The Raptors roll into Dallas (tipoff at 8:30PM EST) on the back half of two games in two nights, and hope to both extend their win streak to three games and to give Chris Bosh, playing at an MVP level thus far, his first win in Dallas in his career.
W2W4:
- Big man matchups. The four starting PFs/Cs in this game will have a huge impact on how the game turns out. Dirk Nowitzki has always been a Turok (averaging 24 points and 7 boards against the Raps), and the player whose ceiling was always "The Next Dirk," Andrea Bargnani, will hope to continue to take a huge step forward in his fourth season. If Il Mago continues to develop, he could turn out to be even better than the one-time MVP. As well, CB4 should give Erick Dampier fits with his improved play and newfound beastly-ness in the post. Look for Bosh to have a huge game (really going out on a limb there, eh?).
- New Mavs and new Raps. The two teams were involved in a mammoth four-team deal this offseason that brought Hedo Turkoglu, Antoine Wright and Devean George (flipped to Golden State for Marco Belinelli) to Toronto, with Shawn Marion and Kris Humphries donning the Mavs blue. Turk has been a steady influence in the Raps' frontcourt thus far, being incredibly consistent on both offense and defense, while 'Toine and Marco have been instrumental in making the Raps' second unit one of their potent weapons. The Matrix has been his usual stat-filling self, putting up 14 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, while Hump has given them some energy off the bench with 6 points and 4 boards per game to go along with his trademark questionable shot selection (44% from the field).
- Jose Calderon. After some criticism incited by his slow start to the season, the object of many a man-crush delivered a classic Jose game, with tremendous efficiency against the Hornets: 16 points (on 6-11 from the field, 2-4 from three, and perfect 2-2 from the line), 8 assists to just one turnover and 4 rebounds. If Jose continues to be the floor general we know he can be, the Raps will be very tough to beat.
Showing posts with label Devean George. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Devean George. Show all posts
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Raps Officially Add Rasho and Marco
Today the Raptors announced via raptors.com that they have added 23-year-old 6-5 guard Marco Belinelli and 11-year veteran 7-footer Rasho Nesterovic.
Belinelli was acquired from Golden State in exchange for cash considerations as well as forward Devean George who arrived in the Hedo Turkoglu trade that also brought in Antoine Wright. Marco will likely battle Wright and apparent starter DeMar DeRozan for minutes at the swingmen positions. He's also the second Italian to play in the NBA, and now joins fellow countryman Andrea Bargnani.
It is rumoured that Rasho was signed to a one-year deal for the bi-annual exception (about $1.9 million which doesn't count against the salary cap), and he will likely serve as Bargnani's backup at the centre position, while becoming the fifth member of the Raps big-man rotation, along with Chris Bosh, Turkoglu, and Reggie Evans.
Both of these deals give the Raptors additional depth and different offensive and defensive schemes to toss at opponents. As well, they give very important backups who can step in if the Raps' starters are hit with injuries.
Belinelli was acquired from Golden State in exchange for cash considerations as well as forward Devean George who arrived in the Hedo Turkoglu trade that also brought in Antoine Wright. Marco will likely battle Wright and apparent starter DeMar DeRozan for minutes at the swingmen positions. He's also the second Italian to play in the NBA, and now joins fellow countryman Andrea Bargnani.
It is rumoured that Rasho was signed to a one-year deal for the bi-annual exception (about $1.9 million which doesn't count against the salary cap), and he will likely serve as Bargnani's backup at the centre position, while becoming the fifth member of the Raps big-man rotation, along with Chris Bosh, Turkoglu, and Reggie Evans.
Both of these deals give the Raptors additional depth and different offensive and defensive schemes to toss at opponents. As well, they give very important backups who can step in if the Raps' starters are hit with injuries.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Raps Acquire Belinelli
According to Yahoo! Sports, the Raptors have traded Devean George for 6-5 Italian guard Marco Belinelli of the Golden State Warriors. He averaged 9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2 assists in his second NBA season. If this is true, it seems likely that Bryan Colangelo would go after a big man - maybe Possum's Phone Ban as opposed to bringing back Carlos Delfino, since his talents are even more redundant with a scoring combo guard in Belinelli.
This deal is a very good one for the Raptors. Belinelli is a young, dynamic scorer who will really add some scoring punch to the second unit and should thrive with a tough PG like Jarrett Jack leading the way. As well, since he's still on his rookie contract, he's very affordable and really gives the Raps more depth, as George didn't figure to get any significant minutes.
Grade for Raptors: B+
This deal is a very good one for the Raptors. Belinelli is a young, dynamic scorer who will really add some scoring punch to the second unit and should thrive with a tough PG like Jarrett Jack leading the way. As well, since he's still on his rookie contract, he's very affordable and really gives the Raps more depth, as George didn't figure to get any significant minutes.
Grade for Raptors: B+
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Raptors Extend Offer to Jack; More Rumours
According to the front page of Raptors.com, as well as a report from RealGM, the Raptors will (or already have) extended an offer sheet to restricted free agent guard Jarrett Jack of the Indiana Pacers. This means that while the Pacers can match any offer (in this case, it appears to be around 4 years, $20 million), RealGM reports that they are unlikely to do so as it will put them close to the salary cap.
Jack (see his player file) is a 6-3 combo guard out of Georgia Tech who was teammates with Chris Bosh on the Yellow Jackets. He enjoyed a solid season in 08-09, posting 13.1 PPG, 4.1 APG and 3.4 RPG with a decent assist to turnover ratio of nearly 2:1 (2.24 TOPG). As well as being an efficient scorer (45 FG%, 35 3P%, 85 FT%), he's a good defender and gathered 1.1 steals per game last year. He figures to assume the backup point guard role, relegating Roko Ukic to third-string duties, but he may also play off-guard at the same time as either Roko or Jose Calderon if the Raps choose to go small (in that case, DeMar DeRozan or Antoine Wright could play the 3). The contract is not an overly bloated one, as he's shown solid consistency since his rookie season and has played an average of 80.5 games over his four NBA seasons. Jack should be able to earn his contract, especially since he will get spot starts if another Raptor gets injured. Additionally, it ensures that the Raptors will have a backup 1 locked up long-term (no more merry-go-round of Will Solomon, Darrick Martin, or Milt Palacio).
Of course, Bryan Colangelo is not done yet. He has shown interest, as noted before on this blog, in Carlos Delfino as well as Denver Nugget RFA Linas Kleiza. However, rumours are swirling that BC has interest in acquiring another former Raptor, Rasho Nesterovic.
Rasho would provide a veteran presence in the middle as well as in the locker room. However, with the acquisitions of Devean George and Reggie Evans, the Raps have a logjam at the bigman positions, and it's possible Rasho would be the odd man out.
Kleiza, on the other hand, seems to be a very sensible signing - he backed-up Carmelo Anthony effectively, as he would be doing for Hedo Turkoglu, putting up around 10 PPG and 4 RPG each of the last two seasons. He's a big (6-8, 245) bruiser at the 3-spot, and would provide a great change of scenery from Hedo's finesse and offensive leadership.
Delfino's return seemed to be a sure thing a couple weeks ago. However, after the blockbuster trade that brought in Turk, George and Wright, as well as the imminent arrival of Jack, the Raptors have sorted out their lack of depth at the guard positions, and Delfino's services may not be needed. That said, he was quite effective in the Raptors' swingman-by-committee of two seasons ago, posting 9 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 1.8 APG. If BC elects to bring back his versatility, he will likely see minutes at both the shooting guard and small forward positions.
What are your thoughts on the (supposed) signing of Jack, and who would you like to see the Raptors acquire to help bolster their bench? Let us know in the comments.
Jack (see his player file) is a 6-3 combo guard out of Georgia Tech who was teammates with Chris Bosh on the Yellow Jackets. He enjoyed a solid season in 08-09, posting 13.1 PPG, 4.1 APG and 3.4 RPG with a decent assist to turnover ratio of nearly 2:1 (2.24 TOPG). As well as being an efficient scorer (45 FG%, 35 3P%, 85 FT%), he's a good defender and gathered 1.1 steals per game last year. He figures to assume the backup point guard role, relegating Roko Ukic to third-string duties, but he may also play off-guard at the same time as either Roko or Jose Calderon if the Raps choose to go small (in that case, DeMar DeRozan or Antoine Wright could play the 3). The contract is not an overly bloated one, as he's shown solid consistency since his rookie season and has played an average of 80.5 games over his four NBA seasons. Jack should be able to earn his contract, especially since he will get spot starts if another Raptor gets injured. Additionally, it ensures that the Raptors will have a backup 1 locked up long-term (no more merry-go-round of Will Solomon, Darrick Martin, or Milt Palacio).
Of course, Bryan Colangelo is not done yet. He has shown interest, as noted before on this blog, in Carlos Delfino as well as Denver Nugget RFA Linas Kleiza. However, rumours are swirling that BC has interest in acquiring another former Raptor, Rasho Nesterovic.
Rasho would provide a veteran presence in the middle as well as in the locker room. However, with the acquisitions of Devean George and Reggie Evans, the Raps have a logjam at the bigman positions, and it's possible Rasho would be the odd man out.
Kleiza, on the other hand, seems to be a very sensible signing - he backed-up Carmelo Anthony effectively, as he would be doing for Hedo Turkoglu, putting up around 10 PPG and 4 RPG each of the last two seasons. He's a big (6-8, 245) bruiser at the 3-spot, and would provide a great change of scenery from Hedo's finesse and offensive leadership.
Delfino's return seemed to be a sure thing a couple weeks ago. However, after the blockbuster trade that brought in Turk, George and Wright, as well as the imminent arrival of Jack, the Raptors have sorted out their lack of depth at the guard positions, and Delfino's services may not be needed. That said, he was quite effective in the Raptors' swingman-by-committee of two seasons ago, posting 9 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 1.8 APG. If BC elects to bring back his versatility, he will likely see minutes at both the shooting guard and small forward positions.
What are your thoughts on the (supposed) signing of Jack, and who would you like to see the Raptors acquire to help bolster their bench? Let us know in the comments.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Marion Out, Turk In, Crazy Four-Way Deal
UPDATE: This deal is now official and will be announced today on Raptors NBA TV at 4 P.M. You can read Eric Smith's reaction here.
In an incredibly convoluted move, RealGM is reporting, along with the Toronto Star, that Shawn Marion, Nathan Jawai and Kris Humphries are heading to Dallas, Hedo Turkoglu, Antoine Wright and Devean George are heading to Toronto, and the Grizzlies will receive Jerry Stackhouse (who will likely be waived to save money), Toronto's 2016 second-round pick and "substantial cash." The Magic were enticed to join in because as opposed to letting Turk walk, they received a valuable $7 million trade exception which can be used to balance trade salaries, as well as cash considerations from Toronto. An additional advantage for Toronto, which could end up playing a huge part in the Raps' success this year, is the recovery of their mid-level exception which entitles them to about $5.7 million of extra salary. It's speculated that BC will use it to bring back Carlos Delfino or perhaps split it between him andPops Mensah-BonsuPossum's Phone Ban.
Overall Movement:
To Toronto:
F Devean George from Dallas (3.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG in 16 minutes/game in 08-09). Will likely be a middle-of-the-second and third quarter reserve. He does give the Raps a little more depth up front, and is a three-time NBA champion with the Lakers, so could provide a needed veteran presence. His contract also comes off the books at the end of this season.
G/F Antoine Wright from Dallas (7.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG in 24 minutes/game in 08-09). Will probably be one of the first wings off the bench, or a starter while splitting minutes with DeMar DeRozan. He's a solid, physical forward who is at his best when he's moving without the ball and spreading the floor. Fantastic pickup by BC to add some wing depth. His contract, like George's, comes off the books at the end of 2010.
F Hedo Turkoglu from Orlando (15.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.9 APG in 36.6 minutes/game in 08-09). The big fish this offseason for BC and the Raps. He'll start at small forward and log over 30 a game. He'll be somewhat a point forward, and with his matchup problems combined with Jose Calderon's efficiency the Raptors will be deadly in the half-court set. He can also lead the break to help make use of DeMar DeRozan and Chris Bosh's athleticism and speed in the open court.
Addition of Mid-Level Exception - The Raptors receive an additional $5.7 million dollars to spend as they choose. Ideally, Colangelo would use it to sign Delfino and Mensah-Bonsu to add some needed wing and bigman depth.
To Dallas:
F Shawn Marion (from Toronto)
F Kris Humphries (from Toronto)
G Greg Buckner (from Dallas)
Cash (from Toronto)
To Memphis:
F Jerry Stackhouse (from Dallas)
F/C Nathan Jawai (from Toronto)
Cash (from Dallas)
2016 second-round draft pick (from Toronto)
To Orlando:
$7 million trade exception
Cash (from Toronto)
Overall Grade for Toronto - A
This deal really couldn't be better. They acquire some solid veterans to bolster their bench, they add star power and fill a hole, and they pick up some additional salary to acquire some more depth or even a starter to replace DeRozan, while saving money for the coming offseason (Humphries had a player option for 2010-11). This is Colangelo magic at its finest, and it's beautiful.
To quote John Schuhmann of NBA.com, "Even if all the moves don't work out perfectly for Toronto, at least Bosh knows team management wants to win, and is willing to do whatever it takes to surround him with talent. And next year, when he makes a decision about his future, Bosh may realize that not many teams can say the same."
In an incredibly convoluted move, RealGM is reporting, along with the Toronto Star, that Shawn Marion, Nathan Jawai and Kris Humphries are heading to Dallas, Hedo Turkoglu, Antoine Wright and Devean George are heading to Toronto, and the Grizzlies will receive Jerry Stackhouse (who will likely be waived to save money), Toronto's 2016 second-round pick and "substantial cash." The Magic were enticed to join in because as opposed to letting Turk walk, they received a valuable $7 million trade exception which can be used to balance trade salaries, as well as cash considerations from Toronto. An additional advantage for Toronto, which could end up playing a huge part in the Raps' success this year, is the recovery of their mid-level exception which entitles them to about $5.7 million of extra salary. It's speculated that BC will use it to bring back Carlos Delfino or perhaps split it between him and
Overall Movement:
To Toronto:
F Devean George from Dallas (3.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG in 16 minutes/game in 08-09). Will likely be a middle-of-the-second and third quarter reserve. He does give the Raps a little more depth up front, and is a three-time NBA champion with the Lakers, so could provide a needed veteran presence. His contract also comes off the books at the end of this season.
G/F Antoine Wright from Dallas (7.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG in 24 minutes/game in 08-09). Will probably be one of the first wings off the bench, or a starter while splitting minutes with DeMar DeRozan. He's a solid, physical forward who is at his best when he's moving without the ball and spreading the floor. Fantastic pickup by BC to add some wing depth. His contract, like George's, comes off the books at the end of 2010.
F Hedo Turkoglu from Orlando (15.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.9 APG in 36.6 minutes/game in 08-09). The big fish this offseason for BC and the Raps. He'll start at small forward and log over 30 a game. He'll be somewhat a point forward, and with his matchup problems combined with Jose Calderon's efficiency the Raptors will be deadly in the half-court set. He can also lead the break to help make use of DeMar DeRozan and Chris Bosh's athleticism and speed in the open court.
Addition of Mid-Level Exception - The Raptors receive an additional $5.7 million dollars to spend as they choose. Ideally, Colangelo would use it to sign Delfino and Mensah-Bonsu to add some needed wing and bigman depth.
To Dallas:
F Shawn Marion (from Toronto)
F Kris Humphries (from Toronto)
G Greg Buckner (from Dallas)
Cash (from Toronto)
To Memphis:
F Jerry Stackhouse (from Dallas)
F/C Nathan Jawai (from Toronto)
Cash (from Dallas)
2016 second-round draft pick (from Toronto)
To Orlando:
$7 million trade exception
Cash (from Toronto)
Overall Grade for Toronto - A
This deal really couldn't be better. They acquire some solid veterans to bolster their bench, they add star power and fill a hole, and they pick up some additional salary to acquire some more depth or even a starter to replace DeRozan, while saving money for the coming offseason (Humphries had a player option for 2010-11). This is Colangelo magic at its finest, and it's beautiful.
To quote John Schuhmann of NBA.com, "Even if all the moves don't work out perfectly for Toronto, at least Bosh knows team management wants to win, and is willing to do whatever it takes to surround him with talent. And next year, when he makes a decision about his future, Bosh may realize that not many teams can say the same."
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