khandor’s sports blog

While some might enjoy the endless speculation about which free agents might be interested in what teams, and vice versa, prior to July 1 [the start date to the annual Free Agency feeding frenzy in the NBA], yours truly prefers to take a different approach.

At 12:01 AM of the big “first day”, here is what this corner sees as the most effective 12-man line-up for the Raptors, if the 2009-2010 regualar season was to begin play today:

Option One – Conventional NBA Line-up

STARTERS
1 Jose Calderon [guaranteed contract]
2 Anthony Parker [unrestricted]
3 Shawn Marion [unrestricted]
4 Chris Bosh [guaranteed contract]
5 Andrea Bargnani [guaranteed contract]

KEY SUBS
6 Roko Ukic [guaranteed contract]
7 DeMar DeRozan [guaranteed contract] *
8 Carlos Delfino [qualifying offer extended]
9 Reggie Evans [guaranteed contract]

EXTRAS
10 Marcus Banks [guaranteed contract]
11 Quincy Douby [guaranteed contract]
12 Pops Mensah-Bonsu [qualifying offer extended]
13 Kris Humphries [guaranteed contract]
14 Nathan Jawai [guaranteed contract]
15 Patrick O’Bryant [guaranteed contract]

Option Two – khandor’s Preferred Line-up 

STARTERS
1 Jose Calderon [guaranteed contract]
2 Anthony Parker [unrestricted]
3 Carlos Delfino [qualifying offer extended]
4 Marion [unrestricted]
5 Bosh [guaranteed contract]

KEY SUBS
6 Roko Ukic [guaranteed contract]
7 DeMar DeRozan [guaranteed contract] *
8 Reggie Evans [guaranteed contract]
9 Andrea Bargnani [guaranteed contract] *

EXTRAS
10 Marcus Banks [guaranteed contract]
11 Quincy Douby [guaranteed contract]
12 Pops Mensah-Bonsu [qualifying offer extended]
13 Kris Humphries [guaranteed contract]
14 Nathan Jawai [guaranteed contract]
15 Patrick O’Bryant [guaranteed contract]

[Legend: * - Scorer off the bench]

Factors to be considered, re: Option Two

No. 9 [overall] 1st Round Draft Picks that come into the NBA after playing only 1 season of NCAA D1 level basketball have no business as a Starting Player in the NBA.

Gradually introduce DeMar DeRozan to the rigors of the NBA game.

Shawn Marion is a natural #4/PF in the NBA.

Chris Bosh is a natural #5/Center in the NBA.

By bringing DeRozan and Bargnani off the bench, it provides the Raptors with a more balanced line-up overall and scoring prowess for their 2nd Unit.

Surrounding Bosh with four players like Calderon, Parker, Delfino, and Marion would allow the Raptors to play small [i.e. with multiple "shooters" on the floor], while emphasizing Pick & Roll/Pop basketball with CB4 and a multi-pronged “Drive & Kick” game.

Keep Bosh from becoming fatigued and/or incurring serious injuries by having him split time on the floor with Bargnani at the #5/C position [i.e. 28 MPG for Bosh; 20 MPG for Bargnani].

Limit Bosh & Bargnani’s individual defensive assignments to the opponent’s Best Big Man, leaving Marion to defend against their top #4/PF.

Limit the opportunities for Bargnani [Back-up Center] to be called for too many Personal Fouls.

Provide maximum Rebounding opportunities for Reggie Evans [Back-up PF].

————

Now … it is going to be most interesting to see what the Raptors actual line-up will look like in the fall when the team breaks from Jay Triano’s first full training camp, as their new permanent head coach, with Bryan Colangelo set to start his 4th full year as their GM. 

The QUESTION is … for, let’s say, approximately $6.4 M … 

What two NBA franchises would Allen Iverson, possibly, be the best fit with at this stage of his career?

[i.e. based strictly on their respective player rosters and regardless of any Salary Cap/Luxury Tax restraints on a 1 year contract]

SCENARIO ONE

If the Cavaliers are truly serious about trying to win the 2009-2010 NBA Championship, then Cleveland needs to ratchet up its Offense with a line-up that looks like this:

STARTERS
PG – Allen Iverson [UFA, high cost]
OG – Anthony Parker [UFA, medium cost]
SF – Lebron James
PF – Anderson Varejao
C – Shaquille O’Neal

KEY SUBS
PG/OG – Mo Williams or Daniel Gibson
OG/SF – Keith Bogans [UFA, low cost]
SF/PF – JJ Hickson
C – Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

———-

SCENARIO TWO

If the Heat are truly serious about trying to reach the 2009-2010 NBA Finals, then Miami needs to ratchet up its Offense with a line-up like this is:

STARTERS
PG – Allen Iverson [UFA, high cost]
OG – Dwyane Wade
SF – Jamario Moon [UFA, low cost]
PF – Udonis Haslem
C – Jermaine O’Neal  

KEY SUBS
PG – Mario Chalmers
OG – Daequan Cook
SF – Michael Beasley
PF – Joel Anthony
C -  Chris Mihm [UFA, low cost]

———-

For a single season … a move like that would still leave Miami and/or Cleveland in the free agent sweepstakes expected to take place next summer [i.e. 2010] … while giving their respective teams a definite boost this year, in an effort to reach their specific goal.

Are either of these two situations likely to occur next month?

Hmmmm …

[Probably not ... although either one would certainly be very interesting to see materialize this summer.]

FYI and reading pleasure …

An Open Letter to the Memphis Grizzlies
Hilarious Excerpt #1. I even tolerated the insane teasings toward the OJ-Mayo-As-A-Point-Guard fiasco, or as I like to call it, “The Turnover Manifesto.”

Hlarious Excerpt #2. I begged you,  pleaded with you. I used podcasts, blogposts, emails to people who know you, to try and steer you from this course of action. But you wouldn’t listen. And look what you have to show for it.

A seven foot pogo stick with a Twitter account [i.e. Hasheem Thabeet].

Hilarious Line #3. Lots of people question the 6′5” player [i.e. Tyreke Evans] with killer explosiveness with insane ability to get to the rim who also happened to come out of the same program as this year’s Rookie of the Year who was also a point guard and which happens to be located in the same city as your damn franchise ensuring that you would have at least had a player on the squad that someone would know.

Hilarious Line #4. I’d love to tell you that it’s not you, it’s me. But that’s a lie. It’s you.

Hilarious Excerpt #5. I’ll call you when I reach my mother’s.

Bye, Memphis.

———-

Matt Moore is one of the most prodigous writing talents in the literary basketball business today. Would only he be able to drop his penchant for excessively curse-laiden “flavourful” language, on occasion, when his blood pressure is on the rise, he should be a daily read for anyone who follows the NBA game.

Laugh, cry, or vilify, but … at all times … it’s done while bringing a smile to your face. Get to know his name, folks. It says here, he is someone who is going far, in this here game.

Related:

NBA Draft – Live Blogging

First and foremost.

David Kahn will not find a better coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves than Kevin McHale … regardless how long his actual search takes.

There’s a good reason certain NBA teams fail to make headway

Secondly.

When it comes to assessing accurately the skills and abilities and career of one Kenny Smith …

The Jet was 100%, on the money … in his observation that, had he [1987/No. 6, overall, Draft Pick] been in the same backcourt as, both, Ricky Rubio [18 years of age] and Jonny Flynn [20 years of age], at the beginning stage of all three of their NBA careers, he would, in fact, have been the best Point Guard on that team’s roster.

Only those who do not know the game nearly as well as they think do would the mistake of under-estimating just how good Kenny Smith actually was as a 1st rate Point Guard, in the NBA, with solid credentials.

Hopefully, the enthusiasm which Chris Bosh [2003/No. 4, overall, Draft Pick] has always shown for playing the game as a member of the Raptors, in addition to the enthusiasm which DeMar DeRozan [2009/No. 9, overall, Draft Pick] is now showing towards his selection by their team in this year’s Draft [e.g. each of his specific quotes and interviews, thus far]

DeRozan really wants to be a Raptor 
The unique beauty of Toronto according to DeMar
DeRozan is a good fit with the City of Toronto

are able to dispel the misguided notion that US-born, raised and trained basketball players have a “disinterest” in playing out their careers in the great City of Toronto.

According to yours truly, the only thing which has ever prevented the development of a championship pro sports franchise in Toronto … given the resources that exist in the GTA … is incompetent management of those specific teams.

If the Maple Leafs, Raptors, Blue Jays, Argonauts and TFC are each run properly … i.e. with the type of sport-specific acumen it takes to build a championship organization over a period of years … there is no legitimate reason in the world that they should be anything but 1st-Class operations committed to Winning.

Bryan Colangelo … in the aftermath of Thursday’s Draft … the ball is still squarely in your court.

Collectively:

Jose Calderon [or the $$$/player, in his place, as a tradeable asset]
Anthony Parker [or the $$$/player, in his place, as an UFA]
DeMar DeRozan
Carlos Delfino [or the $$$/player, in his place, as a tradeable asset]
Joey Graham [or the $$$/player, in his place, as a tradeable asset]
Shawn Marion [or the $$$/player, in his place, as an UFA]
Reggie Evans
Kris Humphries [or the $$$/player, in his place, as a tradeable asset]
Andrea Bargnani [or the $$$/player, in his place, as a tradeable asset], and
Chris Bosh [or the $$$/player, in his place, as a tradeable asset]

are plenty good enough to form the foundation of a championship organization for the Toronto Raptors, in the not-too-distant future … BUT, ONLY … if you truly have what it takes to get the job done, from a Basketball Acumen standpoint.

Time will tell.

It always does.

The pieces are there, however … once again.

They just need to be [re-]organized properly over time … with a long term commitment to WINNING it all.

Prior to last night’s proceedings, these 15 individuals were identified by this corner as players who could have given the Toronto Raptors what they need, at this moment in time, heading towards a long term future [A] with or [B] without Chris Bosh:

Perception vs Reality – Who SHOULD Raptors Draft?

Al-Farouq Aminu [6-9, 215, SF/PF, Wake Forest, now unavailable]
Tyreke Evans [6-6, 219, PG/OG, Memphis]
DeMar DeRozan [6-7, 220, OG/SF, USC]
Earl Clark [6-10, 226, PF, Louisville]
Derrick Brown [6-8, 225, SF, Xavier]
Terrence Williams [6-6, 213, OG, Louisville]
Wayne Ellington [6-5, 202, OG, UNC]
Danny Green [6-6, 208, OG/SF, UNC]
Sam Young [6-6, 223, SF, Pittsburgh]
Marcus Thorton [6-4, 194, OG, LSU]
Tyler Hansbrough [6-9, 234, PF, UNC]
Taj Gibson [6-10, 214, PF, USC]
Dante Cunningham [6-8, 227, PF/SF, Villanova]
Tyler Smith [6-6, 212, OG, Tennessee, now unavailable]
Nando De Colo [6-5, 190, OG, France]

This is what happened last night with each of those 15 players::

- Al-Farouq Aminu. Withdrew from consideration; back to Wake Forest.
- Tyler Smith. Withdrew from consideration; back to Tennessee.

- Tyreke Evans. SACRAMENTO/No. 4, selected by Geoff Petrie.

- DeMar DeRozan. Player the Raptors/No. 9 wanted all along.

- Earl Clark. PHOENIX/No. 14, selected by Steve Kerr.
- Derrick Brown. CHARLOTTE/No. 40, selected by M-Jordan/L-Brown.
- Terrence Williams. NEW JERSEY/No. 11., selected by R-Thorn/K-Vandeweghe.
- Wayne Ellington. MINNESOTA/No. 28, selected by David Kahn
- Sam Young. MEMPHIS/No. 36, selected by Chris Wallace. 
- Danny Green. CLEVELAND/No. 46, selected by Danny Ferry.
- Marcus Thorton. MIAMI/No. 43, selected by Pat Riley [traded to New Orleans-Jeff Bower/Byron Scott].
- Tyler Hansbrough. INDIANA/No. 13, selected by Larry Bird.
- Taj Gibson. CHICAGO/No. 26, selected by J-Paxson/G-Forman.
- Dante Cunningham. PORTLAND/No. 33, selected by Kevin Pritchard.
- Nando De Colo. SAN ANTONIO/N. 53, selected by RC Buford/G-Popovich.

———-
 
1. Over the next few seasons, it is going to be most interesting to watch the development of these 15 players.

2. The Charlotte Bobcats [37-45] are gradually building a very solid team:

* Adding Gerald Henderson [OG] and Derrick Brown [SF] last night
* Trading for Boris Diaw [PF-SF], Raja Bell [OG], Vladimir Radmanovic [SF-PF] and DeSagana Diop [C} last season
* Drafting DJ Augustin [PG] & Alex Ajinca [C} last year
* Re-signing Gerald Wallace [SF-PF] last year
* Re-signing Emeka Okafor [C-PF] 2 years ago

3. There’s a very good reason the same names keep popping up when the Larry O’Brien Trophy is awarded, in June, to the NBA Champions.

Update:

* Marcus Thorton has subsequently been traded to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for two future 2nd Round Draft Picks [i.e. 2010 & 2012].

As your high school teacher once said …

Compare and contrast:

Raptors’ Colangelo on the Draft, Part I [June 23, 2009]

with

Vince Carter traded to the Orlando Magic

One of these two organizations is actually trying to WIN the league championship, in the not-too-distant future. The other …

Although some in Raptorville do not believe that there is a suitable market for the No. 9 pick in this year’s draft, should the Raptors actually be looking to trade down into the Middle/Lower section of the 1st Round … if they can also acquire an additional 2nd Round Selection, in the process … yours truly does not share that opinion.

For the consideration of those other individuals … here’s a look at Exhibit A:

Mavs trade No. 22 [to Portland] for three picks
The Portland Trail Blazers acquired the 22nd pick in Thursday’s NBA draft from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the 24th and 56th picks in this year’s draft, and worst of their second round picks in 2010.

The trade has been agreed to in principle by the two teams. It should be finalized by the league office later today.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban posted twice on Twitter: “We think we can get our guy at 24″ and “You never know when 2nd rd picks can come in handy.”

———-

The key questions which SHOULD now be asked by the Raptors loyal fanbase are:

Q1. The one posed in the headline for this article;

and,

Q2. If the Mavericks can indeed “get their man” at No. 24, is it conceivable that the Raptors could in fact do the same … if their list of possible draftees was to look like this?

1. Tyreke Evans
2. DeMar DeRozan
3. Gerald Henderson
4. Earl Clark
5. James Johnson
6. Terrence Williams
7. Derrick Brown
8. Sam Young

It is going to be most interesting to see in what positions these 8 players are selected in tomorrow night’s Draft.

ANSWER IS: What are …

#1. Go

#2. For

#3. It

Or, exactly what Portland’s owner recently told Kevin Pritchard [GM] …

Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen tells his GM: Go for it
Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen has told general manager Kevin Pritchard to upgrade the team’s roster for next season, adding suspense, intrigue and pressure to what already figures to be a critical juncture in the team’s pursuit of a championship.

“Overall, our timeline has moved up,” Pritchard said last week after one of several offseason meetings with Allen. “We need to take it to the next level.”

Although Allen wants improvement every season, this summer’s edict comes at a crucial time. The Blazers are one of the league’s brightest teams on the rise, coming off a 54-win season and the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2003. A bad trade, or free agent flop now could be the difference between a dynasty or a dud.

The big question, of course, is how Pritchard goes about improving the league’s second-youngest roster?

Does he listen to coach Nate McMillan’s desire for experience? Does he flex the team’s enviable muscle in the free agency market? Does Pritchard relent to his daring, go-for-it nature and make a blockbuster trade? Or does he sit on his hands as he did at last season’s trading deadline, when he made no moves in order to let his young team progress “organically”?

“Those propositions haven’t come to the forefront yet,” Pritchard said in the waning days before Thursday’s draft.

It’s a jumbled picture right now, with many possibilities and options open to the Blazers. But this much appears to be certain: The Blazers will be a major player when the free agent market opens July 1, and they are open to trading out of Thursday’s draft.

———-

Upgrade the team’s talent for next season?

Please ….

As is, the Blazers’ player roster for 2009-2010 is already slated to be amongst the very best in the NBA:

PG – Steve Blake, Sergio Rodriguez, Jerryd Bayless [Brandon Roy?]

OG – Brandon Roy, Martell Webster [Rudy Fernandez?]

SF – Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez [Travis Outlaw?]

PF – LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye

C – Joel Przybilla, Greg Oden

despite being the second-youngest average aged in the league.

Upgrade the team’s talent?

Is Paul Allen joking????????

———-

The view from here says that now is NOT the right time for the Blazers to attempt their first dive from the High Tower.

Portland [Kevin Pritchard, GM/#1 and Nate McMillan, Head Coach/#2, below] has done a terrific job rebuilding their house, from the ashes which were left following the 2005-2006 season, when they won just 21 games, by:

#1. Drafting and trading in a masterful way, i.e. 2006 NBA Draft; 2. 2007 NBA Draft; and, 3. 2008 NBA Draft …

and,

#2. Posting increasing Win Totals for 3 successive years, i.e. 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and this past season.

Now is the Lakers’ time to shine in the spotlight of the Western Conference, as the Blazers’ young guns gradually acclimatize themselves to life in the Playoffs … by going deeper and deeper each season, for the next 2-3 years, i.e. dabbing their toes in the water this year, swimming for the deep end next season, treading water thereabouts for a while [i.e. bobbing up and down] and ONLY THEN being in an actual position to dive-in, headfirst, for the treasure that lies at the bottom of the sea, where only the very best Jacques Cousteau’s can go … without incurring the bends. 

Yes, the Blazers have 5 picks in Thursday’s NBA Draft [i.e. No. 24, No. 33, No. 38, No. 55 & No. 56] but by swinging for the fences TOO SOON, in their development as a TEAM … instead of simply allowing more of their own players to evolve naturally and then adding key free agents at a later date, as need be, to get over the “proverbial” hump … they run the very real risk of seeing their hard work go up in a puff of smoke, right now, by adding the wrong player [e.g. Hedo Turkoglu] at the wrong time to an already potent mix.

Patience is a virtue … especially in the NBA … for those seeking to become The VERY BEST in their chosen field.

The current situation in Portland fits into THIS category.

Minor tweaks are okay. Seismic ones are not.

Time is on your side. Be Patient. JUST LET IT HAPPEN.

will most likely select one of the following 6 players:

1. DeMar DeRozan [OG-SF]
2. Gerald Henderson [OG-SF]
3. Jrue Holiday [PG-OG]
4. Jonny Flynn [PG]
5. Jordan Hill [PF]
6. James Johnson [SF-PF] 

according to Bryan Colangelo [GM].

[PLEASE NOTE: This is a link to a radio interview from Jun 17, 2009 which every Raptors fan should listen to, as it deals with Thursday's NBA Draft, the acquisition of Reggie Evans and the team's POV re: Chris Bosh.]

From the perspective of this corner, however, by doing so … they will, once again, be throwing away another golden opportunity to build their team into a legitimate long term contender for a Top 4 spot in the Eastern Conference, by not trading down to a Middle or Lower Spot in the 1st Round, while acquiring an additional pick in the 2nd Round, in a classic two-for-one scenario.

Q1. Why does this year’s Draft qualify as such an occasion?

A1. Because the players who fit best with what Toronto needs right now, as well as looking down-the-road a piece … possibly, to a life without Chris Bosh … are not perceived by others to be worthy of selection in the No. 9 position but will most likely be available in the Middle or the Lower section of the 1st Round, and/or in the 2nd Round.

Draft preview: Closer look at the small forwards

Derrick Brown is a player with a tonne of NBA ability, at the Wing position, who should be there for the Raptors in the Middle of the 1st Round.

———-

Xavier’s Brown has been coming on the last few weeks, benefitting from long arms (a 7-2 1/2 wingspan) good workouts up and down the first round, and the pedigree of bigs that Xavier has produced for NBA teams, including Brian Grant, Aaron Williams, Tyrone Hill, James Posey and David West. He’s active — “bouncy,” one personnel man says.

“Sometimes, kids get better and I think he’s one of the kids that’s grown with the process,” said a Northwest Division executive. “He’s been able to expand his game a little bit and show some of the things he couldn’t show at Xavier.”

———-

Derrick Brown would fill their need for an immediate ”starter” who can score the ball, rebound his position and defend with solid athleticism and considerable length.

For the number crunchers …

Q2. When you look at these simple game stats, what do you see?

A2. A player who shot 43.3% from behind the arc last season … shooting three times as many treys than the year before [in which he shot three times as many as he did his first year in college] … scored at a solid rate of 1.42 PPS [i.e. higher than DeMar DeRozan and Tyreke Evans], and improved his Ast:TO each of his 3 seasons at Xavier University.

[PLEASE NOTE: Players who are capable of doing THIS, and reach the point where their ratio is above 1.00 have a HIGH Basketball IQ.]

In conjunction with his outstanding Wingspan, his solid vertical & lateral agility scores, his ability to do THIS:

on a regular basis, and the fact that he conducts himself like THIS:

when dealing with the media in a first-class way … say that this young man, Derrick Brown, “Is ready” to play in the NBA, right away.

================================================

When you couple a player like Derrick Brown with a:

Taj Gibson [late 1st Rounder, early 2nd Round, Horace Grant type]
Dante Cunningham [late 1st Rounder, early 2nd Round, James Worthy type]
Danny Green [2nd Round, Bruce Bowen type]
Marcus Thornton [2nd Round, Mitch Richmond type], or
Nando De Colo [2nd Round, Manu Ginobili type]

you are talking about a serious increase in FIRST-CLASS athletic ability and NBA skill level that can immediately elevate the Quality Depth on the Raptors’ roster to the point where they could contend with the likes of Boston and Cleveland and Orlando, etc., in the not-too-distant future, either:

A. If Chris Bosh re-signs with their team; 

OR,

B. If Chris Bosh is traded [for comparable parts] and Andrea Bargnani continues to improve, as their Center, moving forward from that point.

———-

The ball’s been placed in Bryan’s Colangelo’s hands … for the sake of loyal Raptors fans everywhere … let’s hope that he doesn’t drop it, again.

Related:

Perception vs Reality – Who should Raptors draft?