Big game or not, Walter's here!

So, is this a big “statement” game or not?

Sam says no, but that’s how Sam is. We usually bust on him early in a season, suggesting this game or that is a “must win.” Being Sam, he’ll be a contrarian and counter with some sensible suggestion that “what if it’s a must-win and we lose? Does that make the next one a must, must win? And then a must, must, must win after that?”
You can see his point.

But, really, this one tonight does have of extra juice, even if it is No. 4 in a long, long, long regular season.

Jermaine O’Neal hinted at that yesterday:

"I won't lie to you and say it's just another game. I'm very excited. Obviously, both teams understand that only one can walk out of the gym tomorrow (undefeated). It's a true test of how we line up against one of the better teams in the NBA. I'm pretty pumped about the opportunity.

"You want to beat a team like that. They're the Pistons and I obviously have a lot of familiarity with that team, with the type of the battles that we've had."

I’m sort of with Sam on this one, though. It’s No. 4 of 82, you’ll have a point guard making his second start for Detroit who won’t be starting in a week and despite three straight wins the Raptors are far, far, far from a finished product.

I just hope it’s as entertaining as Friday night, a feat that will be hard to duplicate.

It’ll be interesting to see how the fans react, too. They were geeked big time for Golden State but I wonder how much that had to do with it being opening night and a Friday.

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REUTERS PHOTO

Walter Herrmann: blog favourite in town tonight.

Here’s the deal on Iverson and playing tonight in Toronto.

It’s going to be up to Chauncey.

Billups had to get from Charlotte to Detroit to Colorado to meet the Nuggets and take and pass his physical before the deal can be finalize.

As I type this early Wednesday morning, he hadn’t done that. Maybe he gets to Denver today (although the Nuggets are in Oakland) and completes all the stuff in time for Iverson to play here.

But, reading this, the Nuggets aren’t expecting to see him in their lineup until Friday so maybe he chills with his family for another day and doesn’t get his stuff done until tonight or tomorrow, leaving Iverson on the shelf for another night.

Guess you’ll just have to check back here periodically to find out, he said in a hope of driving up the number of hits so that bosses see them inflated and offer me the untold riches I so richly deserve.

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Check this one out.

Most interesting line?

The one about Rip Hamilton not even speaking about the deal yet.

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Quick check of mail reveals about zillion questions about the trade, a million or so on McDyess and not much in the way of stuff that’ll hold up until the end of the week or the weekend.

Come on, people.

But there is this:

Q: Doug, I was wondering, do players get a trophy or certificate when they win Player of the month or week?

John T, Hamilton

A: Nah, they get the thanks of a grateful nation, that’s about it. Player of the month gets a nifty prize package, player of the week gets squat.

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A bit of a digression.

Everyone stay up to watch U.S. election coverage? A question: How’d you like to live in, or have voted in, a state that was a 2008 example of political garbage time?

We now get back to why we’re really here.

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Okay, McDyess.

Let me reiterate: I don’t know if he’ll come, I don’t know if he’ll retire or if he’s got some wink and a nod with the Pistons to eventually get back in Detroit.

But I do think it’s worth making a call, just to see if he’s interested once a buyout is arranged in Denver.

And if the Nuggets buy him out, Toronto (or any other team for that matter) is not on the hook for any of his remaining salary. That’s, um, bought out. It’s gone.

They could – and should – offer him the pro-rated veteran minimum, which is hardly a financial burden.

Anyway, it was a suggestion that I think Bryan should listen too (after all, he seldom takes my advice, this would be a good time to start). How it’s greeted by McDyess is entirely impossible to predict.

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Speaking of digressions, guess we know what Bosh did last night (Besides check out the 2010 housing markets in New York, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami and New Jersey).

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You ever wonder about the interaction between head coaches and their staffs? Check out this transcript of Sam from the other day when we were talking about Mike Curry in Detroit.

"The only thing I told Mike was, coach your basketball team. It’s great to have assistants on your bench who’ve coached before and have knowledge and stuff and if you’re fortunate enough to have guys on your bench who’ve been head coaches, that’s even better.

"But at the end of the day, if you’re the head coach. If you’re not the voice, then the players are going to gravitate to who the voice is. And if it’s one of your assistants, then regardless of your title, that’s who they’re going to gravitate to. My only advice to him was use those guys, pick their brains but when you walk out on the floor in front of that basketball team, they’ve got to know and understand that you’re the head coach.”

I don’t get to go to the coaches meetings here (that would be a hoot, wouldn’t it?) but the mood I see on this staff is very much like that. I’m pretty sure Mike and Alex and Jay and Eric and Gord and Micah (damn, that’s a big staff, isn’t it?) make their suggestions, sometimes very forcefully and probably sometimes trying to make Sam think he’s thought of some idea they’ve actually thought of (as if Sam would fall for that old trap!)

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Two words to remember watching tonight’s game

Walter Herrmann!

That’s my boy. Playing great. Contributing. Being Walter. Gotta love the energy.

You wonder, or some might at least, where this infatuation came from. Athens Olympics, 2004.

I and Peter May, then of the Boston Globe and one of the all-time greats, happened to see a lot of Walter and the Argentina gold medal team at those Olympics and, let me tell, you, the dude was impressive. Ever since that tournament, I’ve been a fan.

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And, finally:

Q: I know the NBA champions meet with the US President each year but who's hand would the Raptors shake if/when they win a title?

Nick H-C, Vancouver

A: Been there, done that with this but it’s timely so why not revisit. I’d presume they’d do both, go see Barack or whoever it is, and also stop by 24 Sussex Drive. I believe that’s what the Jays did eons ago when they were good.

Comments

[Uncle Zeke]

"have a point guard making his second start for Detroit who won’t be starting in a week"

Actually Stuckey started a bunch of games last year and if you'd bothered watching the playoffs last year Stuckey started when Billups went down and played so well that Detroit felt they could deal Billups. Mike Curry calls him his sixth starter and the Pistons have expectations that this guy will be a long-time All-Star for them.

It will be interesting if Iverson does play to see how Calderon and Ukic handle the Iverson/Stuckey combo. It's a very interesting change of pace combination: Iverson with his quickness and Stuckey with his power. Almost like in football where you have your skat back and power back.

[Ellie]

Kinda nice to see a basketball player taking an interest in politics, particularly when they directly affect his community. I'm sure the dude who wrote Million Dollar Slaves would say it's too bad Bosh didn't offer his commentary and urge people to vote BEFORE the results were known, but you can't have everything.

[DougG]

I can't think of a reason why Bosh would not want to leave a back water like Toronto to live and work in Detroit, the Paris of the mid west, for less money and a shorter contract. All I hope is he tells us ahead of time so we can get something for him.

[Joe T.]

Doug, wasn't there a bit of a hue and cry last year about this business of trading someone just to get him back after the other team buys him out? Wasn't that something that was going to be addressed during the offseason? I don't recall hearing anything about it during the Summer but maybe you did.

Blogger's note: There's a 30-day waiting period now.

[aditya]

about hamilton not commenting on the billupps/iverson trade, he made a no comment, comment by signing the 3 year extension...

[K]

Stop digging this hole with your irrational love McDyess.

McDyess does not fill a need, unless BC has officially given up on Andrea and has serious trade talks going that will bring immediate salary relief and a swingman superior to Parker, Kapono, Moon and Graham (one can hope, but I wouldn't bet the bank on it).

McDyess is not going to put us over the top and get us deep into the playoffs.

A week ago, you pointed out the financial implications of signing a free agent pointguard to backup Jose... the same applies here. Even giving McDyess the veteran's minimum puts us over the cap and costs us millions in payments from the league.

As per usual, I commend you on your fantastic analytical skills and knowledge.

Blogger's note: You know, the cheap shot at the end diminishes your points. Always has, always will
But thanks, as always, for the insight.

[jk]

Lets just clear something up: Rodney Stuckey is going to be an All Star. Rodney Stuckey totally outplayed both Calderon and Ford in the playoffs last year (as did Jameer Nelson and Rajon Rondo), Rodney Stuckey STARTED in the playoffs last year and Detroit beat Orlando, which Toronto could not do.
Detroit, with or without Iverson can beat Toronto easily.

[Ryan K]

Doug,

I enjoyed the different take in today's paper. Looking forward to future articles. Keep up the good work.

[yertu damkule]

jk - good point(s), but if you're snarky, then it doesn't count. technically, stuckey didn't 'outplay' caldeford (or forderon), since they didn't actually face each other. he did play very well in the playoffs, and if they had faced the raps, i'm sure he would have played very well then, just as i'm sure he'll play well tonight (whether AI actually dresses or not). of course, they did lose to the cavs, which, last i checked, didn't have much coming from the PG spot last year, (or anywhere else besides bron, for the most part) so your argument sort of runs aground there...

doug - K does raise a good point. to me, backup PG is as big (or bigger) need than is bench frontcourt help. the idea of signing him to the minimum is all well & good, but as you've repeatedly stated over the last few months, going over the tax threshold not only means that the raps have to pay the tax, they lose out on the share that teams under the tax receive....which is the ENTIRE reason they've stayed under the tax threshold.

i'm sure that if they were to do a signing like this, they'd make another move to clear some room (or try) to get back under before the end of the year (when the tax is actually calculated). i just don't get how a guy like mcdyess, as valuable a presence as he may very well be, would provide that much more help than would a decent backup PG making the vet's min (or a decent swingman, but that's a whole other story). i mean, they can role 4 bigs at the moment who can, at worst (i.e. hump), hold their own against most frontcourts in the league. but they only have one PG that you can say the same about. how is that not a bigger concern?

[NS]

@JK: youre right about the point guard situation in the playoffs last season, but you seem to have completely disregarded (and/or underestimated) the arrival of JO in toronto, and its impact on Bosh and Jose.

[vc]

Hi Doug,

How about a trade involving Hermann for Hump? Would the salary match and do u think Detroit will bite?

Blogger's note: No

[pkm]

@all: Courting McDyess makes sense for a few reasons - Raps don't want him playing in Boston/Philly/Chicago/Cleveland/Orlando; he is an upgrade to Hump; it makes a 2 for 1 trade at the deadline doable, potentially for a backup combo guard and a salary dump. Acquiring McDyess does not automatically mean they will be over the limit because Colangelo will have until next June to perform a little managerial magic to get them under. Finally, McDyess is a much, much, much better acquisition than any of the PGs suggested last week.

[k]

"Blogger's note: You know, the cheap shot at the end diminishes your points. Always has, always will
But thanks, as always, for the insight."

Interesting how you get so defensive when someone takes a shot at you (and I don't see it in my post), yet you never seem to pull back the punches when you find an opportunity to take a shot at someone else... ironically enough, you've taken shots over the exact same analysis.

It is also interesting that you fail to address the substance of yertu damkule or my posts. Now that one of your favourite players might possibly, maybe (if every card falls perfectly and a coin lands on its edge at the same moment toast falls on the unbuttered side) be available, all analysis and reasoning goes out the window and it's impolite to point it out to you?

[brad]

hey Doug, is Will Sallamon healthy? if he is healthy do you think he will get some minutes tonite instead of Roko to try and match up against AI on defence? do you feel he has better defensive skills then Roko?

Blogger's note: Solomon should dress tonight and he could get some minutes but Iverson isn't going to play, we don't think, so that won't be why Solomon plays. If he does

[Edgar]

The Raps are winning this one. Period. AI isnt going to play and the steller play will continue. The only question is if we get a sufficient lead (+10) to be able to play Ukic, Hump, Bargs, Joey(who will get plenty of chances to get minutes matched up against Maxiell and Amir Johnson - similar tweeners) more than minimal minutes since the lack of comfortable leads sofar have made us push the starters so much.

[Brook]

Detroit comes to this game down two bodies, both of which logged appreciable minutes. Even if they magically don't feel the loss of Billups' starting minutes -- because Stucky is so awesome -- who will fill the back-up void tonight? the alphabetically gifted trio of Acker, Afflalo and Bynum are not exactly proven heroes.

Speaking of back-ups, don't you think the Raps will try and get Wallace into foul trouble? Kwame Brown has played, what 3 minutes? after that you lose 2-3 inches on JO, Andrea and Bosh.

Maybe they play small -- but in that case, they will need to run, and someone is going to have to give Stuckey a breather in that case.
Detroit has grit, and some young players that are likely dying to prove themselves worthy of playing time. That said, the raps should have a good chance to win. (Raps by 5)

[Tabber]

Okay, so we have more experts on here that are obviously overqualified to be GMs or coaches in the NBA, that's the only reason they aren't working there now. But the snarkiness seems to have got in the way of actually getting a response, so, Doug, serious question here, and I've never snarked at you yet: why would the Raptors pay the tax, and lose the income as a result of going over it, for McDyess, but not for a PG ? And to the snarkers, please put in your places of work so I can come over and critique your work - what's sauce for the goose is certainly sauce for the gander, as "K" acknowledges, so I'm sure you'll let us know where to come and criticize you, in your next post, lest your credibility (huh?) be completely lost to your hypocrisy. Right now, the critics are wastes of flesh, and will continue to be so until they display their qualifications. And before you start flaming me. I'm a commenter, so I can criticize the commenters. Keep up the good work, Doug, and just don't include the overqualified hypocrites!

Blogger's note: I happen to think their backup point guards are okay; not great, not horrible, but okay. And I think they need some big man insurance. But that's just me.

[aditya]

ye the mcdyess thing still puts us over the tax level, so i dont theres any point. hey doug, no offence, but the point we all (fans) are trying to make is that dyess is no more important than a 3rd string point guard (a 2nd stringer if roko ukic/solomon cannot handle the pressure of the NBA)...

mcdyess puts us over the tax level the same way as a veteran point guard....because both are gonna have the same # of years of experience in the NBA with the prorated salary.

and yes, mcdyess coming to toronto hinders bargnanis growth. Are we a contendor right now? No... (so mcdyess shouldn't be brought here this year, thats for sure, in my opinion)...

Love your column, read it everyday in the morning at work...Keep it up....

You like D. Feschuck? Everyone seems to hate him... If Feschuck is spelled incorrectly, please don't get on me...

[TF]

K, the way you "pointed it out" to him was rude and condescending. Then you contradicted yourself with a compliment. No surprise it was interpreted as a cheap shot - that's how I read it too. But now you're questioning Doug's snarky response to your comment? Sorry, you can't expect to be treated like a king when you talk to someone like that.

[Sivart]

I actually agree with others who don't like the idea of signing Mcdyess. First off I think the raptors are quite fine going with their current 3 man big rotation, and if foul trouble emerges Hump is serviceable enough to step in without our season going to hell. I think bringing in Mcdyess would only stunt the development of Bargnani by taking more minutes away from him.

Obviously everybody is free to have their own opinion, but at the end of the day I doubt it matters much anyways cuz Mcdyess has made it pretty clear he wants to go to detroit, and if he were to go to another team there would be several championship contenders giving him a ring that he would pick before us.

[K]

TM, if you actually see this, I have no problem with Dougie taking shots at me. But I find it ridiculous that he gets upset after I point out the flaws in his analysis, while he makes a living off SELECTING letters from his "mailbag" and insulting the common fan for making a similar (virtually identical) mistake.

Please note that the common fan isn't paid to inform the public about the Raptors.

As for Tabber - this is a comment section and I can comment. You can disagree with me just as much as I can disagree with Doug.