Jose Calderon has elected to sit out playing with Spain this summer for the pre-selection of the European championship. Jose has stated that he is resting in order to be completely healthy for the 2009-10 NBA season. And for all the Dino fans - a healthy Jose Calderon is a very, very good thing.
Chris Bosh has announced via his website that he will make a "big announcement" on June 1st. Bryan Colangelo has definitively said that CB4 is the centrepiece of the organization and he will begin holding preliminary meetings with Bosh's agent. Speculation alert: This could mean that Bosh will announce that he is interested in re-upping with the Raptors.
With regards to the 2009 NBA Draft, it seems more and more likely that the Raptors will select Earl Clark, the 6-9 forward out of Louisville. He gives the Raptors size, athleticism, and very importantly, rebounding from the 3-spot. He's not a tremendous shooter, but with all the snipers on the Raptors right now, that weakness can easily be hidden.
As well, BC has announced that the Raptors may look to acquire another draft pick. This is an interesting move because this draft is a very weak one overall (besides the top two picks). That said, throughout the lottery are players with the ability to fill holes nicely - think Clark and James Harden. With an additional pick, it seems to make sense for Colangelo to go with Harden, DeMar DeRozan, or to acquire a later-lottery selection and take Gerald Henderson. For more information on these players, check out our Draft preview.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Triano To Lead USA Basketball Mini-Camp
Raptors new head coach Jay Triano will start his summer with a project. Today it was announced that he will lead a group of young NBA stars for a four-day USA Basketball camp in Las Vegas in July. The camp will include three days of workouts and intrasquad scrimmage. Young stars such as Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant will be attending Triano's workout for possible slots on future teams. This is part of USA Basketball National Director Jerry Colanegelo's plan calling for a "two year commitment" from American NBA stars, to play both in Turkey in 2010, and in London in 2011. It appears the Colangelos are quite fond of Jay.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
What BC Can Do At Ninth
Last night it was decided that the Raptors will draft ninth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. The best candidates thought to be available at this position seem to be Tyreke Evans, Earl Clark, Gerald Henderson and Stephen Curry. However, Bryan could also look to trade up in the draft to attain a more NBA-ready player, or a player with a greater upside. Here is our analysis of BC's potential picks.
Tyreke Evans:
Blogs have Tyreke going anywhere from as high as number 5 to as low as number 15. Tyreke is a 6'6 freshman shooting guard out of Memphis. He has good height for a shooting guard, and has all the moves to be a great scorer. He is also not shy to take it to the hoop with his 220 pound frame.
Although he has an amazing ability to finish up at the rim and create his own shot, Tyreke often struggles with shot selection, jump shot consistency, and turnovers (3.6 in his freshman year). These problems will be solved with development, commitment, and coaching.
Raptor Value: B+
Tyreke has the package to become an NBA super scorer and can provide something the Raptors have not had since the early, competitive Vince Carter days, a slashing shooting guard who can take it to the rim. However with Tyreke's bad habits, it is unlikely that he will be able to become an immediate solution to the Raptors (numerous) problems.
Earl Clark:
Mock drafts have Clark going anywhere from 9 to 14, a late lottery pick. Earl is a 6'9 junior small forward out of Louisville. He is a versatile forward who can play the 3 or the 4, who has great basketball IQ and can use his speed and length tremendously in the post. He can also extend the floor with his jump shot and has a great upside.
Although Earl was a great rebounder in college, he will no doubt find some difficulty establishing himself in the post in the NBA level, weighing only 200 pounds will assure that he will not be able to body anyone. Furthermore Earl has lacked consistency at times with his jump shot, especially from three point land.
Raptor Value: B
Drafting Earl could open doors for Bryan Colangelo. Clark provides a small forward who sees the floor excellently, can run the floor, and can rebound from the 3 position. He is more NBA-ready than others in the draft. Drafting Earl could give flexibility in dealing with Shawn Marion for Bryan, possibly leading to a sign and trade scenario. The deal breaker may come down to Earl's ability to achieve consistency with his outside shooting.
Gerald Henderson:
The 6'4 junior shooting guard from Duke has shown terrific development in his years at Duke, improving by 10 points per game in 3 seasons. Mock drafts have Gerald going anywhere from 10 to 22, however most place him in the late lottery. Gerald is a fantastic slasher and defender, and finally found his range in his junior season at Duke. His abilities and on-ball competence have led scouts to believe that Gerald is one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft.
Gerald does lack size at the shooting guard position, and that is something that cannot be improved. Scouts were initially worried with Gerald's passive play and limited offensive abilities, however towards January Gerald took hold of the Duke ship and showed he could be a determined contributor in the NBA.
Raptor Value: B
The Raptors most pressing need is a slashing shooting guard. However, Henderson brings more. He brings something the Raptors have lacked since the days of Doug Christie: solid, dependable wing defense. Gerald may not be the most potent offensively in the draft, however he is a strong candidate for the Raptors and has shown he can improve considerably.
Stephen Curry:
Mock drafts have Curry going at 8 or 9, which is no surprise seeing as the Knicks promised Curry they would pick him with the number 8 pick. Stephen made Davidson a household name his sophomore year, marching them into the NCAA tournament while he averaged 25.9 points per game. Curry is simply the best scorer in America averaging 28.6 ppg this past year. However it was Curry's move to point guard at the start of this year that got people's attention. Curry has good height for a point guard at 6'3, combined with an amazing scoring ability, great court vision, and strong basketball IQ.
Stephen, however, is an agent of the jump shot. He is not very athletic and does not drive the ball very often. His defense is also questionable.
Raptor Value: C+
The Raptors must address their need for a slashing shooting guard. Stephen Curry presents what we already have, shooters and point guards. That being said, Curry is an amazing talent, and could be a great option off the bench backing up Jose (sorry Roko), providing energy and instant offense.
BC's Other Options:
It is no secret that the Raptors need a slashing shooting guard (judging by my constant repetition of that phrase). One NBA exec has called this draft "the worst in recent memory, perhaps of all time", so Bryan may be looking to trade up for a better player. The obvious players that come to mind here are James Harden and DeMar DeRozan, who are considered the two top wingmen in this draft. James is a 6'5 sophomore shooting guard from Arizona State University who can score from anywhere on the floor and has amazing court vision and basketball IQ. What he lacks in flashiness he makes up for in awesomeness - think the Coke Zero version of Manu Ginobili. Demar, the 6'6 USC freshman shooting guard, is an athletic monster. He can drive to the basket and create his own shot, and I am afraid of his athletic ability. However, he has shown inconsistency with his jump shot, and at times, poor basketball IQ and a questionable motor - he compares to a Diet Tracy McGrady, it's much more of a long shot for DeMar to hit superstardom.
Tyreke Evans:
Blogs have Tyreke going anywhere from as high as number 5 to as low as number 15. Tyreke is a 6'6 freshman shooting guard out of Memphis. He has good height for a shooting guard, and has all the moves to be a great scorer. He is also not shy to take it to the hoop with his 220 pound frame.
Although he has an amazing ability to finish up at the rim and create his own shot, Tyreke often struggles with shot selection, jump shot consistency, and turnovers (3.6 in his freshman year). These problems will be solved with development, commitment, and coaching.
Raptor Value: B+
Tyreke has the package to become an NBA super scorer and can provide something the Raptors have not had since the early, competitive Vince Carter days, a slashing shooting guard who can take it to the rim. However with Tyreke's bad habits, it is unlikely that he will be able to become an immediate solution to the Raptors (numerous) problems.
Earl Clark:
Mock drafts have Clark going anywhere from 9 to 14, a late lottery pick. Earl is a 6'9 junior small forward out of Louisville. He is a versatile forward who can play the 3 or the 4, who has great basketball IQ and can use his speed and length tremendously in the post. He can also extend the floor with his jump shot and has a great upside.
Although Earl was a great rebounder in college, he will no doubt find some difficulty establishing himself in the post in the NBA level, weighing only 200 pounds will assure that he will not be able to body anyone. Furthermore Earl has lacked consistency at times with his jump shot, especially from three point land.
Raptor Value: B
Drafting Earl could open doors for Bryan Colangelo. Clark provides a small forward who sees the floor excellently, can run the floor, and can rebound from the 3 position. He is more NBA-ready than others in the draft. Drafting Earl could give flexibility in dealing with Shawn Marion for Bryan, possibly leading to a sign and trade scenario. The deal breaker may come down to Earl's ability to achieve consistency with his outside shooting.
Gerald Henderson:
The 6'4 junior shooting guard from Duke has shown terrific development in his years at Duke, improving by 10 points per game in 3 seasons. Mock drafts have Gerald going anywhere from 10 to 22, however most place him in the late lottery. Gerald is a fantastic slasher and defender, and finally found his range in his junior season at Duke. His abilities and on-ball competence have led scouts to believe that Gerald is one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft.
Gerald does lack size at the shooting guard position, and that is something that cannot be improved. Scouts were initially worried with Gerald's passive play and limited offensive abilities, however towards January Gerald took hold of the Duke ship and showed he could be a determined contributor in the NBA.
Raptor Value: B
The Raptors most pressing need is a slashing shooting guard. However, Henderson brings more. He brings something the Raptors have lacked since the days of Doug Christie: solid, dependable wing defense. Gerald may not be the most potent offensively in the draft, however he is a strong candidate for the Raptors and has shown he can improve considerably.
Stephen Curry:
Mock drafts have Curry going at 8 or 9, which is no surprise seeing as the Knicks promised Curry they would pick him with the number 8 pick. Stephen made Davidson a household name his sophomore year, marching them into the NCAA tournament while he averaged 25.9 points per game. Curry is simply the best scorer in America averaging 28.6 ppg this past year. However it was Curry's move to point guard at the start of this year that got people's attention. Curry has good height for a point guard at 6'3, combined with an amazing scoring ability, great court vision, and strong basketball IQ.
Stephen, however, is an agent of the jump shot. He is not very athletic and does not drive the ball very often. His defense is also questionable.
Raptor Value: C+
The Raptors must address their need for a slashing shooting guard. Stephen Curry presents what we already have, shooters and point guards. That being said, Curry is an amazing talent, and could be a great option off the bench backing up Jose (sorry Roko), providing energy and instant offense.
BC's Other Options:
It is no secret that the Raptors need a slashing shooting guard (judging by my constant repetition of that phrase). One NBA exec has called this draft "the worst in recent memory, perhaps of all time", so Bryan may be looking to trade up for a better player. The obvious players that come to mind here are James Harden and DeMar DeRozan, who are considered the two top wingmen in this draft. James is a 6'5 sophomore shooting guard from Arizona State University who can score from anywhere on the floor and has amazing court vision and basketball IQ. What he lacks in flashiness he makes up for in awesomeness - think the Coke Zero version of Manu Ginobili. Demar, the 6'6 USC freshman shooting guard, is an athletic monster. He can drive to the basket and create his own shot, and I am afraid of his athletic ability. However, he has shown inconsistency with his jump shot, and at times, poor basketball IQ and a questionable motor - he compares to a Diet Tracy McGrady, it's much more of a long shot for DeMar to hit superstardom.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Raptors Stay Put At 9th
Tonight the Raptors received the 9th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. They finished this past season with the 9th worst record in the NBA, and had a 1.7% chance of winning the top overall selection.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Triano's Interim Tag Dropped
On Monday, interim head coach Jay Triano was named the Raptors' full-time head coach. He was signed to a three-year contract, and in 2008-09 posted a 25-40 record, despite leading the Raptors to a 9-4 finish.
The Good and the Bad:
The Good:
- Jay is a respected basketball man. Every current Raptor - including GM Bryan Colangelo - has given him credit for dealing with a tough situation and earning the players' respect. He has been with the Raptors longer than any other coach in franchise history, and coached Team Canada to a 52-42 record from 1998-2004. His experience around the game will be very helpful, and should allow the Raps to be more cohesive, since he'll have the benefit of his own training camp.
- Andrea Bargnani, who before the 2008-09 season, was already hearing more than just whispers of "first-overall bust" was headed for more of the same in 2008. However, after Jay took over, so did Andrea. He brought his season averages up to very solid 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Beyond the numbers, Andrea looked confident on the floor, something we had very rarely seen from him since his rookie season. He shot 45% from the floor and over 40% from three, and on many occasions, he completely took over games. Bargnani himself has cited Triano as the reason he was able to break through. As long as Coach Triano can keep up Andrea's confidence, he has a great shot of having two (or three, if Jose Calderon can get in) All-Stars in Il Mago and Chris Bosh.
- Triano is very much a coach that can look unappealing to the casual fan. He does not command one side of the ball like Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun offense or Tom Thibodeau's defensive fundamentals, he doesn't have the pedigree of Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich, and he doesn't speak out to the media like Pat Riley. Triano is a "player's coach", much like the (fantastic) Toronto Blue Jays' Cito Gaston. He doesn't nitpick his players, rather opting to establish distinct roles for players and making sure they know what is expected from them. And - if this year's Jays are any indication - it just might work for the Dinos.
- Triano also had the unfortunate situation of having to join the team in the midst of in injury plague. Calderon was injured and the Jermaine O'Neal experiment had not yet been euthanized. When Calderon was healthy and O'Neal had been flipped into Shawn Marion, the Raptors reeled off six convincing wins in a row, even beating the Orlando Magic, who still had much to play for.
The Bad:
- Well, he simply hasn't won very much. He posted an unimpressive record while serving as the interim, and while one can certainly assert that it wasn't entirely his fault, his coaching statistics will not leave any teams shaking in their Nikes.
- At times, mostly in close and late situations which require delicate substitutions, he looked lost. Again, it can be argued that, having been shoved into a trial by fire, it wasn't entirely his fault. However, Triano definitely needs to work on in-game management to project confidence from the sidelines.
The Good and the Bad:
The Good:
- Jay is a respected basketball man. Every current Raptor - including GM Bryan Colangelo - has given him credit for dealing with a tough situation and earning the players' respect. He has been with the Raptors longer than any other coach in franchise history, and coached Team Canada to a 52-42 record from 1998-2004. His experience around the game will be very helpful, and should allow the Raps to be more cohesive, since he'll have the benefit of his own training camp.
- Andrea Bargnani, who before the 2008-09 season, was already hearing more than just whispers of "first-overall bust" was headed for more of the same in 2008. However, after Jay took over, so did Andrea. He brought his season averages up to very solid 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Beyond the numbers, Andrea looked confident on the floor, something we had very rarely seen from him since his rookie season. He shot 45% from the floor and over 40% from three, and on many occasions, he completely took over games. Bargnani himself has cited Triano as the reason he was able to break through. As long as Coach Triano can keep up Andrea's confidence, he has a great shot of having two (or three, if Jose Calderon can get in) All-Stars in Il Mago and Chris Bosh.
- Triano is very much a coach that can look unappealing to the casual fan. He does not command one side of the ball like Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun offense or Tom Thibodeau's defensive fundamentals, he doesn't have the pedigree of Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich, and he doesn't speak out to the media like Pat Riley. Triano is a "player's coach", much like the (fantastic) Toronto Blue Jays' Cito Gaston. He doesn't nitpick his players, rather opting to establish distinct roles for players and making sure they know what is expected from them. And - if this year's Jays are any indication - it just might work for the Dinos.
- Triano also had the unfortunate situation of having to join the team in the midst of in injury plague. Calderon was injured and the Jermaine O'Neal experiment had not yet been euthanized. When Calderon was healthy and O'Neal had been flipped into Shawn Marion, the Raptors reeled off six convincing wins in a row, even beating the Orlando Magic, who still had much to play for.
The Bad:
- Well, he simply hasn't won very much. He posted an unimpressive record while serving as the interim, and while one can certainly assert that it wasn't entirely his fault, his coaching statistics will not leave any teams shaking in their Nikes.
- At times, mostly in close and late situations which require delicate substitutions, he looked lost. Again, it can be argued that, having been shoved into a trial by fire, it wasn't entirely his fault. However, Triano definitely needs to work on in-game management to project confidence from the sidelines.
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