a very disgruntled fan voice his displeasure with the Pizza Man Hedo Turkoglu.

At first, it was kind of bugging me that the attendance was so weak - seeing an empty ACC during a Raptors game is something I find depressing - but then without such a small crowd, this beautiful moment wouldn't have been made possible.

The awkwardness of it all was enhanced by the complete silence of the moment. The only thing that would have made it any better is if a camera had been on Turk's face at the time, or if someone had thrown pizza at him.

To whoever you are dude, thanks for representing Raptors Nation. You made all of us proud. And to Mr. Turkoglu, this is only preseason, wait until the games actually mean something, we'll really bring it to the table then - unlike some people.

Lace Em Up; Running With The Bulls

The problem? Our stagnant offensive sets.

The solution? Look at how Chicago did it.

If there was one thing you could count on the Bulls for last season, it was their struggles on the offensive end. Even with the dynamic Rose, Chicago often found it difficult to put points up on the board. Fortunately for them, they were always solid on the glass and on the defensive end.

So how did new coach Tom Thibodeau decide to work around it?

Well based off that one preseason game against our Raptors last night, it was through speed. The Bulls were relentless when it came to running the ball down our throats. Time after time again, our defense found themselves backpedaling and unable to get into a comfortable position to guard the basket. The Bulls coaching staff realized that fast break opportunities result in easy points; something Raptors fans are hoping Jay and Co. begin to clue on soon.

The current Raptors' offense is elementary. Pure and simple. The last two games have exposed that fact. We may have been able to get away with it against the Suns, but as soon as we ran into defensive squads like the Bulls and the Celtics, the Raps were unable to move the ball. It was like watching 90% of video gamers play NBA 2K11 for the first time.

This team has the tools to pick up the pace. DeMar and Weems more than excel in the open court. Amir, Bargs, Dorsey, and eventually Davis are all bigs fully capable of running the down the floor (Heck, Noah did it against us last night). The Raps easiest buckets last night came when Barbosa took the ball and flew like a jet down the court.

In my eyes, this has to be done. We don't have anyone on this team who can consistently create for themselves and others. On top of that, we don't have someone we can isolate or dump the ball into the post to. Ball movement is great and all, but that's usually most effective with teams who have been together for some time. Our easiest buckets will come in transition.

The next question now though is: What happens to our defensive philosophy?

The Raps have shown lately a dedication to putting pressure on the ball, even to the point where we'll apply full court pressure in the first and second quarters. If this team is going to run on the offensive end, asking them to also go full court on defense may be too much - for any team.

With A Side of Red - Sept.28/10

One of these things is not like the others...

Goodbye Mr. Bosh (who still owes me a signed jersey). And hello to what Sonny Weems so elegantly describes as the "After-Bosh" Era. But before we put the second foot through the door, let's stop by Ira Winderman's twitter. The man has the exciting job of getting to cover the Miami Heat this year. Here some of his tweets regarding Chris Bosh and their practice today.

"Chris Bosh on getting to work with Wade, LeBron: "Having the opportunity to work with those guys I think is a very special thing."

You think? I still think you're the best PF in the NBA, but you've been regulated to clean up duties.

Chris Bosh on the value of these drills: "Getting back in shape isn't easy."

Especially after an ankle, knee, or face injury. But don't worry, according to The Sun's article on you, just hit up Dr. Anthony Galea on speed dial.

Chris Bosh tries to attack lane off the dribble. Turnover.

Ah. There's the Chris I remember last seeing.

Alright. There. Out of my system. No more Bosh posts for the rest of the season; unless it involves a game against the Heat of course.

In other more relevant news, FAN 590 Raptors play-by-play man Paul Jones had a rather interesting tweet regarding today's practice.

Unfortunately, this is going to happen with a young group, especially during this time of training camp. The eagerness may be there, but the consistent focus understandably won't. However, I do like the fact that Triano is setting the tone early. He told us during the end of season presser that he had learned a lot. So far, he's putting that acquired knowledge to work.

Next up, the big question that comes with every Raptors training camp - at least with BC in charge. "Who will start?"

Well according to this article, it looks like we have two players locked in.

And to top it off, just in case you haven't caught the onslaught of new videos Raptors.com have posted, you can check out some of them below.

I'm looking to get big things done with the GamePointBlog this year. More posts, new staff, more podcasts, more interviews, and a video section. Thank you to the readers for giving this blog a chance, this is only the beginning. Whatever it is you're doing, I hope you enjoyed it "With A Side of Red".

Raptors Media Day and Day 1 of Camp

Day 2 of Camp

A New Raptors Season Just Around The Corner

So like with many of you, the new Raptors season doesn't begin for me until draft night. Regardless if we have a pick or not, the NBA really doesn't seem all that real to me until we get the commissioner up on that stage and announcing names left and right.

Draft Night. There's nothing like it.

It only seemed like yesterday that Raptors Nation was caught up in a buzz of hysteria, wondering and/or debating as to who the Raps would pick up at the 9th slot. As we all now know, we ended up taking DeMar DeRozan. Though we still may not know how that pick will turn out, it was the build up to that pick that made last year's draft night so memorable.

Little did we know, but it turns out this year's draft will far eclipse the excitement and importance of last year's version. Raptors Nation realizes we're at a crossroads here. With Chris Bosh likely hitting free agency, a new era in Raptors basketball is likely to occur. What we end up doing with our 13th pick will have a huge impact on what kind of team we'll be looking at for the next 3-5 years.

So with everyone having their own opinions on who we should take, I'll hit you with the three players I feel like would be awesome additions to the Raptors.

With the 13th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select...

Cole Aldrich


.
Okay, I'll just get it out of the way since I know some of you are thinking it. But no, he's not comparable to Hoffa. Whether it's on the message boards or during discussions with my friends, Rafael Araujo's name always comes up when Aldrich is being discussed. But truth be told, they're nothing alike.

This guy is a legit NBA center. Listed at 6'11, Cole has all the tools needed to survive in the league. He proved to the entire nation during his time at Kansas that he can be that guy that holds the paint down. He plays with a high motor, is an excellent rebounder, and blocking shots is a specialty of his - something we Raps fans aren't accustomed to hearing.

On top of that, he's a smart kid. He was named the Academic All-American of the year, which shows that he puts in the work needed to be successful both on the court, and in the classroom. I get it - he's not the sexy pick. He's not overly athletic. He has one of the ugliest looking shots I've ever seen. Nor will he ever probably be a 20 point scorer. But you can guarantee that he'll be a very solid rotational player who will put up 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks throughout his career. Think of a Kendrick Perkins or a Sammy D. These are the kind of players you need to be successful in the NBA.


Paul George



Check it. This guy doesn't even have his own Wiki page yet. But you can bet by now, every single team in the lottery knows who Paul George is. He's got the height (6'8) and length of a SF, and the shooting ability of a SG. Combined with the ability to jump out of the gym with the simplest of ease, and you've got a very intriguing prospect. Just imagine him running down the court with the Young Gunz?

The best part is that he's actually already quite familiar with one of the members - DeMar DeRozan. Having been quoted from his twitter feed of loving the idea of playing with DeMar, a duo of DeRozan and Geroge would be the closest we could get to duplicating the Vince/Tracy duo next season.

The only drawback is that he did play for Fresno State, and no offense to them, but the competition Paul played against was obviously inferior to that of Division 1 teams. With that said, I do like his height, length, and the ability to shoot the long ball; especially if he's going to be playing with DeMar and Sonny. Hopefully he improves his handles, because we still lack that wing who can create.

Avery Bradley



Let's put it this way.

Worst Case Scenario: Juan Dixon

Best Case Scenario: Russel Westbrook

Avery Bradley represents the current NBA fad - the lightning quick and super athletic scoring combo guard. Think Derrick Rose, Russel Westbrook, Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings. The NBA is starting to see an influx of players who are too undersized to truly play the 2 spot, so are placed at the 1 to reek havoc. They're basically point guards who are given the green light to shoot the ball, and can take over at any point of the game. A pass first point guard? Pssh. Who needs that anymore? That's why John Wall is going #1. Teams want their PG to be amazingly athletic and have the ability to score the ball.

This is what Bradley thrives in doing. He can score the ball from anywhere on the court, has the quickness to break his man off the dribble, and the athleticism to finish at the rim. On top of that, he's been noted as perhaps the best perimeter defender in this year's draft.

So why could he potentially be at the 13th pick? Well like Aldrich (low ceiling) and George (played against weaker competition), Bradley too has his shortcomings. For one, Bradley had a very rough year while he played for the University of Texas. Being heralded as one of the top recruits in the country only a year ago, Bradley's stock has plummeted partly due to how the Longhorns put up a stinker of a season. On top of that, he was one of the worst finishers at the basket last year. You can imagine why that scares off some teams. Think of a Westbrook or Rose without the finishing ability..Yikes.

So with that all said, who do I want the most? Well I rank them like this:

1. Paul George
2. Cole Aldrich
3. Avery Bradley

With Turkoglu surely on his way out, I would love to bring in another wing who doesn't only happen to be taller than DeMar and Sonny, but also has better range. A future wing core of DeRozan-George-Weems is a nice thing to have moving forward. I also took into consideration that we could find a center through free agency or trade (Bosh for Bynum, Turk for Dalembert, etc.)

Of course, I should note that I also think out of the 3 players listed here, I think George is also the least likely to still be on the board come the 13th pick. If that happens, I hope we can take Aldrich at 13, and somehow obtain another pick in the first round, thus snagging Bradley. Picking up two players who pride themselves on the defensive end would be absolutely huge for this Raptors team.

Solving The Bosh Puzzle: The Detroit Pistons Piece

So one day in late April, I checked in on my blog and noticed a lack of something. Sifting through them, I found pieces on Hedo, the Young Gunz, the Amazing Race, video games, the Olympics, etc. But the one thing that was truly missing was a piece about the franchise - CB4. And yeah, sure, maybe I did that because every other media outlet was beating the whole "Chris Bosh" topic to death; but still.

Like many others, I don't want to take Bosh for granted. And so with the realization that he may be gone very soon, I wanted to dedicate the next 30 days or so to him with my writing and this very blog. After all, this may be my last chance to discuss him on here.

The mission - should you choose to read it - is simple. Everyday, I'll breakdown a different team's outlook in regards to acquiring our franchise player. We'll take a look at how a potential transaction will affect both sides of the spectrum, and whether or not such a move could potentially go down.

Disclaimer: Let's please keep in mind that I'm not majoring in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement; so if there's a few errors here and there in that regards, please let me know. Thanks!

Previous Piece: The Denver Nuggets

Today's Piece: The Detroit Pistons



Players Of Interests
Richard Hamilton
Tayshaun Prince
Ben Gordon
Jason Maxiell
Rodney Stuckey
Austin Daye
Jonas Jerebko

Ladies and gentlemen, to your left, you'll see a prime example of what happens when you mess around with a formula that works: The Detroit Pistons! Having been built recently through players with high basketball IQ both on the offensive and defensive end, the Pistons went a different route last summer. Their off-season blockbuster acquisitions included the likes of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. And not to anyone's surprise, they were teased for picking up two dudes only known for their offensive arsenal but with no interest whatsoever in playing defense.

As expected by many, this experiment turned out to be a failure. Both Charlie and Ben were hampered by injuries, and neither player was able to tap into what made them so successful in their contract year.

But through it all, I fully expect this team to bounce back next season. Why? This franchise is just too proud to have another horrid year. Keeping in mind they stay healthy, this very same team would challenge for a late playoff spot. But I don't think that's good enough, so let's say they take a shot at Bosh.

The problem with Detroit is that they're kind of like us. There's a lot of serviceable players on long expensive contracts, but no stars, future stars, or players on bargain deals. With that in mind, we are pretty poor potential Bosh partners.

One thing I can see Detroit wanting to do and BC probably not minding is taking on Piston players with long term deals. I'm talking about Rip Hamilton and Ben Gordon. If a Bosh deal went down, one of these guys would definitely be sent our way. We take the contract off their hands, while we provide a change of scenery to a player still capable of lighting it up.

I think obviously their most attractive piece is Tayshaun Prince. Again, he doesn't do anything special, but he knows how to win and more importantly, he's got a 11 million dollar expiring contract attached to his name. There's nothing ever wrong with adding more length.

Three other players that wouldn't be bad pickups are Maxiell, Jerebko, and Stuckey. If for some reason we can't retain Amir Johnson, Maxiell wouldn't be a bad pickup to replace him if we were to deal with Detroit. Jerebko is another big in that mold who would probably be just as effective as Maxiell but at a much cheaper price. And lastly, Stuckey would be a fairly decent option as a scoring point guard next to Hedo Turkoglu.

My Preferred Scenario:

Raptors Trade Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon,
Pistons Trade Tayshaun Prince (expiring), Austin Daye, Rip Hamilton

It was tough to come up with a trade that both made sense for the Raptors and the Pistons/Bosh. I'm not exactly sure Bosh would be amped up to play with Stuckey/Gordon/Villaneuva. But if you're asking me what I would prefer back from Detroit, this package would be it. Prince provides us with salary cap, Daye gives us that length and a young piece moving forward, while Rip Hamilton becomes the perfect player to pair up with Turk. For the Pistons...umm...well, I dunno. I guess if you could find a decent rebounding and shot-blocking big, as well as a defensive stopper at the 3 spot, you could have pretty well rounded team there....

More Likely Scenario:

We just stay away from each other.

Solving The Bosh Puzzle: The Denver Nuggets Piece

So one day in late April, I checked in on my blog and noticed a lack of something. Sifting through them, I found pieces on Hedo, the Young Gunz, the Amazing Race, video games, the Olympics, etc. But the one thing that was truly missing was a piece about the franchise - CB4. And yeah, sure, maybe I did that because every other media outlet was beating the whole "Chris Bosh" topic to death; but still.

Like many others, I don't want to take Bosh for granted. And so with the realization that he may be gone very soon, I wanted to dedicate the next 30 days or so to him with my writing and this very blog. After all, this may be my last chance to discuss him on here.

The mission - should you choose to read it - is simple. Everyday, I'll breakdown a different team's outlook in regards to acquiring our franchise player. We'll take a look at how a potential transaction will affect both sides of the spectrum, and whether or not such a move could potentially go down.

Disclaimer: Let's please keep in mind that I'm not majoring in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement; so if there's a few errors here and there in that regards, please let me know. Thanks!

Previous Piece: The Dallas Mavericks

Today's Piece: The Denver Nuggets



Players of Interests:
Kenyon Martin
J.R. Smith
Chris Andersen
Ty Lawson
Aaron Affalo

If there's one team who can top off the previous team we discussed in regards to disappointments, it would definitely be the Denver Nuggets. Not your typical 4th seed (only 1 game back of 3rd, 2 games back of 2nd, and 4 from the 1st seed), heavy expectations were placed heading into the post-season. They had everything you could want in a team destined to make a strong push for a title. The leadership and ability to hit the clutch shot at point guard with Billups. Length, athleticism, and paint intimidation at the 4 and 5 spots. 3 point shooters and instant offense off the bench. And lastly, a swingman with the ability to take over the game.

So what happened?

Well, they ran into an equally tough and well coached Utah Jazz team. Perhaps the absence of George Karl played a role in it. Or maybe the right fit wasn't there. Personally, I put a lot of blame in their lack of a post presence on the offensive side of the ball.

Here are the scoring averages Denver's bigs put up in the post-season:

Nene: 11.4 pts
Martin: 10.0 pts
Andersen: 4.5 pts

If you compare that to the teams are left in the playoffs, Denver really doesn't have that one big that they can rely on to score when things get really gritty in the playoffs. Phoenix has it with Amare (20.5 pts), the Lakers have it with Gasol (20.2), Boston has it in KG with one leg (17.1), while Cleveland uses a combo of Jamison (16.5) and Shaq (10.5). And then of course there's Orlando who still has Dwight averaging 15 points a game in the playoffs, but also can rely on the biggest army of 3 point shooters in the NBA.

So why not add Chris Bosh to you team folks!

First and foremost, Ty Lawson has to be included in whatever deal could potentially be made. If I'm Bryan Colangelo, I don't make a deal with them unless Lawson is included. This is just my opinion, but if there's one point guard who could have shared the glory and spotlight with Jennings, Evans, and Curry if he had been given a chance, it would be Ty. Playing behind Billups unfortunately means you won't be getting heavy minutes, but every time Chauncey went down, Lawson filled in beautifully. And imagine grouping our Young Gunz with an athletic speedster like this:



Next, one player that has to absolutely be involved is Kenyon Martin. Even though he's as injury prone as you can possibly get these days, it's his expiring contract that will be attractive to the Raptors. Most likely picking up his player option, Martin will turn into a 16.5 million dollar expiring. Even if he doesn't play a single game for the Raps, my mind is racing with what we can do with that amount of money in possible trades.

Other players that come to mind are JR Smith, the Birdman, and Aaron Affalo. Of the 3, Smith and Affalo would probably interest the Raps more. Chris "The Birdman" Andersen would be a decent big off the bench for us, but I don't think the Raps are looking to lock themselves up in expensive long term deals at the moment. Besides, I would rather give the money I'd be spending on Andersen to Amir Johnson.

My Preferred Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon
Nuggets Trade Kenyon Martin (expiring), Ty Lawson, JR Smith (expiring)

I'm actually really liking this. I'm not sure if it'd be agreed on by both sides or if the trade works financially (should be close though). But it really is perfect for us. We get to dump Jose Calderon's contract on them (which expires only 1 year after Billups and Melo). At the same time, we acquire a gigantic expiring contract, our possible point guard of the future, and an explosive wingman who might flourish with a change of scenery. Meanwhile, Denver heads into the Western Conference War with a Big 3 of Billups/Melo/Bosh.


More Likely Scenario:

Raptors Trade Chris Bosh
Nuggets Trade Kenyon Martin (expiring), Ty Lawson

Still a pretty good return in my eyes. And pretty self explanatory if you read what I wrote above. Yeah, I'd still prefer to dump Jose and pick up JR, but beggars can't be choosers.

Solving The Bosh Puzzle: The Dallas Mavericks Piece

So one day in late April, I checked in on my blog and noticed a lack of something. Sifting through them, I found pieces on Hedo, the Young Gunz, the Amazing Race, video games, the Olympics, etc. But the one thing that was truly missing was a piece about the franchise - CB4. And yeah, sure, maybe I did that because every other media outlet was beating the whole "Chris Bosh" topic to death; but still.

Like many others, I don't want to take Bosh for granted. And so with the realization that he may be gone very soon, I wanted to dedicate the next 30 days or so to him with my writing and this very blog. After all, this may be my last chance to discuss him on here.

The mission - should you choose to read it - is simple. Everyday, I'll breakdown a different team's outlook in regards to acquiring our franchise player. We'll take a look at how a potential transaction will affect both sides of the spectrum, and whether or not such a move could potentially go down.

Disclaimer: Let's please keep in mind that I'm not majoring in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement; so if there's a few errors here and there in that regards, please let me know. Thanks!

Previous Piece: The Cleveland Cavaliers

Today's Piece: The Dallas Mavericks



Players of Interests:
Dirk Nowitzki
Erick Dampier
Caron Butler
DeShawn Stevenson
Rodrigue Beaubois
Brendan Haywood

If there's one city that had the most craziest basketball year, it would have to be Dallas - HANDS DOWN. Obviously, there was All-Star weekend. The world's best basketball talent all converged onto the Texas city only to be greeted by a snowstorm? Yup. On top of that - because everything has to be bigger in Texas - the actual All-Star game was played at the new Cowboys Stadium that clearly was built with the U.S. stimulus money. In regards to the basketball side of things, Dallas had another very successful year. Already one of the best teams coming into the trade deadline, the Mavs made a splash by acquiring Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson from the Wizards. And after tearing up the NBA soon after, many were convinced that Dallas was the most equipped to make a title run this year.

However - it all came crashing down in the first round of the playoffs.

See, if there's one thing that Dallas has taught me, it's that spending money doesn't guarantee you anything in the NBA. Going into tax territory may increase your chances of playoff success, but at the end of the day, you still have to play the game. So, the question for me now is: Has owner Mark Cuban learned that lesson as well? Depending on the answer to that, the Mavs could go many different directions this off-season; especially with the possibility of Dirk Nowitzki opting for free agency.

But let's say Cuban does whatever it takes to bring in Dallas-native Chris Bosh. What could be sent back our way in a Sign and Trade? Like I said, it really depends on Cuban's willingness to continue spending money. If he has no problem with being locked into a ton of long term deals with no cap relief, then they have a few things we could ask.

For instance, Caron Butler, Erick Dampier, and DeShawn Stevenson all hold very large expiring contracts. Combined with the our expirings of Marcus Banks and Reggie Evans, we could use these contracts to speed up the rebuilding process.

Of course, we have to take into consideration the unlikeliness that Cuban parts with all three contracts, but if there's one I'd love to have the most of the 3, it would have to be Caron Butler. Not only would he give us close to 11 million dollars in expiring money, but he'd also be the perfect mentor to someone like DeMar DeRozan. I see a lot of similarities between the two. When Caron first came into the league, he didn't have the greatest of handles (he still doesn't for a wing player) and he was a horrible 3 point shooter (still is - 31% career 3 pt. percentage). But if there's one thing Caron could be applauded on, it was his ability to capitalize on what he did do best, and that's make that mid range jumper, slash to the bucket, and get to the free throw line. Those are all the things DeMar relied on in his rookie season. So if we could get Caron to help out DeMar even for just one year, I think it would pay dividends down the road.

Lastly, the other player that I hope we could squeeze out of Dallas is someone they're pretty high on: Rodrigue Beaubois. This guy just oozes talent on the court, and could very well burst out once Jason Kidd leaves. But does Cuban let him go knowing it may have been a mistake to let Devin Harris go?

Mr Preferred Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon
Mavericks Trade Caron Butler (expiring), DeShawn Stevenson (expiring), Rodrigue Beaubois, TPE

Ignoring the semantics, the premise of this transaction is pretty simple. Dallas brings Chris Bosh back home to team up with Dirk, Kidd, Marion, get to put Terry back at the 2 spot, possibly re-sign Haywood, and get to keep Dampiers' awesome expiring contract. At the same time, they get Jose Calderon to platoon that point guard spot with Kidd, something Jose is quite familiar with doing already. Meanwhile, the Raptors get roughly around 15 million in expiring money in Butler and Stevenson. Butler will be advertised as DeMar's mentor and the wing scorer we need to stay competitive this year, while Stevenson will probably be advertised by BC and MLSE as a stopper who has a competitive swagger (lol). I laugh because it'll probably happen that way too. We also get to dump Jose's contract for a wicked young point guard prospect in Beaubois. Just imagine him running the fast break with the Young Gunz...

More Likely Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon
Mavericks Trade Erick Dampier (expiring), DeShawn Stevenson (expiring), Brendan Haywood (re-signed), Draft Pick/TPE of some sort.

In this trade, I go with the assumption that Cuban keeps both the present and future in mind. He keeps Caron Butler who prove to be that wing scorer for next season in a championship run, but also expires for cap relief. He also gets to keep Beaubois, not wanting to have the feeling of letting two young point guards go with nothing to show for it. I'm just not sure how a Dirk and Bosh front court works though, but that's not our problem. Preferably, I'd love to get Beaubois, but if not, I definitely want a re-signed Haywood coming our way to play next to Bargnani.

Solving The Bosh Puzzle: The Cleveland Cavaliers Piece

So one day in late April, I checked in on my blog and noticed a lack of something. Sifting through them, I found pieces on Hedo, the Young Gunz, the Amazing Race, video games, the Olympics, etc. But the one thing that was truly missing was a piece about the franchise - CB4. And yeah, sure, maybe I did that because every other media outlet was beating the whole "Chris Bosh" topic to death; but still.

Like many others, I don't want to take Bosh for granted. And so with the realization that he may be gone very soon, I wanted to dedicate the next 30 days or so to him with my writing and this very blog. After all, this may be my last chance to discuss him on here.

The mission - should you choose to read it - is simple. Everyday, I'll breakdown a different team's outlook in regards to acquiring our franchise player. We'll take a look at how a potential transaction will affect both sides of the spectrum, and whether or not such a move could potentially go down.

Disclaimer: Let's please keep in mind that I'm not majoring in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement; so if there's a few errors here and there in that regards, please let me know. Thanks!

Previous Piece: The Chicago Bulls

Today's Piece: The Cleveland Cavaliers



Players of Interests:
Anderson Varejao
Delonte West
Antawn Jamison
Anthony Parker
J.J. Hickson

Fresh off a stinker in game 2 against the Celtics, the Cavs now must step back for a quick second and look themselves in the mirror. While doing so, they've got to ask themselves one simple question: "Are we good enough?"

My answer: "I'm not even sure anymore."

See - to be honest - I'm not the biggest LeBron fan out there. Am I a hater? No way, I recognize obvious talent when it's there, and it's hard to hate on talent. But for some reason, the dude just rubs me the wrong way.

So what's got me interested in whether this year's Cavs team is good enough? Easy, this link: LeBron Won't Stop Until He Brings Championship To Cleveland.

To me, it's like this. If LeBron wins a title this year, he'll be more likely to leave Cleveland for the bright lights of New York. That brings forth two ugly problems to the table. One being we'd have LeBron in our division, meaning 4 dates a year. And two, another max free agent (maybe CB4) would be more enticed to join LBJ in New York as well. That doesn't sound very appealing to me.

So Raptors Nation, let's all hope that our best friends the Boston Celtics take care of business! Assuming that happens, and the crazy Danny Ferry (see Varejao's contract) decides to up the ante by luring Chris Bosh to Cleveland, what could we possibly want in return?

Sideshow Bob would have been pretty nice if he wasn't locked in to such a disturbingly long contract. His lack of scoring prowess is made up with his hustle and ability to guard a respectable amount of 4s and 5s. He would be yet another big that would look ideal next to Bargnani.

A more realistic (and almost guaranteed to be included if a deal were to go down) option would come in the form of J.J. Hickson. The 6'9 North Carolina State product - who's currently on his cheap rookie deal - would give us a young forward prospect to move forward with. Most fans who can see the bigger picture realize that if we let Bosh go, the best thing to do next would be to rebuild with young players on cheap contracts. Hickson meets that criteria. Let's call him a poor man's Jeff Green without as good of a jumper.

But while on the topic of the Cavs, we can't forget that we have Bryan Colangelo as our GM. And if there's one thing I've learned during his tenure here, it's that he hates to lose. He hates it so much that he never starts from scratch. If a mistake is made, he would rather get a quick fix than press the reset button. In some ways, that's an awesome trait from a GM, you can't fault always wanting to stay competitive. But would it be the best idea this off-season? Let's say BC sticks to his guns, I could totally see him trying to pry Antawn Jamison away from the Cavs. It would be torn to shreds by the fanbase and media, but somewhere in the back of your mind, you know it could happen. All the Cavs would need to do is re-sign Shaq for a much smaller deal (word is will happen if the Cavs don't win the title) and re-sign Big Z for the minimum, and they can afford to do this.

My Preferred Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh,
Cavaliers Trade J.J. Hickson, Delonte West (expiring), Anthony Parker (expiring), Sebastian Telfair (expiring), TPE

Assuming Telfair picks up his 3 million dollar player option, which he'd be stupid not to, the Raptors would acquire roughly 11 million in expiring money in this trade plus a decent TPE. It's isn't the prettiest looking of returns for Bosh, but it would probably be the best in regards to short term and long term impact if Chris wanted to go to Cleveland. And who wouldn't love Anthony Parker back raining 3s from the corner? As for Cleveland, Shaq gets to team up with who he calls RuPaul.

More Likely Scenario:

Like with Boston, we just stay away from each other. Or we show Chris Bosh this:

Solving The Bosh Puzzle: The Chicago Bulls Piece

So one day in late April, I checked in on my blog and noticed a lack of something. Sifting through them, I found pieces on Hedo, the Young Gunz, the Amazing Race, video games, the Olympics, etc. But the one thing that was truly missing was a piece about the franchise - CB4. And yeah, sure, maybe I did that because every other media outlet was beating the whole "Chris Bosh" topic to death; but still.

Like many others, I don't want to take Bosh for granted. And so with the realization that he may be gone very soon, I wanted to dedicate the next 30 days or so to him with my writing and this very blog. After all, this may be my last chance to discuss him on here.

The mission - should you choose to read it - is simple. Everyday, I'll breakdown a different team's outlook in regards to acquiring our franchise player. We'll take a look at how a potential transaction will affect both sides of the spectrum, and whether or not such a move could potentially go down.

Disclaimer: Let's please keep in mind that I'm not majoring in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement; so if there's a few errors here and there in that regards, please let me know. Thanks!

Previous Piece: The Charlotte Bobcats

Today's Piece: The Chicago Bulls



Players of Interests:
Luol Deng
Joakim Noah
Kirk Hinrich
Taj Gibson

Raptors Nation is quite familiar with the most recent incarnation of the Chicago Bulls. After all, they were the ones who successfully snatched a first round date with the Cleveland Cavaliers away from us. Down the stretch, they clearly wanted that 8th seed more than us - most evident by the spanking they gave us on April 11 at the ACC. Well after a decent showing against the Cavs, where does it all go from here?

According to Chris Bosh in his end of season press conference, he feels that this year's Raptors squad was just as good if not better than the Bulls at full strength.

Meanwhile, back at the bat-cave in Chicago, Bulls fans are more than confident in Bosh benefiting more from their core than the one in Toronto. And who can really blame them for that? A trio of Rose, Bosh, and Noah seem like a pretty solid foundation to build upon.

So let's say Bosh wants to end up in Chicago - which is a very real possibility by the way. What can happen?

Well for starters, Chicago can outright sign him because they are one of the teams under the cap. If Bosh chose to, he could sign with the Bulls for a maximum of 5 years, with about 8% yearly increases. This kind of contract typically clocks in at about 100 million over 5 years. The next question now though is: Will Bosh take that deal over what the Raptors can give him?

If he chooses to re-sign with Toronto, he can sign for a maximum of 6 years, with about 10.5% yearly increases; which adds up to be around 130 million dollars over 6 years. That extra 30 million and security is hard to pass up on. So if Chicago wants CB4 that bad, it'll probably have to be through a sign and trade.

Assuming D-Rose is untouchable, the next player that the Raps would covet is Joakim Noah. Can you imagine our Raptors team putting a player who plays with that much intensity, hustle, and heart on the court every night? He'd be a perfect fit next to Bargnani. But unfortunately, he'd also be perfect next to Bosh.

Two players the Bulls might be willing to throw at us instead are Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich. Both have contracts that are arguably overpriced, and Chicago could easily use us as a dumping grounds. On the flipside, both Deng and Hinrich would help us out on the offensive and defensive ends. The only thing that bugs me is Deng is owed around 50 million over the next 4 years. Having to deal with that as well as Turk's ugly contract is something difficult to stomach.

It should be noted that because Chicago is under the cap, they hold more leverage over us than a team over the cap would (like Houston). In a potential Sign N Trade, Chicago could absorb more of Bosh's contract, while a team like Houston would have to give us assets in return that match within a certain range of Bosh's outgoing contract. In a nutshell, Chicago doesn't have to give us much to make the deal work. And so, this is where the mind games and chess-work start. How much are the two teams willing to compromise, and does BC take garbage if garbage is what's throw at him? If he doesn't, how does that affect what the fan base thinks of him?

Sigh.

My Preferred Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon
Bulls Trade Joakim Noah, Krik Hinrich and/or TPE

Yeah. I realize this is a pretty lofty request, but still. This trade probably would be more complicated than what's listed above, but you get the premise. We dump Jose Calderon's contract on Chicago in return for Kirk Hinrich; who has a somewhat similar contract but ends one year earlier. We also manage to get our centre of the future in Noah, who would look absolutely awesome next to Bargs. As for Chicago, they get to pair up the best future PF in the league with one of the best young PGs of the league. At the same time, they get a point guard in Calderon who is familiar with Bosh's play style and will strengthen one of the Bulls' biggest weaknesses last season - 3 pt. shooting.

More Likely Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh
Bulls Trade Taj Gibson, James Johnson, Draft Pick or TPE (If the Bulls are nice about it), Luol Deng (If the Raps can get rid of Turk first or soon after)

This trade scenario has a lot of "IFs" in it, but you can pretty much guarantee that when dealing with a team under the cap. Because the Bulls are considerably under the cap, they can pretty much absorb a good portion of Bosh's max deal while giving us young players on rookie contracts. With Bosh there, they have no room for Taj Gibson, and we'd be able to reunite Taj with his USC teammate DeMar DeRozan. We'd also get James Johnson, a young wing prospect that Colangelo was very high on in last year's draft. If the Bulls would like some breathing room to make other moves, they could try to throw us a TPE or Luol Deng's ridiculously bad contract. But I only see us taking that if we can get rid of Turk first. Meanwhile, the Bulls can move forward with a Big 3 of Bosh-Rose-Noah.

Solving The Bosh Puzzle: The Charlotte Bobcats Piece

So one day in late April, I checked in on my blog and noticed a lack of something. Sifting through them, I found pieces on Hedo, the Young Gunz, the Amazing Race, video games, the Olympics, etc. But the one thing that was truly missing was a piece about the franchise - CB4. And yeah, sure, maybe I did that because every other media outlet was beating the whole "Chris Bosh" topic to death; but still.

Like many others, I don't want to take Bosh for granted. And so with the realization that he may be gone very soon, I wanted to dedicate the next 30 days or so to him with my writing and this very blog. After all, this may be my last chance to discuss him on here.

The mission - should you choose to read it - is simple. Everyday, I'll breakdown a different team's outlook in regards to acquiring our franchise player. We'll take a look at how a potential transaction will affect both sides of the spectrum, and whether or not such a move could potentially go down.

Disclaimer: Let's please keep in mind that I'm not majoring in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement; so if there's a few errors here and there in that regards, please let me know. Thanks!

Previous Piece: The Boston Celtics

Today's Piece: The Charlotte Bobcats



Players of Interests:
Tyson Chandler
Nazr Mohammed
D.J. Augustin
Tyrus Thomas
Gerald Henderson

After what was one of their best seasons in franchise history, the Bobcats went out with the smallest of bangs. Being manhandled by the Magic, the Bobcats newest majority owner (Michael Jordan) must now consider what is best for his team moving forward. It was mentioned many times this year on numerous broadcasts - the Bobcats made moves to win this year. That's why they traded away Okafor and agreed to take on Stephen Jackson's ugly looking long term deal.

But even while boasting one of the best defenses in the entire association, the Bobcats' struggle to score is what led to their demise. To be more specific, the fault really lies in their inability to score from the 4 and 5 positions. We all know Felton and Jackson can light it up from anywhere on the court, while Wallace attacks the rim relentlessly; but the Bobcats had no one that could attract a double from the block or the paint. This surely played a role in their horrendous 3 point shooting as well.

So enter Chris Bosh.

As Raptors fans, we would love an acquisition of Gerald Wallace or Stephen Jackson, but Bosh would not agree to play in Charlotte if that happened.

So looking elsewhere, the next thing that pops out is Tyson Chandler. Though his injuries have been well documented, it's his post presence and lane intimidation that's attractive to this Raps team. With a 13 million player option that he'll almost certainly pick up, it also turns into a rather large expiring for the Raps to play with. The question now is: Will Charlotte be willing to give up Chandler knowing he'd be perfect next to Bosh?

The two other players that I wouldn't mind seeing shipped off to the T-Dot are D.J. Augustin and Tyrus Thomas. Even though Felton didn't have the greatest of playoff performances, word is that the Bobcats were impressed enough with his season play to seriously consider re-signing him. So that once again leaves Augustin out of the equation. With Tyrus Thomas, we have a 6 million expiring that plays above the rim and would bring that defensive mentality this Raptors team sorely lacks.

My Preferred Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon
Bobcats Trade Tyson Chandler (expiring), D.J. Augustin, Tyrus Thomas (expiring)

I'm actually liking this scenario better than I thought I would. Breaking it down, you'll notice that we could easily use Charlotte as a dumping grounds for Jose Calderon's contract (something the Raps are considering trying to get out of). At the same time, we pick up two players in Thomas and Chandler who will bolster our team defense to a respectable position. We could finally play Bargnani at his real position - PF - while having insurance in Thomas just in case we can't re-sign Amir. On top of all that, we get our hands on some really nice expiring money. Meanwhile, if Jordan chooses to re-sign Felton, Charlotte gets to throw out a line up on the court that includes Bosh/Wallace/Jackson/Felton. Combined with a filler centre, that's a guaranteed playoff team that could possibly win a round or two.

More Likely Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh
Bobcats Trade Nazr Mohammed (expiring), Gerald Henderson, Tyrus Thomas (expiring), Future Draft Pick

Though this scenario isn't as enticing as the one above, it's still respectable in regards to the amount of expiring money we get back. Remember, in combination with Marcus Banks' and Reggie Evans' expiring deals, we could easily flip that to one of the many teams struggling financially for very good players in return. We also manage to get a nice wing prospect in Gerald Henderson. He's got basketball in his blood, was a lottery pick, a Duke product, and someone who could easily make something out of himself once he gets the playing time (only averaged about 8 minutes as a rookie last year). As for Charlotte, well, they get to boast a formidable starting 5 of Felton or Augustin/Jackson/Wallace/Bosh/Chandler. That's a nice combination of offense and defense if you ask me.

Solving The Bosh Puzzle: The Boston Celtics Piece

So one day in late April, I checked in on my blog and noticed a lack of something. Sifting through them, I found pieces on Hedo, the Young Gunz, the Amazing Race, video games, the Olympics, etc. But the one thing that was truly missing was a piece about the franchise - CB4. And yeah, sure, maybe I did that because every other media outlet was beating the whole "Chris Bosh" topic to death; but still.

Like many others, I don't want to take Bosh for granted. And so with the realization that he may be gone very soon, I wanted to dedicate the next 30 days or so to him with my writing and this very blog. After all, this may be my last chance to discuss him on here.

The mission - should you choose to read it - is simple. Everyday, I'll breakdown a different team's outlook in regards to acquiring our franchise player. We'll take a look at how a potential transaction will affect both sides of the spectrum, and whether or not such a move could potentially go down.

Disclaimer: Let's please keep in mind that I'm not majoring in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement; so if there's a few errors here and there in that regards, please let me know. Thanks!

Yesterday's Piece: The Atlanta Hawks

Today's Piece: The Boston Celtics



Players of Interests
- Rajon Rondo
- Kendrick Perkins
- Glen Davis
- Their fans to admit what the TD in "TD Garden" really stands for?

Breakdown:
We all realized that the Celtics sold their soul to the devil when they signed on to bring the Big 3 to Boston. To summarize: Mortgage your future for a few years of legitimately contending for a championship. As well worth the ride was, it's now time to finally break it all up.

Everyone but Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis, Rajon Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins are expected to hit free agency this year - yeah I know, not exactly the most threatening of teams. Right now, the biggest variable (and what has most Celtics fans concerned with) is whether or not they choose to re-sign Paul Pierce. He has a player option for next year worth around 22 million. But as lofty as a payday that may sound, he's better off opting for free agency and trying to snatch what will probably be the last big long term deal of his career.

So then it comes down to this: Do you give Pierce a big contract out of loyalty to one of the greatest Celtics of all time? Or do you finally part ways and realize it's best to rebuild while you wait out the remaining years on KG's and Wallace's disgusting contracts. I'm not sure what management is thinking, but I do know a lot of Celtics fans are either leaning or at least expecting what they call "A Return to the Dark Age".

Toronto and Boston really aren't the best of trading partners when it comes to Bosh; actually they're quite awful. The Raps don't want to trade Bosh to a divisional rival, and Bosh doesn't want to play on a rebuilding team. On top of that, I'm pretty sure Boston can just outright sign Chris if they wanted to depending on the cap amount next year. Of course, you also have to take into account the unlikeliness of that happenings considering Bosh really would like that extra 6th year only Toronto can give him in a Sign And Trade. Precedent in the NBA shows that no one can turn down an extra 30 million dollars.

I know Raptors fans would love Rondo, but that's certainly not happening. Ray Allen would be nice, but he won't be on the team next year. So what the heck do they have? Draft picks perhaps? But certainly, they would hold onto those right? If Bosh MUST go to Boston, I'm expecting whatever expirings they have in return, a fat TPE, as well as whatever draft picks they have for the next year or two.

The Preferred Scenario:
Raptors Trades Chris Bosh
Boston Trades Kendrick Perkins (expiring), Glen Davis (expiring), TPE, future draft picks

In this ugly looking trade, the Raps get the best of what Boston is willing to give up. I would prefer Rajon Rondo coming back, but obviously we'll try to keep this as realistic as possible. With this, Boston transitions from one of the best PFs of the last decade in Garnett to one of the best future PFs in Bosh. Paired up with Rondo, they could become one of the best big-small duos in the league. But with a rapidly aging team around them, the Celtics need to get young and athletic quick before they can start thinking championships again (hard to do with Garnett and Wallace' contracts). On the other hand, the Raptors get two small expiring contracts and serviceable big-men that will bring much needed swagger to this team. With the possibility of Boston struggling, those draft picks may turn out to be lottery picks as well.

More Likely Scenario:
We Just Stay Away From Each Other

I can pretty much guarantee this happens.

Solving The Bosh Puzzle: The Atlanta Hawks Piece

So one day in late April, I checked in on my blog and noticed a lack of something. Sifting through them, I found pieces on Hedo, the Young Gunz, the Amazing Race, video games, the Olympics, etc. But the one thing that was truly missing was a piece about the franchise - CB4. And yeah, sure, maybe I did that because every other media outlet was beating the whole "Chris Bosh" topic to death; but still.

Like many others, I don't want to take Bosh for granted. And so with the realization that he may be gone very soon, I wanted to dedicate the next 30 days or so to him with my writing and this very blog. After all, this may be my last chance to discuss him on here.

The mission - should you choose to read it - is simple. Everyday, I'll breakdown a different team's outlook in regards to acquiring our franchise player. We'll take a look at how a potential transaction will affect both sides of the spectrum, and whether or not such a move could potentially go down.

Disclaimer: Let's please keep in mind that I'm not majoring in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement; so if there's a few errors here and there in that regards, please let me know. Thanks!

Today's Piece: The Atlanta Hawks



Players of Interests:
- Joe Johnson
- Josh Smith
- Jamal Crawford
- Marvin Williams
- Al Horford
- Jeff Teague

Breakdown:
Atlanta's an odd case - probably so odd that it may not have been the best of teams to start off with this month long project. On one hand, the Hawks boast a plethora of talent that Toronto could find intriguing, yet at the same time Atlanta's future outlook isn't exactly as clear cut as some may think. The organization has always struggled to put fans into seats, and their owners have always been picky in regards to the financial side of things.

Right now, the word on the street is that they would like to sell their draft pick this year, and do whatever it takes to get Joe Johnson to re-sign. And so it really hinges on that alone - the value of the Hawks as trading partners varies depending on whether they retain Johnson or not. I feel with Johnson, Atlanta ownership will be more inclined to go way over the tax with two max players.

So let's say they do re-sign Joe Johnson for the max and then attempt to grab a 2nd max player in Bosh. What can they give the Raps?

Well obviously we can cross Johnson out. Because ATL doesn't want Bosh if JJ isn't their to pair them up, and Bosh doesn't want anything to do with ATL if he can't play with Joe.

They really don't have any expiring contracts of note - other than Jamal Crawford - and I don't think they send him off to us. As the reigning 6th man of the year, Jamal played too big of a role for the Hawks. On that note, I think he's just as important to the Hawks as Johnson is.

What does catch the eye right away however is their 4 and 5 position. With Bosh incoming, the Hawks present themselves with an interesting scenario. Right now, they have Josh Smith and Horford manning the inside. In my opinion, there's not enough room for a trio that includes Bosh. So possibly - we could end up with either Josh Smith or Al Hordford, both of whom would significantly help our pathetic defense.

And then of course there's the other "scenario". Atlanta could simply play Smith at the 3 spot - something he's well capable of - and have a nasty front-court of Horford/Bosh/Smith. With Bibby, Johnson, and Crawford providing the threats from the perimeter, that's a championship kind of team.

In this case, a Sign and Trade would most certainly revolve around Marvin Williams. Though not exactly the best of returns in regards to our defensive needs in the paint, Marvin provides us with that scoring wing who is capable of defending the perimeter as well. Fairly young at 24 year old, the North Carolina product has proven he can be efficient and score in bunches when given the touches. He hasn't quite become what the Hawks expected him to be when they picked him with the 2nd pick in the 2005 NBA draft. But perhaps a new scenery - and getting away from the shot heavy duo of Johnson and Crawford - will inspire him to breakout. Throw in a couple fillers as well as a TPE, and we're as set as we could possibly be in a trade that involves Atlanta.

My Preferred Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh
Hawks Trade Josh Smith, and Maurice Evans (3 mil expiring)

Perhaps the details need to be worked out in that trade to match everything up, but an ideal return if the Hawks were to be our partners would involve Josh Smith. He'd provide us with one of the best help defenders in the league, as well as some much needed athleticism. For Atlanta, they get Bosh to return to the place where he played college basketball and gives Joe Johnson another max player to roll with. Immediately, they have one of the best inside-outside combos with Bosh and Johnson/Crawford.

More Likely Scenario:
Raptors Trade Chris Bosh
Hawks Trade Marvin Williams, Maurice Evans, Jeff Teague and/or Future 1st round draft pick, small TPE perhaps?

In this scenario, Atlanta goes all-in kind of like how Boston did a couple of years ago. They throw away their future for a chance at genuinely contending. The only difference is their talent isn't in the twilight of their careers. This would bring a ton of excitement to Atlanta, and would send us back into rebuilding mode with assets we could develop or flip in a future trade. It doesn't look like much, but it would probably be what we'd end up getting if Bosh was dead-set on going to Atlanta.

The Address of the Raptors Senate

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you
Without a strong rhyme to step to
Think of how many weak shows you slept through
Time's up, I'm sorry I kept you

One of hip hop's most classic bars sums up a rather classic Raptors scenario we fans finds ourselves in once again. Let's see if we have all the ingredients needed to cook up the typical Toronto Raptors disaster of a season:

1. Huge signing that turns out to be a disappointment. ✔
2. A merry-go-round of injuries ✔
3. Miss the playoffs. ✔
4. Fanbase calling for the head coach's head. ✔
5. Franchise All-Star thinking about leaving. ✔

Yup. We've got pretty much everything covered. Except one thing that is, and that's the yearly Bryan Colangelo Press Conference. So yesterday at around noon, Raptors fans and media members sat, watched, listened, and learned.

Plenty of topics were discussed. The media did their job in attempting to dissect and maneuver around Bryan Colangelo; but if there's one thing we can't knock BC on, it's his ways with the media. In this franchise's entire history, he's probably the one GM that has not been intimidated.

But let's get right into this, and let me give you my take on the issues discussed.



The point guard duo of Jose Calderon and Jarrett Jack was brought up by both BC and reporters a number of times today. Obviously, everyone is wondering if they can co-exists. At times throughout the season, it seemed they could, but more often than not, it proved to be problematic. BC wants to use the off-season to find out "if they can work together". I take that as he'll be discussing it with both players' agents to see where each of them stand.

My Prediction: Don't expect both of them to be back next year. Bryan noted how minutes being split affected the consistency of both players, and the days of the "Two-Headed Monster" formula BC has used at the 1 spot ever since his arrival may be over. Right now, there isn't any clear cut option as to which one will be shipped off. Jose Calderon is who the fans want to see go because of his poor defense and his struggle to play with Hedo, but it's Jack who holds the more favorable contract and will also fetch a better return in a trade. If Bosh goes, don't be surprised to see both of them gone either.



Naturally, the issue of Hedo Turkoglu was addressed. You sign an aging vet whose best days are behind him to a 5 year-50 million dollar contract, only to see him play like a shell of his former self; well you're going to have to answer some questions. And to BC's credit, he didn't beat around the bush. He fully acknowledged that Hedo Turkoglu was a disappointment. Bryan placed the blame equally on the coaching staff (for not utilizing Turk correctly) and on Turk himself for not taking full advantage of the situation. Though the word "Lazy" was consistently associated with Hedo this year, Bryan made sure to stress that Turk worked very hard this year. Unfortunately, with the assistance of many setbacks (injuries, mother's illness, etc), Turk just wasn't able to get into a rhythm.

My Prediction: Expect a better Hedo Turkoglu next year. Why? Because Bryan Colagenlo says so. Now whether or not that is with the Raps is an unknown, for the savvy GM didn't specify. Chances are he does wear a Raptors uniform next year. Little known fact, but his contract actually increases in pay if he is to be traded, so that little clause alone scares other teams away. Next season however, expect the Raptors to handle Turk much differently. No longer will he be exempt from training camp, and don't be surprised to see the coaching staff constantly on him like the Orlando staff was during his tenure with the Magic.



The first ever Canadian head coach Jay Triano was actually a topic that I thought would be discussed in greater detail than it actually was. But I guess the media let it go when they realized the message BC was giving them loud and clear: He will be back. Colangelo reminded the reporters that Triano was basically a rookie head coach, and that he deserved a chance to prove that he learned something. Like Triano explained to the press last week, BC and the coaching staff wish they could have done certain things differently in retrospect.

My Prediction: Of course he'll be back. Regardless of the questionable coaching decisions, and his view on how the Raps played in certain games, there was improvement. And at the end of the day, the team finished with a better record than they did last year. If he continues to improve every year, then there really is no reason to fire Jay. And when you consider the fact that we're still paying Sam Mitchell, it only makes sense for MLSE to keep Triano on board for at least another year.



During Chris Bosh's end of season press conference, he mentioned the need for a presence on the wings, someone who could create his own shot and even create for others. The media relayed this concern to BC during his own presser. His response? Kobe Bryant isn't available, but we do have untapped potential in DeMar DeRozan and Sonny Weems. Colangelo went on to talk about the guard play of the Raptors and how that "20-point" scorer is needed. He did allude that we do already have that kind of presence on the team, but of the inconsistent variety.

My Prediction: I'm not sure about you guys, but in my eyes, I felt that this was Bryan doing his best to temper expectations. Many people are expecting the organization to act out on CB4's words and somehow obtain that kind of star wing player. But like Colangelo, I'm of the opinion that it won't be as easy as some make it to be. These kind of players just don't grow on trees. Sure, the front office will probably do what they can (realistic players like Andre Iguodala, Rudy Gay, and Danny Granger come to mind). But just in case they can't snatch these players away from their teams, BC went out of his way to remind us about what DeRozan and Weems could become in the future. I think DeMar definitely has the potential to reach that coveted 20 point average that was talked about. The Compton product already has that ability to get to the free throw line, a prerequisite for scoring wings.



Now onto the main event - What will happen with Chris Bosh? Like many people already know, the Raptors want to retain Chris, and Chris is certainly open to returning. But what exactly do we have going for us? Well Colangelo brought a few points to light during the PC that we're sure he'll bring to the table during negotiations. First and foremost, we can guarantee Bosh of being the # 1 guy here. Nothing better than stroking the ego, and reaffirming what many people think: He is the most coveted power forward in the NBA. And believe it or not, but this is very important to him. Yes he does want to win and contend, but the truth is, precedent shows that players his age usually choose the money and franchise player tag over championships. It's a trend that continues to this day, just ask Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Secondly, Colangelo brought up the fact that he is already established here. He's made a lot of contacts (one being Universal Music Canada) and this is a comfort zone for him. Many past Raptors have gone on record saying they regret ever leaving Toronto. The most prominent being Toronto's first ever basketball star - Damon Stoudamire. He's gone onto say he thought it would be greener on the other side, but boy did that turn out to be wrong.

My Prediction: This one is the toughest to call. Obviously, the ball is Bosh's court. Unfortunately, we're not the ones with the leverage in this scenario. If Bosh wants to leave, he can leave, there's nothing stopping him. On top of that, if we want to involve him in a "Sign and Trade" scenario, we will have to trade with whatever team Chris chooses; ultimately tying BC's hands. Let's put it this way. If Colangelo goes out and brings in attractive enough players (at least borderline all-star), then Chris will re-sign. He will give this franchise one more shot, and if it doesn't work out, then he'll quietly ask for a trade. However, if there are only minor pieces brought in, then Bosh will ask for a "Sign and Trade". That extra 6th year and nearly 20 million would just be too much to leave behind. In this scenario, we will probably end up with a TPE, cap relief, young players, and draft picks; thus truly sending us back into rebuild mode.



So now this remains. What is to become of Bryan Colangelo? And more importantly, how does he see the future unfolding? Well first off, the once titled "Golden Boy" made it clear that he is under contract and has the backing of MLSE. For those who are calling for his head on a platter, chill out for awhile, because Bryan isn't going anywhere anytime soon. And really though, is getting rid of Colangelo honestly the sensible thing to do? Regardless of the back-to-back disappointing seasons, BC is still the most credible member of this organization; and perhaps the most recognized and respected person to ever work for the Raptors. Lest we forget Glen Grunwald (who gave ridiculous contracts to players and couldn't make it work with Vince during his superstar years) and Rob Babcock (who set this franchise years back with trading Vince for scrap).

The most encouraging thing to take from BC's presser was that MLSE will go over the tax threshold if that's what it takes to put a contender out on the court. If the right players become available, then BC can work his magic knowing that there are no limitations being placed on his creativity. He made it clear that he understood fans were disappointed, and that more was expected of not only the team, but himself as well. So hearing that MLSE will finally go over the tax definitely softens the harsh blow of this past season.

My Prediction: I'll use a line BC threw out there a couples times during the conference - "That's something that's impossible to answer right now". Many variables must come into effect before we can even get a good idea of what's in store for this team. The most important variable being where Chris Bosh ends up. Colangelo noted that it all starts with LeBron first: If he leaves, then the rest will fall into place like a domino effect. There are really 2 scenarios that our GM prepared us for in the hour or so he was up on the podium...

1) Assuming Chris Bosh returns to the team, Colangelo's first priority is shoring up the horrible defense. Expect a big man to intimidate/protect the paint, and more importantly, grab rebounds. Next, a guard will most likely be brought in to help strengthen the perimeter defense (which at times consisted of Jose-DeRozan-Turk - sigh). The point guard situation will also look different next year. Either Jack or Jose will be gone, or even both. Lastly, look for the expiring contracts of Marcus Banks, Reggie Evans, and the draft pick we own to be dangled in an attempt to get Bosh his 20 point scoring swingman. When you take in the likely re-signing of Amir Johnson, then we'll probably be well into the tax.

2) Assuming Chris Bosh leaves, then Colangelo has made it clear what becomes important - and that's entertaining the fans, and more importantly, the season ticket holders. There was much talk and bragging about what DeMar DeRozan and Sonny Weems could become, how they're still very young, and how there's untapped potential there. This team would look different in a sense that it would be filled with young, athletic, and raw players at every position. The only veteran presence I would see in this rebuilding scenario is Turk, and that's only because he's practically untradeable. But from what I got out of the press conference, if Bosh leaves, the team's main focus is attempting to keep their fanbase. And considering our position, the only way you get that done for a season is to play a high-octane athletic kind of basketball.

And there you have it Raptors Nation! General Manager Bryan Colangelo putting himself up on the podium to answer the media and your questions in his yearly end-of-season press conference. Look - I know many of you are sad, annoyed, and even pissed off about how the season went. But understand this, Bryan is someone who hates to lose, and he is easily known as one of the more competitive executives in the NBA. Today, the media asked him questions about his reputation. And though he jokingly mentioned it was ruined because of us, let's put things into perspective: This dude has a reputation to hold up and protect. Not many teams can say that about their GMs. Ours has already paid his dues and made something out of himself, and you can bet he will do whatever it takes to build on his previous success.

Even though we sometimes question his moves, we can always fall back on the fact that Colangelo doesn't just sit on his hands. He's as proactive as a GM can get, and you can be rest assured that he will do something "Big" for the 3rd straight off-season. This summer, not everything will be in our control. But like Bryan Colangelo told the media today, we can "control the intent to make it happen."

Let's Take Up Bird Bull Watching

So it's not in our hands anymore.

Instead, we must rely on our new favorite team in the entire freaking universe; the Boston Celtics. It feels morally, biologically, and physically wrong, but whatever it takes right? Damn straight.

Tonight at 8pm on TheScore, we will all be glued to our televisions as if our very own Raps will be taking the court. All we ask is that those whining, chest thumping, illegal screen setting dudes in green beat the Chicago Bulls by at least 1 point. That's all.

Because once that happens, then Raptors Nation will be back in the driver's seat.

Right now, the Bulls have the Celtics and the Bobcats left on their schedule. Ever since we put up that stinker against Chicago, I've had a lot of friends feel free to point out to me that Boston and Charlotte will be resting their starters. Thus leading them to believe that Chicago will have an easy time getting these last two games.

But hold up!

The Boston Celtics still have something to prove. With 2 games left in the season, they can still grab the 3rd seed away from the Atlanta Hawks. Heck, all they have to do is tie the Hawks in order to accomplish this. And let's be real here. But these old and very much beatable Celtics would much rather take on a Bogut-less Bucks team than a Heat squad led by D-Wade.

And then you have the Charlotte Bobcats. Now this is a bit more difficult to call considering they are already locked in to play the Magic in the first round of the playoffs. But Larry Brown has consistently gone on record saying that he will not sit his guys all for the "integrity of the game". He also went on to acknowledge the tight race between the Bulls and the Raptors, and that it would only be fair to these two teams and the rest of the league.

So there you have it! A very much meaningful season remains for anyone left on the Raptors bandwagon. If the Celtics win tonight, all the Raptors need to do is win against the Knicks on Wednesday, and they clinch the 8th spot. And yeah, that would mean a date with the Cavs, whom we would realistically lose to. But I don't know anyone who could deny how crazy Raptors playoff games are like at the ACC. Personally, I don't want to go another year without the Sea of Red.

And secretly, neither do you.

Red and Black Attack or Retract?

It's really simple right now. If we want this:



Or this...



Then there can no longer be any limping to the finish line. It's as simple as that. Boiling down to one game against the Chicago Bulls, everything will be on the table, ready to be taken by whichever teams wants it the most.

Very rarely does it ever come down to this.

More often than not - at least in races this close - teams must rely on others to get the job done. There is after all a reason why tight races involve two evenly matched teams. And so regardless if you take care of your own business, you must still hope that the other teams aid you with hurdles. But this year, the Eastern Conference's 8th seed will most likely be determined with a do-or-die game between the very two teams trying to outrace each other.

No one else will be involved. There can be no excuses. You either win and enjoy the result, or lose and deal with the consequence.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will very well be interested in the outcome of this game, but this isn't about them right now. This is about two teams wanting to make it to the playoffs; where anything can happen. Sure, you have the typical fan or two who actually prefer missing out on the post-season. But it's these same people who most likely have never been in a scenario like this before. If you've played any kind of team sport during your school years, you know that the playoffs and the championship are the only goal one should have in mind. It doesn't matter how unrealistic your chances are, all that does matter is that you get to that "2nd season". Because you don't put in all that work only to finish early. That's never the point. You don't work hard all year to only be told you're not good enough to continue.

Put yourself in their shoes. Would you honestly throw away another year of your career just so that some random college player can be added to your roster with the 12th pick?

Tell Jarrett Jack that - who has never been to the playoffs before. Earlier this season, he and his mother could not contain their excitement at the mere thought of it.

Tell DeMar DeRozan that - who coped with the fact that he wasn't asked to play in the rookie/sophomore game by leaning on the possibility that he would be playing in the playoffs and his peers would not.


Tell Hedo Turkoglu that - who though has been more than disappointing this year, was in the NBA Finals last year. Even he would not be fine with the possibility of not playing in April like he's accustomed to.

And finally, tell Chris Bosh that - who has his entire future and legacy as a Raptor on the line.

Believe it or not, but the Toronto Raptors want to be in the playoffs. Despite what you may see on TV, or hear on the radio, these players want nothing more than to beat the Chicago Bulls and secure the 8th seed. And after tonight's game that will without a doubt have a preview of what playoff basketball is like at the ACC, you'll feel the same as well.