What to write about when nothing's going on

You know how we talk about the dog days of a sports season? Like January in the NBA, August in baseball, whenever it is in the pucks? Well, we’re officially in the dog days of the basketball writing season.

If the only thing we’re on the edge of our seats about here is whether or not Carlos Delfino signs a one-year deal to be a backup or whether they’re thinking about trading a third-string point guard, that’s dog days for sure.

Which leads us to some scheduling stuff. I’m allegedly on vacation this week, have to work a couple of days next week and then take a couple more weeks off and it’s going to be virtually impossible to make this little space relevant or interesting every day. After all, there’s no Olympics, no Argos, no golf in my future, it would appear.

So here’s what we’re gonna do:

Remember the good old days of Nothin’ But (Inter) Net at the first of the week and a mailbag late in the week? How about we take a trip down memory lane and revisit that?

Think that’s what we’ll do starting the end of this week. Maybe find some wildly entertaining nuggets for this space tomorrow and Friday, do a weekend mailbag and then coast.

That’ll give you good folks something to do, give me a few days to hopefully go hang out with people I’ve never met and, perchance, to recharge a battery that’s pretty low.

Of course, if crap happens, we’ll jump in. But the crap isn’t likely to be big.

Okay?

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One word of reminder as they go about filling that final roster spot (and with impending vacations for just about everybody involved in basketball around the ACC, it might be sooner rather than later):

Please remember that if they do not re-sign Carlos Delfino, the most they can pay a player to fill that last spot is whatever his minimum value contract calls for.

So when you’re sending in the: ‘Do they have any interest in this guy?’ questions, before you hit send, please ask yourself if a one-year (Bryan’s preference), minimum value contract is viable for whoever you’re asking about.

It’ll save us all a lot of wasted time.

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Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that the only – only – reason the Charlotte Bobacats would deal Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler is money and this cements even more the fact the owner Robert Johnson is – as been repeatedly reported – almost desperate to sell his team.

Other than that, this deal’s a couple of recognizable names who’ll do little to improve the teams they’re going to.

Now, I like Chandler a little bit but the only reason I think I like him is that he played with Chris Paul and could score a little bit rolling down the lane (his shooting range makes Pops Mensah-Bonsu look like Reggie Miller). And there is no Chris Paul on the Bobcats.

Sure, Chandler defends the rim pretty well but I’m not sure he defends it any better than Okafor, who’s pretty solid back there.

And the Hornets?

Well, they take on a lot of money in the longer term, going against the grain of every other move in the league, it seems, and what do they get?

A guy whose offensive range makes, well, makes Chandler look like Reggie Miller and a guy who might be as good defensively as the guy they lost.

Really, the first reaction to this trade was probably, “wow! A big one!” Upon further review it’s not such a significant move either way, I don’t think.

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By the way (and I’m sure you all want to know) The Mighty Yankees finished the regular season last night with a big 11-6 triumph and we end the year at 10-5-1 and in third place in the league.

Next up: The double-knockout playoffs.

Oh yeah, four urchins combined to toss a no-hitter in that win and The Mighty Yankees didn’t make an error in the field. Crisp, baby; it was crisp.

(And if you can’t quite wrap your head around a six-run no-hitter with no errors, you don’t quite understand the intricacies of the walk, steal, steal, RBI groundout, lather, rinse, repeat world of peewee house league baseball).

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Hey, the kids won!

The women’s under-19 team, needing a victory to have any chance at the quarter-finals in the world championships, dumped China by eight while you were sleeping.

Pretty significant win, although it gets them a date with unbeaten Australia in Friday’s quarter-finals. But, still …

I know you don’t know too many – if any – of these girls but two names to watch out for in the future, according to Peopl.e Who Know.

That’d be Natalie Achonwa of Guelph, a mere 16 years old and apparently headed for the national senior team later on this summer and Kayla Alexander of Milton.

A woman whose opinion I quite respect in matters of this sort says they’re “two of the brightest stars in Canadian women’s basketball.”

Again, no clue, really, on what it’d take the girls to beat Australia tomorrow but, combined with the seventh place finish of the men at the junior worlds and the fact that the cadet teams (under-16) both qualified for the worlds next summer shows that the development of talent is headed in the right direction.

Now, about those senior teams …

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About the only thing better than a triple vente non-fat latte from The Lovely Ladies of Starbucks Hurontario-QEW is a quad vente non-fat latte.

Yes, the mornings need a bit of a jolt these days.

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Comments

[Caleb]

SIGN IVERSON TO A ONE YE....just kidding Doug!

Any word on the delay in getting Delfino? Is he still holding up talks over 1 mil, BC on vacation, or are they just not that urgent to fill the last spot on the team especially now that they have Jack? I don't know of any other players that may come trickling into the "unwanted bin", but maybe some hope a guy like Kleiza goes through the summer unsigned?

Blogger's note: No urgency

[Kerry]

QUAD?!? Are you going on vacation or detox?

[Mahdi]

Hey Doug, do you know if and when the press conference for Rasho will be?, or are they waiting to get the Delfino thing done and put them on the same day?

Blogger's note: Can't imagine they plan one

[Chaid]

Hi Doug,

Would you know if Andrea is scheduled to attend a big man's camp following the qualifiers? This ''rumor'' has been floating around in some circles.

Thanks

Blogger's note: No idea where you heard that rumour but you need to get better sources

[anthony.mackay]

That Chandler trade is a bit of a head scratcher, when you have a PG like Paul you MUST have an athletic wing, PF or C that can get out on the break and catch lobs... getting a player like Okafur seems like they want to slow it down and play more of a half court game..? I hope I'm wrong.

Have you ever played Fantasy B-ball Doug? It's not as lame as it sounds assuming you have an honest commish set it up with the proper scoring format.

Blogger's note: I spend enough time around reality basketball that fantasy basketball holds no interest for me whatsoever

[Ben]

Instead of a question about the Raptors, here's one about our favorite Raptors beat grunt: I've always been curious, is there a reason or a story behind why you never became a hockey fan?

Blogger's note: Not really. I sucked as a player -- when my uncle cut me from an 11-year-old travel team that was a pretty glaring message -- and I grew up watching and liking basketball

[Daniel K.]

The NBA cap system confuses the hell out of me.

So if they don't sign Delfino, they can only offer a min value contract to some other player. Got that - I think. I have question though. Some teams like the Knicks, and Mavs are clearly way over the cap (and deep into luxury tax). Are you're saying Raptors *can't* sign another player to a bigger contract? Or they just don't want to? If it's the former does this mean that teams can only go over the cap under certain situations (maybe while re-signing their own players)?

Blogger's note: Can't. They used their mid-level exception, which is what teams like the Knicks have left,, on Jarrett Jack

[Doc]

this is how i see the Delfino situation. If the raptors can take on another 5 mill in the payroll. then They should hurry up and sign Delfino. They should just pay him the money he wants on a 1 year deal, expiring contracts always have good value. so even if he goes out and plays below expectations. worst case scenario they could always trad him to a team like the Knicks or one of the other 20 teams clearing cap space for next offseason.

Blogger's note: I think the point on a one-year deal, for whatever it's worth, is not to take salary on past the 2009-10 season, which means trading someone as an expiring contract and taking on more obligations doens't make much sense.

[Nick M]

Let me get this straight, Chandler makes Pops look like Reggie Miller and Okafor makes Chandler look like Reggie Miller.

So, in your opinion, are we to assume that Pops is Larry "The Legend". Relatively speaking, of course.

Ahhh, the legend, it grows!

[Doc]

I see your point. makes sense.
one more question. assuming the team stays the same & if Chris, george, wright, and rasho dont get resigned after this season. do u have any idea approx how much $ they would have to spend on Free agents next offseason? would they have the $ to make a run at a player like joe johnson? Yes its to early to be thinking about that, but im wondering if all the signing this off-season will mean the team will have very little maybe no $ to do anything in the 2010 free agent frenzy.

Blogger's note: I have no idea

[jimmie]

"About the only thing better than a triple vente non-fat latte from The Lovely Ladies of Starbucks Hurontario-QEW is a quad vente non-fat latte."

Peter King, is that you? ;-)

[Tony]

The Raps have to get Delfino signed. He will be the best overall guard we have and they should pay him $5mill or more (whatever they have left under the cap). Next year we will still have his bird rights and can sign him to a longer contract when it's obvious what he brings to the table. It's win win, get it done.

Blogger's note: I don't believe they would have Bird rights, the length of the contract determines it, if I'm not mistaken

[DD]

if the delfino signing fell through, do you think the raptors will take back joey graham?
comes october, do you think joey will be out of the league playing somewhere in europe?

still can't get over the fact that that babcock guy picked graham over granger :(

Blogger's note:No, I don't think they will

[coachd]

Doug,
While I like Delfino, I wouldn't rush out to sign him just yet. As you've stated,there may be some value in waiting until August to make a decision on the 15th spot. The Raps might be able to get an equal value player for a 1 year minimum contract instead of giving Delfino whatever he's asking for. Let's face it. It's not like Delfino is going to be a make or break player for this team. They could have had AP for this kind of money and he would have been a better fit in my opinion.
Enjoy the summer.

[Tim W.]

The Chandler-Okafor deal is strange. Not very long ago, it was New Orleans that was trying to dump salary because they were losing money (almost sending Chandler away to Oklahoma for nothing, and being rumoured to be trading him for Ben wallace, who they would buy out). Then they inexplicably take on MORE salary to get a player that may not actually fit the team, as well. Does this make any sense? Especially since Chandler is probably better suited to play alongside Paul than Okafor is. It's not like either is all that durable, although Okafor may be a little less injury prone.

For Charlotte, it relieves them of Okafor's bad, long-term contract, and gets them a similar player with a slightly shorter contract. I guess this might be a good move financially and it doesn't really hurt them much on the court.

I don't know. Neither move makes all that much sense, quite frankly.

[aditya]

chandler-okafor trade helps the bobcats more than it helps the hornets....does okafor really make NO that much better than they are taking on his extra 3 yr $40 mil contract on their books...

watch dj augustine go for a runner, instead throw a lob pass to chandler....if felton returns, chandler will be even better...if i remember right, charlotte tries to play a little up tempo as well, chandler certainly helps them more than okafor would...cya

[Mike Kovacs]

With all of the moves that have been made for the raps this year it is impossible to draw a straight line from Charlie V on through. One could argue in many ways that you can add J Jack to what Charlie V eventually 'turned into' given that it was the HT trade that made it possible to sign JJ. The point is that evaluating any trade in isolation is impossible and sometimes you have to see what happens to the players you received down the road in future moves.

[Barry Pond (Basketball Barry)]

Doug, your willingness to monitor bball goings-on during your re-scheduled vacation is admirable - but it sucks big-time in my opinion and typifies how the demands of our society have evolved to a where even a "top quality grunt" like yourself is pressured (self-imposed or otherwise) to not to take a real break to enjoy other aspects of your life and recharge your low batteries.
Go take a real vacation from work! Come back ready to do another super job of informing your passionate Raps followers.
We'll miss your regular contributions - but we'll survive (and you DESERVE the break).
Q: So are you addicted or CAN you force yourself to take a real break from work while vacationing?

Blogger's note: Oh, I can take a real break. And have.

[GM]

Here's why I never became a hockey fan: My parents weren't sports fans, so I wasn't indoctrinated. I simply didn't watch it. Or basketball, for that matter. When I hit high school and started to become interested in sports, I was free to choose whichever sport struck my fancy without any outside influences. Think about why so many Canadians are hockey fans, or so many Europeans/South Americans/Africans are soccer fans, so many Indians cricket fans. It's purely social. Would someone be a hockey fan if they grew up in Japan? Possible, but not as likely. So it's not that the game is so great; it's the relationships it gives you. If your dad and your buddies are all hockey fans, chances are you will be, too. Not much free will there.

[SY]

Hi Doug,

Just curious, are there any restrictions on buying draft picks from another team? Can the Raps simply purchase a 1st round draft from another for like 3 million? If so, does the purhcase count as salary for the season?

Have a nice vacation.
-SY

Blogger's note: No, it doesn't.

[Abdul]

What would you think about trading Banks and George for Morris Peterson. We get rid of the PG clutter and Mo Pete is actually semi useful

[Matt Kovacs - Age 12]

Hey Doug, o-man i am so excited about Andrea. I mean when was the last time he was playing with confidence. I guess i didnt waste my money on that andrea ( italian ) raptors jersey!!!

[doug]

this is why I am not a hockey fan..I was 14 and realized I was tired of waking up at 6 a.m. getting into a cold car and going to a cold rink ...saw the notice for midget team b-ball practices they were after school in a warm gym that was it for me...ever since a die-hard b-ball fan...

[chris]

Doug - did JJ get full MLE? I thought he was 20mm over 4 yrs, which if they do the 8-10% raise thing brings his first year down to about 4, leaving 1.5 or something.

Secondly, why not trade Roko while he has value as a young player with upside. That upside is likely never going to see the light of day here, so as an asset he is only going to depreciate unless Calderon or Jack is injured.....or unless Roko can play some 2 guard.

Blogger's note: No, and they may indeed trade him

[Marques]

Can you see the raptors signing Trey Johnson, Gary Forbes or Othyus Jeffers to a minimum one year deal.
From what I've heard they all lead the D-League Summer League team, and i suppose they would jump at the chance of a shot in the NBA.

Blogger's note: No