It’s always interesting when others misinterpret what I write/have to say about the Raptors.

In my experience, those with a sound understanding of the game usually get it right.

Take what you will from that simple fact.

re: Khan — how is Bargs’ deal not an impediment to trading him?

In short:

A. “There’s a sucker born every minute.” - David Hannum/PT Barnum

B. “One man’s hamburger is another man’s steak.” - Anonymous

There will always be at least one other GM in the NBA willing to take Bargnani off the Raptors’ hands down-the-road because Andrea “fits” their specific needs … e.g. as a salary dump, as an expiring contract, as a “sweet-shooting” perimeter big, as a trade exception, etc., since there are a number of poor executives in the league and/or teams in worse/better shape financially than Toronto.

C. As long as you don’t mind the perception of “having lost a trade in the short term”, in order to set your franchise on the correct course for the long haul … e.g. the trade I proposed at the end of the 2007-2008 season which would have seen the Raptors deal TJ Ford to Philly in exchange for Rodney Carney … it really isn’t very difficult to get rid of a specific player from your roster, in the NBA marketplace.

re: This is so ridiculous. You qualitatively decide to breakdown his weaknesses into more pieces, so he’s a bad player?

1. I didn’t say that I think Bargnani is a “bad” player.

2. The primary reason Bargnani should not be thought of as a “good” player is not because of any decision on my part to breakdown his weaknesses into more pieces than a similar assessment of his strengths.

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re: What about his ability to space the floor? Draw fouls on opposing bigs who aren’t used to guarding the perimeter? His above average passing ability? His intelligent use of the pump fake to either get to the rim or get fouled? His ability/handles to put the ball on the floor?

There, five more “strengths” he now has more strengths than weaknesses…

If you’d like to take that approach … do you not also believe that his individual game could be further broken down into EVEN MORE specific pieces than just the main ones listed here, in terms of his rebounding, defensive and other offensive deficiencies?

[IMO, if you're being honest AND have a high level of Basketball Acumen yourself ... then the fortunate answer to that question happens to be, "yes".]

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re: The scout’s analysis took 15 seconds to say. He’s probably given about that much time as well. So to take that and some how extrapolate anything more than “he needs to become a better rebounder/defender is ridiculous.

If this is what “secret scout” had to say in 15 secs … do you really think that the ratio of “good:bad” would be substatially changed if, let’s say, he was given 30 minutes, instead?

IMO, it would not.

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re: Let’s also not forget that as a three point shooter, he’s by nature, not going to be in position to get as many offensive rebounds.

i. His lack of rebounding prowess would not be as big a problem if he was playing a different position other than Center … unfortunately, this is the position he can check best, in the NBA game and the one at which he’s stuck for the foreseeable future.

ii. A lack of offensive rebounds is not Bargnani’s major problem in the rebounding phase of the game.

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re: Also, with the lack of defense on the wing of COURSE Bargnani is gonna look stupid. He ALWAYS needs to be thinking help defense first. You try being Calderon’s defensive insurance…

The perceived “lack of defense on the wing” is NOT the source of Bargnani’s defensive problems. The source of Bargnani’s defensive problems is within Andrea himself.

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re: For fun, let’s do the same “scout analysis” for Bosh:

Oops, looks like Bosh is a horrible player… the number of weaknesses is greater than the number of strengths!

Unfortunately, the 7 items which you’ve listed as Bosh’s weaknesses are NOT in fact his specific weaknesses at all.

BTW … if you’d sincerely like to discuss what CB4’s specific weaknesses are then just let me know and I’ll be happy to do that with you.

What about his ability to space the floor? Draw fouls on opposing bigs who aren’t used to guarding the perimeter? His above average passing ability? His intelligent use of the pump fake to either get to the rim or get fouled? His ability/handles to put the ball on the floor?

There, five more “strengths” he now has more strengths than weaknesses…

The scout’s analysis took 15 seconds to say. He’s probably given about that much time as well. So to take that and some how extrapolate anything more than “he needs to become a better rebounder/defender is ridiculous. Let’s also not forget that as a three point shooter, he’s by nature, not going to be in position to get as many offensive rebounds. Also, with the lack of defense on the wing of COURSE Bargnani is gonna look stupid. He ALWAYS needs to be thinking help defense first. You try being Calderon’s defensive insurance…

For fun, let’s do the same “scout analysis” for Bosh:

Strengths:
1) Above average rebounder
2) Good midrange/high post face up game
3) Good FT%

Weaknesses:
1) Cannot guard any other position than PF
2) Doesn’t move feet well on defense
3) Has no post up game at all
4) Passes horribly out of double teams
5) Relies too much on his outside (mid range) shooting
6) Disappears in clutch/late game situations
7) Is soft and gets beat by high energy or physical players
Pees his pants when Garnett is in the same building

Oops, looks like Bosh is a horrible player… the number of weaknesses is greater than the number of strengths!

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re: the proper word would be uneducated not unsophiscated. you may be uneducated with regard to BBALL but you can still be extremely sophisticated.

All the best
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1. My use of the word “unsophisticated” in that specific context does not apply to being an “unsophisticated” person, in a general sense.

Instead, it means only being unsophisticated in the highly specific “ways and means” [etc.] of the NBA game.

2. It was not my intention to appear “overly egregious” towards Raptors fans.

3. Since “sophistication”, in a sense, is derived from one’s “education” about a specific subject/topic/envronment/etc. … the use of the word “uneducated” might well have applied, in this case, as well.

I, however, chose to NOT use THAT word, in this instance.

4. All the best to you, also.

1. You are absolutely correct when you observe that Timmy D is a very special player in the history of the League.

2. re: Dwight Howard vs Andrea Bargnani

Howard has the ability to guard other positions on the court successfully and, IMO, you would never get a real life NBA scout to make an observation that, in his expert opinion, D12 does not have this specific ability.

e.g. Superman CAN guard the PF position, in addition to being able to check other spots effectively in different types of “Switch Out” scenarios, based on his unique level of explosive quickness, size, strength, reach, etc.

What Clark Kent struggles still with specifically on the defensive side of the ball is “Hedging Out” vs Pick & Roll/Pop actions … which is also an atrocious aspect of Bargnani’s individual game.

However, two key differences between these players are:

1. Howard’s struggles vs P & R/P’s is NOT based on a lack of lateral quickness … which is part of Bargnani’s problem … but, instead, on a lack of mental concentration; and,

2. Howard was NOT drafted initially as an over-sized perimeter player who SHOULD vae been able to check other positions on the floor rather than JUST a power-based Center.

Unfortunately, poll results which look like that simply show just how unsophisticated the Raptors fanbase is about the NBA game”

the proper word would be uneducated not unsophiscated. you may be uneducated with regard to BBALL but you can still be extremely sophisticated.

Please do not throw out words to criticize the raptrors fanbase when obviously you do not understand the basis of the definition.

I chose Bosh in that forum however, if I chose Bargnani, how would that make me unsphisticated?!

You sound overly egregious when call out raps fans like that.

All the best