khandor’s sports blog

Opening night for the 2009-2010 NBA regular season is a little more than 1 month away.

At this point, how might an astute NBA observer expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors? … considering that virtually the entire team was changed this off-season.

[i.e. only Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Quincy Douby, Patrick O'Bryant and Marcus Banks return from last year's final roster.] 

Game 1 – vs Cleveland [Wed Oct 28]

Raptors expected W-L Record: L, 0-1

Earlier this spring, yours truly was asked to provide an example of the type of player who SHOULD be obtained by the Raptors in a trade which involved Andrea Bargnani, as a possible #4/PF to play beside Chris Bosh [as the Dino's main-frame Center]. The two names that came to mind straight away were Anderson Varejao [unrestricted] and David Lee [restricted], both of whom are designated as Free Agents at the moment.

Two years ago, as a restricted free agent, the Cavaliers took a long time bringing Varejao into the fold, only doing so after a protracted hold-out. This past season he played as a Starting #4/PF for Cleveland, riding shot-gun for LeBron James, to the tune of 66 W’s in the regular season campaign. As a 27 year old player, going into his 6th season in the NBA, Varejao [6-10, 260] is the sort of effective, role-playing, garbage man who could excel beside Bosh, in a number of different ways [e.g. Offensively, Defensively and in terms of Rebounding].

Right now … in the aftermath of trading for the Big Diesel … the Cavs are in the market for a wing player with solid defensive skills, big game experience and a lively pair of legs with the ability to re-energize their offense without needing the ball in his his hands a great deal of the time.

Do the Raptors have a player on their roster, at the moment, who fits the bill, in this regard … that could possibly be used in a sign and trade to secure the services of Mr. Varejao in return?

By chance … Yes, they do.

His name happens to be Shawn Dwayne Marion … and he’s a perfect fit for Cleveland to complete their roster, hunting for their 1st NBA Title next spring. He is an under-sized, highly energetic #4/PF, who would thrive playing beside [and between] King James and Shaq Daddy. 

———-

A second good option for the Raptors is David Lee.

Raps setting their sights on Knicks’ big man Lee
The Raptors are widening their NBA free-agent search that now includes one of the more intriguing players on the market.

Capping a whirlwind 24 hours to open the negotiating period, league sources say Toronto is trying to obtain David Lee, an energetic rebounder who is a New York Knicks restricted free agent.

The sources couldn’t say whether the move on Lee would be a straight offer or whether it would be a sign-and-trade transaction with any of Toronto’s current free agents …

Lee, 26, had a breakout year with the Knicks last season, averaging 16 points and 11.7 rebounds a game. He had a salary of just about $1.8 million (all figures U.S.) and is seen as one of the top young free agents out there; he’s a restricted free agent so if Toronto were to simply make an offer and not try to engineer some sign-and-trade transactions, the Knicks could match it.

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Instead of chasing after a good but older player with their available money this summer … e.g. Hedo Turkoglu [age 30] … the Raptors would be much further ahead if they pursued either Anderson Varejao or David Lee AND then used him as their Starting Power Forward beside Chris Bosh [C] this season.

If the Raptors would have just drafted Derrick Brown last Thursday night …

1 Jose Calderon
2 Anthony Parker
3 DeMar DeRozan
4 Carlos Delfino
5 Derrick Brown
6 Reggie Evans
7 Anderson Varejao or David Lee
8 Chris Bosh [Center]
9 Andrea Bargnani

that’s the sort of 9-Man CORE GROUP which could:

* Win their fair share of regular season games this coming season
* Convince CB4 to re-sign with the Raptors next summer 
* Be the foundation of a solid contending team in the EC for the next decade.

By initiating legitimate discussions with Danny Ferry and Donnie Walsh there are all sorts of possibilities which exist for Bryan Colangelo to improve the Raptors this off season … including possible trades involving other talented young players - e.g. Andrea Bargnani, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, JJ Hickson and Danny Green - on each of their respective rosters.

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].
  

Welcome to the 2009 edition of ‘Match the Stats’ [re: Raptors' possible draftees].

This is your friendly DraftMaster, khandor.

Now … Whoooooooooo’s ready to play?

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The names of 15 players who at one time this spring were eligible for Thursday’s [June 25] NBA Draft:

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

The 1st year statistics for these 15 players, at the college level, in random order.

Your assignment comes in two parts:

PART ONE
Rank the individual stat lines [according to their assigned number in the left-hand column] in the specific order which you feel best addresses the Raptors’ needs.

[e.g. 1st - No. 14, 2nd - No. 5, 3rd - No. 1, 4th - No. 7, etc.. Account for all fifteen.]

PART TWO
Match the individual stat lines [according to their assigned number in the left-hand column] with the correct Player’s Name from the list of fifteen provided above.

[e.g. 1st - No. 14; Tyreke Evans; 2nd - No. 5; 3rd - No. 1, Al-Farouq Aminu; 4th - No. 7, Tyler Hansbrough, etc.. Account for all fifteen.]

Once complete … you will then be ready to enter the Raptors’ War Room on Thursday night with your own version of ‘Raptors Match the Stats’:

[which should look something like this]

[NOTE: Interested persons are invited to submit their own version of 'Raptors Match the Stats' in the "comments" section.]

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According to NBA.com’s 2009 NBA Draft: Consensus Mock Draft, the players most likely to be selected by the Raptors are Tyreke Evans or DeMar Derozan, each of whom was a college freshman this past season. Do you think these two players actually have the individual stat lines that Best Fit what the Raptors need from this year’s pool of draftees?

Go ahead and play ‘Match the Stats’ … and, you will soon find out!

The answer might surprise you.

[or, maybe not ... depending on what your impression is of the Raptors' Draft Record, in the Bryan Colangelo era.]

If Toronto chooses to trade down [from No. 9, overall], on June 25, into the latter half of the 1st Round and/or the 2nd Round:

[continuing from what was started here last week]

Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest [unfortunately, unavailable]

Danny Green [6-6, 208, OG/SF, UNC]

Dante Cunningham [6-8, 227, PF/SF, Villanova]

Derrick Brown [6-8, 225, SF, Xavier]

Earl Clark [6-10, 226, PF, Louisville]

Marcus Thorton [6-4, 194, OG, LSU]

Nando De Colo [6-5, 190, OG, France]

Sam Young [6-6, 223, SF, Pittsburgh]

Taj Gibson [6-10, 214, PF, USC]

Terrence Williams [6-6, 213, OG, Louisville]

Tyler Hansbrough [6-9, 234, PF, UNC]

Tyler Smith [6-6, 212, OG, Tennessee]

Wayne Ellington [6-5, 202, OG, UNC]

* None of whom should be traded up for *

————————————————————-

In conjunction with:

I. Shifting Chris Bosh back to the Center position;

II. Trading Andrea Bargnani;

and,

III. Trading Shawn Marion.

————————————————————-

After Blake Griffin [PF], Ricky Rubio [PG] and Stephen Curry [PG] … there is quick-sand everywhere in this year’s draft which needs to be avoided, if possible.

Travailing around the blogosphere there are some individuals with a genuine interest in hearing which specific NBA draft-eligible players yours truly believes SHOULD be on the radar for Toronto come June 25.

As it happens, yesterday on RaptorsRepublic.com, visitors were provided with the name of Danny Green [OG/SF], as someone who fits into this category … available to the Raptors SHOULD they decide to follow the advice of this corner and trade down from the No. 9 slot into one of the lower positions of the 1st Round, or even into the upper part of the 2nd … in an effort to add at least 2 quality [i.e. athletic & skilled, with good upside and solid character traits] players in place of just 1 [perceived to be of a higher calibre among the first 10 picks].

Now, this afternoon, after reading Doug Smith’s Raptors Blog, the good news is that earlier today Toronto worked out at least one other player who this corner also thinks fits into this same category.

The 6 workout participants were Jonny Flynn [PG], Jrue Holiday [PG/OG], Chase Budinger [F}, Damion James [F], Al-Farouq Alade Aminu [F] and Goran Suton [F].

With a 16.6% chance of being right, can you guess which one fills the bill?

Clue #1.
Must be a solid athlete at the position he projects to play in the NBA. 

Clue #2.
Must have adequate length at his position.

Clue #3.
Must have the ability to compete effectively in all three phases of the game.

Clue #4.
Must have sound character with a self-starting motor.

Clue #5.
Must have room to grow as a player [and a person].

If you guessed Jonny Flynn … you’d be incorrect.
If you guessed Chase Budinger … you’d be incorrect.
If you guessed Goran Suton … you’d be getting closer, but still be incorrect.
If you guessed Damion James … you’d be incorrect.
If you guessed Jrue Holiday … you’d be incorrect.

If you said Alade Al Farouq Aminu … you’d be right on the money, but, alas, at least 12 months in advance, as pointed out adroitly by WOW, in the comments section.

———-

Still, there are several other very good players who would also be a good fit for the Raptors if they decide to trade down in this year’s draft … a few more of whom will be revealed here as the big day approaches.

PS. Just to be clear about this … If he had actually remained in this year’s draft, Al-Farouq Aminu [SF/PF] is precisely the type of player who yours truly believes the Raptors should be trying to add to their current team, to go with Chris Bosh [C] & Jose Calderon [PG], rather than any of the 6 players who the team actually worked out on Friday.

———-

Related: 

Who should be on the radar for the Raptors in the 2009 NBA Draft