Life Without Chris, the opening; and some trade reaction

Join Doug Smith at noon Friday for a live basketball Q&A, as the Raptors get ready to take on the New Jersey Nets.

So, life without Chris.

You gals and guys ready?

I can only imagine the angst that’s building in some minds today, what with Toronto – already capable of playing down to opposition – going up against the 5-49 Nets without its best player.

Oh, boy. They lose and I might have to turn this machine off lest it blow up.

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Well, it sure wasn’t The Gangster for Juan Dixon, was it?

No, not around these parts, where Bryan did the right thing, in my opinion, and stood pat with the group he’s got.

Which gets me to this.

Can’t remember who sent this the other day to the comments during the in-game chat and I apologize for not getting the name. So, a blanket thanks to whoever it was, hope to hear from you again because it’s a good point:

You seem to contradict yourself with a couple of your answers. You don't want to shake the team up because it’s going well at the moment but you also say that it is a .500 team based on talent. The players seem to have adjusted to each other at this point, and obviously going forward there is some room for growth from guys like DeRozan but if this team is only good for 43 wins shouldn't it be looking to add more talent?”

Actually, I think it's a bit better than .500 but I get your point.

And mine is that you grow teams by letting them stay together and to make a move with one of the core players is simply a step sideways at best, backwards at worst.

I think you can add without subtracting, by picking up a mid-level free agent in the summer, maybe a draft pick or simply by letting the six or seven guys who carry a franchise get more and more familiar with each other.

This is a pretty good group and eventually could be very, very good if left alone. Most growth of a franchise comes in a rather steady line rather than a huge jump, let’s let this line go rather that continually be putting key pieces in and out.

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But, yes, there were some trades and, in a perfect world, we’d be sitting here discussing how they affect this season, who filled what need on the perimeter or in the middle or on the bench.

But, no. The topic is money and cap space and LeBron and that’s a sad state for fans in New York and Chicago and Sacramento, as I mentioned in this morning’s offering for the paper and the web site.

Knicks-Rockets-Kings

New York gets

Tracy McGrady from Houston; Sergio Rodriguez from Sacramento.

Sacramento gets

Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey from Houston, Larry Hughes from New York.

Houston gets

Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong from Sacramento, Jordan Hill, Jared Jefferies, a 2012 draft pick and the right to swap 2011 draft picks from New York.

Yes, the Knicks have an awful lot of money to spend this summer and they’re going to need it because they won’t have many players. I sure hope Donnie Walsh’s salesmanship is up to snuff because if he doesn’t land two of the biggies, that franchise is in the toilet forever. And think of this: Since a free agent can get about $30 million extra from his existing team and if he wants to leave it’s likely to be in some financially-beneficial sign-and-trade transaction, the Knicks have nothing to offer.

The winner? Clear cut, no-brainer.

The Rockets.

They get the best player in Martin, draft picks, a good young kid in Hill and have remade the team by turning one asset – McGrady – into a great package. This is a steal for them, regardless of what the Knicks do in July.

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Bulls-Bucks

Chicago gets

Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander.

Milwaukee gets

John Salmons

Money dump by Bulls, helping a team that’s chasing them in the playoff race but my big question is: What’s this mean for Carlos Delfino.

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Bulls-Bobcats

Chicago gets

Acie Law, Flip Murray and a first-round pick

Charlotte gets

Tyrus Thomas.

Bulls waive another white flag financially and rid themselves of what they saw as a huge headache of a player. But if Larry Brown can get to Thomas – and Larry Brown’s patience with young players is perhaps not the greatest in the game – the already-athletic Bobcats get deeper.

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Knicks-Celtics

New York gets

Eddie House, J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker

Boston gets

Nate Robinson, Marcus Landry.

Well, at least New York has some bodies to finish out the season. Nate in Boston? I don’t know. That’s an interesting mix of characters already and adding a Look At Me guy like Robinson is a big, big gamble.

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There were a few other minor deals, financial giveaways for Theo Ratliff for San Antonio to Charlotte, Ronnie Brewer from Utah (although Memphis getting Brewer strengthens an awful bench) and Dominic McGuire from Washington to Sacramento.

Yawn.

What the day did for this year? Nothing, really.

The Lakers are still the chalk in the West, the Cavs are still big favourites in the East and no contender made a move to really challenge them.

Can’t wait for this time next year when we get two more weeks of breathless analysis of where Amar’e Stoudemire is going. Again. As I said:

Yawn.

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Oh yeah, we’re going to answer some questions today, right? At noon. Right here.

That gives the golf dude a chance to cleanse his soul before we get to our important stuff.

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All right, you know how we usually give a link to what’s going on with the team the Raptors are playing and it’s always My Man Dave D down in Jersey?

Forget that.

He’s been freed from watching this Nets dreck and he’s A Boy At The Games. Check this out.

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I know there was some debate, or question, about who might start in Bosh’s place here Friday against the Nets.

Has to be Rasho. No other decision, really.

Makes entire sense in that Jay likes to do the thing that disrupts the fewest number of players and plugging in Rasho to that spot and leaving Amir and Reggie to the roles they play does that.

Makes entire sense in that Rasho can wrestle better with Brook Lopez than either of the other two, most likely.

The only problem is at the other end because without Bosh’s post presence it’s hard to imagine Lopez picking up his traditional two fouls that take him out of the game early.

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Speaking of that golf dude and his public whatever it is, I have to give a big huzzah to the Golf Writers Association of America.

Not sure if you know this – I didn’t until last night – but they were asked to provide three pool reporters to chronicle the statement and flat out refused.

They don’t want to be just a studio audience and I’m glad for that.

Not being able to ask questions and to sit there simply like props denigrates what they do and what they are and sends a bad message.

Look, I’m not entirely sure I care what Tiger Woods says but for him to entirely manage the entire process – one camera, a statement, no questions, no nothing – makes me sick.

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Okay, okay.

You’ve gone through Dave’s story by now, here’s what’s up with the Nets. And how many of you are going to see Hump and think (a) Tony Dow or (b) Fashion Model?

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Right. Mail. More please. Send it here.

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Comments

[Lazaros O.]

"Since a free agent can get about $30 million from his existing team". You mean "$30 million MORE".

Blogger's note: I did

[Matt M]

Maybe Triano sees it another way but I thinking that all of Bosh's touches will be split between Hedo and Andrea. I'm looking forward to this game 'cause I want to see how Andrea responds... to being an even bigger part of the offense, to being defended by the best big, and to being double teamed repeatedly if he starts to get it going. If and when Bosh joins Wade and Lebron in Miami this offseason then Bargs is going to be the determining factor in whether the Raps remain competitive. Tonight we get a preview.

[William]

Tonight may be a good chance to see if Amir can come off the bench and play extended minutes. He has been great in his 15-18 minutes, but can he do for 30 minutes a game. I feel Amir is a key player to sign in the off-season and this will be a good chance to see what his role can expand into. More touches for Andrea tonight and more for DeMar as well, could be a "just what the Doctor ordered" game for DeMar if he can score the ball well and get a groove going forward.

[Anthony]

"Well, it sure wasn’t The Gangster for Juan Dixon, was it?"

No, it wasn't, but it was The Gangster and Royal Ivey for Francisco Elson and Jodie Meeks!

[Juan]

Hi Doug
Mixed emotions on the Robinson trade - happy I don't have to care about Eddie House anymore but I never imagined they would replace him with an bigger jack_ss.
A bit Off Topic but speaking of Boston, I'm away on holiday in the Caribbean (sorry) and who do I literally bump into yesterday when we're buying our kids ice cream cones but, I would imagine, one of your favourite Red Sox Curt Schilling. His socks were clean.

Blogger's note: Schilling's okay but I'm more Yaz and Bernie Carbo and Bill Lee

[kelsie]

Hey Doug.

It's better they stood pat as I don't think a trade would have helped them get out of the first round of the playoffs this year anyway. The teams above the Raps are all more talented and more experienced. That being said, do you think this current edition of the roster can grow and turn into an elite squad like the one's abve them in the playoff race?

Outside of Turk's all of their offseason acquisitions were unproven or considered bit parts going into the year(Amir was a God send in hindsight). Since BC has got here the main players are still the players that were here before he arrived, other than Andrea. Don't you think at some point he has to significantly increase the talent and experience level on this team to make them an elite team? How does he do that with the long-term deals he has locked in?

Blogger's note: Judicious use of things like a mid-level exception next year and normal growth of a team. Fleecing a GM in a trade might help, too

[Wayne]

Extra touches extra minutes just like everyone interested in how the boys will react to no CB4. I want to see more aggression on offense and better defense who will take the lead late in the shot clock to make something happen? We are about to find out.

[Ecnerwal]

So Tonights game against the Nets may or may not be a teaser of what's to come next year, with Bosh out. Although its a Nets game, it may be one of the more interesting games this season to follow and take note of.

[Peter]

Hi Doug,

I hear what you're saying about the way that Tiger Woods is handling this situation and how it makes you sick. I understand that from a person in your profession. I just wanted to give a perspective of someone not in your profession, that I think you may understand given your feelings about players personal lives being kept personal (like the recent Turk situation)

For a fan like myself, I would much rather see Tiger come forward, say what he needs to say about his whole situation, and then get back to playing golf. I don't want a bunch of media people asking him questions about his personal life, I simply want him to do what he needs to do with his personal life, and get on with playing golf. The entire reason that he has to have this false media conference is because of situations in his personal life. It may be offensive to media professionals to be used in that way, but to a fan like myself, the fact that Tiger doesn't want to take questions during a media conference that revolves entirely around his his personal life, well.... to quote you... "yawn". I don't care. As long as when Tiger begins playing golf, he makes himself available to the media for golf related questions, I'm fine with that. It's the same thing to me as not needing Turkoglu to answer questions about whats been going on in his personal life. As long as Woods answers golf questions when he returns to golf, I'm ok if he holds his conference today in the way that he chooses.

[Dan]

Doug,
I think that lost in the McGrady/Martin trade is Carl Landry. That's a tough loss for Houston. Sure, they got Martin to score in bunches but Landry is the kind of guy every team wants. He hustles his butt off and can put the ball in the basket when he needs to.

I've loved the way that Houston team survived on hard-working roll players in the absence of Tracy and Yao. Landry epitomized that team. He will be missed.

[Simon S-G]

Hey doug, you'll never have to go out to that dreg of a Meadowlands arena again, the nets are apparently moving to newark next year!

[Pipit]

Hey Doug, will Bosh be playing tomorrow vs. the Wizards? Also what's the deal with P. O'Bryant? Why did we get this guy in the first place? His talent level won't even be competitive in the D League. When are we going to get rid of this guy?

Blogger's note: Doubt it. And why get rid of him? He's not hurting anyone, he's a good enough guy and why see a guy lose his job? On every single team in every single sport there are guys who don't play, doesn't mean they shouldn't work.

[Kevin A.]

Heard the Woods presser on the radio, and I now understand why there were no questions. This wasn't the right time. This was a step in his apparent rehab (he's going directly back in tomorrow) - step 9 of 12 to be precise: http://www.12step.org/the-12-steps/step-9.html . He needed his friends there for a personal apology, and the better way to get an apology out to his fans is through a press conference.

This was not the appropriate time for a question and answer period... that day will come, but patience is needed.

[Kevin A.]

Also, maybe Bosh being down help Hedo get out of his funk. If I recall in 06-07, the Raps began to turn it around when Bosh went down with a knee (?).

Here's to hoping.

[Penny]

Doug - how would you rate Jose's game against Memphis?
I find it amazing to see posts both here and on another site that blame him for the loss by insisting that his defense is still terrible. Even Leo was commenting on how well he was playing in that regard.

Blogger's note: I didn't really have a problem with it; the decision to switch screens, which works more often than not since it's been a large part of the defence in a 21-11 run, was one the coaches stuck with

[Tiger]

"It's really just bocce on ice, with brooms and less beer."
Mr. Smith, you really need to enlighten that ignoramus D'Alessandro about the role of adult beverages in real curling.
harumph!

[greg]

Doug? about guys playing at the end of the roster like P.O.B. do you think players like these are better off being traded if possible to a team like the Nets who is not doing particularly well during the season and still looking to find themselves?

Being traded to the Nets seems like it was probably the best thing that could happen with Kris Humphries, he is getting a lot more minutes to prove himself. P.O.B is only 23, just wondering what he could do if he had a shot.

What do you make of his potential from what you have seen behind the scenes?

Blogger's note: Guy's been on three teams in about three years, don't imagine there's a lot of potential there.

[NimzRapz]

doug, i think you forgot to mention the antawn jamison trade

Blogger's note: Except that I did it the day before, when it happened.

[Rob H]

"Look, I’m not entirely sure I care what Tiger Woods says but for him to entirely manage the entire process – one camera, a statement, no questions, no nothing – makes me sick. "

I don't watch golf, never will, and I find it incredibly dull. I find this statement however quite rude, why would he sit there and answer questions making his personal life a public spectacle more than it already is. I don't care if he has sex with a million women, hell I don't care if he has sex with a million men. What happens between two consenting adults isn't anyone's business but there own(And their partners)

"Money dump by Bulls, helping a team that’s chasing them in the playoff race but my big question is: What’s this mean for Carlos Delfino. "

Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug, Doug. You are going to be kicking yourself for that one in the offseason when all the "let's bring Carlos back to Toronto" trade ideas start floating in.

[Norrin Radd]

"Blogger's note: I didn't really have a problem with it; the decision to switch screens, which works more often than not since it's been a large part of the defence in a 21-11 run, was one the coaches stuck with"

Most of the time, Triano does an offense-defense substitution to make sure Calderon doesn't get into a situation like he did in overtime against Memphis...must have been a brain fart on his part...the game before the all star break he switched Weems on for defensive purposes and he did a great job on Lou WIlliams...Weems probably should have been in on defense.....

Blogger's note: Never in overtime and there weren't enough stoppages. It wasn't a consideration; they switched Antoine onto Conley on one set to make sure they got Wright on Gay and Gay still scored. You know, sometimes the other guys are good