Who's in, who's out and why

Here’s a little secret about the summer league:

It blows.

The only thing anyone generally ever learns at summer league is who can’t play, not who can.

The games are sloppy and choppy, the refereeing is generally sub-standard (it’s guys and gals learning their craft, blowing the whistle on almost every possession) and the players? Well, the players are usually looking to find jobs in Europe or the D League; maybe an invitation to a real training camp would be in the offing but that’s usually just as camp fodder and without a legitimate chance to stick.

The most interesting thing about the Raptor roster is that they’ve only invited two guys –-John Lucas and Daniel Ewing -- with even a scant chance to get that 13^th spot on the real roster.

I suspect it’s even more likely now that Bryan is going to sit back and wait to see who falls through the cracks of free agency to find that one-two, ball-handling shooter he wants for his last spot on the team.

-

So, no Jamario?

The way it was explained to me is that they think Moon needs to be in a gym and a weight room, working on his ball-handling and shooting, rather than be playing five or so games against marginal competition.

Makes entire sense, actually. Over the course of his minor league career, Moon’s probably playing in 500 games against summer league-type competition, so there’s really nothing for him to get out of games that he can’t get in a gym working on his own.

-

So, why Joey?

For the same reason Moon’s not there, actually.

Graham needs to work on his game skills, decision making in competition, knowing that if he gets the ball and wants to go left only to see a defender there, he should make a quick decision and go right. That’s the kind of stuff he doesn’t do in NBA games and the more times he plays, maybe the basketball instincts he lacks will improve.

I don’t hold out much hope – it’s hard to become instinctual so late in one’s career – but he needs to be in games rather than alone in a gym.

-

Oh, and in case another six or seven people are tempted to write into the comments section want to know: Roko Ukic isn’t there because he’ll be in Greece playing for Croatia in the Olympic qualification tournament.

-

And, yes, Andrea Bargnani is not playing in Vegas. He never was going to; he’s spending his summer working on his game on his own in Italy before heading to a training camp in Vegas later this month.

That’s where a lot of his work is going to get done, working out once or twice a day against other NBA players.

He doesn’t need to play marginally talented D League hopefuls in the summer league; his best work has to get done with intense individual instruction at something like the Grgich camp he’ll take part in.

-

Let’s go into the mail, and don’t worry if you don’t see yours in the next couple of days or so, there’s about a billion in the queue:

Q: Hey Dougie...does JO have a player option after the '09 season (i.e. can he opt out & become a UFA then), like Bosh has in '10?

Trev L, Halifax

A: According to the contract list I have, supplied by a well-connected front office friend, O’Neal does have an opt-out after the 2008-09 season.

-

Not sure how many of you saw the games at Ricoh last weekend (not enough of you, probably) but that’s a great little basketball venue.

I can absolutely see the D League team playing there whenever it gets here and it’d be cool for a WNBA team, too. Trouble is, even my good friends who are ardent supporters of the women’s game don’t think they could average even 5,000 fans a night for a WNBA franchise.

-

Yes, that was Matt Bonner hanging around the Canada game on Saturday night, chatting up Canada Basketball CEO Wayne Parrish and a raft of other ne’er-do-wells Matt met during his time with the Raptors.

And yes, he made a joking comment about getting himself a Canadian passport and playing for the national team.

I have no idea how immigration really works in this country but I’m sure someone in the upper echelons of Canada Basketball will see if the move is possible.

That’d be very cool. Too bad he couldn’t be with the team now; he could check that German basketball legend Chris Kaman in exhibition games this week.

-

More mail:

Q: So I've read that cap's gonna be around 59 and tax 71 or something close to that, but what is the penalty for being over the cap but not over the tax level, say 65 or something like that?
Thanks,
Bryce F, Markham

A: No real penalty, except that a team over the cap can’t sign free agents to anything other than various cap exceptions that exist.

-

Big night tonight.

We should get a look at the official cap and tax numbers sometime this evening, maybe as late as midnight, and that’s going to determine more than a few salaries out there since the mid-level exception number will become official.

It’s not going to have a huge impact here but it might in one subtle way.

There is a chance, after the tax number comes out, that the Raptors withdraw their qualifying offer to Carlos Delfino, which will make him an unrestricted free agent.

(And before the hooting and hollering starts again, the Raptors ARE NOT going to re-sign him, they don’t have the money, don’t really want that kind of clutter on the roster again and it’s not going to change).

Anyway, I’m told Delfino has had at least one very financially lucrative offer in Europe but that he wants to remain in the NBA if at all possible and there are a couple of teams sniffing around and perhaps willing to pay him close to what he wants.

I’m not sure what his salary goal is but he made about $1.8 million last year so I’d think a three-year deal for around $7 million might be around his asking price.

Comments

[Ben]

Doug, don't you think that it makes a lot more sense for the Raptors to spread the basketball wealth, and put their D-team in another area of the country?

The Halifax Rainmen who were of the ABA, now of the PBL approached the NBDL about joining before this season, had the investigations, gave the execs the tour, etc;. But were told that this season would be too early, as there aren't enough teams in the northeast.

This would help spread the NBA/Raptors brand to another area of the country, and the give the team a base in the east, only a 2 hour flight from Toronto. Halifax enjoys it's basketball, and hosted the CIS champhionship for many years. I think this would benefit the Raptors a lot more than having the team play to 800 people in the same city that hosts the full blown NBA team. Your thoughts?

Blogger's note: Makes a little sense, sure; but wouldn't it make more sense to have a team in the Toronto area partially owned by the Raptors and a team in Halifax with local ownership to satisfy the league's concerns for more teams in the East?

[Andrew]

I don't understand why Delfino is a non-priority. He seems like the perfect depth guy for this team. If Kapono's shots aren't dropping, Delfino gets some burn. Calderon is having an off game, he gets some rest and Delfino can fill in. Moon is making Smitch's hair fall out? Go to Delfino. The guy was inconsistent, yes, but he could be the best shooter on the floor any given night, and he takes a charge better than any other Raptor. He's also a fearless slasher. Remember when he tried to dunk on Howard in the playoffs? Took it right at his body, and drew a tech on Dwight.

I think he'd be one of the best 9-10 guys in the league. $2 million a year isn't too much to ask for what he is capable of bringing. What gives?

Blogger's note: Here we go again. It's partially a money issue, it's partially wanting to clean up a glut on the roster.
And, actually, there were nights when he wasn't one of the best 9-10 guys on his team, let alone the league.

[Tim H.]

"And, yes, Andrea Bargnani is not playing in Vegas. He never was going to, he’s spending his summer working on his game on his own in Italy"

What exactly does "working on his own" mean? I mean, I'm not sure what a basketball player can work on, "on his own." Is he working with some coaches over there? Other players? Or is he just working on his shooting/foul shooting?

Blogger's note: He's working with trainers and coaches, working on shooting form and ball-handling, post moves like jump hooks and drop steps., All the stuff all the guys in the league work on.

[Derek]

Here's to hoping that Nathan Jawai can be included in the second round allstar team someday........
I have chosen, who I feel, to be the best second round draft pick from the drafts since 1998-2007 for a championship winning 10 man roster:

Starting 5

monta ellis pg/05
michael redd sg/00
manu ginobli sf / 99
mehmet okur pf/01
carlos boozer c/02

off the bench:

steve blake pg/03
Anderson varejao c/04
Rashard Lewis sf-sg /98
paul millsap pf/ 06
glen davis c-pf/07

Can aussie baby shaq be the 11th man?? Word has it hey may be davis/millsap"esque".

[voislav]

As someone well versed in immigration law (mostly through experience), I can say that Bonner does not qualify (yet) for a Canuck. It takes a minimum of three years of Canadian residence, excluding any time spent outside the country which for an NBA player is significant. I'm not sure what kind of exception can be made, maybe the Governor General or the Prime Minister can dish him out a passport.

[Aaron Campbell]

I might be the only one, but I like Joey Graham and thinks he has the chance to do something in the NBA. It seems Mitchell has always pulled the plug on Graham very quickly. He has always been the whipping boy. I think he can be a scoring sparkplug off the bench, and can be one of the few Raptors, besides Moon, who can ignite the crowd with a dunk.

He just needs the same leash as everyone else. He might of done well with the run and gun Suns of the past couple seasons or he might start lighting it up with a new team.

Who knows, he just needs not to feel like he has to look over his shoulder every two seconds.

[Jason]

Doug,
In regards to the JO opting out question, your forgot to add that JO has 22 million reasons not to opt out. I'd suspect that 22 million would be about equal to his next three year contract total so I seriously doubt there will even be a whisper of him opting out
Also, its been pointed out that it takes three years living in the country for a Canadian passport but I'm not sure how true that is. Swirsky got one but lived in Chicago in the offseason and I also suspect that when you marry a Canadian, you'd probably get a fast-track somehow. Maybe this could be clarified by the "well versed" person (not listing the posters name as I got burnt last time on the above/below name thing. Sorry btw)

Blogger's note: You're wrong on one key point, Swirsky didn't live in Chicago in the off-season, he and his family had a cabin-cottage in Michigan they went to for a month or so but he stuck around and did his radio gig.

[Neil]

Rod Benson Suns/Raptors summer league? Any word? Despite your consistent NO 14th player I'm holding out hope that they sign him as an insurance policy in case JON/CB4 goes down and Shaq-aroo is a bust. Boom Tho!

[mark]

i don't know why you guys are freaking out over getting delfino back... did you see the playoffs? he was soooo inconsistent and didn't set-up defensively. he looked like he didn't know what he was doing out there.

admittedly, we have a few raptors who suffer from the same condition, but to me, he was the most confused player on the floor.

let him go! roll the dice and we'll get something better. TRUST BC!
m

[Paul]

Or Bonner could marry a Canadian Gal and be in inside of 6 months.

[Geoff Phillips]

I'd be shocked if Jermaine leaves 22 mill on the table next year.

Doug your not the least bit interested in summer league? Beasley had his way with thomas and Noah yesterday.

Blogger's note: I've covered half a dozen or so summer leagues, I've pretty much had my fill, thanks.

[CARLoS]

I thought the Red Rocket was going to marry a good ol' Canadian lady this summer. Wouldn't that get him citizenship? It's not like he's going to be suiting up for the US team anytime soon.

[Joe]

is it just me or did derek, who posted the best 2nd round team, miss out on the most obvious second round all star in agent zero? :)

[Amr Abou-Guendia]

Tim H.'s dream team forgot one player in his 2nd round dream teams. Gilbert Arenas. 30th pick, 2nd in the 2nd round.

[H to the Immo]

Have to agree with Ben about Delfino. He was (at times) the second best player on the team, and probably deserved to start over Parker or Moon. He had a knack for loose rebounds, and he made plays consistently on both ends of the floor.

I'm sure that Colangelo saw the same games that we saw, so I think Doug is a bit overconfident in writing the guy off. If there's cap space, they'll sign him.

And if Joey tanks in the summer league, expect a buy-out. The dude's an awesome athlete, but unfortunately he's just not a basketball player.

[Steve G]

Pretty sure Gilbert Arenas needs to be added to your list Derek.

Put Monta to the bench and get rid of Blake or Davis.

[The Mountie]

In addition -- as someone somewhat versed in FIBA laws -- a national team is allowed only one naturalized player on its FIBA roster, meaning if the Red Rocket suited up for us, Team Canada would have to bump Dalembert.

Blogger's note: You're bang on on that one, as another person somewhat well-versed in FIBA laws mentioned to me earlier today.

[2nd gen canadian]

"It takes a minimum of three years of Canadian residence, excluding any time spent outside the country "

- actually you can leave up to 2 months per year and not have that count against you.

[Geeve]

"I have chosen, who I feel, to be the best second round draft pick from the drafts since 1998-2007 for a championship winning 10 man roster:

Starting 5

monta ellis pg/05
michael redd sg/00
manu ginobli sf / 99
mehmet okur c/01
carlos boozer pf/02

off the bench:

steve blake pg/03
Anderson varejao c/04
Rashard Lewis pf-sf /98
paul millsap pf/ 06
glen davis c-pf/07"

ummmm, I would take off Big Baby, move Ellis to the bench since Gilbert was a 2nd rounder, thus he starts!

[lulu]

Hey Doug,

are the raptors getting another shooting coach/assistant? Since Andrea shoot the ball better when the raptors had one.

Thank you!

Blogger's note: Nope, no plans to add anyone to the staff.

[Mash]

Writer Derek's list omitted a certain feller by the name of Gilbert Arenas, along with Mehmet Okur, and on a lesser note, Rafer Alston and Mo Williams.

[Jay Menard]

This may be a stupid question, specifically in the fact that I'm not sure of the cap economics, but would there be any value for Delfino in a sign-and-trade in return for an affordable missing piece? I assume it's probably easier for an interested club just to make him an offer without losing anything in terms of compensation.

Less dumb question: top basketball movies? On my list there's Hoop Dreams and Hoosiers. Any others I could be missing? (Does The Basketball Diaries count?) Please no "Blue Chips" references...

Blogger's note: Doing a sign-and-trade invovling Delfino worsens their salary concerns, which is why it's a virtual certainty it won't happen.
Movies? Let's have 'em. I'll toss out He Got Game, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh and Glory Road.

[leon]

If the Raptors aren't likely to sign Delfino, what's the logic behind the qualifying offer?

Blogger's note: Protecting themselves. When they did it, stuff like Adams and Ukic hadn't been done yet.

[Ron]

Doug, was there a particular reason why they didn't throw Joey into the D-League if game experience was what he lacked?

Blogger's note: Because last year was his third year in the NBA and they couldn't.

[Jon Tabak]

Re: Top Basketball Movies

I'll go with:

- Above the Rim
- White Men Can't Jump
- Space Jam