Back to the real Raptors work world

Finally, back to work.

Real work.

STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR

It's back to work after an eventful all-star break for the Raptors.

Like go to practice, talk to players, write stories for here and the paper, get ready to cover an actual game live and in person.

Might be a shock to the system.

And it’s also going to be a little late. Practice today doesn’t even start until mid-afternoon, I presume it’ll be long because they have to show Marion and Banks what they do so dinner plans are already delayed or dashed.

And for all you folks, you’re not going to get hear any words of wisdom from the new fellas until the supper hour, I don’t think. Makes your day long, too. Ha ha ha.

Anyway …

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I’m told Chris Bosh didn’t get much work in at the Raptors practice on Monday night, mainly some shooting and not much contact, if any.

That’s going to make today’s practice doubly important because if he doesn’t do anything this afternoon, I can’t see him playing tomorrow night against Cleveland. He’s always maintained he needs some practice time before getting back on the court and we can call last night a virtual washout.

It’ll make this afternoon more frenzied around there, since it’s also the first time we’ll get a crack at Shawn Marion.

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Speaking of Marion, he never expected to work out yesterday and I’m told he didn’t even arrive in Toronto until about 11 p.m.

Because he was with Miami, and because the Heat played last Thursday night, Marion had Monday off; it’s a rule that every team has to have four days off at the all-star break – if they played on the Thursday before the break, teams couldn’t hold practices the Monday after. Conversely, because the Raptors had last Thursday off.

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If Bryan’s going to make another deal – and I don’t think he is because most of the calls he’s getting are about Anthony Parker and he’s loathe to deal him because his value in the locker room and on the court – he’s absolutely got a big man on his mind.

There’s a thought around the team that maybe Marcus Banks will surprise some people and actually contribute consistently so they’re okay with the smalls but Hump’s probably a month away from being back on the court and the concern about the backup bigs is acute.

I don’t think it’s enough to make Colangelo do something risky but he is making calls to see what’s out there.

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One from the past:

Q: Hey Doug, I was just watching some old dunk contests on Raptors TV, and I was wondering where you were, and what you were thinking when He Who Shall... pretty much took the all-time dunk crown in 2000? How about the Olympic dunk later that year? With a bunch of years having passed since then, these moments still hold up as being really unbelievable don't they?

Dave M, Toronto

A: That night, I was sitting at the other end of the Oakland arena trying to figure out how to write running copy on a dunk contest that was going to end right on deadline. And, I was also thinking what a promising future was ahead for the team I covered and how it might be fun.

And in Sydney, I was a slack-jawed in the arena there as everyone else.

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I’m pretty sure you all saw this story this morning.

Let me get this straight:

Phoenix has a 36-year-old Grant Hill, a soon-to-be 37-year-old Shaquille O’Neal, a 35-year-old Steve Nash, has traded away Boris Diaw and Raja Bell and now wants to go back playing at a “breakneck” pace?

Yeah, that’s going to work really well.

Seriously, I think the Phoenix management has to get out of the sun; brains are being fried out there

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I’m torn, folks. Absolutely torn.

Sifting through the history books doing some Raptors trade deadline research I’m wrote ‘em all down and I could not for the life of me decide which was more inconsequential:

Feb. 20, 1997

Shawn Respert in, Acie Earl out.

Or

Feb. 21, 2008

Primoz Brezec in, Juan Dixon out.

Those, my friends, were not deals to shift the balance of power.

It makes the 2007 acquisition of Juan Dixon for Fred Jones look like last year’s Pau Gasol deal.

But when it came down to it, I gotta figure the 1997 one was bigger, Acie at least held a franchise record for a long time. Plus he had that wacky gait that made him memorable.

We’ll go over some of the Raptor deals that actually mattered later on in the week.

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Speaking of the Suns, there’s a thought now that maybe they don’t deal Stoudemire this week because it’d be too much change at one time.

But don’t for a second think Stoudemire will be there next fall if he’s there on Friday; the way money’s tight these days, it’s a virtual lock they move him somewhere in the summer.

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How utterly stupid is Jason Richardson?

One game suspension? Seems chintzy to me. Maybe the league will tack one on later.

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A question of geography:

Q: Random question Where is the raptors practice arena I always see on Raps TV? Is this part of the ACC or elsewhere? Thanks

Thomas N, Milton

A: It’s on the third floor, tucked back in a corner so they can have some privacy. If you ever get there during a practice day, you can find it by searching out beat grunts standing in the concourse waiting to be summoned in.

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Comments

[OCLakers]

Is Bosh worth more in a trade now, or this time next year?

Blogger's note: Impossible to say.

[David]

Doug - the Chicago Sun-Times claims a three-way with the Raptors getting Amare, the Bulls getting Bosh and the Suns getting Ty Thomas and expirings is - "gaining steam" - just throwing it out there so you can dis-spell it...obviously the Raptors don't gain much...Amare can walk at the same time as Bosh (2010)...do you think it's a case of people making too much of the Phoenix-connection?

Blogger's note: At the moment, utter fantasy and I don't see that changing

[Matt]

Good hob on PTS yesterday. Too bad Grange wasn't around for the round table 'cause you seem to have different takes on the Marion trade (your more optimistic) and it would have been interesting to listen to you try to resolve your opposing perspectives. I think it will be interesting to watch if Bargnani's and Marion's strengths complement each others as much as I think they will.

[Pete W.]

I realize you may not have the answer for this but I figured it doesnt hurt to ask.

Are TV rights negotiated one season at a time?

Does TSN2 already have rights for next season, and if not what are the chances that MLSE gives them more games?Personally I would love for The Score to pick up 95% of the games with the other 5% split between RTV and CBC.

Another throw in question is why is there no comment from the Raptors camp about this? Are they banned from commenting on the subject?

Blogger's note: As far as I know, the TV schedules are negotiated each summer.

[gdr]

Hey Doug,

have you heard anything about a Bosh-Amare-Bulls 3-team deal? Just wondering if there's any truth to this or just the media dreaming up trade scenarios?

Blogger's note: Fantasy from everything I've been told by people who'd know

[Jason]

Doug,
Marions wearing 17. Can you please ask why for me? I know he was 7 but I figured he'd go back to 31.
Thank you in advance

Blogger's note: A high-ranking Raptor official told me Sunday night he would wear 31.

[Pete]

Doug, another hypothetical. ESPN reports the warriors offered biedrins, randolph, turiaf, bellinelli, 1st round pick for Bosh. Even if it is completely false, would you consider this trade?

Blogger's note: Sorry, makes no sense to react to fantasy. If that were to turn out legit, I'd think about it; until then, I have more important stuff to do

[Amr]

The Chicago Sun-Times published the Bosh rumour:

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/1434361,CST-SPT-bull17.article

Are they just publishing fantasy crap, or does this story have legs?

Blogger's note: No legs, as I've mentioned

[Kyron]

@ Pete.

That was not an ESPN report. That was columnist Chad Ford listing 5 trades that he believe should happen. Just fantasy trades. Not rumored, not discussed. Just trades he feels make sense for both teams

[Travis]

Doug - huge AP fan here, but wouldn't trying to trade him for someone like John Salmons (all karma aside) make sense in that you get an 'upgrade' for the same price, but locked in for 3 years... and if you really want AP, you try to sign him in the off-season. Just a thought, keep up the good work.

[Dan W]

The person who wrote the artical started by saying that theses are trade scenarios he thinks should happen. Not ones he has heard discussed.
"While all of the players involved in these scenarios have been mentioned in trade talks, these deals are hypothetical. I am not saying that they will happen, or that they even have been discussed by teams -- I'm just saying they should happen."

[SY]

I just think we are one trade away from being a legit eastern conference title contender. The trade of Parker, Graham & Solomon for Butler makes a lot of sense for both sides. Parker, Graham & Solomon are all expiring contracts - which Washington desparately needs since they will be over the luxury tax, at least 5 million, next year just by keeping its current roster. For us, we have another legit all-star guard. Problem is we have to go over the luxury tax this year (since we have two add two more fillers to make count at 13). Next year though, when Marion's contract goes off the book, we will be siting at around 56 million. Assume Cap is 58 million, we can sign Rasho to a 3 year 5 million contract. We use the MLE on Delfino for 3 years 10 million and Larry-Bird on Marion for 3 years 21 million. Total payroll sit somewhere around 68 million. Not to mention we have the following line-up.

Bosh/Nathan
Bargnani/Nesterovic/Humpries
Jose/Banks/Ukic
Marion/Kapono
Butler/Delfino

+ a 2009 first rounder.

Doug, do you think it make sense?

-SY

[Will]

Dan W wrote: "The person who wrote the artical started by saying that theses are trade scenarios he thinks should happen. Not ones he has heard discussed."

To be clear, he's talking about the Golden State-Toronto trade scenario brought up by Pete.

[Amr]

Dan W,

That article in the Sun-Times did not have a disclaimer as you suggested.

Were you talking about the ESPN report?

[Pete]

I'd definitely do the Bosh trade with Biedrins, Randolph, Turiaf, Bellinelli, and 1st round pick. Bosh is good and I like him; but to get that much talent in return? I'd do it in a second. Biedrins is a virtual lock for double double every night, Turiaf is another big body that we could add to our thin front, Bellinelli is a promising 2-guard that we need, AND he reunited with Bargs. The pick is the icing on the cake.

Jose/Ukic/Banks (I assume Solomon is released)
Parker/Bellinelli
Marion/Joey/Kapono
Biedrins/Hump/Jake
Bargs/Turiaf/Nate

Looks pretty good to me.

[Pete]

Forgot to throw in Randolph!

Jose/Ukic/Banks
Parker/Bellinelli/Kapono
Marion/Joey/Randolph
Biedrins/Hump/Jake
Bargs/Turiaf/Nate

Looking better!

[Chris]

Hi Doug,

is it a prerequisite for your readers to hang out with Michael Phelps before writing some of this stuff?

[Dan W]

Yeah. I was talking about the ESPN report.

[Jeff Steele]

Hey Doug,

How much more could the Raps offer Marion this offseason than the rest of the league? (Just ball-park figures would be nice)

Thanks

Blogger's note: They can give him six years with annual raises of 10,5 per cent as opposed to maximums of five years with 8 per cent bumps elsewhere. The dollar figure? Any team can offer up to 20 per cent of the total cap value.

[Johnny Smith]

Go back and look at every single deal that's ever been done in the NBA and you'll see that the team that came out on top was almost ALWAYS the team that got back the best player. The fictional Bosh to GS trade for Biedrins and a bunch of average-at-best role players would have us giving up the best player by far. Bad trade. Thank god it's pure fiction.

As for the reader who proposed AP + Graham + Solomon for Butler, you're right, that would be a GREAT trade for Toronto, only it has 0 chance of happening, EVER. Unless Rob Babcock is suddenly running the Washington Wizards there's no way they give up their young allstar for a bunch of scrubs from an Eastern Conference team that is only one spot above them (i.e. second last) in the standings. Get real.

[Tim W.]

That three-way Amare trades makes me chuckle. Apparently people are forgetting that Marion was traded away from Phoenix, in large part, due to issues between he and Amare. The two chemistry killers on the Suns team and that's who people seem to want. Secondly, I would love to know what the over/under was for fans to realize that Amare doesn't play defense or pass and wish they had Bosh back. Especially those who want to get rid of Bosh.

Does anyone wonder why Chicago wouldn't just want Amare himself, instead of bringing Toronto into it? Doesn't that strike anyone who wants this trade as odd?

[ben petrie]

Hi Doug - say Marion comes in and plays well over the remainder of the season. (by well I mean solid all-round contribution that helps the team in a noticeable way and results in some victories) what kind of a contract do you think Marion will receive from the Raps or another team in the off-season? I've seen estimates of 3yrs $30M, but I think it could be a lot less given the economic slowdown and the fact that so few teams will have cap space. I think it could be as low as 3yrs ~$16M, which I believe is just over the mid level exemption. I look at baseball and see comparable players like Bobby Abreu having to settle for modest one year deals ($5M in his case). I know it's hard to compare players in different sports but they're both solid vets, getting up in years etc. Abreu's deal seems really low compared to past years, do you think the same will happen in the NBA? What contract would you estimate for Marion?

Blogger's note: Absolutely no idea; and won't have one until the summer. It won't be $17 million though

[Talha]

Doug, can you comment on the rumours about Bosh to Bulls, Amare to Toronto trade? I find it to be completely bogus.

Thoughts?

Blogger's note: Bogus, untrue, nothing to it.

[Pete]

Hey Doug

Did you get a chance to read the story about the NBA having to borrow money to help teams... which to me is the real big story of the all-star weekend. It must have an effect on the Raps as our guys are paid in us dollars how much do you think this will effect us this summer our dollar is 80 cents today.. is this story true or more Internet nonsense.

I hear you chris.... they maybe crystal meth users

Blogger's note: The NBA set up a line of credit teams can borrow from if they want, or need, to. Not a huge amount and more prudent business than anything.

[Pete]

Doug

Forgot to send you the link to the story

http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/nba_tracker/posts/50603-nba-to-borrow-175m-for-15-teams?eref=fromSI