Still time to be prudent and an interesting worlds awaits

So, what now?

(Seems that’s been a rather common question surrounding the Heroes Of The Hardcourt this summer, hasn’t it?)

Well, I’m sure you all saw Bryan’s quote in today’s missive about the sure-to-be-failed Matt Barnes acquisition and he’s saying he’s got some other things on the go.

I hope, though, that they don’t make moves just for the sake of making moves and that anyone they decide to trade for is someone who can play a significant role in filling the holes they have left.

I know there’s a palpable feeling of disappointment that the Chandler-Diaw thing didn’t get done, and the Barnes thing seems destined to fail but that doesn’t mean going out and doing something just to do something.

I still think it might be prudent to hang on to a lot, if not all of the trade exception money to see how things shake out here and around the league; although that prudence is tempered by the fact there’s a glaring hole at small forward now.

Still, rushing doesn’t seem to me to make a lot of sense.

-

How come all yesterday the one thought that sat in my mind was:

Is this a job for Steve Fruitman?

After all, wasn’t he the guy who rescued the Hedo four-team, double sign-and-trade thing about a year ago? And then I thought, well, the Magic helped in that by taking on a big trade exception they never used and, this time around, they have no room to even start the proceedings with Barnes.

So, I guess it’s left to others to figure out what to do and how to do it.

-

I’m really wondering now just how good – or bad, depending o your perspective – the world championships will end up being next month.

Not sure if you’ve been reading the daily dispatches from Old Friend C. Sheridan over at epsn.com but the Americans are hardly putting together a juggernaut and the tourney may, as a result, be far more competitive that we thought.

Not only won’t the USA have any of its top eight players from Beijing, they lost Amar’e Stoudemire to insurance issues earlier this week and David Lee banged up a finger pretty badly on Tuesday and no one knows whether he’ll be available.

As you well know, I generally applaud players for playing for their countries and I know most of the recognizable names from around the world will be there.

No Dirk, I see; and no Pau Gasol or Tony Parker but, for the most part, countries other than the USA will have their top players.

And that’s really good for the tournament. There really is nothing like a world basketball championships to bring out the passion in fans – think World Cup on a smaller scale – and having a few teams like Spain, Greece, maybe Argentina, able to challenge the Americans is a good thing.

And while that American team may still be full of recognizable NBA games to think it’s a heavy favourite is not the wisest thing to do.

One thing I find quite comical about the whole thing is how they are suggesting that toll of free agency may be part of the reason for guys like LeBron, Wade and Bosh – three mainstays from the Olympics – sitting out.

Yeah, that dog and pony show that ended July 8 must have been a killer on the body. The wear and tear had to be incredible and they have to rest their 20-something bodies for months because of it.

Yeah, right.

-

Since I am no officially Golf Boy for the rest of the week, figures to be some downtime in the day since, you know, golf takes freaking forever.

So, to pass that idle time, how about we start the mailbag thingy by telling you to click here and send in the cards, letters and offers of untold riches and fun. Fun being the preferred option, that is.

-

I presume you all saw this about Wayne Parrish and his future as a honcho at Canada Basketball, right?

Well, let me say the fact they’re going to find some way to keep him involved in some significant senior position – Chairman of the board? Head of an advisory panel? General overseer? Czar? – is the only thing that makes sense.

The organization may not have been on death’s door when he arrived but the Grim Reaper was coming up the front porch and the turnaround since then has been shocking.

He’s built bridges that had been burned, particularly between the provinces and the national organization and he’s somehow brought back hugely important people from the past who had been shunted aside and given them a real role in developing players and the game.

He got MLSEL to become almost a full partner, making training facilities available to national teams, providing money and manpower and getting Maurizio Gherardini on board gave Canada Basketball immeasurable respect around the world.

The financial picture is better – still some debt but an annual operating profit of late – and the sense of optimism is unbridled.

The woman who comes in to replace him – or man, I guess – as the CEO will have some tough shoes to fill, it’s of the utmost importance that Parrish be around to help show the way.

-

You know what’s really great? And by really great I mean a huge pain in the tush?

The dudes putting in new gas lines on the Casa Doug Crescent and their willingness to bring out the heavy machinery and fire it up just after 7 a.m.

Super Dog loves it. Me? Not so much.

-

Okay, off to the golfing course, where I hope it doesn’t rain because you don’t know boredom until you’ve sat through interminable rain delays at a golf event.

But maybe Bryan energizes my day with some huge complex deal; and I see Turk’s in Phoenix to chat with the folks there and I’ll be interested in hearing what he has to say.

Comments

[Scott C]

"The woman who comes in to replace him..." leads to me to believe you know who the successor is going to be. Care to drop a few hints?

Blogger's note: Really have no idea; honest.

[Tiger]

2 words: Fred Jones
It only took 1 bungled deal to land him.
With 2 bungled deals on the books, how low into the dregs will BC go?

[alan]

any chance of making it a 3 team deal to get matt barnes, possibly a team with cap space that can take him on outright, but have no interest in keeping him on payroll?

[Derek S]

Hey Doug,
So if the Barnes deal falls apart, do you have any sense of "where the blame lies"? In your column you state that both Orlando and Toronto must have known what room they had available - but obviously someone screwed up. Most of the blog readers are blaming BC (big shock). The general consensus after the Charlotte fiasco seemed to be that it was MJ's bad, not BC's. Do you think BC is to blame here, or is it Orlando? Will we ever know?

[John S]

I don't get it... a sign and trade has to be 3 years in length, Orlando doesn't hold Barnes' Bird Rights and Toronto has no cap space.
What happened here? Shouldn't there be a bunch of number crunchers on each side telling the GMs that it doesn't work? Shouldn't the GMs involved know about Barnes' Bird Rights?

My thought is that Colangelo has had two very public misses this offseason. One being Charlotte's fault but this one looks bad on the Raptors regardless of who dropped the ball on this one.

The trade exception is nice but it just means that the Raps end up with someone who in the other team's opinion is not worth the money. And that doesn't sound like a great situation either. Here's hoping that Colangelo earns his salary this offseason because so far, it hasn't been a great one for the Raptors.

[Joey H]

Whats funny is all these people saying how much they hate Bryan, but love Sonny and the YoungGunz and how Jarett is the future leader of this team...
All Bryan.
In the 4+ years he's been here we've made it to the playoffs more then Golden State and LA Clippers have in like 15 years. Not the beest examples, but both legitimate markets with legitimate players.
He's better then most at what he does and you can bet that if/when he's gone every team in the league will be chomping at the bit to hire him.

I don't understand the incessant b*tching.
It takes away from what is supposed to be a fun game.

[JT]

Doug,
How long are you suggesting the Raptors hold onto the trade exemption? I've heard suggestions from media that Bryan should just hang onto it and see what happens throughout the season and perhaps use it early next off-season (just before it expires) but I don't agree with that because Bryan will then be under the gun to use it and teams know that. At the same time, this team is clearly not good enough right now so if he waited, wouldn't this pretty much be a completely lost season without a huge purpose (there is purpose to develop DeRozen, Davis, Weems, etc.)? and I liked the potential of grabbing Iggy from Philly as you suggested yesterday with Bob on the Fan 590

[pain777pas]

Doug, we should just be prepared to see this young squad come together this year. I mean it's over now as far as deals there are none to be done. Do you see anything on the horizon because I think that if coached well they could try and dupe the competition by short rotations and using every man on the bench unless someone gets hot. What do you think Doug?

[Johnn19]

Doug:
It's not in BC's DNA to make moves that do not lead to winning both now and in the future, so you can rest easy.
re Affair Barnes, its clear BC knew he could not sign straight up, due to using the MLE, and no BAE, so it had to be a S&T with Orlando the KEY, no doubt.
Dont know where the 9/10K 2 years came from, but it was not TO or ORL, but the famous sources quoted by ESPN/Yahoo who where out to lunch. Don't believe Barnes quoted numbers in his Tweet by the TWIT who started all this premature chatter by the media darlings.
It's likely that ORL was thinking that because they had signed Barnes for 2 years, and $3.2k they would be able to offer approx $4k to sign & start a S&T, not considering that his opt out after only 1 year cut the amt to approx $2k to start, and killing the deal.
Back to the drawing board for BC, unless Barnes is willing to accept a 3 year at approx $7mil for a chance to start, which would be more than his last 2 contracts.

[Jimmy]

"...there’s a glaring hole at small forward now."

With Kleiza and Weems at SF, I wouldn't call that a glaring hole. The hole I see is at the five spot unless the Raptors want to run Bargnani out there again, but everyone, including Colangelo seems to think he should be playing PF. It's too bad there are so many PFs on the roster still.

PG- Calderon/Jack/Banks
SG- DeRozan/Barbosa/Belinelli
SF- Kleiza/Weems
PF- Bargnani/Johnson/Evans/Davis
C- Alabi? really?

[Emri]

The raps are a joke. they can't even get trades together. honestly. this franchise may actually be the most embarassing (save for the leafs) in pro sports.

[Chris]

Do we really have a gap at SF that can be filled?

Weems starts, Kleiza off the bench... done. Getting Matt Barnes or equivalent is just adding more of the same (6th man type guys).

I say we sign T-mac, A.I. and Shaq. Lottery time!

[CA1]

I'm not sure if anyone's put this up yet, but if you're interested, here's a review of Matt Bonner's party with The Hold Steady. Looks like it was a good time.....

http://www.chartattack.com/reviews/2010/jul/19/the-hold-steady-prove-rock-n-roll-isnt-dead

[frustrated fan]

Man, all these supposed trades falling apart makes Raptors management like a bunch of fools. It is quite aparrent now that the Raps will severely suck next year and for the upcoming years. Go Phoenix!!! (just for Nash)

[james]

Well, technically the raps are almost capped out. So theoretically, their roster can't get much better by addition unless they use the Bosh Trade Exception. They could move calderone for a proven big man under contract, or preferably, an aging overpriced big man and a young point guard with potential (not roko ukic). The point is, they do have Kleiza (he is signed right?) and Weems at SF as it stands which isn't "horrible". I don't see Bryan using his Bosh Trade Exception in the near future. I think he stands pat for a while until this season starts playing out.

[Jean-Marie]

So, let's have a look. At the near end of july, the Raps don't have yet:
1) that famous defensive centre many people were talking about since last year, when we got to know Chris Bosh was "probably" going away
2) with Calderon on the move, a true point guard
3) with Kleiza and no Matt Barnes, a reliable small forward
Actually, we still have nothing but glaring holes. And Bosh less. How does it look? But, maybe that's just me pessimistic.

[Karen P]

Doug any chance something happens in the next day or two?? And did you hear from anyone about what Bryan said to the season seat holders last night at Real Sports Bar??

Blogger's note: Can't hazard and a guess and haven't heard from a soul

[nasko]

I know Wayne and he is such a class guy, wish him all the best in his new move. He has done an amazing job with Canada Basketball, he definitely loves the game.

[Phil]

At the rate the Raptors are striking out maybe they should just sign their summer league team. It's not like anyone is expecting them to win this year with another superstar leaving town, after first insulting the fans and the Raptors.

[Matthew]

Doug, Have you heard any reliable sources talk about getting Iggy from the sixers via TPE?

[chris]

Doug - given Kleiza's deal, doesn't BC see him as a starter? He's a pretty expensive back-up.

Blogger's note: At less than the average NBA salary I don't think "expensive back-up" is true.

[nate]

Hi Doug, do you think the new Canada Basketball CEO should be a big recognizable name to help bring exposure to the program, or continue with someone like Wayne who has done admirable work and let the players and coaches be in the forefront? Personally I love the paradigm shift that's happened in our young players playing prep school ball in the states, you never used to hear about a High School All-American who is actually Canadian, and that's becoming the new reality. Unfortunately uprooting your life and moving to a new country isn't for every 15 or 16 year old. I hope whoever the new face in charge is, they will recongize the importance of skill development for young kids, and support structures for the young adults who want to take their game to the next level. Right now we've got a lot to look forward to in terms of young Canadian talent.

[Scott]

You can't get Matt Barnes at $4.5 on a sign and trade with another team because you can't use the MLE to sign and trade. The only way I see Matt Barnes coming to Toronto is if he signs for $1.9, a player option for the second year and a handshake agreement with Bryan that after next season he'll his raise to $4.5 or more on a new deal.

[Aditya]

AGree with the rest of the fellas... It's not like the small forward is such a glaring hole... All bryana doing is getting mediocre talent... I rather bring up some d league guys... If raps go with 3 point guards, I would hope Bobby brown makes the roster

[Dave]

Would this not be a sufficient workaround to get the S&T deal done?? I have read lots of ESPN experts' take on the salary cap situation with Orlando, regarding a S&T of Barnes as was originally reported... if my understanding is correct, I don't really see the big hassle holding this deal up.

I don't understand why the Raptors can't just do a S&T for a 4-year contract starting at the $1.9M max from Orlando, with the built-in maximum 8% increase each season. Toronto could do that contract with an unofficial "understanding" with Barnes that they would buy him out after the 2nd season, for an amont equal to what the 3rd & 4th seasons of the contract would be worth. Barnes would essentially make about $8.5M and only play 2 seasons in Toronto, which is basically what the original planned contract was supposedly worth (2 yrs - $9M)...

Wouldn't that work???