Just a little update

Okay, I hear it's cold back home but it's about 40 F here in Dallas and the locals are treating it like it's the end of the world. Me? Golf shirt and light jacket. It means something to be a hearty northerner.

But, as usual, I digress.

Just back from the shootaround and Shawn Marion wasn't there, back at the hotel dealing with "flu-like symptoms" was how they put it. Jay said with lots of rest and fluids (sounds like something a Grandmother would say, doesn't it?) Marion should be able to go tonight.

And Joey Graham, he of the wonky hamstring, is now "probable" for tonight, came through Saturday's light practice unscathed and he was just going to do some light work this morning.

Can you imagine if neither of them could go?

I guess they'd start Kapono with Calderon, Parker, Bosh and Bargnani and the bench would be Ukic, Banks, Voskuhl and O'Bryant.

Oh.

My.

God

-

Oh, and why the 9 p.m., 8 p.m. local, start? Blame the pucks.

Apparently the hockey team here has a game this afternoon against the Pittsburghs and that's why Mavs-Raptors has been pushed back.

No real explanation why the basketball couldn't get the early game with hockey going at night but I presume it's got to do with TV or some other entity that doesn't give a hoot about beat Grunts and their deadlines.

That's it for now, gotta go turn up the heat in the room.

Comments

[Simon S-G]

How do they switch from the ice to the court so quickly, they must only have like two hours between games. Possibility for the blog tonight if you can find out?

[Waggy]

I'm pretty sure a basketball game would be bad for the ice conditions, whereas the conditions for basketball would be the same either way. The better question is how did they schedule both on the same day?!

[Bruce]

Doug we read every day bad news about the Raptors. Their star wants out. The weather is too cold. Americans don't want to play here. American broadcasters are hostile toward the team. We have very few assets. We really don't have as much financial flexibility as people think.

For long suffering Raptor fans is there any hope on the horizon?

Blogger's note: Think there was any hope in Boston two years ago; or New York earlier this year; or San Antonio when Robinson's back was bad and Duncan was in college?
There's always hope. It's a matter of personal preference if you believe there is, good for you; if not, there's always other sports or pursuits.

[Pete]

Tell me Doug.
Should they rebuild?
Surely they've hit the walls, you can not make this team any better unless you blow it up.

[Mr. Cook]

A couple questions about grunts:

Are you still the only grunt out on the road, as you were in Phoenix? And further, with newspapers across the board having revenue issues because of this thing called 'the internet', I have noticed that you in particular--and The Star generally--have done a pretty good job of adapting to that. My question therefore is, did you personally decide on the blog, does it generate revenue for The Star that makes it worth everybody's time, or is it just acknowledging that the internet needs to have *something* on it for the Raptors in the hopes that people will also click around the full Star site and buy papers?

Regardless of these answers, thanks for the blog, it's great to read.

Blogger's note: Yes, I'm still the lone Grunt out here; and the Star, surprisingly, does not tell me how much, if any, money it makes off this internet thing.

[Kevin]

Doug,

Any chance these flu-like symptoms are due to the fact that the team went to Bosh's Mom's house for dinner last night??(http://twitter.com/chrisbosh)

:)

[Alex H]

So without Marion or Graham, the starting 5 is a marginally good NBA starting lineup and the bench is a resoundingly horrible D-League foursome. It was only 2 seasons ago that they had one of the deeper benches in the league.

[BB]

For all you who are suggesting blowing the team up and starting from scratch I think Doug is trying to tell you look at Boston, San Antonio and maybe even Miami this year. These teams were near the bottom of the league one year and NBA Champions or playoff teams the next. Boston was 24-58 2 years ago and getting 2 new players(Garnet and Allen)won them a championship! And Miami won 15 games last year and this year they are 5th in the East. San Antonio went from a 20-62 Record which got them the top pick in 1996 to 56-26 the next year... So those are just a few of the extreme scenarios and the Raptors are not nearly as bad as those teams were.

How do you think Boston fans felt two years ago after 24 wins and lots of talk of Paul Pierce(their franchise player) being done as a Celtic? So maybe the Raptors get 2 new "good" players next year and this teams one of the best in the east!

[Mr. Cook]

Additional comments to BB's post:

And you can't blow up teams in the NBA. That's what all those pesky contracts and regulations are for. What, exactly, could the Raptors do in the off-season to start rebuilding in this "blow up" sense? Clear cap-room by giving away high value (talent vs. pay-level) players like Parker? Trade Bosh (has it not been settled yet that that would be a terrible idea)?

If you are suggesting blowing up the team on this blog, you should provide exactly what you mean, with the accompanying economic / regulations material that needs to come with ideas like that.

Ca suffit.

[Pete]

To BB:

Celtics acquired Ray Allen and KG by BLOWING THE TEAM UP. They traded all their youngs and picks for them.
Miami and San Antonio improved from their top picks - because they already had all other pieces ready! (Wade was there, Beasely came. David Robinson was there, Duncan came.) If you think we have all the pieces ready, then adding the number one pick Bargnani should have taken us to the promise land. Not saying Bargnani is a bust, I'm saying we lack in all other pieces.

I think I win this argument.
Thank you.

[DinoFever86]

OK we lost but if Marion was healthy for the game it could have been different. This season is about not being able to absorb injuries like other teams can. We need Barg's and Bosh. Marion has to start with Parker and Calderon. Joey is the first guy of the bench. If we don't have that usually we are in some trouble. Mainly we just have to hope we can re-sign Marion and I think that could lead to a good season next year with some other adjustments.

[D. Walker]

Perhaps there is more hope for the Raps. future than most people realize. The NBA is borrowing money and at least 10 teams need help. The US economy is in far worse shape than is being reported. The country has a neophyte president with absoultly no business experience--none. The redistribution of the wealth is happening as many people feared. This will affect every NBA owner and player and tax rates on these people will go through the roof. When this happens players will be looking to play in Canada and other destinations. The 2010 class will not be the frenzy that the NBA hoped for as the cap will drop further than most think it will. Thus the stars will probably re-sign with their own teams and no team will be able to afford two of these players. In fact some of these players may not opt out in 2010 and wait one year to see if things improve. The year for the Raps to make hay is 2009. There are only three players who can make a team better by themselves--KObe, Lebron and Dwayne. If I own one of the others they are gone and i am Re-stocking with good mid-level players. When personal tax rates hit the 60-70% range in the US the exodus of owners and players will look like the Mexican border on a normal day.

[BB]

To Mr.Cook:

In my mind blowing up a team means selling all your good veteran players for young players and stock piling draft picks - Not trading for two NBA stars! There is a difference. The truth is Seattle and Minnesota are the ones that blew up their teams in those deals!

What Boston did was IMPROVE their team by trading assets. Now Boston gave up some very good "young" players(Al Jefferson,Jeff Green and Ryan Gomes)to do so - there philosophy was win now while we have Pierce but they were mortgaging their long term future to do so.

Now Colangelo does have good young assets in Calderon, Bargani, Bosh, Marion in a sign and trade or their 1st round pick and if he is willing to roll the dice on any of these assets to get players that he needs the team can improve. E.g. if he could flip Calderon into a creative 2 guard (e.g. Monta Ellis)the dynamics of the team changes immediately. Keeping in mind you have to give up something good to get something good back.