ballocks

i guess we all seem to have differing viewpoints on delfino. personally, i expect him to ride the bench, if not to begin the season then probably some games in. it's interesting how BC and sam are so enthused about bringing him in right now, but in my world he's still carlos delfino. he could have a shorter leash than fred did last year and i wouldn't be surprised. we'll see what comes of it, i guess.

peace

billfindlay10

First off, Parker was our best wing defender last season, Mo was 4th on my list behind Gabajosa and Jose Calderon...very pesky. I think that delfino can fill right in at 4th...if not 2nd or 3rd. Kapono is not a first team all defender, but he is no Dell Curry either. Also Kapono is ay more then just a spot up shooter, if you look at his stats with and without Shaq and Wade, he shot the ball better without them and scored at a higher clip....I think we are fine with Delpono!

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SkywalkerAC

Delpono. I like that. I too tend to forget about Delf (and how stoked I am to have him) as I'm trying to find minutes for everyone else on this team that I'm stoked about.

I think here, for BC, it comes back to the size:skill ratio.

Delfino has ball skills right now that are obvious. I haven't seen him all that much but I know he's a pretty damn fluid basketball player - ball-handling, shooting, passing, defending - for his height. He's got a good motor. He even looks like a gamer - sharp.

Then you've got Kapono, who's pretty much as close as you can get to the highschool quarter-back in today's NBA. He's a good kid from California that has made it all this way by honing his skills to perfection. He doesn't look like a killer but you know he's going to be busting games wide open next year.

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SkywalkerAC

But it's actually Jofino that would make Pietrus redundant.

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lucky777s

I was about to mention BC's size:skill ratio criteria but someone just beat me to it.

I think BC was looking for a special talent from a FA. Whatever it might be. In Kapono's case he is a special shooter. One of the best. BC overpaid for QRich in PHX in much the same way and that worked very well.

Pietrus is a solid all-around wing who does many things well but BC may have thought that he has no 'special' talent. Not his D. Not his O.

As for MoP's D I think the total lack of interest in him as a FA in both his FA years shows what the league thinks of him. He worked hard but had poor results.

different_13

I think New Orleans is a good situation for Peterson, he should get decent minutes, but I don't think he'll ***** about being the 3rd or 4th swingman if Peja's healthy and Wright kicks ***.

As for Graham/Dixon - something clearly has to be done. I think they'll start out the season on the team, but be dealt by the deadline to a team looking for atleticism or shooting (or a salary dump, as Joey expires this coming year doesn't he?)
Getting some kind of shotblocker for the two of em would be good (an athletic one would be ideal, but I don't think you'll get that).


Pietrus - before reading this thread, I would have said take him over Kapono. But you guys have won me over, Kapono's elite shooting is more valuable to the Raptors than Pietrus' slightly better defence (compared to Mo/Parker) would have.

I think the Raptors need to add that athletic shotblocker I mentioned next off-season. Does anyone have a link to who could be available?

Found one.
So it looks like the only one available is Stromile Swift..
Oh, and Rasho expires then too.
So looks like trades and the draft will have to improve the team further - you've already got good guard play, loadsa wingmen (a major player would help there, relegating Kapono to backup, but hey..) and Bosh, as well as Bargnani up front.
I'd resign Rasho, or an equavalent, to be the (true) center backup, plus that damn elusive shotblocker..

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