Saturday, June 6, 2009
Bosh Won't Resign
Chris Bosh has now stated that he will not resign with the Raptors this summer. Not a surprising outcome, considering how exciting the offseason of 2010 will be. But Mike Ulmer of raptors.com makes some interesting points about why it very well might not be the end of the CB4 era in Toronto. Check out his blog.
Friday, June 5, 2009
More Offseason Happenings
Hey look! More stuff is going on! Today the Raps signed two assistant coaches - Marc Iavaroni and Alex English.
Iavaroni - who many expected would be signed as head coach a couple years ago - coached the past two seasons in Memphis (coaching terrible teams with a terrible GM, Kevin McHale) and, expectedly, put up two losing seasons. Prior to that, he was an assistant in Phoenix to Mike D'Antoni and helped coach the Suns to the playoffs several times. Bryan Colangelo has reason to be fond of him, as he's worked with him in the past and helped do great things with the Suns offense.
English is most famous as a player, elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997, but he has been with the Raps for five years and brings experience with the players and and has a great view of the game. English has scored the 12th most points in league history.
This seems like a great way for BC to cut his losses - if problems arise with head coach Jay Triano, he can simply insert Iavaroni into the head coaching position. And if not, he'll still be around in three years and will hopefully do great things with our Dinos.
Read the press release
Iavaroni - who many expected would be signed as head coach a couple years ago - coached the past two seasons in Memphis (coaching terrible teams with a terrible GM, Kevin McHale) and, expectedly, put up two losing seasons. Prior to that, he was an assistant in Phoenix to Mike D'Antoni and helped coach the Suns to the playoffs several times. Bryan Colangelo has reason to be fond of him, as he's worked with him in the past and helped do great things with the Suns offense.
English is most famous as a player, elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997, but he has been with the Raps for five years and brings experience with the players and and has a great view of the game. English has scored the 12th most points in league history.
This seems like a great way for BC to cut his losses - if problems arise with head coach Jay Triano, he can simply insert Iavaroni into the head coaching position. And if not, he'll still be around in three years and will hopefully do great things with our Dinos.
Read the press release
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Uh oh
If you're a fan of Chris Bosh... then it's time for a sad face. RealGM reported today via the Toronto Star that Bosh does not plan on resigning with the Raptors and will explore other options in 2010. Sigh.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Colangelo Repeats Goal of Keeping Bosh
Bryan Colangelo again stuck with his guns and insisted that the Raptors will keep Chris Bosh as the centrepiece of the team and attempt to build a strong team around him. He did add, however, that should the chances of Bosh re-signing become slim, they will attempt to trade him (of course). See the RealGM article, via the Miami Herald.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Prehistoric Hoops is on Facebook!
Prehistoric Hoops now has a Facebook page! You can become a fan via the page and keep up with new posts, discussions and more. Tell your friends!
"Boogie" Williams to Discuss Coaching Position
Former Raptor Alvin "Boogie" Williams has reportedly begun to discuss a possible coaching position with the Raptors, as reported on RealGM.com. Williams, 34, will meet with head coach Jay Triano in coming days to work out an agreement. Alvin was an important factor for the Raps, playing point guard for parts of 8 seasons from 1997-2006. While in Toronto, he always seemed very much like a player-coach, helping out younger players and showing great leadership. He would definitely be a nice addition to the Raptors' coaching staff, and would be a good influence on young Raps like Roko Ukic.
Williams averaged 9.0 points and 4.1 assists in his NBA career.
Williams averaged 9.0 points and 4.1 assists in his NBA career.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Bosh's Media Release Anticlimactic
Well, for all the Raptors fans out there looking forward to Chris Bosh's "big announcement" today, you might be a little disappointed. The announcement, which can be seen here, details his agreement with Warner Music Canada to produce a "unique DVD and CD to be released in the fall of 2009." Well, it's fair to say this is not the interest in re-signing with the Raps we at PH were looking for.
For any fans with an iPhone or iPod Touch, Bosh has also released his own app. We have no idea what it does, as of yet. If anyone has any information, please post in the comments!
For any fans with an iPhone or iPod Touch, Bosh has also released his own app. We have no idea what it does, as of yet. If anyone has any information, please post in the comments!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Raps' Offseason Update
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.
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.
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.
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