A late night but maybe little movement

RICK MADONIK/TORONTO STAR

Not everyone will be back after the free agents fall.

Big day?

I’m not sure, actually. I know it’ll be a late one in case we find out some things right after midnight tonight but the people I talked to around league and Raptorland yesterday made it sound like nothing was going to happen with these guys at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow.

That said, things have a tendency to come together quickly in free agency, one signing happens (or one agreement is reached might be a better way to put it) and other stuff can fall into place rapidly.

As one guy put it to me yesterday afternoon, concerning the Raptors and the league:

“There are so many different balls up in the air right now, it’s hard to guess what’s going to happen.”

He probably should have added, “or when it might happen.”

Anyway, looks like we’re in for a bit of a long day.

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Marion, of course, is the first.

Here’s what I know, or at least what I’ve heard from people who are paid to know these things.

As they’ve been saying all along, they’d like to get him back at a reasonable number over a few years or, as I suggested yesterday, they might try (futilely, I imagine) to get him on a big-bucks one year deal.

About “four or five” teams have expressed some interest in exploring sign and trades if there’s no deal to be done here.

The only names being speculated on – and it’s true speculation right now – are Dallas and New Orleans but they are very cursory talks and nothing is, or was, too serious. And, sadly, no names at the moment. And, as I mentioned the other day, I’m virtually certain Bryan will – and should – call Orlando to see if there’s a Turkoglu deal to be done.

I would think he should call Houston, he should call Utah and probably Sacramento to see if there’s a deal to be done. Chicago’s loaded and while there may not be a fit there, it’s at least worth a cold call to see what the Bulls might be thinking.

I do know from various people that if you’re looking at Portland, there is no interest there in dealing away the one guy who might fit, Travis Outlaw. So let’s put that one out of mind at the moment.

But, as you should realize by now, some people keep things very close to the vest until they’re actually done or imminent so ferreting out information long before something happens is uber-difficult.

We’ll try, though.

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Now, before anyone rushes out and buys replica No. 44 The Legend jerseys, please consider this:

The offer sheet to Pops Mensah-Bonsu yesterday meant nothing. The offer is entirely non-guaranteed, it doesn’t mean they are dead set in bringing him back but he’s like an insurance policy in case something else goes down.

Because it’s not at all guaranteed (worth a little bit more than $1 million), no one in the organization thinks he’ll sign it because if he does and something else comes up, all they’ll do is waive him and have faced no risk.

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On the other hand, we have our friend Mr. Graham.

If they had extended a qualifying offer to him, it would have had to have been worth about $3.5 million, it would have been fully guaranteed (under rules pertaining to qualifying offers) and, as one guy with a brain said last night:

“If he gets an offer for $3.5 million guaranteed, he’d sign it in about 10 seconds.”

Now, Joey may get some offers out there in the league (although I bet he’s a late-July, early-August signing after all the big moves are made) but I also can’t fathom it being for that much money.

And, this way, the Raptors don’t have that money tied up in a guy they can get -- if not him, a cheaper facsimile – any time this summer.

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Got your BayHawks jersey yet?

Yes, the new D League affiliations are out and the Raptors are now hooked up with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Erie BayHawks.

It doesn’t mean much except that travel costs are down significantly from last year when they were hooked up with the Idaho Stampedes.

And I will say this, I may never have been in Boise but I have been in Erie and the Raptor sure didn’t upgrade the scenic nature of their affiliation.

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The Raptors haven’t finalized their summer league roster yet – I know they expect DeRozan, Jawai, Ukic, Douby and O’Bryant there from list of returning players – but I will tell you this:

They want Marcus Banks to play and the last time I spoke to anyone with power in the organization, the request was being greeted with resistance.

I imagine Banks, with six years in the league, might think he’s above playing in the summer league, which is absolutely the wrong thing to think.

Here’s a kid who’s played about 1,200 regular season minutes over the last three years (my abacus says that’s the equivalent of about 25 48-minute games) and a kid who needs to show a little bit of what he can do, even under messy summer league conditions.

Not only that, if Banks wants to have a chance to earn some time with the Raptors – or even show 29 other GMs that he’s got some game – it’s imperative he plays.

Stay tuned on this one, because if he ultimately bails, I can’t imagine it’s going to make his bosses happy.

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From Digression World, we offer this:

Remember the Marathon of Golf thingy way back when, the 100 holes in a day charity fund-raiser for the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association?

Well, got a note that says the final tally was about $43,000 raised and I know that some of you had something to do with that.

Again, thanks. Very much.

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You know who I’m not sure I want to be?

Kris Humprhies.

Now, I like Hump and think he’s got some promise but I can be pretty certain in saying that if Bryan’s out there trying to make multi-player trades, one of the guys he’ll offer in a package and one of the guys other teams might look at is Hump.

He’s 24, shows some promise some time, has a very manageable contract ($2.9 million this year, $3.2 million in 2010-11) and if there’s a chance to make some that might include a big man coming back along with something else, Hump’s got some value.

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Comments

[Mando]

"Why do people keep putting Derozan in the starting lineup, he's never played an NBA game yet. I'm sure he's good etc. but who knows how he'll do in the bigs. I can't believe that so many people are such willing victims of the hype machine.

Blogger's note: Mostly because his coach said last week he could envision using him as a starter for seven or eight minutes at the beginning of the first and third quarters."
Just because the coach can "envision" starting him doesn't make him a "starter" the way Bosh or Bargnani is a starter at this point in his career. My quibble is not with the players ability or whether he starts or not, but in the uninformed notions that people seem to have about an untried player. I guess I'd rather watch the game than to spend the off season talking about it. I like your reporting on the game so I guess I'll just stick to reading your column. Signing off.

Blogger's note: Are they really "uninformed notions" if they come from a public statement from the team's head coach? I think not but maybe that's just me.

[Heath]

Why is there little or no discussion regarding A.I.? Don't we need a 2 guard, or has he become redundant in this league?

[Penguin]

What is the love affair that some (including you, Doug) have with Rasho? Good guy, absolutely, it seems. Great basketball player...not so much. When Raps were in the playoffs, he barely got off the bench and for good reasons. Fair shooter, fair rebounder, and fair, at best, defensive player. Not a big upgrade from what Raps have now, imo, and would block possible development of younger players. Might be interesting if Raps were a championship contender, but, at best, they make the playoffs and get through a round or two. I'd rather see the playing time go to Hump (if we keep him) or even Pops, if we keep him (like to see him playing in the summer league, as well).

[chili]

Hey Doug,
Have you heard from any insider about the Raptors having interest on Eddie House? He could be a valuable guy coming off the bench, like what he did in Boston for a couple of years.

Blogger's note: Have never heard the name.

[jc]

i'm sure this can't be right but Bryan put a buzz in everyone's head by making the "$21 million" comment only to find out it's $21 million we can't use. Does that mean we can sign marion and then trade him for a player making $15-20 million dollars? (ie do the salaries not have to match if one team is under the luxury tax or do you have to be below the salary cap?). not sure who that might be but just wondering about the concept. thanks

Blogger's note: Short answer: It's the difference between salaries committed and expected tax threshold.

[Mando]

Just because the coach can "envision" starting him doesn't make him a "starter" the way Bosh or Bargnani is a starter at this point in his career.

[Tim W.]

Doug (the other one): "hey Tim W if people want to talk about Charlie V then so be it...that's what a blog is all about, Charlie V wasn't released by the Bucks over his play it was strictly money, as they have a fair amount of cash tied up and plus Sessions is to good a player to renounce"

I have no problem talking about Villanueva, in fact I brought him up, but I do have a problem with people talking about how good he'd be for the Raptors to sign because he would most definitely not be. And while it had a lot to do with money, obviously it also had to do with his play. I mean, the Bucks had two free agents. One is a 6'11, 24 year old PF that averaged 16 ppg and 6.7 rpg in only 27 mpg. The other is a 6'3 PG who averaged 12 ppg and 6 apg playing about the same amount of time. Now take into consideration that you just drafted a PG with the 10th pick and you already have two other PG's under contract (Luke Ridnour and Charlie Bell, who is more of a combo guard) and that the only other player n the roster who has the ability to play PF is a 6'6 SF who can't score. Obviously there was a little more to it than money.

[petro]

Mando... ever hear of the term "expectancy factor"???

Coach hopes and plans DD will start. That's the standard he wants to set.

If coach finds out in pre season or regular season that DD is not ready for that, then DD won't start.

Relax man!

[Mike]

Hey, Doug

Allen.I do you think he will retire or go to the Spurs?

Hedo.T would be great for 8 million to 9 million for 3 years or Marion?

John.S, Leug Deug, Ben Goorden who would you trade if you have to make a trade?

[Mike]

Can you please give me a percentage on the Raptors starting line-up of this possibility!

Caldron/Derozan/Hedo/Bosh/Barganani
Bench:
Roko/Parker/Defino/Reggie.E/Rasho

Rest of the Players:
Pop's, Jawai, Patick O'Bryant, Douby, M.Daniels

Blogger's note: No, I can't.

[Nolan Kerr]

Hey Doug, thanks for keeping us addicts up to date!
Quick question if you still have it in you. I see Josh Smith as an upgrade over Marion. Age and upside at least. I know about the contract issues with SMith, but is that a situation that the Raps are looking at? Should they? I mean, Smith, Bosh and Bargs is a nice looking set of athletic that could be around for years! Smith rebounds and blocks like we want our bigs to.

Blogger's note; That's a huge, long contract you're looking at; four more years and $50 million? I don't think, despite his skills, that's a nut the Raptors would even consider swallowing

[Jeff]

"I have no problem talking about Villanueva, in fact I brought him up, but I do have a problem with people talking about how good he'd be for the Raptors to sign because he would most definitely not be."

Tim W. ... Are you saying we should only talk about the negatives of Charlie V for the Raptors, and not the positives? I think he would be a great 6th man off the bench and everyone in Toronto loves him so its good for the fans. Hes a great offensive-minded player and knows how to score and rebound. And he isnt slow and is pretty athletic so I think he would be good for the Jay Triano style of play.

[Sam]

Turkogulu would be awesome in Toronto. Anyone that watches Magic games regularly will tell you that it was him through whom the offence initiated than anyone else on that team. And he was the only guy who repeeatedly created his own shots. All others, wether it be Howard, or Lewis, needed to be dished to and set-up to score. His shooting was off last season but he more than made up for it through his slashings, and great passes.. and when it were the biggest of shots he did made them too.

If I were BC, I'd let Marion go and instead sign Hedo.

[Tim W.]

Jeff: "Tim W. ... Are you saying we should only talk about the negatives of Charlie V for the Raptors, and not the positives? I think he would be a great 6th man off the bench and everyone in Toronto loves him so its good for the fans. Hes a great offensive-minded player and knows how to score and rebound. And he isnt slow and is pretty athletic so I think he would be good for the Jay Triano style of play."

That's not what I said and I even went so far as to say I thought he'd be a good fit in Cleveland. Playing beside Shaq would mean he wouldn't have to do any of the dirty work he doesn't like to do. The only problem is that it would put a lot of pressure on Shaq (at 37) to cover up his defensive mistakes).

And if the Raptors are going to do something for the fans, I'd rather they re-sign Pops. He's MUCH cheaper. And my problem with him on the Raptors is that he already duplicates many of their weaknesses. He's a big who doesn't score inside and isn't a good defender. Why do the Raptors need more of that? And yes, he's athletic, but not for the 3 spot. He's actually below average for that position, which is where he would play most of his minutes.