Exploding the myth about Toronto as a NON-preferred destination for American players
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.
Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Bryan Colangelo, Carlos Delfino, Chris Bosh, Demar DeRozan, Joey Graham, Jose Calderon, Kris Humphries, Reggie Evans, Shawn Marion, Toronto Raptors
June 29th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Khandor, maybe this is for my sake, but if you were GM, what kind of moves would you make come Wednesday to shape this team? I am very interested for the kind of moves you would make this fix this roster.
June 30th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Raps Fan,
Without knowing what a specific FA’s interest would actually be in coming to Toronto, it’s a waste of time to speculate on … for example … acquiring a player like Turkoglu, or anybody else.
Instead of doing endless streams of “what player might be a good fit with a roster like the Raptors”, I’d prefer to just give you the best line-up I can see with the pieces that are currently in the fold:
[for example]
STARTERS
1 Calderon
2 Delfino
3 Parker
4 Marion
5 Bosh
KEY SUBS
6 Ukic
7 DeRozan
8 Evans
9 Bargnani
EXTRAS
10 Banks
11 Douby
12 Mensah-Bonsu
13 Humphries
14 Jawai
15 O’Bryant
July 1st, 2009 at 10:51 pm
The back court is absolutely atrocious.
Derozen has to start, f**k Delfino.
Bosh a center? Okay
Bargnani needs started minutes to be effective. You saw what happened when he came off the bench?
Parker cannot guard NBA 3’s or create his own shot on offense. He’s 33.
You need to watch more basketball you don’t know anything
————————
Edit: Cursing isn’t permitted on this blog.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Bubbles,
1. Welcome aboard!
2. Anyone who thinks that DeRozan, as a 19 year old rookie, No. 9 [overall] Draft Pick, not named Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James, or Michael Jordan, is capable of coming into the NBA and being a better defensive player than a vet like Carlos Delfino or Anthony Parker … has little comprehension of the difficulty involved with defending adequately in this league on every possession as an inexperienced player at the #2/OG position. There’s a reason that a solid rookie like Courtney Lee didn’t start games last season until well into the 2nd half of the season.
3. re: Bargnani
You’ve got it reversed. The way it operates in this league is …
Be effective first and foremost and THEN you will receive starter’s minutes.
Yes, I saw what happened during Bargnani’s first three seasons in the NBA when he came off the bench … i.e. The Raptors WON a lot more games than they did when he was a starter.
4. re: Parker
I happen to think that parker is a mediocre defender at the #3/SF position in the NBA. That is not the point, however.
The point is that … Parker and Delfino, sorry though they might well be, are the two best defensive players on this current roster at the #3 position.
Shawn Marion is the best of those three players at defending Power Forwards and Point Guards … but is is No. 3 when it comes to defending against the elite level #2’s and #3’s in the NBA today AND being an effective player at the #3/SF position on the Offensive end of the floor.
One of the beauties of basketball is that Ofense, Defense and Rebouning DO NOT happen in isolation within any game … but, occur in conjunction with one another at all times.
At the #3/SF position … Parker and Delfino are BOTH well ahead of Marion.
5. Trust that between the two of us … I am not the one who watches fewer NBA games than the other.