Is the period of mourning over?

How’s everyone feeling today?

Sorta empty? Angst-filled at Bryan’s comments about Sam? About to list the TJ replica jersey on some auction site?

FRANK GUNN/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Nobody knows what colour shoes T.J. Ford will be wearing next year.

Lots to digest, wasn’t there?  More than enough to keep this little thing rolling this week and then we’ve got to figure out what to do through the rest of the playoffs. Any and all suggestions welcome, you know where to reach me.

Speaking of reach, you folks went bonkers in the mail, I’d say about 90 per cent of it rants of varying degrees but all quite fun to read. Have siphoned off more than a few that we’ll put up in the usual Friday mail bag.

And tomorrow, because a bunch of you have been calling for it, we’ll do a player-by-player assessment.

Anyway

Sam

Yes, Bryan did say it’s “ludicrous” to think of a Mitchell-D’Antoni swap. And it is, not only because both are still very much under contract, and both were very much working in the playoffs when the speculation mounted.

You all know I think he should be back because I think he’s the guy who coached the team to 47 wins, not the one who got ‘em to 41 this year.

If you put your scrutiny on every coach in the league like you did Sam this year – substitution patterns, post-game comments (as if they have anything to do with anything), lineups – everyone’s going to come up short. A lot.

The fact is, they’ve been in the playoffs two years, the players play hard for him and he does – despite your opinions – know what he’s doing tactically. I'm pretty sure many of you missed the fact they did things like change coverages on pick and roll a couple of times a game to throw the Magic off (going under fo ra quarter or so, a hard shot for the next quarter or show, pre-rotating every now and then). That's the kind of small thing that goes unnoticed too often.

Sit back and make an honest, honest assessment of the roster and tell me, as it turns out, that this was more than a .500 team no matter if Red Auerbach coached it.

Besides, what will you fill my inbox with all next season?

-

Since this whole “Best Playoffs Ever” crap has gone out the window (a terrible first round), let’s start hyping “Best Off-Season Ever.”

There’ll be big changes in Dallas and Denver, I assume, Chicago has some major issues to deal with, I think Joe Dumars might realize this is the last run for Detroit and I imagine John Hammon in Milwaukee’s going to make some moves.

Could be a very cool summer.

How much do these guys get involved? I’d say lots. But when?

"The process began at the beginning of training camp and it’ll end probably some time in mid-July or sometime later,” was how Bryan put it yesterday.

Guess that’ll keep us busy.

-

Two quotes:

"You already know me, everybody was asking me about the starting lineup with 12 games to go and I was in my finishing last year of the contract so I think it was a big step for me. I’m ready to sacrifice for the team for sure.”

And

"I don’t know. I don’t know. I think where I’m at right now in my NBA career, I consider myself a starter and I don’t see myself coming off the bench for 82 games.”

Who said what?

-

Speaking of the summer, they’re going to have the mid-level salary cap exception to spend, about $5.6 million to start.

The Raptors will have the so-called mid-level salary cap exception (likely about $5.6 million) to spend this summer on free agents. Here’s a look at some possibilities: Restricted (Teams can match any offer they get) Josh Smith, Atlanta Rony Turiaf, L.A. Lakers Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Luol Deng, Chicago Ben Gordon, Chicago Monta Ellis, Golden State Craig Smith, Minnesota Unrestricted (Can sign anywhere) Mickael Pietrus, Golden State Bostjan Nachbar, New Jersey Antawn Jamison, Washington Roger Mason, Jr., Washington DeSagana Diop, New Jersey Eduardo Najera, Denver Beno Udrih, Sacramento

Who do they get? Probably not an all-star but likely a viable piece.

-

A generic mailbag query:

Q: One of the main themes coming from yourself and others during the Raptors tailspin to end the season was that they would be judged based on what they did in the playoffs. So, what your verdict?

Greg W, Toronto

A: Well, that’s easy. It’s a failure, a disappointment, a step back.

The reasons are there for all to see and some are mitigating factors.

Injuries to T.J. and Bosh hurt, not having Garbo was crippling, Bargnani’s regression was costly.

All of those are relatively easy to overcome so the future’s not entirely bleak.

But this year? This was a bad year.

-

You know who’s smart? Anthony Parker’s smart. Everyone knows that changes are coming and with his contract expiring at the end of next season and his steady production coveted by teams looking for a solid player and good citizen, it’s entirely possible he’s played his last game as a Raptor.

And when asked about it, he was forthright. And we appreciate it.

"It’s a business. It’s a business first. I love the organization here: The people that work in it, the team that I play for, and the coaching staff. I love coming here and it’s not something that I dread. I know a lot of situations aren’t like that. There are not a lot of situations like this in the NBA. But it’s a business. Like you said, maybe my situation might be attractive to somebody. Mr. Colangelo, if it makes the team better here in Toronto, I expect him to do his job.”

Classy dude.

-

List time (remember that?)

Five best wins:

At Boston, they shot the lights out

At San Antonio, best defence of year and Bargnani finishes the game guarding Duncan

At New Orleans, heckuva way to end the calendar year.

Vs. Portland, double-OT thriller maybe most exciting home game of the year

Vs. Detroit, about the only “quality” win of the last half of the season.

Five worst losses

At New York, Jamal Crawford goes off, they have no clue

At Seattle, bad team, bad effort.

Vs. L.A. Clippers, one of many at home that got away

At Atlanta, season really turned the night T.J. got hurt

At Washington, can’t take advantage of injury-ravaged opponent.

Comments

[Kevin L]

I know the second quote was Ford... does averaging 12 and 6 in less than 25 mins a night merit starting? Maybe not in Toronto, but somewhere for sure.

[Joe T.]

Doug, that list of restricted/unrestricted free agents has some good ones on it. As I've mentioned before, I'd love to see Roger Mason back in Toronto backing up Jose if TJ gets moved. Jamison would be GREAT here but a tougher one to get, I would imagine. Still, finding some way to bring both those guys to Toronto would make this team a LOT stronger...

Great AP quote...

And finally, yes, I agree that the playoffs have not lived up to expectations thus far. And am I the only one who is tired of seeing the Spurs and Pistons in their respective Conference Finals? I would find the Playoff much more exciting if either or both of those teams make an exit in the next round. Either way, I'm hoping for a Celtics-Lakers Final because that would be fantastic, competitive basketball. And that's the only reason I don't want the Hawks to beat Boston in the First Round -- who else would be able to keep Detroit out of the big dance?...

[Tom]

Doug, really well put. I think even last year's team was a .500 club that overachieved. I also don't think Mitchell deserves the axe at this point. Quick question, since I missed all of the media stuff yesterday: Is Bargnani going to be working with John Lucas this summer? I thought I had heard that. Any thoughts about it, if it's true?

Blogger's note: Bargnani's going lots of places, I'm sure he'll spend time with Lucas, he'll be at a Vegas big man camp and they might even ask him to play a summer league game or two, although that's not for certain.

[KG]

Hi Doug,
Do you know whether Jorge was intending on playing in the Olympics this year?

Blogger's note: Every time we ever asked him, he'd just smile and say something like, "I don't know" or "we'll see."

[Susi]

It looks like everyone's job is safe and the Raptors are well on their way to being the new Leafs. I guess most of the effort will be put into raising the prices at the ACC next year rather than holding anyone responsible for their incompetence.

The only way this city will get a decent sports team is if we collectively stop supporting these clowns.

[imloulo]

Oh my, thought you would never come back Doug. It's been an up and down season. BC has quite a bit of work to do this off season and it will be interesting to see what he has up his sleeves. With Dallas, Phoenix and Denver all bowing out of the first round, those teams with high expectations will certainly look for some changes. As much as a set-back this year was - I don't really see the Raptors in a desperate situation. The idea is to contend and be a winner in a couple of years. We still have a couple of good pieces and some good assets to use in trades. I don't think we are as far away as some would think.

[Ret Jackson]

Doug you were saying we won't be able to get an all star with the mid-level exception. I truly think this team needs two all star worthy players(Bosh being one) to make any sort of noise in this league. Any championship team over the last 10 years has had two players in the all star game and won the championship that year.
I think this team needs a gritty in your face all star(who wants to play in Toronto) to get to the conference finals. Anybody have any idea who that could be? I'm not sure if we have a lot of options.

[terry lechcul]

Fire Smitch!!
.500 ball in the PATHETIC east (and the JV quality Atlantic) is unnacceptable.
500 is mediocrity. Its also a little more palatable if you were the Grizzlies and the other teams in your division where all 50 games winners.
In the east? NO.
500 might be a goal for some teams but if this is what we are aiming for then we might as well be the Bucks (who will be better next year with Skiles and compete for a playoff spot...in the lEast) because 500 is a big step back.

What is this team? A shooting team? An offensive team? Defensive team (humour me)? Fast break team?
No identity.
A .500 team is always like that.
And it starts with coaching.
Or lack of.

The Bargnani slide is a product of both the lack of identity, the coaching morass and the mediocrity that it breeds.

The kid played SF in Italy, came here and I thought he did well at PF considering his size, language and being a rookie.
This year he has been a mess. The coach put him at C and the kid was lost. Totally confused. Hey, I would be confused too playing Center for the first time in my life (in the NBA to boot because we know how its the easiest position in the NBA for young players) and playing back to the net when my main weapon is my shot.

So what does our genius do this fall when Bargnani is wandering on the court, totally clueless? Smitch gives him the cold shoulder. Doesnt speak to the kid for 3 weeks we are told.
THAT was the point where we realized that Smitch' ego has to go. He set the kid up to fail, then instead of dealign with his mess, he decides to shun him taking the whole season down with this decision. The only thing we could talk about was why would a coach freeze out a struggling young player when its risking being a turning point in the season? And we werent the only ones since there were questions in the media about maybe bringing in a Clifford Ray type big man to teach (really, you think? That would be so unheard of in the league!)

A little anecdote that I got from a spanish friend from one of their sports magazines. The journalist talks about different coaches in the NBA and points out that 4 times NBA champ Gregg Popovich is a student of the game and how after playing some greek team in the pre-season, Pop couldnt wait to see game film because the greek's teams serbian coach is one of the best in the world and Pops want to adds some of his innovative offensive schemes that he would like to add to the Spurs. Smitch on the other hand it was written is openly dismissive about anything that comes from outside the US because 'we invented the game'.

THAT is the different between a 4 times winner and .500 coach.
One strives to always be better, the other is content in mediocrity and excuses.

Fire Smitch!!

Terry

[bballer]

good to know you took the day off. it allowed most of us to relax and calm down. do you think colangelo still believes the era of the dominant low post big man is still over in the nba? next year the nba will see mahimini and splitter with the spurs, west and chandler in nok and oden with aldridge with the blazers.

even though i hated the pick, i still think that we have to be patient with bargnani. if he chooses to believe the nba is the league for him then he will turn things around. i'm wondering if he likes the physical game though.

finally, we should not be clamouring for d'antoni to coach the raps. he likes defense as much as don nelson does, which is not at all. this season has taught colangelo that and i anticipate him going after more physical wing men and a big in the off season.

[VS]

In my honest assessment, I think Sam is a good motivator for the players, but a poor Xs and Os coach. He was out coached in many instances and I certainly believe that raptors would have done a little better under a different coach.

[Peter Scroll]

Doug!

Are you that much of a patsy to be STILL supporting Sam Mitchell!!??

The coaching problem, above all else is the number one issue Colangelo needs to address.

Then trade one of the PGs.

Then spend some real money on a free agent (and stop talking about cap space, it's ok to pay some luxury tax - MLSE makes loads of dough and they have already have the 6th cheapest salary roll in the NBA)

Peter Scroll

Blogger's note: Not to diminish your point, but the Raptors actually have the 13th highest salary roll in the NBA.

[Soul]

"You all know I think he should be back because I think he’s the guy who coached the team to 47 wins, not the one who got ‘em to 41 this year."

Doug, I usually love your writing but this statement is ridiculously absurd!

[Abbas]

I think the TJ quote regarding him starting is being blown out of proportion and out of context. This is obviously expected from the Toronto media who have portrayed Ford as egocentric and Calderon as the epitome of class and team-first mentality. Personally, I applaud TJ Ford for his confidence and determination to come back this season after his injury. Until December, he was our best player, and last year he was probably second to Bosh. Obviously Calderon is an incredible talent and I'm not trying to take anything away from him, but I don't think it's entirely fair to comapre those two quotes due to the context. I watched the press conference and Ford made it clear that he is happy for Calderon's success and wants the Raptors to win. Him believing that he can start has more to do with his belief in his abilities than some egocentric agenda to get playing time. Unfortunately our bandwagon fans don't seem to understand that. I'm willing to accept that Ford will be moved, but that has more to do with Calderon than Ford being a detriment to the team as some have made it seem. (End of rant)

[MarcM]

The Raptors are still building for the future and while they underachieved this year the weaknesses that were exposed are the same one's that were around last year. Only the expectations are different. Letting same coach for another year before making hasty (and poor) decisions would be my advice to Colangelo. That and search for some tough minded, aggressive, attacking pieces on offense and defense. Note: It's almost unbearable getting through comments these days with some of the more negative fans.

[Peter Scroll]

Perhaps this list is incorrect, but it indicates that the Raptors don't spend enough to attain good free agents:

http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm

Peter

[Sean]

As far as worst losses go, how about losing to about 6-7 Lakers at home the day of the Gasol trade. Kobe might be Kobe but that was a game they should have had.

[Andrew R.]

Wow some of us Toronto "fans" are not too bright. The Mitchell and TJ hating is out of control. A championship team takes time to build and there aren't a lot of Phil Jacksons and Greg Popovichs to go around.

I can't figure out why TJ gets bashed for wanting to start, meanwhile Jose gets praised for his "for the team" attitude. If you asked around, probably 80% of the players in the league would rather start, if most the players in the NBA or even in your office had Jose's perspective then it wouldn't make Jose's attitude very special would it?

[Michael]

Hi Doug, I agree that we need a strong big men to rebound and be a presence inside. Properly through trade. But to get a 2nd scorer do u think we can do it from the draft? Do u think BC will trade TJ and/or 17pick to go higher on the draft like 3-5 pick? I heard that OJ Mayo is a potential Kobe B type of player and he should be picked as #3-5. I rather get someone from the draft to grow with Bosh/Bargani since they're all young.

Do u think that's possible? Thanks.

Blogger's note: No, I don't think he'd do that.

[RJ]

I totally agree with Abbas.. TJ has been portrayed by the toronto media as the team's cancer.. but no one talks about how hard it was for him to come back from that horrific injury... the guy could have walked away with the money he is owed instead of coming back and try to lift this team when it was dead in the water..right now we have a trading asset,,, lots of teams would love to have TJ as a starter.... we won't know what we have until he is gone..
you know who is the team's cancer?... THE MEDIA!!

[Jam]

In your list, you mentioned the game in Atl when TJ had his injury. The Raps WON that game. They didn't lose it!!
And regarding the TJ comment, I expected that from you when I watched the press conference yesterday. I knew you would mention it today. You know why!!

Blogger's note: NO, I don't know why and, frankly, I don't care. You're right about the Atlanta game, I should have called it Five Bad Nights. My apologies.

[tino]

I think that Sam as a coach is the sum of his 5 years of coaching the Rap,rather than 47 or 41 wins this past 2.
Is he a good or a bad coach? After listening to BC's statement, i think it's irrelevant.His future as a Rap's coach is in AB 's hands.If,in Bc's eyes,Sam hinders,in any way AB's progress( BC has basically said as much and Sam himself admitted he went at Andrea the wrong way), the Raps will have a new coach.

[bballer]

terry, starting as sf in italy is totally different than starting sf in the nba. if bargns plays sf, who does he cover? he had problems with the slow turkoglu and lewis and will have problems covering paul pierce or ray allen, lebron or pavlovic in cleveland, wallace or jrich in charlotte, vc or rjeff in nj, iguodala or young in philly and ... you know where i'm going. the best position for him is a 4 or 5 if he is to flourish in the nba. so that is not a coaching problem, that is the gm drafting a player than trying to figure it out after.

again, the pg problem was not as severe as the lack of athleticism at the wing position. so people get off the ford/calderon issue. that is scapegoating and not looking at the real issues with the team - defense, rebounding and a wing man that can create his own shot.

hey, if ap goes to the clips, do you think he and his sister candace can get their own show - meet the parkers?

[Ellie]

I will be really sad if they trade AP.

[Malik]

I would love to remind all Raptors fans that;

THIS SITUATION IS NOT THAT BAD!!

I know its disappointing, and a step back from last year... but look at where we were before that!! This team is going through some growing pains... obviously changes need to be made, but lets not get too crazy here... I can think of a lot of teams in the NBA that I would not like to be a fan of (Memphis comes to mind, Minnesota etc.) I think it is important to keep players and coaches together to allow them to grow together. I agree some (maybe even most) of Mitchell's decisions hurt us at times this year, but he has definitely gotten better as a coach since he has been here. Be careful what you wish for fans... would you like another K O'Neill 1 year coach, or a HOF coach like Lenny Wilkens?? Before we cut him off, lets get him some better players, see what happens.. and if it still doesn't work.. you move on. But you don't make wholesale changes just because you think its going to make things better... most of the time, things get worse!! a lot worse! (what is your impression Doug? do you think Bargnani and Mitchell have a workable relationship?)

I think we're the most passionate fans in the league, but sometimes we need to take a deep breath and relax!!

ps Doug... how cool is Jamario Moon?? I really love is attitude and I think he's a really sincere guy!! and definitely a keeper!!

[Jim K]

Doug - loyal reader, and will continue to read - but the changes the team makes in games, like going over or under a screen like you mention, are noticed.

Quit talking down to your readers.