09-02-2008, 02:02 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Year Of The Basel
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Parts Unknown
Age: 23
Posts: 39,319
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Toronto Raptors Summer Report Card
Quote:
Toronto Raptors
What went right:
They got J.O.
In one of the bigger gambles of the offseason, GM Bryan Colangelo acquired six-time All-Star forward/center O'Neal from the Pacers in exchange for point guard T.J. Ford and center Rasho Nesterovic. The 6-11 O'Neal, if fully recovered from the knee problems that kept him out 40 games last year, should join with Chris Bosh to give Toronto one of the NBA's best frontcourt tandems.
They re-signed Jose.
With Ford gone, the Raptors could ill afford to let free agent point guard Jose Calderon get away. Mission accomplished. The Raptors signed the Spanish floor general, who blossomed into a near-All-Star talent last year, to a reported five-year, $45 million contract that will make him the team's clear-cut floor leader for the foreseeable future.
They imported Ukic.
Needing a backup for Calderon, Toronto convinced Croatian point guard Roko Ukic to leave his Italian pro team for a shot at the NBA. The 6-5 Ukic, a second-round draft pick (No. 41 in '05), should provide steady help off the bench while he learns the NBA game.
What went wrong:
They didn't address the depth.
The Raptors have a fine point guard and a potentially dynamite frontcourt, but they still lack depth. Anthony Parker, Andrea Bargnani, Jamario Moon and Jason Kapono form a decent perimeter core, but there isn't much behind them. The free agent signings of Will Solomon and Hassan Adams are not likely to make much difference.
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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ortcard/1.html
__________________
Bleeding purple & gold...
credit to shoop
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