Kleiza's coming and the Warriors fetch an astonishing price

Hey, welcome to Linas Kleiza Day!

Denver's window to match the Raptors' offer sheet expires tonight and The Nuggets are not going to match.

Oh, and we’re two days away from the end of Toronto’s summer league run. I think if they go 5-0 they might erect a statue to Eric Hughes outside Thomas and Mack, right next to the ones for Tark and Wayne Newton.

Or not.

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But, on the flip side, if we’re two days away from the end of Toronto’s Vegas vacation, we’re also two days away from Bryan leaving a gathering of a couple dozen other GMs and that means he’ll probably be working overtime trying to get something done before the flight home.

Put in that kind of super-charged environment, it’s almost impossible for him to resist getting some trade done, or some move made.

This is something of an educated guess but I bet my mid-week next week we might have some resolution to the issues that plague the Raptors, namely what to do with the point guard spot and whatever small forward issues they need to resolve.

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Speaking of summer league and the non-roster guys you may think are impressing (I’m a perfect 5-for-5 on Days Without Watching A Minute Of Action), here’s something to consider:

Right now, the Raptors have 13 players with guaranteed contracts, they hold an option on Joey Dorsey and I don’t know that there’s room for anyone, to tell you the truth.

I think for financial reasons, they probably won’t go with a full 15-man roster (that seems to be a trend around the league) and if they are to make some kind of trade, or even use that juicy trade exception, it’s going to mean players coming back, or even extras being added.

So no matter what transpires on the court out there, I think it’s a simple fact of there being no room for anyone.

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Last call for the mail, boys and girls.

Not sure when the weakly, er weekly mailbag will get up but I suspect we’ll stay on the same schedule this week.

And since I’ve got all day Saturday to sit in the office and pretend to know what I’m doing steering the ship, I figure that’s as good a chance as any to get caught up with the mail.

So click here, challenge me and we’ll see what we can do.

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Seriously, this is going to be really cool.

Somehow, amid being reminded of the billion or so dollars in oft-questionable contracts that were doled out this summer, David Stern is going to have to sit across from Billy Hunter, plead his case for the NBA economic model being near ruins and Billy’s going to look up and say:

“Four hundred and fifty million dollars, David. That’s what the Golden State Warriors went for. Four hundred and fifty million dollars.”

That’s the largest sale price in NBA history for a team that has made the playoffs once in the last 16 seasons.

I tell ya, the league is really going to have a hard time pleading its economic hardship argument with things like that going on.

Now, heaven knows I have no expertise in the area of high finance or the inner workings of multi-hundred million dollar businesses, but the perception that things are horribly broken in the NBA model is going to be hard to prove to the common folk given what’s been going on the summer, capped by that extraordinary number the Warriors fetched Thursday.

I am sure there are teams in the league in precarious financial straits, just as I’m sure there are players who are horribly over-paid.

There would seem to be enough blame for why on both sides – owners and general managers who spend foolishly, players who don’t earn the princely salaries they are paid.

But I would also assume that both sides would realize that the general public sees this as billionaires arguing with multi-millionaires over an unimaginable financial pie and anything less than a settlement will be a catastrophe for all concerned.

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In a moment of digression, I’ll mention that not only has Super Son decided this would be a good summer to start learning the drums (and I have to tell you, the sound of a neophyte 13-year-old Ringo hammering away is something not many should live through) but he decided last night would be a good night for him and I to sit through Rocky IV.

On The Waterfront it’s not, and I think I need to be spending more time with him on finding the finer things in life. Like silence. And good flicks.

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Speaking of digressions, I need Bryan to do what he’s got to do this weekend, because starting Monday, I Are Golf Boy in my one-week-a-year-turn-on-the-links and I’d like a nice, relatively quiet week.

I’d also like sun (the best thing about basketball: No rainouts) so if anyone can hook me up with temps in the mid-20s and no humidity starting Monday, it’d be appreciated.

(Yes, it’s quiet in basketball land, hence the digressions).

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Hey, finally saw an Antoine Wright rumour out there.

Cleveland’s apparently got some interest and I guess that’s not a huge surprise since, you know, they don’t have a whole lot of players and they were calling about him last year around the trade deadline.

Boston was being bandied about as a possibility a couple of weeks ago so we should see him somewhere in the league next year.

But I’ll also throw this out to calm some things down: I don’t imagine there’s any kind of sign-and-trade deal out there. Teams making offers to Wright are going to be making offers below the mid-level exception and a) they won’t have to do a deal for financial reasons and b) there’s nothing at that price range that’s likely to help the Raptors on any team.

There has been little or no communication between Wright, his agents and the Raptors brass; that ship has sailed off unimpeded.

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I know, we’re a little bit shorter than usual today, blame the guys in Vegas.

Comments

[Kerry O'Brien]

Hey Doug,

Thanks for all the work you do -- I read every day and your insight and dedication is appreciated!

I've been drumming for 12 years and I always thought my parents' system for practicing was a good one. As a young'un I had one set hour per day (5-6 PM) for practicing. This gave my parents a chance to schedule themselves out of the house for that time if they needed to. As a bonus, it also gave me focus and made me WANT to use that hour each day, since I knew that was the only time I'd get.

[A.J]

OMG I cant believe they might not keep Dorsey what is wrong with this team?... ok ok I KEED I KEED, but he really does deserve to be on somebody roster. the guy can rebound like a beast, which is already more then some guys can do. Cough POB cough + he has come along way/. When he first came out of Memphis their were questions about his attitude/immaturity, but it seems like he has taken care of those worries. if Not w/ the raptors the Heat should snatch him up to be an 11th/12th man on the bench for minimum. Doug, do you know if he is drawing interest from Euro teams? maybe he wouldnt even want to sign for the minimum if could go make a few milli in europe??... ok anyways I could go on but i'll stop. I just rambled on about dorsey longer then anybody ever should. DONE!

Blogger's note: Haven't talked to anyone in a position of authority about him in a while; I can certainly see them keep him around, especially if they find a way to deal Reggie -- again

[A.J]

just seen the Antoine Wright thing... I know you said "you dont imagine" a sign & trade deal.. BUT I DO... they should offer Antoine Wright for Anthony Parker in a S&t to Cleveland. throw in a 2nd rd pick to make it work. His leadership would be nice to have back in the locker room + B.C even said he never wanted to lose him. Also w/ Marvin Williams, Wright, Moon, etc maybe A.P becomes expendable

[Skiff]

Doug, how can you slander Rocky IV? Rocky ENDED the cold war in that movie. Maybe there'd have been no Glasnost without him!

Just saying...

[Jean-Marie]

Breaking news from Italy: Andrea Bargnani joined Italian national team just yesterday (july 15) and had his first training together with Belinelli and the others. Il Mago said that "it was fun... There're a couple of months since I played five vs. five, with full contact". Basically, by the end of the regular season of NBA. What has he done so far (apart the obvious vacations) is anybody's guess. No one asked him, there. News, anyone?

Blogger's note: Did some individual stuff, got some rest, took it easy. Like his teammates

[Andrew]

Doug, if players aren't paid during a lockout, and if the majority of owners are actually losing money... doesn't that mean there is a huge incentive for owners to have a work stoppage and for NBA players to avoid a lockout at all costs. From a negotiating perspective, it seems the owners have an upper hand (if they are losing money).

[Jacques]

Doug, what do you think of Shaq joining the Raps? He would be great for the city of Toronto.

Blogger's note: And horrible for its basketball team

[DougG]

BC seemed to suggest in the interview the other day that Bobby Brown was making an argument for a third pg spot, but I would imagine that would depend on moving Jose and Banks.

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One of the really contentious issues in the new agreement will likely be the hard cap, I would imagine. The small market owners are saying that is the only way they can compete with LA, Boston or Miami, since what Miami just did would not be possible with a hard cap. However, the players are probably opposed to the idea, since the stacked teams would have to split up and they all couldn't live in South Beach.

[Joe]

Any news on Rasho? Has anyone shown any interest in the classy vet?

Blogger's note: Talked to him a few weeks ago, he's going to let the dust settle and see what's up later in the summer

[Scott]

Doug,

What are the actual numbers of the Linas Kleiza contract? I have seen 4 years / $20 miilion, 4 years / $18.8 million and 4 years / $16.8 million.

Blogger's note: I've got four years, $18.8 but the contract hasn't been registered yet.

[Parminder]

How much of the terrible contracts offered this year will have an impact on the negotiations this off season? Even the small market teams this year (Memphis, Milwaukee, etc) have doled out lucrative contracts to not exactly star players.

[BB]

Any idea how much did the New Jersey Nets sold for?

Blogger's note: It was part of a package that was a share of the team and the Brooklyn development project. Impossible to separate it out for me

[Geoff Read]

Rocky IV eh? Is that the one with the Russian (played by the decidedly Swedish Dolf Lundgren if I remember correctly)? That is a Cold War classic. Next you and super son should watch "Red Dawn". My favourite part in that film is when the Cubans/Russians round up and execute all the gun owners. How, you ask? By using the registration lists the federal government created when it forced them to register their firearms. Did I mention the film was partly funded by the NRA?

I, on the other hand, watched "The Tale of Despereaux" yesterday with my (much younger) son who was home with the flu.

[james]

It's too bad to see Antoine Wright go, he played hard for the Raps when he was here and you could always count on him for a clutch 3.

[Matthew]

Hey Blog,

@Young James posted yesterday where all of the Jose for Hibbert talk originated from. Apparently it was from M Grange

[Rob.V]

Jaques - I've thought of this as well. I actually proposed we trade for Shaq BEFORE Phoenix picked him up as well... Doug didn't agree with me back then either (he's not feelin the shaq thing).

Here's the thing: Shaq is definitley on the green of the 18th hole to his career (for sure) however I would actually entertain this idea, if, IF the Raptors had another star player to compliment him. (Plus, there's no way he'd come here without anyone to play with).

But I will throw this scenario out there. If the Raptors could land say a Tony Parker (Calderon, TPE (and/or) future pick). I would then look to sign someone like Shaq.

Although this team wants to run, pairing a Shaq (20-25 minutes a night) alongside a Tony Parker and Bargnani entirely makes sense to me.

To simply add him to this current squad, theres really no point.

But man!, with or without a Shaq - I personally would love to see Tony Parker in a Raps uniform next season!

[ANM]

Yes, Shaq would draw a crowd, but like Doug said, it would be horrible for the team.
I'm sure Raptor fans would agree.
I know that Shaq really loves the City though, he's here more often than people know. But that aside, it would be horrible.

[Mike kovacs]

Orlando have retained JJ Redick. How far into luxury tax will they be?

Blogger's note: I've got 'em at about $90 million committed so that's about $20 million over the tax level.

[Dave]

With teams like the Magic so far over the tax, it's no wonder some teams do everything they can to stay under. I know it sucks for hardcore fans to not have their team spend to win. However, from a business perspective, when all that money gets handed out to the under tax teams, they make a boatload of money.

[mike]

Hey Doug,

Have we seen anything like the Young Gunz camaraderie before? I can't think of any other Raptors teammates who have seemed to enjoy hanging around each other so much. Surely a good sign!

Blogger's note: The good team in '01 was close, so was the '07 team

[SA]

I have seen a couple of the summer league games on Raps TV and Demar and Sonny are fun to watch. No fear. Taking it to the bucket. Both working on their mid-range jumpers. Demar launching threes and making them! Not sure about Ed Davis yet. But with Barbosa coming, JJ running point, Amir, Bargs, er, Kleiza? and other parts to be named later, dare I say it -- Could they be fun to watch this year?? After getting excited about J. O'Neill and Turk over the last two summers I told myself I wouldn't let BC toy with my emotions this off-season, but I just can't help myself: Go Raps! Beat Miami!

[James]

Hey Doug, I read on Twitter that your man Oak is going to be in the T-Dot this weekend. You got any plans to catch up on old times?

J

[Bill]

By signing Q Rich and retaining JJ, do you think the Magic is thinking about trading away VC?

[pain777pas]

Hi Doug, Dorsey is growing on me. What is his status right now? Have you heard anything about whether BC will sign him?

Blogger's note: Same status as he had four months ago. Summer League contract.

[brent]

Doug,
Regular reader, so I apologize in advance if you've answered this before: Why is it exactly why the Rsps have no interest in Antoine? Seemed a decent enough player on the court . . . clubhouse lawyer? philosophical issues with coaches?

Blogger's note: Many and varied reasons, where's he fit? Who's he better than? What's it mean for other kids? Why lock him up for any length of time? Redundancy. He's an old 26. Many, many and varied reasons.