Welcome to the Sunday mail

Hello, folks. Here’s the usual Sunday mail offerings, covering a whole bunch of stuff that doesn’t have to do with the trade or all-star weekend. I’ve got some stuff squirreled away for tomorrow morning on the escapades in Phoenix that’s better off being done as a full all-star weekend recap.

I will say this: Rudy Fernandez got hosed. Big time.

Oh, and if any of you are interested, I’ll be around tonight on this machine watching the game, hopefully full of snark and cynicism and marginal comedy. You’re welcome to join me.

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Q: Hi Doug, I am a fan of basketball who watches 2-4 NBA games on TV every week, plus some CIS games. The Raptors are having a bad season, and have generally played uninspired basketball (aside from the odd intriguing game). Even with Bosh it's not like the OKC situation where we get to see an exciting young layer growing into his role. I will likely still watch but I can see the obvious arguments against it. What would you say is the incentive for a fan to tune or attend any of their remaining games? Is there a point where a team’s fans should seek out higher quality basketball games by playoff teams rather than watching for the sake of supporting the team?

Peter S, Hamilton

A: Whether or not fans to go to games is not something I’m overly concerned about, if you feel the way to protest is to withhold your attendance and your money, that’s your call.

But the reason I watch basketball – at least games that I’m not attending because it’s my job – is that at least once in almost every game you’re at, something will happen to make you go “holy crap!”

In 40-point blowouts and buzzer-beaters, often in college as well as the NBA, there’s a moment of jaw-dropping athleticism that shows you why it’s such a wonderful sport.

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Q: With the trade deadline approaching, I was wondering if you could entertain us on your thoughts as to whether it is easier to make a trade in the NHL or the NBA. In the NHL, there is a hard cap, no luxury tax, so teams just can't go over the cap. However, in the NBA, for some reason, the salaries have to match within a certain percentage. I would think both situations impair trades. But which one impairs trades the most, in your opinion?

Sohail G, Collingwood

A: The most? Probably the NBA one because there are fewer assets that can be involved. You’ve only got 13-15 players, only eight or nine of them play with any regularity, the financial restrictions are serious and there are no minor leaguers or late-round draft picks that can be tossed in to make things, hopefully, more even.

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Q: Hello Doug. It seems to be the prevailing wisdom that Bosh needs some better players around him for this team to get better. However, this team was better in 06-07 and he wasn't surrounded by any more "stars" than he is now. What is the difference?

Tannis T, Eastend

A: The talent level of the players around him. No, they might not have been “stars” but they were, in the opinion of many, more skilled, younger, and a better group.

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Q: Reaching back into the annals of Raptors lore, how close was Isiah Thomas to obtaining ownership of the Raptors? I'm guessing, based on his subsequent performances, that had he done so, there would currently be no basketball franchise in Toronto. Keep up the good work! It's a tough job to keep people engaged when the season has gone as horribly as this one has.

Stephen L, Toronto

A: He wasn’t close at all, there were financing issues that were too big for him to overcome. But I will say this: What he envisioned when he tried to take over is exactly that happened in reality. He knew that the Raptors and Leafs had to get together in some corporate entity, he knew they had to share an arena and branch out into things like television, internet and other sports properties.

He may not have done it, but what became Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment was very much what he wanted.

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Q: Almost gave up on the game against the Wolves, glad I didn't. Kapono's quick shots can't be any worse than Raps usually half court, so I say shoot away. ESPN (which I like except for one guy) had five quick fixes for the Clips and Golden State, if you were asked, as Toronto's expert, for five quick fixes for Toronto, what would they be?

Bruce M, Winnipeg

A: I presume they just rattled off quick points so I will to:

Address wing positions and its lack of athleticism.

Find backcourt depth, especially at the point guard

Now shore up depth at centre, power forward

Play smarter on defence

Add some imagination to the offence, the sets are too staid.

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Q: Given that the extended leash they've gotten from the coaching change has done nothing to solve the infuriating inconsistency of Bargnani, Graham, and Moon I ask the following: Was Mitchell right about these guys all along in giving them the quick hook? Or, did he beat them down so bad that their fractured psyches will never recover?

Mark F, Toronto

A: I don’t think Sam was entirely wrong, no. Sam needed to try and give his team a chance to win every night, or at least get to the fourth quarter within striking distance, and he felt he needed to run guys at the two-three in and out quickly to find which of them was going to be good every game. History will prove whether he was right or wrong.

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Q: How does the NBA compare to other leagues when it comes to community relations? It seems that the NBA has a lot more media around their NBA Cares campaign. Do you know why that is? And are the rumours true that Matt Bonner is thinking of becoming a Canadian?

Sheel S, Seattle

A: I think the NBA Cares campaign, and the other stuff they do like Basketball Without Borders and the All-star weekend Day of Service puts the league head and shoulders above any other North American pro league.

Bonner? I think he’ll investigate the process, which is time consuming.

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Q: I was wondering what your opinion is on the FIBA rule allowing only 1 naturalized citizen per team? Denying people the honour of representing their country, whether naturalized or not, seems rather outrageous to me.

Dennis P, Toronto

A: But that’s the point, it’s not “their” country, it’s one they’ve chosen. And there would be all kinds of abuses, I bet, if they let anyone get fake citizenship in any country they liked.

So I’m quite all right with it.

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Q: This is probably a hard question to answer, but what was the happiest time you've had here one the blog? By that I mean there were no angry e mails from fans, the Raptors were doing well, not many negatives and a generally good vibe.

Harry J, Auckland, NZ

A: Happiest time? The four days each summer when there’s nothing going on. I’m joking, of course; it’s a great job; hard, but great.

But I was pretty happy for three weeks in Beijing doing some different stuff for a change. But around these parts? There sure was a lot of love at the end of the 2006-07 season, which seems like eons ago.

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Q: Hey Doug! Great work on the blog! Keep the good intel coming! I got a couple of questions for you: First of all, I'm frustrated by all the talk about Bosh leaving next year. Have you ever seen the people of T.O. panic like this? Seriously, it's been a full year of will he/won't he and he's said nothing... Also, I was wondering what type of player you think we need to encourage him to stay. For example, when Kobe wanted out of LA 2 years ago, they traded for Pau Gasol and, all of a sudden, all was right with the world. So, who/what do you think Bosh is looking for as a compliment?

Steve N, Newmarket

A: Sure, people here panicked when Vince Carter was approaching free agency back in the 2001; the breathless anticipation and worry may not have lasted as long as this will but it was just as intense.

What kind player? That’s easy. Players who will allow his team to win more games.

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Q: Doug, I love reading the blog in the morning -- between working and studying too much and the TSN2 debacle it still lets me follow the team. With 2 decent wins and some good feelings going into the all-star break I find myself cautiously optimistic: we're 5 games back from Milwaukee and our biggest competition for that #8 seed is New Jersey. Here's the question: I can remember the 200? term going, I think, 16-2 to beat out the Bucks for the final spot with VC hurt and out of it. Are their any historical playoff runs like this you can think of? Or, because you're likely a 7-8 seed does nobody remember?

David T, Ottawa

A: I’m not sure of exactly what the record was, but Philly went on a huge run just last year and had a pretty good playoffs, too. Whether these guys can do that, or mirror the 2002 team that went 12-2 down the stretch is probably asking too much but it’s also probably worth thinking about.

Now, whether creeping into eighth or seventh is good enough for you or any fan is a matter of taste – I’d term an eighth-place finish a terrible disappointment of a season – but at least it might add some juice to the final 27 games.

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Q: After covering post games for years, and listening to the carbon copy responses, how refreshing is it to interview Jason Kapono? He's very entertaining, and his loose attitude is something that needs to rub off on some of the clones of the sports world.

Bernie H, Harriston

A: Jason’s rocketing up the charts as one of the all-time good Raptor quotes. Trouble is, he’s so lightning-fast at getting showered, changed and out of the arena, it’s hard for us to catch him every night.

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Q: Great job of mentioning a couple of neat plays, in (Thursday’s) writings, in which "easy" baskets resulted. But isn't that why you run a play - to occupy and shift the D? Not because you expect to score on it but because it creates that momentary space for creativity. It also produces the movement that the offensive team needs to have a decent chance at the rebound. I find the static isolation plays that many teams run to be boring and when ineffectual, doubly disappointing. So how do the Raptors get to have more of this happening? They seem to have the ingredients in terms of players and team mentality. Would you agree that it is the spontaneity that makes the game so beautiful to play and watch, win or lose? Who are the existing Raptors they should preserve to enhance it?

Alfred D, St. John’s

A: I would absolutely agree, and I’m sure you’ve seen the answer to the first question which sort of deals with it.

I’m not sure they have the kind of players you’re talking about, who are usually wildly athletic guards and swingmen who can break down a defence and get the defenders moving, which leads to the kind of spontaneous play you enjoy so much. The secret to any good offence is a combination of ball- and player-movement, we haven’t seen that nearly enough with this group this year to suggest it’s going to change all of a sudden.

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Q: Doug, love the blog, but don’t tell my boss. If they knew the amount of time I wasted everyday reading blogs and sports updates I would be fired-and I hear it is tough to find new employment today. Anyway I was wondering why the NBA has all those courtside seats reserved for media members - I understand the official scorer and a few key game personnel - but the Raptors have about 50 seats that they could sell at least $300.00 a pop, so why would all the other seats be needed? Couldn’t all the people there now just move up to the gondola level at the top of ACC?

Andrew S, Burlington

A: $300 a pop? Try about three or four times that, those suckers are expensive. Why do they do it? Most don’t and it’s to the ever-lasting credit of Media Relations Genius J. LaBumbard that we keep our seats here. In a lot of arenas, we’ve been moved to the baseline, or to the upper reaches of the lower bowl, or into seats suspended in the tunnels in the corners leading to the court.

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Q: I was just checking an outdated basketball website and saw a fellow by the name of DeAndre Hulett on the Raptors roster. Who is this guy? Also could we get a Giorgos Printezis update?

Imran P, Kingston

A: Hulett? A blown second round pick from 2000 who never had a chance to make it.

Printezis? Having an okay year in Europe, certainly not someone anyone should count on making a lasting impression over here for years. It may be time to bring him to camp and find out if he can make the team as an end-of-the-bencher but he might want to stick in Europe and make some more money first.

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Q: A couple of days ago you mentioned that Bonzi Wells would never be signed by the Raptors. And every once in while, in an article or site, a writer will mention that Bonzi will never get back into the league, but never get into the specific reasons why. He seemed to have NBA talent. Was he really that big of an ass? Any anecdotes or stories you've heard? It's not like I like Bonzi's game or anything. I'm just curious.

Talent P, Vancouver

A: My specific reason would be that he’s a 32-year-old former NBAer who hasn’t played a significant minute of good basketball since the 2005-06 season. His NBA career, a so-so one, is over. It happens.

Comments

[Peter]

Hey Doug, completely random question, but I was just wondering. How popular is Nate Jawai around the team?

Blogger's note: Same as everyone, they all seem to get along fine

[dcox]

It's not because the Raptors were better in 06/07, it was because they took teams by suprise, teams that didn't give 100% when they were playing them. Halfway through last year and this year (after Bosh's I am the mvp comment), you can see many more teams knowing they have to play hard to compete. The pendulum may be swinging the other way (teams not giving 100%), proved by San Antonios/ Houston's and Orlando's lack of "in-itness".
It's the same in any sport, if you think you will beat a team and coast through a game you will lose, and the bad team will win (some of the time).

[Takashi]

Will BC do a press conference to introduce Marion and Banks?
If yes when?

Blogger's note: Doubt it, probably just regular post-practice availability on Tuesday

[Amr]

Doug,

I read in the Miami Herald this morning that an Eastern conference scout called the Marion/O'Neal trade highway robbery for the Heat.

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/basketball/story/904728.html

Notwithstanding the the fact that this trade was a cap-space move for TO, how would you value from a talent perspective? I'm tempted to call it a push for both teams with maybe a slight edge to Miami. But highway, robbery? C'mon?

[Steve Gosse]

hasn't Bonner already applied to be a Canadian? Just hasn't heard anything from it yet?

and did Rudy even get hosed.. but how funny was it that when he took off his own jersey with the martin jersey under it.. everyone was like..who? good gesture though I guess.

[Raymond C]

Doug, did you catch that travesty of a commercial on TSN last night? The one the advertised TSN2.

So basically they rub it in our faces with all the events we missed, and go, "Missed these events? That's because you don't have TSN2."

...right, because that's really our fault we don't want to pay for another channel while the economy's going to crap.

[redbadge]

From watching the Leafs we've known for years that MLSE's only goal is to make money. Winning usually leads to more money, but there are strategies to make as much money as possible without winning being the major component. For instance, it isn't a coincidence that the Raptors get a new star player every couple years. After four or five years the fans will get too accustomed to having a certain star player and will not mind having a new favourite to cheer for. MLSE is only too happy to do this as it means a rejuvenation of interest and hope for the team when there is a new cornerstone put in place. Furthermore, they get to sell a truckload of new jerseys.
If the past tells us anything it is that Toronto fans, and MLSE do not want to be focused on one star for too many seasons. Bosh has been in Toronto a long time compared to the shelf life of other stars for the Raps and to expect him to spend his entire career here is delusional. But Bosh knows what is in his best interest and that is to resign with the Raptors in 2010. That will probably happen as it would be a public relations disaster for MLSE and a bad financial decision for Bosh not to. Once Bosh is signed in 2010 the clock will begin to see how long until he is driven out of town with his max contract. The fans will get tired and lose hope, MLSE realizes sports team must always be selling hope, and Bosh will be traded. But that will only happen when a new star player is lined up to reengage fan interest and be able to sell a new truck load of jerseys.
Colangelo is not the basketball genius he has been made out to be (neither is Burke a hockey genius) but he has been seen as the savior and has helped give MLSE a few years of hope to sell. Colangelo is nothing more than a well paid, sharp dressed, corporate lackey with a lucky resume utilized so MLSE can appear to be serious about winning. The Raptors will never contend unless they manage to get their hands on one of the five superstar players in the NBA. Until then, let's forget about high expectations and be content with scraping and clawing for a low seed playoff spot each season.

[Mike M.]

Roko seems to have a good sense of humour as well. Him and Kapono were "interviewed" together by Todd from 102.1 for their morning show and it was funny and entertaining. He still seems nervous in the media scrum but I'm sure in time he'll be more comfortable.

[sean]

Looking forward to the 2009 FA season and I saw a coupled of intriguing names: Hedo Turkoglu (early termination) and David Lee (restricted). With the season Turkoglu and Orlando are having, I wouldn't be surprise if Hedo decided to exercise his rights and become a FA. Lee would probably be out of the radar (it's NY), but Hedo might be an interesting options for TO.

[Dan]

The problem with FIBA's one naturalized citizen rule is that it hurts countries, like Canada, with high rates of immigration. It's also not true that a naturalized citizen would not be playing for "their" country. I think millions of naturalized Canadians would take issue with that distinction.

[pooks]

Doug,
Agree 100% re: Rudy Fernandez. Both his dunks were creative and unlike the others we saw that night, and his tribute to Fernando Martin was classy and tasteful.

Is it me, or am I the only one who found the TNT guys sounding a little unprofessional at times? I swore I heard Reggie Miller swallow his foot when he was told Martin died in a car accident. And that little quip about sending Daequan Cook to Toronto w/Marion if he didn't win the 3 pt shootout...yeah, really classy.

[Eli H]

Sorry Doug, I'm a fan, but my jaw just about hit the floor when I read your answer to the FIBA naturalized citizen rules, and I can't let it slide. To say of naturalized citizens that 'it’s not “their” country' and call it 'fake citizenship', is to put it mildly, xenophobic and offensive. I know you were referring to the rights of basketball players to compete in international competition, but I hope you can see how your comments could be applied to any naturalized citizen. And on the case of Matt Bonner specifically, he makes his home here with his "true Canadian" wife in the off season, if he were to become a citizen, why should he not be allowed to represent his country, just because its his country by choice?

[Andrew]

Doug,

If you haven't read it already there's a great article on the NBA and 'stats we don't see' at the NY Times online (click link and find article on main page):

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?ref=magazine

Questions: Does Colangelo have his own 'secret' system of evaluating players such as Morey seems to do? Is he even aware of what Morey is up to? And don't you think when the Raps version of Battier, Garbo, went down the team has never really been able to replace him?

Andrew

[Tim W.]

I have to jump to Doug's defense here on the FIBA rule. While I agree that his `not their country' line was not the best choice of words, the point of the rule is to prevent abuses from people who aren't residents of a country, yet through some connection, they get to play for them. The whole Kaman playing for Germany thing, despite never having actually been to the country before is exactly that type of abuse. By only allowing one, it prevents a country from stacking their team with guys who aren't really citizens, but were able to skirt the rules in order to play for another country.

The thing about Bonzi Wells is that he could still probably play in the NBA, but his game is not suited to be a role player. That's been one of his bigger problems. He's always been a good scorer, but he's a bit like Zach Randolph. If the ball isn't going through him, he's kind of useless. And he's not really good enough for the ball to be going through him.

[Korey]

Doug, the comment, "it’s not “their” country, it’s one they’ve chosen" was an unfortunate choice of words at best. You only need to speak to a few Canadians who grew up in another country that was dangerous, impoverished or an otherwise hopeless environment to understand their love and appreciation for this country and all it has to offer them and their children. While there may be a few exceptions, in my experience these "naturalized" citizens are every bit Canadian as you or I.

Blogger's note: It had nothing whatsoever to do with naturalized citizens who choose to make, say, Canada, their home for whatever reason. It had everything to do with someone like, for isntance, Chris Kaman becoming a German citizen, or J.R. Holden or Becky Hammon becoming Russians simply as a way to play in the Olympics or world championships and how the system would be open to abuse.

[Penny]

Doug, in your quick fixes you mentioned "Find backcourt depth, especially at the point guard."

Funny how we're saying this a year after we traded TJ Ford. Just wondering would you rather have Ford right now, or Marion and flexibility?

Blogger's note: I don't think anyone can dispute that Ford and Calderon wasn't going to work. So, I would absolutely rather have Calderon and Marion than Calderon, Ford and Moon.

[GM]

The notes at the end of the AP story about Bonner said this: "San Antonio’s Matt Bonner, who spent the first two years of his career with the Raptors, is in the process of becoming a Canadian citizen and hopes to play for Canada’s national team. Born in New Hampshire, Bonner has a grandfather from Newfoundland and his wife is from Toronto. “I feel very strongly about representing Canada,” Bonner said. “I feel like I’m part Canadian. It just feels right.”"

So his wife is Canadian and his grandfather is Canadian. I don't think that's fake. My mother was from France and I've had dual citizenship my whole life. I don't speak a lick of French (except what I remember from high school) and I've been to France for all of a week on a high school band trip 30 years ago. Yet I have a strange connection to the country and "feel" at least partly French. And if I were a player, I'd consider playing for France if I could. Not as a loophole, but because it would feel right. Of course, my strongest connection would be to Canada so that would be my priority. But if you're an American player, and you can't make the stacked US team, why not go to your "other" country?

[Dennis]

I'm sure most would agree that abusing the system and becoming a citizen of a country just to play in an international competition is wrong. However, wouldn't denying someone the chance to represent a country simply on the basis that they are a naturalized citizen be an even greater injustice?

Doug, what issue do you have with J.R. Holden playing for Russia? He's been playing in the Russian league since 2002 and became a citizen in 2003. Who are you, I, or FIBA to say this guy, or anyone in a similar situation, should possibly not be allowed to represent his country?

Blogger's note: It's not his country, pure and simple. It's the place of his employment.

[JB]

Hi Doug,

A quick Shawn Marion question for you. I seem to recall him disappearing in the playoffs when he was with Phoenix. I still think it was a good trade as he's a significant upgrade at the 3 spotand now Bargs gets more minutes when he can stay out of foul trouble (which should be much easier guarding bigs instead of wings). Not sure if it will be an issue with this year's Raptors squad anyway but I was wondering if you could enlighten us on Marion's playoff performance in the past.

Thanks & keep up the good work.

[Dennis]

It was not long ago that the NBA discriminated against people of colour and did not allow them to play the game at its highest level based on the colour of their skin. Nowadays those rules are looked upon with contempt and disgust.

Hopefully sometime in the near future FIBA will wake up from the dark ages and come to realize this rule that only allows one naturalized citizen per country, no matter its intention, is discrimination against immigrants and should also be looked upon with contempt and disgust.

If a rule can be put in place that does not discriminate against naturalized citizens or immigrants and does not lend itself to abuse, then great. There is just no excuse for discrimination to be accepted in our society.

[Dennis]

This is something I feel very strongly about Doug so I'd like to expand on my earlier comments.

I'm certain it would not be acceptable for FIBA to say countries are only allowed to field 1 blonde haired player, or 1 left handed player, or 1 jewish player per team.

Why is it acceptable for FIBA to say countries are only allowed to field 1 immigrant per team?

[Bball]

Doug, when rumours of this trade first arose, most fans seemed willing to buy into this trade because it was expected that the team would have approximately $14-15 Million of cap space this summer to acquire free agents. In fact, most websites with team salary info indicate that the Raptors have about $42 Million committed in salaries for next year if you exclude the salaries for Graham, Parker and Delfino - ie. if the Raptors renounced their rights to those players. The cap for the 2008/2009 season is approximately $58.6 Million. Even if the cap goes down next year to let's say $57 Million, the Raptors should have about $14-15 Million in cap space this summer. BC said in his conference call that the team will only have about $10 Million in cap space. The numbers just don't add up. The only thing that I can think of is that the Miami papers said that the Heat are getting a $4.2 Million trade exception from this deal which doesn't make sense since the contracts for O'Neal and Moon add up almost exactly to the contracts for Marion and Banks. I think that Miami could only get a trade exception if the deal was really a non-simultaneous transaction - ie. Marion for O'Neal, creating a $4.2 Million trade exception and then Moon and a 1st round pick for Banks.

Doug, do you know or can you find out whether the trade exception Miami is getting somehow counts against the Raptors cap space - because that would seem to explain how Toronto only has $10 Million in cap space (rather than the $14 Million I mentioned above) this summer. If the trade exception some how counts against Toronto's cap, then this would make the trade even worse from Toronto's perspective. Doug, if the trade exception does not count against Toronto's cap, then can your sources with the Raptors explain why and how the Raptors will only have $10 Million in cap space this summer rather than the $14-15 Million that most websites with salary figures suggest they should have. Thanks.

[Mike M.]

Then why is it acceptable for European club teams to limit the number of imports they have playing on their teams? Or is everyone here complaining about Doug's take on the FIBA rule as outraged by that situation?

Didn't think so.

[fg]

not sure if your going to read this, but I must say as im getting older and more mature, (late 20's) I must say the TNT and ESPN (american media) is the most unclassiest uneducated people on tv. I find there commentary to be worse then a bunch of 13 year olds telling dirty jokes. They rip on all the players, skinny legs, whos fernando martin, oh died in a car accident.., ummm send cook to toronto, oh hes not worthy of winning etc..., and they still have the stupidest jock attitude that they could still play better then anyone on the court..?? Its very distasteful, from my favorite, the TNT cast has become the ultimate poster media guys for why the world sees americans as .......(icouldnt fill in the blanks.., too many not nice words and characters) Geez the millers are awful, especially cheryl miller, she thinks shes one of the boys (the 13 year olds) did you see how she treated that kid like he was a retard becuase he hesitated on giving the envelope and walking away???. classless image for more american outlets.

is there anything I could do to get Stern to look at this???

[Tim W.]

Those complaining about the rule, look at it a couple of different different ways. Imagine you're one of the better Canadian basketball players. Not THE best, but certainly good enough to make Canadian team. Except that half the team are Americans who don't live in Canada or even know anything about it. They just happen to have enough of a connection to it that they were able to get citizenship and play for team Canada. And because half the Canadian team are suddenly NBA players, you lose your place on the team.

Now imagine that a team without the strict regulations that Canada does decide they want to field a much better team than they normally would be able to. They offer money to a bunch of ball players who are good, but not good enough for Team USA, to become `citizens' and play for their country. How exactly is that fair?

Now while I agree that it is unfortunate that it hurts those who have decided to make their new life in their adopted country, the rule is there because it is so easy to abuse it. If everyone were completely honest, we wouldn't need any rules or laws because no one would lie. Unfortunately we don't live in that world.