Mail's in to get you through a rain delay

Yeah, I know. Long time, no speak.

Nice day with my boys out at Argoland yesterday for work and then another glorious Yankee victory in a delightful late-afternoon affair.

But because I’m a helluva guy and you need something to do on what looks like a potentially gloomy Sunday, thought I’d put this up there before racing down to Royal Niagara to commit some golf.

Have a good one, see you later, although there's a very good chance I could be tardy tomorrow morning, too. Golf has a way of making that kind of thing happen. 

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Q: Question about the actual mechanics of the draft: How are the picks submitted to the NBA? By phone? Computer? Jet propulsion carrier pigeon? Or did the Raps have a representative behind that stage that communicated the pick to the commish?

Sean D, Toronto

A: Mental telepathy, actually. Or the league just takes all those silly mock drafts and gives teams guys, the thought of an actual draft is just bogus, it’s all fixed by the league office.

No, really, it’s by phone.

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Q: Hey Doug, a few weeks ago, I saw that the 2011 All-Star Game would take place in Los Angeles though they already organized it in 2004. Is there any chance to see the event in Toronto any time soon? Julien B, Caen, France

A: Not soon, no. Various reasons – construction of condos at the arena, the Olympics, L.A.’s re-development around the Staples Centre area – there no availability for the game and it’s very much on the backburner at the moment. I’d guess 2014, maybe 2013, would be when they might consider making a bid but no one’s really talking about it.

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Q: I need some clarity on the salary cap in the NBA. Your comments about signing Turq to a contract is really confusing. How is it that many teams can have multiple super stars on the team while Toronto only seems to be able to afford 1. I don't have a full grasp of how the cap works but it seems like there’s inconsistencies across the league. A team like the Lakers seems to have all the room in the world to sign big names, same as SA, Boston & Detroit, even the Cavs and Orlando. In Toronto it seems like we can only afford one superstar at a time. Is there something I'm missing? Your help clarifying is appreciated

Ian A, Vancouver

A: They don’t have all the room the world, actually. The can re-sign their own players but they can’t add players (with the exception of Detroit, which has been able to shed salary to get under the cap) without making transactions that send out as much money as they bring in.

The Lakers can do nothing except the mid-level exception other than re-sign Odom or Ariza, Cleveland couldn’t have added Shaq without dealing Wallace and Pavlovic and it was the same in Orlando. If you can find a trading partner and have the pieces to satisfy them, you can add so-called “sueprstars.”

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Q: Thanks for the online chat and live coverage of the draft. Wasn't on for the chat, but enjoyed reading it after the fact. My question is regarding Joey G. Was he not one of the few Raptors who played beyond expectations last year? With a bit more consistency he would be a solid rotation guy, why does there seem to be no interest in bringing him back? What do you think he might get as a FA?

P K, Guelph

A: I have no idea what he’d get on the market and I think the relative disinterest here comes from the fact he had four seasons and ample opportunity to really seize a spot and didn’t. Time to move on.

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Q: Can you explain what’s the green room during the draft? What was deal that Jennings later appearance long after he was picked. Thanks.

Athena H, London

A: The “green room” is where players invited by the NBA sit and wait out the draft; Jennings wasn’t invited, he wasn’t even in the arena and only made that late appearance because he hustled to the Garden from wherever he was after he heard his name called.

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Q: Should Raptors fans be worried that the team may have drafted another Tracy McGrady? By all accounts, DeRozan is going to require some time to develop. As such, should we be concerned that by the time he is ready take his game to the next level, he'll also be taking his game to another franchise after the expiry of his rookie deal?

Dave G, Toronto

A: Sure, you can worry about that. But the rookie deals now last five years with various qualifying offers, etc., so if you want to worry for five years, I think that’s a long time.

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Q: Thank you again Mr. Smith during these crazy, crazy days in Raptor land. Truth (your due diligence), is so much better then fiction (any number of fan blogs) at the end of the day. Kind of like a million monkey's sitting at a million typewriters and announcing that they had the draft figured out all along. Also, nice to see the Raptors' brain trust looking long term and not simply to CB-AD 2010 (aka Chris Bosh After the Deal).

While I appreciate DeRozan picking up the flag so quickly on twitter, maybe he should focus on becoming the first 'West Jet' rather then 'Air Canada 2.0'. A little smaller, fewer routes but a whole lot more enjoyable to ride. Besides, it also honours his west coast roots.

One last question. Purely theoretical in nature. What's better, twice the player at twice the cost for twice as long or half the player at half the dough for half the time? That's how I see the Marion vs. Hedo debate. My heart says Hedo but my head says Marion.

Matthew H, Toronto

A: Hmm, deep question.

And I have no answer.

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Q: This one might be at toughie, but I was hoping you could help me with 2 questions that have long been stuck in my head.

1) The latest on the Ricky Rubio-Minnesota situation is that RR might go back to Spain and play a couple years, rather than play for Minnesota. If this is the case, what happens when he wants to try for the NBA again? Is he forced to join Minnesota, does he rejoin the draft at the time, or does any team have rights to sign him (which means Minnesota gets heavily ripped off)? Isn't there some kind of rule that when you enter a draft, you gotta play for the team?

2) In a related note, what prevents a team from just stepping out to Rucker Park, Spain, China, etc., going to the playground, saying to a local baller, "I like you," and sign that person on the spot right there? (Ie. if Ricky Rubio wanted to play for New York and New York wanted Ricky Rubio, couldn't RR just not declare draft eligibility, and then work a deal with NY to join the club?)

These may be stupid questions, but I just don't get these loopholes! Help a sucker out Doug!

Jay C, Toronto

A: Not stupid at all.

On the first, the Timberwolves retain his NBA rights in perpetuity; if he wants to come to the league, he has to go there unless Minnesota makes a trade.

And on the second one, they can’t just pick a kid off the street because of the draft rules that say any North American player can’t enter the draft, or the league, until one year after his high school graduation and international players have to be 18 years old.

If a player isn’t drafted in those scenarios, then they are eligible to sign with any team.

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Q: How correlated is basketball IQ to actual IQ? Can the former ever come without the latter? Have you come across many basketball geniuses who couldn't string a sentence together? As an aside, I'd like to throw in a few nicknames for our new draft pick: Dr. Dr. (Dr Dre was taken) Demolition Man DeMarr the Destroyer (kinda lame?) Feel free to refine of course.

AJR, Toronto

A: I don’t think there’s much correlation at all, as a matter of fact. You can be a brilliant basketball player with on-court instincts and encyclopedic knowledge of your opponent and the game and not know much about anything else.

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Q: Love the blog and the snark! Keep it up! I hope you don't mind a hypothetical question but I was curious to know what effect this could potentially have on the Raptors... how would the Raps be affected, salary wise, if Shawn Marion walked away from them without a sign and trade? Would that open up any salary room or would that mess with the Raps roster plans, limiting them to signing free agents with the MLE only?

Peter H, Richmond Hill

A: Benefit? Well, if they can’t come to an agreement to keep him, and they can’t find even a bad sign-and-trade transaction, it would save them some money but that’s about it. They wouldn’t, for instance, all of a sudden have untold millions to spend on free agents, they’d remain with the mid-level salary exception. And that’s why it’s imperative that Bryan either get him back or turn him into some other asset.

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Q: Hey Doug, so what are the odd's that Rubio doesn't even play next year because of his contract situation. I'm thinking Minnesota isn't planning on even playing him this year, and Flynn get's a year to show off, then they ship him out. Thoughts?

Joey H, Toronto

A: Not sure what the odds are. My best guess, after talking to a few people late Thursday night and Friday, is that rookie Minnesota GM David Kahn has himself in a big pickle and needs to deal Rubio in some summer transaction; perhaps including him in some sign-and-trade deal for a free agent.

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Q: Hi Doug, now that Rubio's essentially part of the NBA, who's the top International prospect/player in your mind now?

Binson S, Markham

A: I’m a little bit light on my Euro knowledge at the moment since there were so few players in the draft but the one kid I keep hearing about is Yiannis Bouroussis, a centre at Olympiakos but he’s past the draft age and a free agent with a hefty buyout.

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Q: "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." Why is that? Last year we paid Marion, Parker Graham, O'Bryant and Douby about $26 million. Hedo can be had for around $10 mil. Raptors are only committed to $44 million right now. They have some $$$ to spend. Source hoops hype salaries.

Thomas W, Toronto

A: It’s the new math. Or at least the NBA’s math.

Yes, the Raptors have about $44 million committed if they renounce all their free agents; the cap level is going to be about $53 million. Give or take a couple of hundred thousand on each number, that leaves somewhere around $10 million under the cap – and therefore available for free agents – if they renounce everyone.

The trouble you’re having is that while, yes, those salaries may add up to $26 million, dumping them only gets the Raptors $10 million under the cap because they were over it to begin with.

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Q: Just read your chat from yesterday before the Derozan press thing - got a laugh but of your reply to some fool who had been submitting a ton of ridiculous questions/comments - snarky Doug's funny.

Anyway, I was rooting for them to get Derozan (even used his name as a password a couple of weeks ago).

However, but all this talk about athleticism and "jump out of the gym" is getting old. We had an athletic guy last year who could jump out of the gym by the name of Jamario Moon but his shot selection and inability to get to the net drove me nuts. What are the things that separate this guy from Jamario besides age and potential? Will he bring more to the lineup in his first year than Jamario did?

Carl M, Codroy Valley, NL

A: I think age and potential are pretty much it, aren’t they? Toss in ball-handling skills and the fact I think DeRozan is a far more polished basketball player who is quicker and more athletic than Moon and it’s a gaping difference.

And he better bring more than Moon did in his first year or it’s going to be a long, long season around the ACC.

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Q: Let's assume Doug that Hedo would accept 5 years @ 45 mill to play for the Raps. Should they do it? I say YES. Even if it means they have to fill out the roster with the best D-Leaguers they can find. But I want to know what you think?

S G

A: No, they shouldn’t do it because it would turn out to be a six-for-one trade (Marion, Parker, Graham, Delfino, Douby and O’Bryant) and having been down the one big guy (O’Neal) and a bunch of minimum salary guys (Solomon, a 13-man roster) should have taught them it doesn’t work.

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Q: Doug, is it possible for the Raptors to sign Rasho Nesterovic and Delfino, while resigning Parker and Marion? Will this put them in the luxury tax area? Also, who do you think a good candidate for the mid-level exception is?

Y D, Kingston

A: Of course it depends on the salaries but they think they can do it and stay below the tax level. Not sure about full mid-level guys out there, I haven’t had a lot of time to digest the free agent market yet, it’s been draft time. That’ll be a Sunday night-Monday job.

Comments

[chris]

I can't think of a single S&T scenario for Marion that would be attractive.

Can you?

Blogger's note: Not having spoken to another GM about him, I can't really say. Nor can anyone

[Alvin Lee]

Hey Doug,
Being that I'm a comic book artist(and fan)I couldn't resist the temptation to suggest a nickname for DeMar Derozan. The abbreviation; DD is also used for The Daredevil. DeMar "Dare DeVil" Derozan. Has a ring to it, no?

[Striker77]

Hi Doug,

Now that Vince is going home, do you think that this will be his best chapter? Do you think that without Hedo, (and Lee and Alston for that matter), the Magic will be better or worse? Cheers,

Blogger's note: I said the day of the trade I thought he'd have a spectacular year and with him and healthy Nelson for the whole season, the Magic are pretty good. But they won the East, there's only one way for them to get better

[Dan W]

I thought Jennings said in an interview he was invited to the green room. He just hadn't been assured enough of going in the lottery so he hadn't decided what he was going to do.

[Striker77]

Hey Doug,

You may have answered this before, but if you had to choose, and if they were worth about the same in the upcoming market, would you take Marion, or Turkoglu? Im kinda sittin on the fence on this one, wondering your opinion,...

Blogger's note: If money and years were the same, I'd take Turkoglu. He can do more offensively and I think his game lasts longer because once Marion's explosiveness goes, he doesn't have jump shooting ability to fall back on

[chris]

btw - turkeyglue adds something special to orlando, but he's nto that strong a player. Might be the worst defender in the league (and we jsut got rid of the 2nd worst in kapono). I really hope we don't sign (or sign and trade for) him.

[Matt]

Doug quick question here, i read Orlando is interested in Marion, Raptors do covet Hedo and they make that well known so what about a S&T for both of those players is a double S&T possible?

Marion 7,100,000
Douby or O'Byrant 855,189

for

Hedo 10,000,000

Marion gets his 7 million a season and Hedo gets the 50 million 5 years hes looking for, marion goes to a winner orlando now would be a legit contender. Carter becomes the primary playmaker and Marion slides to the 4 to add defense/rebounding that would be needed.

Hedo adds playmaking and a clutch scorer also would be a good addition to this team, he seems to be what we lack

Any chance of that happening and can a double S&T happen, maybe answer this in tomorrows comments or this one ill check both but id love to know.

Thanks a lot doug :)

Blogger's note: It can happen and I'm sure from talking to people around that the Raptors will certainly make that call; whether the Magic takes it or not is entirely up in the air.

[Tim W.]

Jeff: "Hey how much different would the salary be between Charlie V and Hedo? I remember you saying that Charlie V is too expensive for us to sign, yet we are thinking about signing Turkoglu?"

Because what the Raptors need is a soft, inconsistent PF who shoots mostly from outside? Really, Raptor fans have to get over Villanueva. There was a very good reason he was traded away.

Chris: "I can't think of a single S&T scenario for Marion that would be attractive.

Can you?"

I have to second Doug on this one. What trade scenarios are you looking at and how are you verifying which teams will be interested and what players they would make available? Just looking over teams, I could see a few possibilities that would give the Raptors some good young small forward in return. Chicago with Luol Deng, Atlanta with Marvin Williams, Dallas with Josh Howard, Portland with Travis Outlaw and another player, Washington and Mike Miller. Obviously those are just wild guesses, but I can see those teams having some interest in him and possibly giving up the players I mentioned. And I'd take any of those players in return as they would all help the team.

[JField]

Doug - Perhaps a FAQ or Wiki in the sidebar for general questions would make your life a little easier. I understand your hesitation to delve deep into some issues due to many queries being from casual fans.

The FAQ/Wiki could save you some time by covering some basic topics (Salary Cap, Rules, Basic Plays, Draft, Player Bio's) and allowing for 2-3 sections under each (Casual overview, In-depth, for the crazies) without having to rewrite everything.

Give a fan a fish or teach a fan to fish?

Cheers,
James

[Juan]

"Blogger's note: It's not an issue of tax, it's an issue of cap room"

Doug, pardon my ignorance. I've done a some reading about the cap but still find elements of it a bit confusing. Isn't a "cap room" issue ultimately about a team deciding whether it wants to pay tax? My understanding is that teams are alowed to be over the cap (although I'm sure it's a fairly complicated proposition) and there are a few teams that actually do pay luxury tax. Can a team simply adopt the philosophy of "we don't care about the cap, we want to win" (I'm not advocating it) or are there multiple, arcane levels of complexity and circumstances that allow a team to be over (and render my question hopelessly simplistic)?

I'm not expecting paragraphs as I know it's a bit outside the scope here. Thanks for your indulgence.

Blogger's note: Multiple arcane levels is well put; teams can manage salary so that they are between the cap and the tax in many different ways

[petro]

"Cheesed" and a boring Sunday night inspired me to be a wannabe GM, hence I scoured this summers free agents.

I considered Artest, Ariza, Turkoglu, Odom, and Andre Miller as Tier I free agents and long shots for the Raps to sign except for maybe Turk.

But surprisingly, I found some tier II free agents that would be impact players for the Raps. Most notably, I found Danhtay Jones would be an excellent signing... but also guys like Matt Barnes, Grant Hill, Flip Murray, Brandon Bass, Joe Smith, and maybe even Steve Novak.

Doug... given the Raps don't resign Parker and Marion but do sign Delfino... who else do you see as a good fit from this TIer II list?

Blogger's note: I think I'd probably put Barnes and Hill at the top of that list. Barnes because he's a good athlete; Hill because he's a classy guy who can still play and would help with the leadership