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.
however i think hassan & solomon will actually get their spot minutes & perform better then alot of you expect.
__________________ Twenty with the Disease of Illness
1AJosh Howard/1BRajon Rondo/1CGerald Wallace/2Amare Stoudemire/3Trevor Ariza/4Thabo Sefolosha/5Sean Williams/6Al Thornton/7Brandon Jennings/8LaMarcus Aldridge/9Renaldo Balkman/10Stromile Swift/11Amir Johnson/12Tyrus Thomas/13Dorell Wright/14Marcus Haislip/15Antawn Jamison/16Nick Young/17Anthony Randolph/18Chris Andersen/19Travis Outlaw/20Kevin Durant
Close but No Puro: Derrick Rose, Julian Wright, Von Wafer, Jeff Green, Tarence Kinsey, Leandro Barbosa, Ronnie Price, Mike Taylor, Louis Williams, JR Smith, Dominic McGuire
RIP to the Career & The Man, Jonathan "Best Practice Player In NBA History" Bender & Eddie "Most Known Unknown" Griffin
We don't have elite wing talent at the top, but depth certainly isn't an issue.
In fact, I don't think depth is an issue for this team at all. I guess we've only got 5 bigs but another could easily be added (for the min) if need be.
The "toughness" factor (that we are counting on JO to bring) is the biggest positive change this summer. All the trade proposals that I, and others, were imagining - looking to trade TJ for a wing - lacked the overhauling power that BC brought with JO.
Skill, size, passion, determination, experience, defense, tenacity, rebounding and swagger were the things most lacking and JO seems to bring them all. We even got a little more eumelanin for good measure
__________________ AC
Last edited by SkywalkerAC : 09-03-2008 at 02:27 AM.
I really like what the Raps did this off-season, while JO is an injury risk, so was Ford and one of the point guards had to go.
It was a good return on the trade IMO
Also I said it on draft day and i will again, Jawai is a steal and will be contributing by the end of the season, he brings size and toughness up front that will really help you guys
Can definately see you in 4-5 spot
We don't have elite wing talent at the top, but depth certainly isn't an issue.
In fact, I don't think depth is an issue for this team at all. I guess we've only got 5 bigs but another could easily be added (for the min) if need be.
The "toughness" factor (that we are counting on JO to bring) is the biggest positive change this summer. All the trade proposals that I, and others, were imagining - looking to trade TJ for a wing - lacked the overhauling power that BC brought with JO.
Skill, size, passion, determination, experience, defense, tenacity, rebounding and swagger were the things most lacking and JO seems to bring them all. We even got a little more eumelanin for good measure
We already went through this last year and no, it's not going to work with these players especially when we already lost Delfino.
We already went through this last year and no, it's not going to work with these players especially when we already lost Delfino.
Moon was a rookie, all be it an old one, I am sure with his new found home on the Raptor's that he will have put in work in the off-season to improve his jump shot and add to his dribble drive game. Kapono showed us in the playoffs what he can do offensively, and deserves more than 19 minutes a game this year. With Joey and Addams as the 4th and 5th wings we are not in bad shape.
Moon was a rookie, all be it an old one, I am sure with his new found home on the Raptor's that he will have put in work in the off-season to improve his jump shot and add to his dribble drive game. Kapono showed us in the playoffs what he can do offensively, and deserves more than 19 minutes a game this year. With Joey and Addams as the 4th and 5th wings we are not in bad shape.
Moon's jumpshot was never the problem, it's his inability to put the ball on the floor and defend skilled wings that can put the ball on the floor. He also lacks defensive discipline and relies way too much on his athleticism, causing him to fly every which way whenever the opposing players uses a fake move. These 2 areas I really don't see him becoming that much better in the upcoming year. It is possible that he does improve, but again he's 28 years old and has played professional ball (more or less) for the past 7-8 years and I highly doubt we'll see significant improvement. Kapono's number should improve but he does not solve our need of a penetrator and someone that can create off the dribble especially when the clock winds down. With TJ gone we are a lot weaker in that area since he was the guy who was taking those shots at end of clocks. Our 2nd option in that situation was Delfino who's in Russia right now, which means we would be relying on guys like Calderon/Parker/Ukic, neither is great at going one on one.
Graham and Adams are both on league life-support. Frankly if we get anything positive out of either it would be a plus, but I don't see Adams being with us at the end of the year and Graham the next.
As I've said many times, I'm really disappointed at BC's summer moves regarding our wing positions. My friend who was in Beijing watching the Olympics met BC at one of the games. Perhaps he should've stayed in Toronto and worry about the Raptors than watching the Redeem team.
Joey, Adams and Solomon are just bodies, nothing more. If you guys actually expect something out of these guys besides filler minutes, keep dreaming.
Moon will not get any better and that's one thing i'm concerned about. Depth is definitely an issue for us. Name all the guys we have but think about what they actually contribute.
We needed to get better at the 2 and 3, we didn't, we got worse.
Fire Sam Mitchell
__________________
We appreciate all that Sam has done for our organization, but feel that we are heading in a new direction and Sam is just not a part of that plan
Joey, Adams and Solomon are just bodies, nothing more. If you guys actually expect something out of these guys besides filler minutes, keep dreaming.
Moon will not get any better and that's one thing i'm concerned about. Depth is definitely an issue for us. Name all the guys we have but think about what they actually contribute.
We needed to get better at the 2 and 3, we didn't, we got worse.
Fire Sam Mitchell
Joey has shown in the past the ability to play more than garbage minutes. Is he starter material? No! He can give us a lift now and then, remember the playoffs vs. New Jersey?
Why can't Moon improve? Every player in the league can get better at something regardless of age. Yes he has kicked around some pro leagues for years, the NBA opens up so much more in resources for him that I am sure his jumper will be a little better as will his defense and conditioning(strength). I don't expect him to be improving by leaps and bounds, but to say he will not get any better is plain ignorant.
As for firing Sam Mitchell, why? If we did not improve at the 2/3 spot as you say we needed is that Sam's fault? Last I checked we have been to the playoffs 2 years in a row. We never go into the preseason ranked in the top 4 in the East so we are not expected to get out of the first round......would I like to hell ya, can Sam help get us there....I think so.
Joey has shown in the past the ability to play more than garbage minutes. Is he starter material? No! He can give us a lift now and then, remember the playoffs vs. New Jersey?
Why can't Moon improve? Every player in the league can get better at something regardless of age. Yes he has kicked around some pro leagues for years, the NBA opens up so much more in resources for him that I am sure his jumper will be a little better as will his defense and conditioning(strength). I don't expect him to be improving by leaps and bounds, but to say he will not get any better is plain ignorant.
As for firing Sam Mitchell, why? If we did not improve at the 2/3 spot as you say we needed is that Sam's fault? Last I checked we have been to the playoffs 2 years in a row. We never go into the preseason ranked in the top 4 in the East so we are not expected to get out of the first round......would I like to hell ya, can Sam help get us there....I think so.
look, there's no need for name calling, so i will disregard the fact that you called me "plain ignorant." The thing is I want to win a championship, not make it to the playoffs. I think all fans should expect that from their team. Is this team going to do that? NO
Moon is not going to be any better than he was last year. Will he improve a little bit, maybe. Will that little bit be of any significance on the court? NO.
The simple fact is as a Raptors fan, I want to win. Thats it. BC did not address that. Moon is nothing more than a body. Can't shoot. If you can't shoot, leaves your defender to go and defend someone else. We are weak at the 2 and 3 and that's going to hurt us.
Firing Sam Mitchell is a must. A coach should be a strategist. Motivational speakers should be assistants. Get a basketball mind in the game and you start winning close games. Look at how many close games we lost in the last 3 years. That's the coaches fault. If you don't that's true...look at Popovich and SA. I love Sam to be our assistant to fire up the troops, just need a guy who can draw up a better play than a screen and roll for Bosh (who btw was tired as hell) for a game winning shot. Makes no sense to me.
You can disagree with me and I welcome that, but please...no name calling.
Fire Sam Mitchell
__________________
We appreciate all that Sam has done for our organization, but feel that we are heading in a new direction and Sam is just not a part of that plan
look, there's no need for name calling, so i will disregard the fact that you called me "plain ignorant." The thing is I want to win a championship, not make it to the playoffs. I think all fans should expect that from their team. Is this team going to do that? NO
Moon is not going to be any better than he was last year. Will he improve a little bit, maybe. Will that little bit be of any significance on the court? NO.
The simple fact is as a Raptors fan, I want to win. Thats it. BC did not address that. Moon is nothing more than a body. Can't shoot. If you can't shoot, leaves your defender to go and defend someone else. We are weak at the 2 and 3 and that's going to hurt us.
Firing Sam Mitchell is a must. A coach should be a strategist. Motivational speakers should be assistants. Get a basketball mind in the game and you start winning close games. Look at how many close games we lost in the last 3 years. That's the coaches fault. If you don't that's true...look at Popovich and SA. I love Sam to be our assistant to fire up the troops, just need a guy who can draw up a better play than a screen and roll for Bosh (who btw was tired as hell) for a game winning shot. Makes no sense to me.
You can disagree with me and I welcome that, but please...no name calling.
Fire Sam Mitchell
You may want to look up the word "ignorant", it means lacking in knowledge. To say that Moon can't improve is ignorant, he can and should improve.
Yes we are weak at the 2/3 spots, put Manu, Bowen, Finley, and Barry on this team with Tony Parker and I think Sam gets this team to a eastern final easy.
Pop has had Duncan, and as good as Bosh is he is no Duncan, nor do we have a Manu and that is not Sam's fault yet you want him gone...it takes time to build a team, and Sam is growing with the players. If the team starts to get to the top of the league and SAm can't get it done then I say he should be gone. To fire a coach of a team that has middle of the pack expectations for being middle of the pack just seems like a sidways move.
The simple fact is as a Raptors fan, I want to win. Thats it. BC did not address that. Moon is nothing more than a body. Can't shoot. If you can't shoot, leaves your defender to go and defend someone else. We are weak at the 2 and 3 and that's going to hurt us.
Moon nothing more than a body? He was one of the most valuable players we had last season. Did you watch the games? BC did not address wanting to win now? We got JO (yes, the 6 time All Star)...
You keep harping on about depth but wanting to win now. The last few years we have been stacked (since BC) and we still haven't left the 1st round, it was time for a different philosophy so BC used some of the depth talent we had and got JO.
I don't see where you're complaints are coming from, you want to win now so should be happy we got JO.
i'm almost willing to guarantee that Will Solomon has more of an impact as our backup PG then Roko Ukic & will atleast by end of season have this role on lock.
also i feel Hassan Adams could be an integral part of any winning team, givin 12-15 minutes he could easily have a Jamario Moon Effect from the SG position in where he can defend smaller PG's and the bigger SG's with his wingspan.
i can see avg of 6-7ppg,3-4rpg,1apg,1+spg, & 1bpg from Hassan Hustle Adams. i'd argue he is almost definitely unequivically going to lead the team in steals, he's almost league elite IMHO for telegraphing passes.
i won't argue that Adams/Solomon aren't bodies, because they are, but these cats can play.. and will primarily fill our backup PG/SG roles & perform amicabbly next to Calderon/JO/Bosh if given the chance.. book it.
the general makeup of this team is GREAT to me. you have to stop looking at the names & making assumptions. this team can & will compete with the leagues best. you'll just have to wait & see if you can agree with my POV, if not, i'll be around to say i told you so when Solomon/Adams are putting in valuable time playing their asses off for the northern red.
__________________ Twenty with the Disease of Illness
1AJosh Howard/1BRajon Rondo/1CGerald Wallace/2Amare Stoudemire/3Trevor Ariza/4Thabo Sefolosha/5Sean Williams/6Al Thornton/7Brandon Jennings/8LaMarcus Aldridge/9Renaldo Balkman/10Stromile Swift/11Amir Johnson/12Tyrus Thomas/13Dorell Wright/14Marcus Haislip/15Antawn Jamison/16Nick Young/17Anthony Randolph/18Chris Andersen/19Travis Outlaw/20Kevin Durant
Close but No Puro: Derrick Rose, Julian Wright, Von Wafer, Jeff Green, Tarence Kinsey, Leandro Barbosa, Ronnie Price, Mike Taylor, Louis Williams, JR Smith, Dominic McGuire
RIP to the Career & The Man, Jonathan "Best Practice Player In NBA History" Bender & Eddie "Most Known Unknown" Griffin
i just love the way these guys fit together y'know?
how can you not see the synergies?
pick and roll or pound it inside to death, drawing double teams or switches and killing teams with the long ball. play good defense and rebound, which this team can, and we're going to win more often than not.
this team can go at it with anyone. the champion Celtics, the Lakers, anyone.
Toronto Raptors Summer Report Card
Toronto Raptors Summer Report Card
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