khandor’s sports blog

According to an assortment of different reports, the Raptors are now firmly in the hunt to acquire the services of a certain 7-0, 265 lb, veteran NBA Center.

BUCKS Beat: Bucks on Dampier’s Radar

Of people, purses and all-time numbers good and bad

What signing Dampier could mean for the Raptors

At 35 years of age, and after playing a fairly non-descript 14 years in the NBA, the possible addition of Erick Dampier [C] should be viewed with trepidation, by those who follow the game on a day-to-day basis.

To wit:

When you examine how each of the current Eastern Conference rosters look, in comparison with the Raptors, on an individual-by-individual basis:

WHERE THE RAPTORS ARE MOST LIKELY TO FINISH THIS SEASON, BASED UPON AN INDIVIDUAL-BY-INDIVIDUAL MATCH-UP ASSESSMENT OF TEAM ROSTERS, EVEN WITH THE ADDITION OF ERICK DAMPIER

what you should be able to see is that his inclusion will not substantially improve the outlook for Toronto this season … i.e. with a player like Andrea Bargnani sliding back into the starting PF position and Amir Johnson [PF] shifting back to his customary role, i.e. playing off the bench … as there would still be the exact same 4 teams, in addition to the Raptors, in the mix for positions #11 thru #15 in the Final Standings.

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PS. Given the actual choice of OPTION A, re-signing with Charlotte, or OPTION B, signing with [1] Miami, [2] Houston, [3] Milwaukee or [4] Toronto … knowledgeable fans should be asking themselves the following quetion: What’s the primary reason a player who has had the career of Erick Dampier might elect to join the Raptors, at this specific point in time?

THE ROAD TO THE NBA FINALS, IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE STILL RUNS THROUGH BOSTON … BECAUSE OF THE BIG TICKET

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Kevin Garnett tells WEEI he’ll retire as a Celtic

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Kevin Garnett says his thoughts on Boston have changed: ‘It’s not a white or black thing here’

Garnett acknowledged that he wasn’t sure about joining the Celtics before he signed because he believed he would feel like an outsider, but in the end he’s glad he did.

If he truly is back …

in regular ‘KG Mode’ … i.e. Take No Prisoners …

then, 

this year’s collection of Boston Celtics will be just as good as … if not, possibly, better than … any of the other prime-time contenders for the NBA Championship [i.e. LA Lakers, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic], top to bottom, provided that their core group of players can remain injury-free.

When he first began his odyssey in baseball, as a strapping young man, if Clarence Edward Gaston had been asked to describe what a fitting tribute to his legacy might eventually look like in the distant future, one imagines that he could have not have scripted a more fine setting, and occasion, than last night, at his home ballpark, in Toronto ON Canada.

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Cito praised as mentor, trailblazer

Cito Gaston: A reluctant but true leader

Cito Gaston’s Convocation Address

Cito Gaston a lucky accident for Jays

Here’s lookin’ at you, Cito

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Kudos to the man who first came to Toronto, in 1982, as a simple hitting coach … endured all of the heart-breaking years of seemingly repeated close-but-no-cigar finishes, in the lead-up years – i.e. from 1985 to 1991 … and, then, after reluctantly assuming the manager’s role, skippered the franchise to four American League, Eastern Division championships in a 5-year span [i.e. 1989, 1991, 1992 and 1993] and its two, back-to-back World Series titles, in 1992 and 1993 … with as fine a display of Organizational Leadership [i.e. integrity, dignity and an underlying passion for winning], in the game of baseball, these eyes have ever seen.

A worthy recepient of the Jackie Robinson Award, for lifetime achievement in the face of adversity, he will leave his managerial role, at the end of this season … on his own terms, concluding his 2nd go-round with the team … with the Blue Jays franchise in immensely better shape than it was 3 seasons ago [upon his return to Toronto], and poised to re-start their climb back up to the top of the East Division Standings, on the backs of what should eventually prove to be the finest rotation of young pitchers in the game today, i.e. Shawn Marcum [RH], Ricky Romero [LH], Brandon Morrow [RH], Brett Cecil [LH] and Kyle Drabek [RH], plus a solid group of everyday position players, led by Vernon Wells [CF], Jose Bautista [RF], Adam Lind [1B?/DH], Aaron Hill [2B], Travis Snider [LF] and Yunel Escobar [SS]. 

Jays beat Yankees in Gaston’s home farewell

Travis Snider dons fake mustache for Cito, hits record home run

Blue Jays Current Player Roster

A job most well done, Sir.   

What does integrity and dignity look and sound like, when it’s wearing and speaking from a manager’s uniform in Major League Baseball?

Cito Gaston says so long and thanks for the memories

Dear Jays Fans,

Before I leave the dugout for the last time as Jays’ manager, I wanted to tell you how I feel about you as Blue Jays’ fans and the city of Toronto. You have been great to me here and I will always appreciate your support and will always thank you. Without the fans we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what we did. Many of you have become my friends.

I call Toronto a second home only because I was born in the States. Deep down I will always consider this city a first home. I lived here for 20 years and I could live here forever. It’s a great city. There are very wonderful people that have treated me very well. I love the city. It’s the best kept secret in North America, from the theatres to restaurants. Some of the best food I’ve ever had I’ve had in this city. Golf courses, the whole works. It’s just a great place to live.

I really got to know and appreciate the fans here after I got fired. I always came back to spend the summers here. My wife and I, we walk a lot. So on our walks we ran into a lot of you on the street. Even the police officers and the firemen, even the mounted police riding their horses would stop and say, “Thanks for the memories. Thanks for the good years we had around here.”

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Like that.

The last remaining link to the Toronto Blue Jays World Series winning teams from the early 1990′s will leave the dugout at the Rogers Centre following this evening’s home game vs the New York Yankees for the final time.

His unquestionable “presence” will be missed, by yours truly, and countless other fans of The Boys of Summer, 1 & 2.

Overall, it’s been a terrific ride for the man from San Antonio, Texas, who eventually adopted The Great City of Toronto, as his second home.

While certain basketball “stats gurus” have projected the Raptors to finish at the very bottom of the Eastern Conference this season, given the current configuration of their roster …

2010-2011 Forecast: Toronto Raptors [Insider access required]

ESPN Insider: Hollinger’s Raptors Outlook

Turkoglu is gone, so is “Ball”

other NBA observers actually think that Toronto … sans:

1 Chris Bosh [C/PF]
2 Hedo Turkoglu [PF/SF]
3 Antoine Wright [SF/OG]
4 Marco Belinelli [OG/PG]
5 Rasho Nesterovic [C], and
6 Patrick O’Bryant

may not be that bad this season, with the arrival of 7 new players:

1 Ed Davis [PF, injured]
2 Solomon Alabi [C]
3 Linas Kleiza [SF/PF]
4 Leandro Barbosa [OG/PG]
5 David Andersen [C]
6 Julian Wright [SF], and
7 Ronald Dupree [SF, training camp invite]

and, the continued growth and development of still youngish hold-overs like:

9 Andrea Bargnani [C/PF]
10 DeMar DeRozan [OG/SF]
11 Sonny Weems [OG/SF]
12 Amir Johnson [PF], and
13 Joey Dorsey [PF],

especially, if/when they decide to use their TPE …

2010-2011 NBA Season Preview: Toronto Raptors.

This corner, however, is not in agreement with either of these two “extreme positions”, as being the most likely outcome for the Dinos this season.

When you examine how each of the current Eastern Conference rosters look, in comparison with the Raptors, on an individual-by-individual basis:

WHERE THE RAPTORS ARE MOST LIKELY TO FINISH THIS SEASON, BASED UPON AN INDIVIDUAL-BY-INDIVIDUAL MATCH-UP ASSESSMENT OF TEAM ROSTERS

what you should be able to see is that there are 4 teams, in addition to the Raptors, that should all be in the mix for positions #11 thru #15 in the Final Standings this season.

As always, where these mid-to-lower tier teams will actual finish … as far as exact win and loss totals are concerned … will actually be determined, in large part, by specific factors which are beyond their own control, including, for example:

i. Injuries;
ii. Unforeseen, anomalous circumstances [e.g. suspensions or arrests, etc.]; and,
iii. Blind [either, good or bad] luck.   

If you are someone who needs to “not have an established ‘star’ player on your team” in order to “have the freedom to coach” and to “not have your arms tied behind your back, offensively or defensively”, or “to not cater to a ‘superstar’”, etc.:

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Jay Triano’s interview on Primetime Sports/FAN590 yesterday afternoon.

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then, the unfortunate … and, somewhat, harsh … reality is that you are probably not someone who has what it takes to succeed … at least, in a major way … in the specific – i.e. pressure-cooker – environment which exists in the NBA.

Those who offer excuses like these for a team’s poor performance are simply not cut from the right cloth to lead a team to the league championship.

The most insightful remark derived from yesterday’s media day for the Toronto Raptors was provided by one of the team’s point guards.

While some of the team’s observers rush to take as gospel every form of propoganda which is distributed by various employees of MLSE, it is certainly refreshing to read/hear that someone like Jarrett Jack [PG] does not fit into this same naive category:

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Rapcast #88: Raptors Media Day

Jack also took a swipe at Colangelo about his criticism of Bosh:

I feel like if you felt like that, why didn’t you say it or tell him about it while it was going on? I’m going to approach you while it was going on, while it’s fresh. We can have a healthy discussion about it. Saying it now, it doesn’t matter. He’s with the Miami Heat now. Like Dan Gilbert, he did all that stuff with LeBron, that he was a quitter and all this other stuff. But if LeBron would have signed back with Cleveland, you would have welcomed him back with open arms.

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Some of the ridiculous verbage which has eminated from certain Raptors’ brass this off season … who should really know better than to make disparaging remarks like these about the former captain of their team:

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Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo slams Chris Bosh [Jul 27 2010]

However, Colangelo thinks that Bosh just didn’t care by then.

“Whether he was mentally checked out or just wasn’t quite into it down the stretch, he wasn’t the same guy. I think everybody saw that, but no one wanted to acknowledge it.”

“At the same time, I never felt we were quite in the game (in terms of signing Bosh to a new contract). There was too much out there, too much built up for him to take an easy out here, and he decided to do that.”

Yikes. I’m not quite sure whether “mentally checked out” or “[took] an easy out” is a bigger indictment of Bosh, but it’s good to see Colangelo covering all the bases. Just really carpet-bombing to make sure he addresses all of Bosh’s flaws.

But to really drive home his point, Colangelo reached for the big gun — “he’s not a franchise player” one.

“We tried in vain to put pieces around Chris. Different pieces, different styles. It didn’t work out.”

“No matter what type of player we brought in, it didn’t seem to have the right mix with him as that centrepiece.”

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Will Chris Bosh be a silent partner? [Sep 26 2010]

In setting up his own team’s season, Raptors coach Jay Triano also offered a potential clue to how the Heat’s season might set up beyond the court.

“When you talk about Chris being the leader in the locker room,” Triano told a Toronto radio station, “I think it’s the one thing that he wasn’t for us.

“He did a great job of getting 24 points and 10, 11 rebounds on a regular basis, but Chris did not really take the leadership role into the locker room. He’s not a vocal person; he’s not a guy who really did that.” [...]

“I think in the years that he’s been here,” Triano said, “he’s almost deferred to different people.

“Everybody kind of waited for him to take the reins last year and it could’ve been part of the issues we had.”

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has only served to further embarass the Raptors franchise … as an organization which lacks authentic class … in the eyes of the best players in the NBA.

Kudos to Mr. Jack … for being intelligent enough to not simplistically rink the proverbial kool-aid, in this instance.

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PS. It is going to be a long season for the Raptors, filled with an assortment of tap-dancing routines like these.

According to Doug Smith, long time basketball columnist for the Toronto Star, these are some of the most important questions which the Raptors will face this coming season:

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Big questions loom at Raptor camp

1. Who will play as the primary PG this year? [i.e. Jose Calderon or Jarrett Jack]

2. Who will play as the primary SF this year? [i.e. Linas Kleiza or Sonny Weems]

3. How much will the team’s defense improve? [i.e. last year theirs was one of the worst in the NBA]

4. Which player will become the primary scorer? [i.e. now that Chris Bosh is gone]

5. Who will be the front-court running mate for Andrea Bargnani/C? [i.e. Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans, Ed Davis [injured] or Linas Kleiza]

6. Will the GM’s trolling for additional trades prove to be a constant distraction?

7. Is DeMar DeRozan [2009, No. 9 Draft Pick] ready to step up as a major contributor?

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Unfortunately, though, Mr. Smith does not provide any ”answers” in his column.

Hence …

ANSWERS TO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR RAPTORS FANS THIS SEASON

1. When the best teams in the NBA are faced with a decision between two relatively equal players at the PG position, they consistently choose to go with the superior offensive player as their primary “starter” and the superior defensive player, as their primary “back-up”. The Raptors SHOULD use Jose Calderon as their primary starter this season.

2. Sonny Weems is 6-6, 203. Linas Kleiza is 6-8, 245. Sonny Weems is best equipped to defend the opponent’s Off Guard, not their Small Forward. Although Linas Kleiza is too slow and lacks the degree of explosive athleticism a legitimate elite level team would prefer to see in its primary “starter” at the SF position, he is much better equipped to handle this chore day-in-and-day-out than any other player on the Raptors’ current roster [including Julian Wright, who is still a "low end" player at this stage of his fledgling NBA career].

If Kleiza is unable to succeed in this specific role, DeMar DeRozan [6-7, 220] – although of a too slight build himself – is the team’s best OPTION B, at this point.  

3. Unfortunately, not much … at least, as long as Andrea Bargnani/C is their primary “starter”, and there is no multi-dimensional wing player on the roster who can assert himself effectively at the defensive end of the floor, while also being a consistent contributor on offensive. 

When a NBA team elects to use a one-way, offensively focused player like Bargnani at this position, it severely damages their chances of ever becoming an adequate defensive unit. How come? Even the best offensive players in the league do not make “positive contributions” to their team on greater than 75% of their possessions. The worst defensive players in the league, however, who are used for “starter’s” minutes by their team are able to make “negative contributions” on more than 75% of their defensive possessions … which consistently provides easy points for their opponents and translates into L’s on the scoreboard.

To this point in their respective pro careers, none of DeMar DeRozan, Sonny Weems, Linas Kleiza, or Julian Wright have demonstrated the capacity to function as a first-class, multi-dimensional wing player for a high end NBA team.

4. Andrea Bargnani/C will become the primary “scorer” for the Raptors.

Scoring has never been a problem for Bargnani.

Team Defense and Rebounding are his main areas of on-going deficiency.

5. Ed Davis/PF will eventual become the primary front-court “running mate” for Andrea Bargnani/C.

This summer’s No. 13 NBA Draft Pick is already the 2nd best player, overall, on the roster [i.e. after Jose Calderon/PG].

6. Yes, the GM’s repeated trolling for trades will be a constant distraction for the Raptors this season.

If you examine his 17 year history, as a GM, in the NBA, you will see that Bryan Colangelo is someone who rarely exercises a great deal of patience.

7. No, unfortunately, DeMar DeRozan will not be ready to assert himself, in this regard, as a consistent contributor to a winning Raptors team, in the role of a high functioning multi-dimensional wing player … although, unquestionably, he is someone with a fair degree of NBA-level talent.

His decision-making is still far too erratic and in need of further time to mature.

The last 5 seasons, this is what the final outcome has been for the Toronto Raptors:

and, yet …

Yesterday the team made the following announcement:

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Raptors Announce Basketball Operations Promotions

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday a reorganization of the basketball operations department with two key promotions. In their new positions, Marc Eversley will take on a more significant role in player personnel scouting and evaluation with the title of Assistant General Manager and Alvin Williams will transition to the front office as the team’s Director of Player Development.

Eversley, in his fifth season with the Raptors, previously served as Assistant General Manager, Player Development, coordinating the off-court development of players and assisting in the management of the team’s day-to-day operations.

“The departure of Masai Ujiri to the Denver Nuggets has opened up a nice opportunity for Marc,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “Marc has been actively involved in the scouting and decision-making process so this is a natural step for him to take.”

Williams was originally hired as an Assistant Coach/Basketball Development on July 1, 2009, marking his first foray into team management since he ended his NBA playing career in 2007. He played nine seasons with the Raptors from 1997-2006.

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rewarding two current employees … who, unfortunately, have done nothing during this specific period of time to warrant increased responsibility in the day-to-day operation of any first-class NBA franchise … with promotions.

The Raptors have made serious developmental mistakes with each of the following draft picks:

and, overall, have failed to oversee the development of authentically high end players from within their own ranks. 

Instead of promoting individuals like these, from within their own organization, the Raptors should be replacing members of their present staff [i.e. executives/administrators, scouts, coaches, etc.] with outside people who have legitimate experience working with other top notch outfits in the NBA … at least, if MLSE is truly committed to building a championship calibre franchise in Toronto.

When an organizational chronically under-achieves, internal promotions are NOT the best way to proceed.

It is interesting to read starkly different appraisals of the situations which exist today in Toronto and Charlotte for their respective NBA teams.

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Grading The Offseason – The “Special” Teams

- Traded Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinça for Erick Dampier, Eduardo Najera and Matt Carroll

A deal that was apparently done for economic reasons, but one where they actually end up paying more money in the long run and lose their best center. The deal Michael Jordan nixed at the last minute sending Chandler and Boris Diaw to Toronto for Calderon and Reggie Evans would have benefitted them more. This deal simply doesn’t make sense from an economic standpoint or a basketball standpoint.

- Signed Kwame Brown

Does acquiring Kwame Brown ever work out well for Jordan? Does Kwame know Jordan owns the team? Is Jordan trying to prove something here? I just don’t know.

- Signed Shaun Livingston

Now when Shaun Livingston was drafted by the Clippers in 2004, I thought Livingston had a chance to be a very special player. Unfortunately one of the most gruesome injuries in professional sports derailed what could have been a great career. Livingston still has talent and I’m hoping that he finally gets his career back on track in Charlotte. He should get a decent chance with only DJ Augustin the only other real competition at PG on the roster.

- Waived Erick Dampier

Instead of using Dampier’s non-guaranteed contract to better the team, they simply waive him to save money. Bobcat fans must be so proud.

Summary

I have no idea what Jordan is doing in Charlotte. It may be that he makes most of his deals while golfing, so doesn’t pay much attention, but while Charlotte did well last season, making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, they only won 44 games and didn’t improve themselves over the summer, and in fact got a little worse. That wouldn’t be bad if they had a young team, but their three top returning scorers (Jackson, Wallace and Diaw) are all at least 28 years old, so it’s not like they’re likely getting better. The team’s average age is relatively old 27.3. If I had to point to a perfect example of how NOT to build a franchise, it would be Charlotte. A team mired in mediocrity with little hope of getting better, but good enough to keep their head above water.

Jordan is probably the worst type of owner. He’s cost conscious but also not the greatest judge of talent.

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I don’t understand the negativity

I’ve been reading a lot of “It’s going to be a long season” comments concerning the Bobcats.

I’ve got to tell you I’m surprised by that. And since many of you have accused me of being Mr. Negative, I’d think you’d listen.

I’m not saying everything is rosy. I think they’ll be about the same team they were by the end of last season: A group that will be one of the last three franchises in the East to make the playoffs, and will likely be eliminated in the first round. But 12 months ago, they weren’t that.

I predicted in the preseason a year ago that they wouldn’t reach the playoffs with the roster that showed up for training camp. They wouldn’t have. The Stephen Jackson trade made them viable because they had nothing vaguely resembling a first offensive option.

I had this fascinating conversation with Celtics coach Doc Rivers a month after the Jackson trade, following up on what Rivers said following that opening-night blowout. Rivers said the Bobcats were so bad offensively that, if league rules allowed it, you would have played them in a college-style zone with every defender leaving one foot in the lane.

Jackson demands double-teams, which is something you have to elicit from the other team. He might be high-maintenance and he might be expensive, but he addresses a problem.

I read a lot in your comments about how shaky the Bobcats are at point guard and center. I totally agree. But as a guy who is constantly accused of being a glass-half-empty sort, I’m surprised you miss the point that they’ve never entered the preseason with more collective talent and experience.

That’s no small thing, by the way. In order to fix the roster, the Bobcats have made a slew of in-season trades the past two seasons. Some were good. Some were bad (see: Gana Diop). They acquired Boris Diaw and Raja Bell in Larry Brown’s first season. Then they got Jackson early in Brown’s second season and Tyrus Thomas just before the deadline.

Brown welcomes change, and is better than most coaches at adapting on the fly. But change is hard (just ask Diaw, who I think is still trying to find his role, post-Jackson).

The point here is the Bobcats are a better team than they’ve ever been entering training camp, and less likely to be shaken up than any team in the Brown era. Some continuity might be a plus. They have material to work with in Jackson, Gerald Wallace, Diaw and Tyrus Thomas.

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In the judgment of this corner, however …

it really isn’t even close at all …

… at least, at this point, and going forward this season.