A little update on a Saturday night

We just had a nice chat with Lon Babby, Hedo’s agent, and there will be no more shenanigans.

Turk’s coming.

“We’ll be available when (Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo) is ready. We’re hopeful it’s Wednesday but if it pushes over to Thursday, so be it.”

Why does he want to come here?

Well, it’s a great city, Turk likes playing in the Eastern Conference and the deal’s for about $3 million more than the offer from Portland. It should come in at about $53 million but there’s no way of knowing for sure until the cap numbers are released next week.

About the love for the city? Said Babby:

"It’s uniquely suited for him. That’s his background. He’s looking forward to joining the Turkish community there."

Oh, and the sign and trade thing?

Well, Lon said he’s comfortable with his deal with Toronto regardless but if there’s something Bryan can work out with Otis Smith down in Orlando that works for both teams, that’s fine with Babby and Turk.

However, I can also tell you that the chance of Orlando taking Shawn are virtually none. Remember when I used 10-90 on something? Well, I am assured by sources around the league that it’s 1-99 that the Magic have no interest in a doing a sign and trade that gets them Marion.

Okay, I’ve got two stories to write off this conference call for tomorrow’s paper but figured I’d let you know what was going on.

Nighty night, kids.

Comments

[Pat]

A player wants to come play in Toronto rather than an American city? Who woulda thunk it.

[Amr]

Doug,

Say a S&T w/Orlando doesn't work out because they're not interested in Marion. Under the CBA could the raps try to bring in a third team to facilitate the transaction in this instance, thus preserving some cap flexibility (MLE, resigning their own free agents)?

[Rob]

well me being a raptors optimist and having faith in BC, I am warming up to the Turk signing. But I really hope we got someone else with a defensive mind coming in for that 2 spot!

[Joe]

Doug,
Continue with the great work. You've got to be the best sports reporter in town. Your articles are fair and your knowledge of basketball is supreme. When Gheradini heads back to Italy, you should ask BC to be his VP. Adding Turk is a bold and outstanding move for the Raps. The only downside is losing the bench, especially AP. If AP were to sign with another team, could the Raptors then trade for him or would that violate league rules?

[John Craig]

Doesn't this signing kind of betrayed Delfino? I thought BC really wanted him back.

Blogger's note: He did, he does. But if you could only get one, I don't think there's a question which one you take

[aditya]

rashard lewis born on august 18, 1979

hedo turkoglu born in 1979 as well....

lewis got a 6yr max max max contract around 127.5 mil... (2 seasons ago)

hedo got a 5yr 53 mil contract now....

i don't see a major difference here....yeah, hedo might age faster because he handles the ball a lot, while lewis is a jump shooter who has the ability to do other good things....

the only thing BC has to do is to become creative and get guys to play in toronto since we have a good team now, but need depth now....in BC i trust.

[John Bastedo]

Doug,

Can we get a rundown of who's still possible? Is Kleiza out of the picture now?

[Lemon]

Smith youre an idiot. This is another Raptor Disastor.
Let's see if he can play without Dwight drawing all the attention.
He was a plug in Sacramento - he will be here.

Blogger's note: I think if you check with others, it should be "Smith, you're an idiot"
But I'm not sure.

[matt]

I just had a comment to the folks concerned about Toronto's bench: Who really had heard of Trevor Ariza or Courtney Lee before 2 months ago?

My point being, guards are a dime a dozen in the NBA. Show me a guy with big ups, quick and can play some D at 6'4" to 6'7" and I'll show you ten more. Hedo is 6'10" with a great midrange AND long range game ... has the ball control to play point-forward duties and he just showed why, at 30 you can play your best basketball because he figured out how to win BIG games. I count 4 plus games he won single handedly for Orlando in that playoff run. All of these traits are difficult to find and that is what Colangelo just paid for.

I agree with Nadeem's post. The Quincy Douby's, Marcus Banks'(who looks like he CAN play D), Chris Humphries' and Roko Ukic's will step up their game and become names if the team can make a deep post-season run.

[Paul]

where are the haters when Doug does a great job? THis is exciting news and I'm pretty fired up about the opportunities this upcoming season.

[HP]

Hello Doug,

Do we still have the mid-level exception cap to sign a new player?

Blogger's note: Nope

[Bball]

Doug, very good work on this story. Can you check with your Raptors sources on 2 things:

1. Which of the Raptor players will have to be renounced? Does it include O'Bryant and Douby. What about the rights to players like Printezis?

2. What is the Raptors total salary committed to players immediately after the players are renounced and Turkoglu is signed - assuming no other player signings. I presume it is approximately $56-57 Million.

Thank you.

Blogger's note: I don't now believe it includes Douby and O'Bryant, it will most likely be Marion, Parker, Delfino, Graham but there is a good possibility of other moves.
And until we get the cap number which gives us Turkoglu's number, I can't say. But you're probably not far off

[Bball]

Doug, one follow up question. Can you check with your sources to see if the Raptors still have the mid-level exception after renouncing their players and signing Turkoglu. I had read some material about the cap which suggests that a team under the cap (which the Raptors would be after they sign Turkoglu) by the amount of the mid-level exception still has the mid-level exception available to it. Tim Chisholm from TSN seemed to be suggesting that might also be the case. Thanks.

Blogger's note: He's wrong.

[Douglas]

Hey Doug,

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but couldn't they still manage to get the MLE? I know that at 10-11 million a year, that would push them really close to the cap... but since the contracts are usually done in raises, (so maybe somehwere starting around 8.5 or 9 million with 8% raises... I haven't done the math yet), could we maybe keep an offer sheet for a smaller contract (pops?), and sign him to push us over the cap? Maybe this is a pipe dream.

Blogger's note: The ONLY way they can get a mid-level exception -- and I have this on the highest authority -- is if Orlando would do a sign-and-trade for Marion and there is more chance of you playing in the NBA than that

[Hassano]

Doug if this all goes through does this mean the raptors cant use their MLE and are restricted to a couple of vet. minimum signings?

Blogger's note: Yes; unless they make some other moves

[brandon marsdin]

first of all, colangelo always knows something he's not telling as for what it is i don't hink any one can figure it out this time. the possibilities are he's trying to make this like the 04 suns consisting of heavily paid amare,nash, and marion and low ball veteran bench. which he may just be trying to do and surprisingly worked or

he's got some serious trades that are gonna go down that the only missing piece we need is the game ender in turkoglu.

he's got some serious trades going down and he wants something from portland and wants to force them to give it to him by taking away turkoglu and then trading him to portland for what he wants although, turkoglu's wife won't agree to that. can you hear the whip whipping now wichoo!!

he's pressuring marion into accepting an offer to resign for 6 million.

he is trying to keep bosh. but, ruining the team at the same time.

[Aaron Craig]

The depth-worriers are nervous nellies.

Bigs: Bargnani Bosh/Evans Hump
Swings: Hedo Demar/?? ?? (Roko?)
PG: Jose/Roko

So that's two minimum level question marks needed for the ten man rotation, at the easiest position in the league to fill. Maybe only one if Roko can be a combo guard, which I think he can--at least on the offensive end shooting that little runner/floater.

My biggest concern isn't depth -- it's having 4 (or 5) new faces in the 9 (or 10) man rotation. The lads might need some time to gel, on and off the court. Especially on defense.

[aditya]

just had a bad dream, woke up, started to think about the raptors...no bench....how do we solve it? dammn, no money to spend, not good enough trade assets...damn, its keeping me awake at 02:39 am

Blogger's note: No disrespect, but you need to get out more

[Richard Ting]

Hey Doug,

Appreciate the update. Love the signing of Hedo (Bosh & Jose better give up that rock!) and was sweating on whether he might pull a second u-turn! Question: Been a lifelong hoops fan but can never figure out the salary cap maze - if Matrix made 18 mil last year and Raps had him and AP without going into luxury tax territory, then why is signing Hedo to 10-12 mil a year automatically implies letting both AP and Delfino go? Is there absolutely no way that at least one of these critical glue-guys be brought back along with Hedo in the fold? Even with Derozan's cut. What am I missing?

Please educate ...

Richard T. (Richmond Hill)

Blogger's note: It would take some creativity in future player moves to get either back and they're trying to figure out how. It is not likely, though.
Here's some math with rudimentary numbers:
If the cap is $50 million and the tax is $65 million and the Raptors payroll is $63 million and they lose $18 million in salary it takes them to $45 million, right? That leaves them $5 million under the cap to sign free agents. It's not a case of losing $18 million gets you $18 million; it's the NBA's new math

[William Butu]

night dad

[MikeT]

"... the deal’s for about $3 million more than the offer from Portland."

So people think that Hedo followed the money (partially, his wife likes TO too). How true is that really though? As best as we know now, Toronto offered $3 million more than Portland. But Canada has higher taxes, so does Hedo actually end up taking more money home? Doug?

And then there is the fact that Florida has no state income tax, which I have read somewhere amounts to 11%. Orlando is said to have offered Hedo $9 million a year. Again, when you factor in the tax situation, I am not sure there is that much of a difference in money. If any at all.

Blogger's note: All I know about taxes is I hate paying them

[W, perth, australia]

Starting 5: front court all 6'10 plus, rookie and jose; not an above average defender in the bunch.....how much zone will we see from this international group of players and coaches?

[deaner]

Ok Doug

Said I wouldn't post again until the season starts.....but wow, what a 48 hours...... Still very worried about depth as it seems we have lost the ability to fill the bench with any depth at all.
The debate the boys are having around here is " was this a prelude to something bigger"?? The idea now of moving Bosh to say GState for Beidrins, Bellinelli(sp) and one more filler, would at least address the depth issue.
I would have to say that the cornerstones are now Jose and Turk, with Andrea untouchable. Where does that leave CB4?
I agree with previous posters who state that Turk wouldn't have signed would he, if he knew that his contract essentially wipes out the bench ??? There must be more moves to be made this summer, and not just minor ones either??

Oh and to all you peeps who give Doug a hard time.......Its 7:30 am on a Sunday, Doug has one article written, is working on Sunday Mail Bag as we speak, and has answered questions on the blog already today. If you don't think Doug is one of the most dedicated, fan freindly, hard working grunts out there, then you don't know squat. Respect. Doug uses more personal time to answer our insane ramblings than I imagine he has ever been asked to do. Its a testament to his dedication to US, so show some respect, he knows what he's talking about, even if you don't agree, or heaven forbid, Doug is wrong once in a while. Imagine the egg on ESPN's face about Hedo????

Well, thats all we should hear until Wednesday in regards to the Raptors, right?????

Peace Doug

Deaner

Bloggers' note: Peace to you, too. And you have to trust me on this: This is in no way a prelude to anything involving Bosh. Not at all.

[DavideRossi]

A question: do you think this $53M and not $56M and "the precise number can't be known" might mean they are trying to stay another $3M under the cap in order to have enough space to ink the likes of Parker or Delfino?
Money are money, but meybe even Hedo is interested in playing in a more competitive team...

Blogger's note: As I've mentioned, it's not like other sports where you can pay a guy $1 million one year and $10 million the next; or even $7 million and then $10 million.

[Chris]

I have to say, at this point with the lineup we have on paper... if we dont exceed the salary cap to bring in some quality bench players, and a good SG who is known to penetrate and rebound - then i cant consider us a serious contender. every other contender in the NBA (save maybe portland) is spending over the cap. we're a big market with good attendance and some obvious holes in our lineup, we need to get serious!