The Raps played fairly well for the game, but couldn't pull off a victory against the new-and-probably-much-better Amare'e's (that's a lot of apostrophes) Knicks. For the game, there was no one particular reason the Raps lost. However, it will probably be the trend of games this season where plenty of players will play well (or solidly enough) but the lack of a go-to scorer and leader will hurt in key situations. Bargnani had a big game and will most likely put up big numbers this year, but it seems unlikely he has the makings of a franchise offensive talent (though he could very well be a secondary or tertiary scorer on a very good team).
NBA.com recap
Player of the game:
Il Mago did not seem lost in his first game as the face of the Raptors. While he struggled somewhat from the field (8-21) he did not lose his outside touch over the summer hitting five threes in eight attempts. Bargs finished with 22 points and 6 rebounds and complemented that nicely with 2 blocks. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect pretty similar season averages for Drea this year.
Notables:
Reggie Evans (0 points on 0-2 shooting, 16 rebounds, 2 steals, 5 fouls) did exactly what the Raptors brought him in to do. He picked up 4 offensive boards, hustled like crazy and was a menace down low.
Linas Kleiza (13 points, 5 rebounds). The Destroyer of Worlds took a backseat to Bargnani's chuck-it-up ways last night, but the after offseason - Worlds, preseason and now the opener - it is clear that Kleiza has come back from Europe a better player, and could be a valuable trade chip for a contender.
Jarrett Jack (16 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals) played a nice all-around game as the starting point guard. He played his trademark solid defense and showed good playmaking ability. Jack could also bring back some useful pieces in a trade, if BC chooses that route.
NBA.com box score
Stat of the Game:
Wilson Chandler torched the Raptors off the bench to the tune of 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 assists in just 29 minutes. The Raptors' perimeter defense was not good last night and Chandler made the Raps pay.
Showing posts with label Jarrett Jack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jarrett Jack. Show all posts
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Raps Roll into Beantown
Coming off a manhandling of Phoenix in Vancouver to begin the preseason, the Raptors arrive in Boston to face the 2-0 Celtics at 6PM today. The Celtics will hope to contain Linas "Destroyer of Worlds" Kleiza, who dominated the Suns to the tune of 20 points in 20 minutes (on blistering 7-9 shooting, 4-4 from three), with 5 boards and 2 steals. While it's not really fair to draw positive nor negative conclusions, as it's only the preseason, Kleiza's definitely trying to show that his ownage of the Worlds during the summer was no fluke.
Other encouraging performances were had by DMDR, who dropped 16 points in 21 minutes, Jarrett Jack (10 poitns, 7 assists in 17 minutes), and interestingly, Joey Dorsey, who had 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, and 2 assists to boot. He had some monstrous slams and showed great energy, while - this is important - not playing outside his skill-set. Hopefully the Dino brass will look to his performance and not sign Ericka Dampier (get it? Cause he plays like a girl) for far too much money and far too little performance.
Other encouraging performances were had by DMDR, who dropped 16 points in 21 minutes, Jarrett Jack (10 poitns, 7 assists in 17 minutes), and interestingly, Joey Dorsey, who had 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, and 2 assists to boot. He had some monstrous slams and showed great energy, while - this is important - not playing outside his skill-set. Hopefully the Dino brass will look to his performance and not sign Ericka Dampier (get it? Cause he plays like a girl) for far too much money and far too little performance.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Year One A.B.: The Point Guard Crop
The Raps come into this season with a plethora of viable options at the point guard position. They're still looking for a point guard to build a team around, but Jarrett Jack proved himself to be well worth his maligned contract - and Jose Calderon is still paid like a franchise PG.
Jarrett Jack - one half of the "Jackeron" point guard duo. He was signed by Bryan Colangelo in another attempt to keep Bosh around (the two are good friends and played together at Georgia Tech), and many critics felt he overpaid greatly, signing him to a 4-year, $20 million deal. However, Jack played his way into the starter's role. He averaged about 11 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds while keeping his turnovers to 2 per game - all in 27 minutes a game, with great percentages too - 48% FG, 41% 3PT, 84% FT. His per-40 minute numbers translate very impressively - about 17 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 turnovers, which are pretty much excellent. His defense is also generally well-regarded. If Jose wasn't being paid so much (and wasn't being as efficient as he is) he'd make a solid full-time starter.
Jose Calderon - the other half. He signed an extension in 2008 worth about $8 million a year, and had a very good 08-09, even setting the single-season record for free-throw percentage. With Jack's effectiveness, though, his minutes took a big hit and he returned to roughly his career averages: 10 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds and 1.5 turnovers per game, in about 27 minutes. He shot 48%/38%/78%, and the free throw percentage is sure to rise (his career average is 88%). It seemed that Colangelo was sending him out of town in a three-way deal that would have brought Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler to Toronto, but the deal fell through. Contrary to Jack, Calderon is a poor defender and is somewhat of a liability on that end of the court.
Marcus Banks - the third-string. Banks was brought over in the Jermaine O'Neal trade as a salary dump for the Heat. He's been generally nailed to the bench during his stay in Toronto but has actually been reasonably effective in very limited minutes. He averaged 5 points and just over an assist per game in about 11 minutes per appearance, but he shot a very good 53% from the field, 83% from the line and in 10 December appearances (all over 10 minutes) he turned the ball over just 6 times total. He showed that he can be a reasonably capable backup guard in case of an injury, but that doesn't mean the Raps aren't waiting patiently for his contract to expire.
Leandro Barbosa - the newcomer. Barbosa, "The Brazilian Blur," arrived in Toronto from Phoenix in the Hedo Turkoglu trade. Besides Steve Nash, he was actually the only Sun left over from the "7 seconds or less" super-fast-paced offense of years past. He did not have a good season in 2009-10, battling injuries (he appeared in just 44 games and averaged only 18 minutes) and ineffectiveness. He saw his PPG drop by 5 points (14.2 to 9.5), APG drop by almost one (2.3 to 1.5), and his field goal and 3-pointer percentages drop by about 50 points each. Hopefully Barbosa has taken this summer to get healthy and if we're lucky, the combo guard can return to form in 2010-11. If he is back to full speed, Barbosa running the break with DeRozan or Weems, Johnson or Davis would all be very entertaining to watch.
What to expect this year - Jack will likely start at the beginning of the year. He earned the role last season, and Calderon was fairly effective playing against backups. As well, the two will likely play together for a few minutes during some games, especially if the Raptors need extra shooters on the floor. If Jack is ineffective or injured, expect to see Calderon step in as the starter and Banks to play backup minutes, and Barbosa to take over if the Raptors elect to put on a more fast break-oriented lineup. Leandro's likely to get the majority of his playing time at shooting guard, however.
Jarrett Jack - one half of the "Jackeron" point guard duo. He was signed by Bryan Colangelo in another attempt to keep Bosh around (the two are good friends and played together at Georgia Tech), and many critics felt he overpaid greatly, signing him to a 4-year, $20 million deal. However, Jack played his way into the starter's role. He averaged about 11 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds while keeping his turnovers to 2 per game - all in 27 minutes a game, with great percentages too - 48% FG, 41% 3PT, 84% FT. His per-40 minute numbers translate very impressively - about 17 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 turnovers, which are pretty much excellent. His defense is also generally well-regarded. If Jose wasn't being paid so much (and wasn't being as efficient as he is) he'd make a solid full-time starter.
Jose Calderon - the other half. He signed an extension in 2008 worth about $8 million a year, and had a very good 08-09, even setting the single-season record for free-throw percentage. With Jack's effectiveness, though, his minutes took a big hit and he returned to roughly his career averages: 10 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds and 1.5 turnovers per game, in about 27 minutes. He shot 48%/38%/78%, and the free throw percentage is sure to rise (his career average is 88%). It seemed that Colangelo was sending him out of town in a three-way deal that would have brought Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler to Toronto, but the deal fell through. Contrary to Jack, Calderon is a poor defender and is somewhat of a liability on that end of the court.
Marcus Banks - the third-string. Banks was brought over in the Jermaine O'Neal trade as a salary dump for the Heat. He's been generally nailed to the bench during his stay in Toronto but has actually been reasonably effective in very limited minutes. He averaged 5 points and just over an assist per game in about 11 minutes per appearance, but he shot a very good 53% from the field, 83% from the line and in 10 December appearances (all over 10 minutes) he turned the ball over just 6 times total. He showed that he can be a reasonably capable backup guard in case of an injury, but that doesn't mean the Raps aren't waiting patiently for his contract to expire.
Leandro Barbosa - the newcomer. Barbosa, "The Brazilian Blur," arrived in Toronto from Phoenix in the Hedo Turkoglu trade. Besides Steve Nash, he was actually the only Sun left over from the "7 seconds or less" super-fast-paced offense of years past. He did not have a good season in 2009-10, battling injuries (he appeared in just 44 games and averaged only 18 minutes) and ineffectiveness. He saw his PPG drop by 5 points (14.2 to 9.5), APG drop by almost one (2.3 to 1.5), and his field goal and 3-pointer percentages drop by about 50 points each. Hopefully Barbosa has taken this summer to get healthy and if we're lucky, the combo guard can return to form in 2010-11. If he is back to full speed, Barbosa running the break with DeRozan or Weems, Johnson or Davis would all be very entertaining to watch.
What to expect this year - Jack will likely start at the beginning of the year. He earned the role last season, and Calderon was fairly effective playing against backups. As well, the two will likely play together for a few minutes during some games, especially if the Raptors need extra shooters on the floor. If Jack is ineffective or injured, expect to see Calderon step in as the starter and Banks to play backup minutes, and Barbosa to take over if the Raptors elect to put on a more fast break-oriented lineup. Leandro's likely to get the majority of his playing time at shooting guard, however.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Big Easy for Big Tough Game
Tonight at 8PM the Raps roll into New Orleans to take on the red-hot Chris Paul and the Hornets. The Hornets are 2-3 this year and the Raps look for their second straight win and to start their road trip (7 of the 8 next games are played away from the ACC) on the right foot.
W2W4:
- That Paul kid. CP3 has been phenomenal this year, averaging 30 points per game thus far and is shooting a ridiculous 80% (12-15) from the three-point line. The Raps' three primary PG defenders - Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack and Antoine Wright have said their game plan is to turn Paul into a jump shooter and the Hornets' primary scorer. Hopefully the other Dinos can take Paul's teammates out of the game.
- Big men. The Raptors retaliate against the Hornets with their "Killer B's" (oh my, I'm so sorry) - Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. Combined, they're averaging almost 52 points, 20 rebounds (5 offensive), 2 blocks, shooting over 50% from the field and over 75% from three. They're putting themselves into consideration for the best big-man combo in the NBA and if Bargs keeps up his rebounding from the game against Detroit (12 boards), David West and Emeka Okafor will be in for a long night.
- Hedo Turkoglu. He's been quiet this year, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been effective. He's in fact 3rd on the Raptors in all three of the primary statistics, averaging 15.3 points (on solid 49% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point land), along with 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while playing tough D (averaging 1.25 blocks and .75 steals per game). He's really adjusted quickly to Jay Triano's system, and he's helped the Raps average the third-most points (108.5) in the Association.
W2W4:
- That Paul kid. CP3 has been phenomenal this year, averaging 30 points per game thus far and is shooting a ridiculous 80% (12-15) from the three-point line. The Raps' three primary PG defenders - Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack and Antoine Wright have said their game plan is to turn Paul into a jump shooter and the Hornets' primary scorer. Hopefully the other Dinos can take Paul's teammates out of the game.
- Big men. The Raptors retaliate against the Hornets with their "Killer B's" (oh my, I'm so sorry) - Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. Combined, they're averaging almost 52 points, 20 rebounds (5 offensive), 2 blocks, shooting over 50% from the field and over 75% from three. They're putting themselves into consideration for the best big-man combo in the NBA and if Bargs keeps up his rebounding from the game against Detroit (12 boards), David West and Emeka Okafor will be in for a long night.
- Hedo Turkoglu. He's been quiet this year, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been effective. He's in fact 3rd on the Raptors in all three of the primary statistics, averaging 15.3 points (on solid 49% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point land), along with 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while playing tough D (averaging 1.25 blocks and .75 steals per game). He's really adjusted quickly to Jay Triano's system, and he's helped the Raps average the third-most points (108.5) in the Association.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Raps Take on New-Look Pistons
Tonight we have a matchup of the Raps against the new-look Pistons, with their two new free-agents, Ben Gordon and Charlie Villaneuva.
W2W4:
- The two new guys. Both carry a score-first mentality and can put up points in a hurry, but are not known as defensive intimidators. Charlie V makes his first visit in Detroit uniform, three years after he made a name for himself as a rookie with the Raptors. Gordon is a "hate-him or love-him" kind of player - he's often adored by casual fans who love his abiloity to score from anywhere and no-conscience attitude on offense. Others despise his sometimes poor shot selection and defensive deficiencies. All that said, when he hits a hot streak he's very tough to stop and thus far this season he's averaging 24 points. Jose Calderon, Antoine Wright and Jarrett Jack will have their work cut out for them trying to shut down his penetration.
- The Raptors at home. During their game against the Magic, the Raptors' lackluster play earned them more than a few boos from the crowd. Hopefully the Raps can come out strong and get the crowd into it.
- Chris Bosh. He's been unbelievable thus far this year. After the game against the Magic he was 3rd in the NBA in scoring and 2nd (behind some guy named Dwight Howard) in rebounding. If he can keep this up for a full year - but don't forget he slowed down after a hot start last year - he could be headed for an all-NBA year.
W2W4:
- The two new guys. Both carry a score-first mentality and can put up points in a hurry, but are not known as defensive intimidators. Charlie V makes his first visit in Detroit uniform, three years after he made a name for himself as a rookie with the Raptors. Gordon is a "hate-him or love-him" kind of player - he's often adored by casual fans who love his abiloity to score from anywhere and no-conscience attitude on offense. Others despise his sometimes poor shot selection and defensive deficiencies. All that said, when he hits a hot streak he's very tough to stop and thus far this season he's averaging 24 points. Jose Calderon, Antoine Wright and Jarrett Jack will have their work cut out for them trying to shut down his penetration.
- The Raptors at home. During their game against the Magic, the Raptors' lackluster play earned them more than a few boos from the crowd. Hopefully the Raps can come out strong and get the crowd into it.
- Chris Bosh. He's been unbelievable thus far this year. After the game against the Magic he was 3rd in the NBA in scoring and 2nd (behind some guy named Dwight Howard) in rebounding. If he can keep this up for a full year - but don't forget he slowed down after a hot start last year - he could be headed for an all-NBA year.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Raps Take Opener! 101-91 Raps
In a great game for our Dinos, the Raptors start the season 1-0. The Franchise Chris Bosh put up a big game and Andrea Bargnani showed that he's here to prove something this year, leading the Raps in scoring. The Raps' D was tenacious, posting 4 steals and 6 blocks (3 by newcomer Hedo Turkoglu in his debut!). If this is the way Raps games are going to be for the rest of the season, it's going to be a lot of fun.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Give it up for Il Mago. He led the game in scoring with 28 on 11-15 shooting (2-3 from 3, 4-4 from the line) in under 30 minutes on the court. He picked up some questionable fouls which limited his playing time and ability to rebound (he had a merely-okay 5, though, with CB4 on the glass, there weren't many boards to be had). He was running circles around the Cavs' big men and was scoring from anywhere. It's kind of interesting how both the Italian boys (Andrea and Marco Belinelli) are so similar in their ability and willingness to score from anywhere. Each one also had a thunderous dunk in the game.
Notables:
CB4 - 21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists. Not a bad start for the face of the franchise. He answered Shaquille O'Neal's assertion that he is the "RuPaul of big men" strongly, and helped hold the Most Dominant Ever (?) to a decidedly mediocre game (12 points, 7 rebounds, 0 blocks, 0-3 FT, 4 fouls).
Jose Calderon - 5 points, 11 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 turnovers. Had a Jose-esque game. Didn't score a lot (he really doesn't need to with the firepower around him) and, oddly, after receiving the award for setting the NBA single-season free-throw shooting record, missed his first two free throws of the game, finishing 3-5 from the line. He and Jarrett Jack, importantly, stopped Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson from being effective playmakers - 28 points, but a 5:5 assist-turnover ratio and combined 8-24 shooting). Jose acknowledged in the offseason that his defence last year was bad, and hopefully he can continue to hold his own on that side of the ball.
Hidayet - 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks. Had a very solid debut at home, filling in the stat sheet nicely. He was very good defensively and scored a little bit when he needed to. It also seemed like he was in good control of the offense at the end of the game, helping us keep a sizeable lead until the end.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors simply dominated on the defensive end, giving up very few easy buckets and holding Cleveland to 34.9% (29-83) shooting. If they can concentrate and hold their own in their zone the whole year, this season will definitely be fun to watch.
NBA.com recap
Player of the Game:
Give it up for Il Mago. He led the game in scoring with 28 on 11-15 shooting (2-3 from 3, 4-4 from the line) in under 30 minutes on the court. He picked up some questionable fouls which limited his playing time and ability to rebound (he had a merely-okay 5, though, with CB4 on the glass, there weren't many boards to be had). He was running circles around the Cavs' big men and was scoring from anywhere. It's kind of interesting how both the Italian boys (Andrea and Marco Belinelli) are so similar in their ability and willingness to score from anywhere. Each one also had a thunderous dunk in the game.
Notables:
CB4 - 21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists. Not a bad start for the face of the franchise. He answered Shaquille O'Neal's assertion that he is the "RuPaul of big men" strongly, and helped hold the Most Dominant Ever (?) to a decidedly mediocre game (12 points, 7 rebounds, 0 blocks, 0-3 FT, 4 fouls).
Jose Calderon - 5 points, 11 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 turnovers. Had a Jose-esque game. Didn't score a lot (he really doesn't need to with the firepower around him) and, oddly, after receiving the award for setting the NBA single-season free-throw shooting record, missed his first two free throws of the game, finishing 3-5 from the line. He and Jarrett Jack, importantly, stopped Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson from being effective playmakers - 28 points, but a 5:5 assist-turnover ratio and combined 8-24 shooting). Jose acknowledged in the offseason that his defence last year was bad, and hopefully he can continue to hold his own on that side of the ball.
Hidayet - 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks. Had a very solid debut at home, filling in the stat sheet nicely. He was very good defensively and scored a little bit when he needed to. It also seemed like he was in good control of the offense at the end of the game, helping us keep a sizeable lead until the end.
Full box score
Stat of the Game:
The Raptors simply dominated on the defensive end, giving up very few easy buckets and holding Cleveland to 34.9% (29-83) shooting. If they can concentrate and hold their own in their zone the whole year, this season will definitely be fun to watch.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
ESPN Predicts East Standing, Undercuts Raptors
I always hate getting my hopes up about the Raptors in the offseason, as I am convinced we are destined for a life in basketball purgatory, to be mediocre forever. However this year (as with every other Raptor season) I could not help myself. I analyzed our team over and over, asking myself how high do you think the Raptors can make it in the East. Fourth? Maybe even third?
Yesterday 53 panelists from across ESPN predicted the number of wins and losses for each team in the East and, to my surprise, the Raptors came in at ninth. They predicted the Raps to finish four games under .500 at 39-43. So here is my list of reasons of why I believe in the Dinos.
1. A re-vamped team
Let's face it, the Raptors last season had problems. Amidst persistent injuries to rotation players, a head coach firing a few weeks into the season, constant boo-ing from the fans, and rumors that the face of the team will walk in 2010, the Raps developed a defeated, lackadaisical attitude. This offseason The Architect went to work. He kept 5 of 15 players from last season, 3 being rotation players (guess who). The 2009-10 Raptors are a different team from last year, let's hope they realize that.
2. Depth and Toughness
BC has been talking for a while about adding tough big men who can bang in the key and grab rebounds. Rather than drafting an unpredictable big man (yes, Rob Babcock and Rafael Araujo, this shout out is for you), BC went into the market and grabbed Reggie Evans, Amir Johnson, and Rasho Nesterovic. These three guys bring a unique mix of abilities - Evans with hard-nosed grit and toughness, AJ with high-flying athleticism, and Radoslav with great fundamentals - and they can clean the glass better than Windex (yes, I hate myself for writing that).
Looking at the Raptor depth chart puts a smile on my face. What was once a depleted wingman lineup has now become filled with young players ready to compete for floor time. Behind Jose Calderon is another point guard who beat out T.J. Ford for the starting spot in Indiana. Raptor fans this season will witness a 10-man deep team.
3. The Wing Spot
With the acquisitions of Hedo Turkoglu, Antoine Wright, and DeMar DeRozan, the Raptors have wing players who are not afraid to take the ball to the bucket. Hedo, 'Toine, and DMDR all have the ability to take the ball to the hoop with authority, a quality that has become lost in the Raptors' style of play in the past couple of seasons.
4. We Are Better Than the Wizards
ESPN put the Wizards in the 8 spot over the Raptors. Naturally because the Raptors have had a big turnover in personnel this offseason raises questions of team chemistry. But can Gilbert Arenas really be expected to come back fully healthy and automatically mesh with Mike Miller and Randy Foye?
Yesterday 53 panelists from across ESPN predicted the number of wins and losses for each team in the East and, to my surprise, the Raptors came in at ninth. They predicted the Raps to finish four games under .500 at 39-43. So here is my list of reasons of why I believe in the Dinos.
1. A re-vamped team
Let's face it, the Raptors last season had problems. Amidst persistent injuries to rotation players, a head coach firing a few weeks into the season, constant boo-ing from the fans, and rumors that the face of the team will walk in 2010, the Raps developed a defeated, lackadaisical attitude. This offseason The Architect went to work. He kept 5 of 15 players from last season, 3 being rotation players (guess who). The 2009-10 Raptors are a different team from last year, let's hope they realize that.
2. Depth and Toughness
BC has been talking for a while about adding tough big men who can bang in the key and grab rebounds. Rather than drafting an unpredictable big man (yes, Rob Babcock and Rafael Araujo, this shout out is for you), BC went into the market and grabbed Reggie Evans, Amir Johnson, and Rasho Nesterovic. These three guys bring a unique mix of abilities - Evans with hard-nosed grit and toughness, AJ with high-flying athleticism, and Radoslav with great fundamentals - and they can clean the glass better than Windex (yes, I hate myself for writing that).
Looking at the Raptor depth chart puts a smile on my face. What was once a depleted wingman lineup has now become filled with young players ready to compete for floor time. Behind Jose Calderon is another point guard who beat out T.J. Ford for the starting spot in Indiana. Raptor fans this season will witness a 10-man deep team.
3. The Wing Spot
With the acquisitions of Hedo Turkoglu, Antoine Wright, and DeMar DeRozan, the Raptors have wing players who are not afraid to take the ball to the bucket. Hedo, 'Toine, and DMDR all have the ability to take the ball to the hoop with authority, a quality that has become lost in the Raptors' style of play in the past couple of seasons.
4. We Are Better Than the Wizards
ESPN put the Wizards in the 8 spot over the Raptors. Naturally because the Raptors have had a big turnover in personnel this offseason raises questions of team chemistry. But can Gilbert Arenas really be expected to come back fully healthy and automatically mesh with Mike Miller and Randy Foye?
Monday, August 17, 2009
Raps Nab Johnson and Weems
According to the Toronto Star, the Raps have traded "Hot Cocoa" Roko Ukic and the rights to restricted free agent Carlos Delfino to the Milwaukee Bucks for forward Amir Johnson and guard Sonny Weems. Both come off the books after this season, though Weems has a team option for 2010-11.
Johnson, a very athletic 6-10, put up 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in just 15 minutes last season in Detroit. He figures to add to our big-man depth, backing up Andrea Bargnani, Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu. He'll compete for time with Reggie Evans and Rasho Nesterovic and may pass Patrick O'Bryant on the depth chart.
Weems, 6-6, spent the majority of last season in the D-League playing for the Colorado 14ers. He'll likely ride the pine most of the season. Hopefully he can make friends with Marcus Banks.
Grade for Raptors: B
It's a solid deal that brings a big man with upside to Toronto while reducing the number of contracts for next summer in an attempt to keep CB4 in town. Weems is essentially a non-factor in this deal, and Delfino's skills were redundant with DeMar DeRozan, Antoine Wright, Marco Belinelli and Turk in town. The only downside to this deal (besides losing 2 nations from the UN of the NBA) is giving away Roko. While he likely would have gotten very little playing time behind Jose Calderon and newly acquired Jarrett Jack, he's still a big, young guard with plenty of upside. It's entirely possible he could develop into a solid NBA player, but for the immediate future of this franchise, it didn't make any sense to keep him. Solid deal by Bryan Colangelo to try to make something from pretty much nothing.
Johnson, a very athletic 6-10, put up 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in just 15 minutes last season in Detroit. He figures to add to our big-man depth, backing up Andrea Bargnani, Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu. He'll compete for time with Reggie Evans and Rasho Nesterovic and may pass Patrick O'Bryant on the depth chart.
Weems, 6-6, spent the majority of last season in the D-League playing for the Colorado 14ers. He'll likely ride the pine most of the season. Hopefully he can make friends with Marcus Banks.
Grade for Raptors: B
It's a solid deal that brings a big man with upside to Toronto while reducing the number of contracts for next summer in an attempt to keep CB4 in town. Weems is essentially a non-factor in this deal, and Delfino's skills were redundant with DeMar DeRozan, Antoine Wright, Marco Belinelli and Turk in town. The only downside to this deal (besides losing 2 nations from the UN of the NBA) is giving away Roko. While he likely would have gotten very little playing time behind Jose Calderon and newly acquired Jarrett Jack, he's still a big, young guard with plenty of upside. It's entirely possible he could develop into a solid NBA player, but for the immediate future of this franchise, it didn't make any sense to keep him. Solid deal by Bryan Colangelo to try to make something from pretty much nothing.
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+
Monday, July 20, 2009
Jack An Official Dino
Today the Raptors nabbed Jarrett Jack, as the Pacers, in a desperate attempt to become the whitest team in NBA history, failed to match Toronto's offer sheet. Jarrett will be announced in a press conference tomorrow, and he is currently enjoying a meal with Chris Bosh and DeMar DeRozan in Toronto.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Raptors Officially Sign Jack to Offer Sheet
The Raps announced today that they have signed guard Jarrett Jack to an offer sheet, meaning the Indiana Pacers have seven days to match the offer (estimated at 4 years, $20 million) or else Jack will become a member of the Raptors. See our previous post for reasons why this could be a very useful signing.
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.
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