DD and VC and all kinds of wonderful stuff

That was some day. A couple of huge trades and some draft drama and if anyone told you they saw all that coming, they are lying.

Made it a bit hectic around here but we got through it.

But now we have one more thing to get through: A little live chat.

With DeMar doing his media schtick around 12:30 and me having to go cover track and field tonight after writing the DeMar story, we better start early, like 11:30 and we’ll go until DeRozan starts talking.

That sound okay?

And here’s a little something to get you through the morning:

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You know how NBA types are always scolding us for talking about what a player isn’t rather than what it is? Like when we say, ‘well, Joe Blow couldn’t dribble with his left hand if you cut off his right told him his life depended on bouncing the ball three times without looking” instead of “well, Joe Blow sure looks good sitting on the bench wondering why his coach doesn’t play him.”

Well, I’m in for a scolding, perhaps.

Here’s what DeMar DeRozan (and we were told last night the ‘M’ in his first name is indeed capitalized after weeks of typing it down) isn’t:

HE IS NOT VINCE CARTER

Not, that is, until he makes eight all-star teams, wins a dunk contest, earns rookie of the year honours and jumps over some stiff for France in the Olympics.

HWSNBN (and regulars know that) still casts a rather large shadow over this franchise and to put a target on the back of a kid who hasn’t even practiced against legitimate NBA competition yet is a bit of a stretch.

There is a lot to like about this pick. DeRozan brings the athleticism they sorely lack, he plays a position of dire need and he could, as Bryan said last night, be very special.

Or he could be the No. 9 pick in a draft that may ultimately rival Kenyon Martin 2000 as one of the worst ever.

I don’t know, you don’t know, they don’t know for sure.

But as picks go, he was the best guy there they felt (and if I’d stuck with my original mock draft I would have looked spectacular with DeRozan here and Tyler Hansbrough in Indy, wouldn’t I?) and they seem entirely pleased with what they’ve done.

Jay said he’ll get a chance to start or at least compete for a starting job (which is good) and then Bryan dropped the VC comparison on him (which may not be so good).

This kid comes in with some huge expectations; they better hope he’s mentally tough enough to live up to them.

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Remember these:

Action: Suns draft Taylor Griffin No. 48.

Reaction: They now lead all pro sport in having the other twin. brother.

He and Robin Lopez can talk about their better brothers on the bench.

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I’m trying to figure out why they’re collecting point guards in Minnesota like so many trophy fish.

Kubla, er, I mean David, Kahn, the man in charge of hiring Sam Mitchell as the next Timberwolves head coach, swears his team can play Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn at the same time, citing Vinny Johnson and Isiah Thomas.

As we thought suggesting DeRozan is Vince was reaching a silly level of unrealistic expectations.

I will tell you this, though, when the Timberwolves were on the clock with that No. 6 pick, there were all kinds of nervous people in the Raptors war room. What better fit to a team with a young point guard, a young big man and nothing really on the wings other than DeRozan.

The sighs of relief when Kahn went all point guard crazy were almost audible.

(Or so I’m told).

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So, who wins all the trades?

I think it’s quite easy, actually.

The team that made out the best, by far in my opinion, was Orlando. Vince is going to star down there, I’m warning you, and if he’s insurance against a Turkoglu departure, I can’t think of much better.

And if Otis Smith doesn’t start getting some consideration in those Executive of the Year races, they ought to quit giving them up.

Not sure if there’s a biggest loser, probably Milwaukee, which got a bag of junk for Richard Jefferson.

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Aaron Williams. Eric Williams. Alonzo Mourning. Rafer Alston. Courtney Lee. Tony Battie.

Has there ever been a better player traded for a worse collection of questionable or non-existent talent than Carter? I wonder.

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All kinds of Hedo Turkoglu questions in light of that Magic trade for You Know Who.

Here’s what I was able to discern last night:

He remains far and away the most coveted free-agent-to-be in the eyes of a lot of people who make big decisions around the Air Canada Centre and the arrival of that Vince fellow means he’ll be out there and available for sure.

(Yes, Turkoglu has an option and could play the last year of his contract in Orlando where he’d be second fiddle at the end of the game to Carter, second fiddle at the start of the game to Dwight, second fiddle in the middle of the game to Rashard and we don’t’ have any fiddles left to tell you where he’d fit with Jameer. Oh, and there’s a new CBA coming and Lord knows what the players will give back in this one so he better lock up a long-term deal this summer).

Anyway, digression aside, the cost is still too much. They could renounce everyone – Marion, Parker, Graham, O’Bryant, Douby and back the qualifying offer to Delfino – to maybe get Turkoglu and fill out the roster with a bunch of minimum salary dudes.

But haven’t we been down that road before? See, O’Neal, Jermaine; and Solomon, Will.

The best thing, and it’s been the best thing since the JO trade in February is to try and sign-and-trade Shawn for a younger version of himself, have the mid-level exception to try and capitalize on one of the many bargains that will be out there and build the bench that way.

No big home run necessary.

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Action: Knicks get Darko

Reaction: Under the radar good

I have no idea how many saw this in light of all that went on but the Knicks moving Quentin Richardson to Memphis (wonder how all the fried food’s gonna help Q stay so cut) for Darko Milicic was a nice, very nice move.

I happen to think Darko may not stink entirely and if there’s one guy who can get him to play, I have a feeling it’s Mike D’Antoni.

Of course, Darko’s, um, dedication to his craft might take a hit playing in New York but if he’s going to make it anywhere, he’s going to make it there.

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Speaking of the Air Canada Centre, they had one of those season ticket holder events last night down in the locker room for a select few fans (they couldn’t use the main bowl because it’s being torn up for some new seating) and it must have been fun and full of food and drink.

How do I know?

I know because when I was near the entrance talking on the phone and answering e-mails in search of some privacy after the Raptors made their selection, there was one fan, proudly sporting the nifty credential-like thing they had them wear, doubled over, surrounded by a couple of friends and a gaggle of security types suffering, as they say in competitive eating circles, “a reversal.”

Must have been a bad shrimp or something, right?

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And, finally

Action: Mighty Yankees Win!

Reaction: Hmm, maybe it’s not the coaching after all.

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Okay, see you around 11:30

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Comments

[SMD]

Eric. . . is there anything about the Raptors you like?

Dean... if you were there last night you would have been sitting in the nose bleed section, not making player decisions

[SM]

Doug,

Any idea if Portland would have any interest in Marion? A sign and trade that gets the Raps Travis Outlaw, plus maybe one of Jerryd Bayless or Martell Webster looks really good to me. Not sure if that is overvaluing Marion though, but I think Outlaw would be a great fit in the Raptors starting line-up. Love the blog. Keep up the good work.

[doug]

this is the best quote -exchange of the evening from the draft...

The best thing heard out of the mouth of always-quotable former Louisville star Terrence Williams:

To Spaniard Ricky Rubio, backstage by the prospects' predraft buffet at 6:55 p.m.:

"You're nervous? Why are you nervous, when you've been making money since you were 11?"

[Mando]

"Hate to burst your bubble, but unless we somehow get Jordan to drink from the fountain of youth, come out of retirement and play for the Raptors, the situation your suggesting is an absurd one. Closest scenario is Orlando seeds #1, and Raps seed #8. And then in four games straight with the average margin being about twenty points a game, the Raps are sent fishing.

What's the scenario that you think BrianV is suggesting?
BTW "your suggesting" Your is possessive pronoun as in your book, seeing that you mean "you are suggesting" you might want to use the contraction "you're". Ideas are usually better accepted and understood when they are presented in a coherent manner.

[Lemon]

Admit it Smith. You have no inside news on anything - heres a guy who was the preferred pick of Coach and GM and you picked someone who didn't come close.
Stop trying to act liek you actually know anything about the Raptors or the game itself, except as the press room buffet champ.

Blogger's note: So, I take it you've torn up the membership card in the fan club? My loss

[dean]

SMD, if I was at the draft I would have made some moves, not stay the same and add only one player when there was at least 10 picks available to the Raps for very little money.

If I was a GM, I 'd be bold and aggressive, not complacent and accepting of the medocrity of our team while almost every other Eastern conference team made a significant move.

But, if you think bringing back the exact same players as last years team and the second coming of God to all you "fans", DeMar DeRozan makes this team any better, you are insane.

AP, Marion Delfino,and Nesterovic are your idea of making this team competative. That is also insane. I'll say it now, if BC signs Shawn to a contract, he will NEVER play out its length, so he is just a rental player still, a trade asset, thats all.

14 years, 5 playoffs, never past second round, and no chance next year. I think I can justify all my ideas with that right there. If you do NOTHING, or if YOU DO THE SAME, you will never get better. Re-signing the same guys from last year is DOING NOTHING and DOING THE SAME !!

If you invested 100,000 and lost 20,000 in one year, would you make the same investment and lose 20,000 again? Probably not, so you get my point.

Doug thinks I am insane as well, so no worries.

Peace

[Tim W.]

dean: "if I was at the draft I would have made some moves, not stay the same and add only one player when there was at least 10 picks available to the Raps for very little money."

According to whom? Did you speak to the teams? The picks that were eventually moved were below where most of the players I would have any interest in were available, which is probably why those teams were willing to relinquish them. About the only player i would have had any interest in that the Raptors MIGHT have got would have been Dejuan Blair, and the Raptors already have several players at his position, and they all are probably better than Blair, so where would he fit?. Is it really a bad thing the Raptors were not able to acquire a mediocre 1,2 or 3 rookie that would have little or no impact?

"If I was a GM, I 'd be bold and aggressive, not complacent and accepting of the medocrity of our team while almost every other Eastern conference team made a significant move."

Exaggerate much? Orlando got Vince and Cleveland got Shaq. And there are a lot of people, including myself, who feel it doesn't make Cleveland any better. And Orlando will most likely lose Hedo because of that trade, which might make Orlando no better. I mean, Vince won't exactly help them on the defensive end, will he? Atlanta got Jamal Crawford, who has never helped any team he's on be any better, and in fact has never played on a winning team. New Jersey and Milwaukee got worse. Being bold and aggressive doesn't make a better team. And who's to say that Colangelo was trying to be aggressive, but couldn't find a deal he liked? Would you rather Colangelo take a deal he doesn't like just in order to make any deal?

"AP, Marion Delfino,and Nesterovic are your idea of making this team competative. That is also insane. I'll say it now, if BC signs Shawn to a contract, he will NEVER play out its length, so he is just a rental player still, a trade asset, thats all."

Other than your rather faulty opinion, what makes you think that Marion won't stay?

"14 years, 5 playoffs, never past second round, and no chance next year. I think I can justify all my ideas with that right there. If you do NOTHING, or if YOU DO THE SAME, you will never get better. Re-signing the same guys from last year is DOING NOTHING and DOING THE SAME !!"

Your logic makes no sense. During those 14 years there have been bold moves and inactivity, good trades and bad, good drafts and bad. Plus at least four different people calling the shots. COlangelo has been here for 3 years and the Raptors have made the playoffs two of them. And during that time he has made several bold and aggressive moves.

And what on earth makes you think they have no chance of making them next year? They had three starters miss significant time with injury and still missed the playoffs by just six games. Marion was with the team for only half a season and DeRozan should upgrade the SG position. If how they finished the season (when everyone was healthy) is any indication, they are a much better team than their record indicated. Adding Delfino and DeRozan and another free agent should make a playoff berth attainable. Especially since New Jersey and Milwaukee took a step back.

It's apparent you're not a fan of the current roster. Fine. I wouldn't have built the team the same way Colangelo has, but that doesn't mean it's going to be a bad team. I'm not a Bargnani fan, but I am at least objective enough to realize the guy has talent and can help a team win.