Tommy, er, Joey and Linas get some good news

Another quiet day in the books but we still manage to get the following fun, frivolity and joyful pieces of easy reading.

Have fun.

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Hey, you all know Joey Dorsey made some money last week, right?

The Raptors are keeping him around for at least a little while longer, I hear, and he’s got another $200,000 or so in guaranteed money now.

But still no guaranteed spot.

I haven't seen the precise terms of his contract with the team but if it’s like a handful of others from similar situations, I’m sure the guarantee now gets him through training camp and the pre-season.

If he’s still on the team opening night there’ll be another guaranteed amount kick in and then there’ll be a third threshold sometime around December.

It’s got to be pretty much the same as the deal Quincy Douby was here on because the situations are pretty similar.

I think what might ultimately determine Dorsey’s fate is whether Bryan can find a way to deal Reggie Evans, who does pretty much the same job although he’s older and certainly has a higher opinion of his offensive skills than, say, the coaches do.

If Evans is gone, that’s Dorsey’s role, as fifth or sixth big who can fill in when needed and will work hard in practice to challenge his teammates. I don’t ever think he’ll be an impact player, I’m doubtful he’d ever be a rotation player on a good team but if there’s a spot on the roster, why not give it to him? But there has to be a spot and right now, there isn’t.

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Here’s some press-stopping news:

Linas Kleiza’s a Raptor.

I mean, like, officially, officially, officially a Raptor.

There was some FIBA paperwork that had to get cleared up yesterday and not until it was filed with all the appropriate people could the deal be finally sealed.

(No, there’s no suggestion Michael Jordan is now running FIBA and had second thoughts).

Anyway, it’s done, done.

Maybe we’ll get a chance to talk to him late next month in Turkey when Lithuania’s in the same group as Canada at the worlds.

Or not, since he said he wasn’t sure he was going to play.

But if we don’t see him there, we won’t see him until camp, I don’t imagine, because they won’t be bringing him over just to talk to us.

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Let’s give an early shot to the call for mail bag; I’m kind of hoping to get a couple of days off this weekend from the regular grind and want to get started on the mail early.

Click here, say hi, ask questions.

Thanks.

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So Chris Paul meets with his new GM, Dell Demps; and his new coach, Monty Williams, and my in-box is flooded with e-mails from New Orleans.

No trade demand. Productive meeting. All on the same page. Looking to move forward. Excited by the plans.

All of which means one thing:

He’s gone.

No, I don’t know that for sure but the whole exercise smacked of a contrived united front and if there are quiet talks going on behind the scenes, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

Paul was a diminished asset when there was an alleged list of teams he wanted to play for but I would imagine the Hornets would have said, “look, you’re not going anywhere for two years unless we can make a move that helps our team so keep your trap shut and maybe we’ll get something done.”

And then they can deal him anywhere they like, let him play out his two years before he’s a free agent and then let him see what the new CBA will allow him to do.

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Digression time

(And get used to ‘em, it’s truly dog days tim a round here and with no Monster Lizards At The Olympics to write about, you’re in for some major league digressions).

The other day in the mail, someone asked me about favourite airports in North America and I dutifully supplied a list.

But how do you get on the list? Here’s five things every airport has to have:

Expansive security areas so we aren’t crammed in while the 10 Bucks An Hour TSA Kidlets do their business. Philly has the best security area I’ve seen, huge, lots of lanes, rather intelligent workers who use common sense.

On-site rental car agencies. Shuttles bite.

Starbucks. ‘Nuff said, a guy needs his quad vente non-fat latte (Hello, Hwy. 10 and Harbord! Top Starbucks in the world, I believe).

Good restaurants. No Sbarro or Cinnabon or whatever that other junk is for me. Wolfgang Puck’s place in Denver’s really good; Minneapolis has all kinds of good spots.

Good weather and no delays.

I know, I know. It is to dream.

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Hey, all you good folks out in the B.C. area, check this out.

Not sure how convenient it is for you, but the senior women’s team has a couple of games out there tonight and Thursday and if you get a chance, you should go see ‘em.

There’s going to be a lot of attention paid to the men in the next little while since they start camp and have games out in Vancouver and then back here in mid-August but, I have to tell you, the women are good.

Their worlds are until after the men so there’ll be time to catch up with them but they might have an even better chance at getting to the second round of their worlds than the men will at theirs.

It’s not often they play at home, and they’d probably appreciate some support.

Oh, and while you’re at the Canada Basketball website, don’t forget to read about the Happy Hour thingy that’s here in Toronto on Thursday night. Sounds like a pretty good time to me.

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Okay, I’m off to Niagara Falls today to do some family stuff; not sure when we get to comments but I’m sure there’s a place with wireless and a coffee or some other beverage where I can at least spend lunch. So if you don’t see your pearls of wisdom immediately, know it’s not personal.

Comments

[City Country]

Any thoughts on Colangelo saying Bosh definitely checked out early last year on the Fan590 yesterday?

Blogger's note: Didn't hear it.

[PeterK]

Hey Doug,
Thanks for posting my question regarding the airports.
I'll be sure to sign up for a conference in Denver next time.
Enjoy your time at the falls with the family.

[Mike D.]

I can't believe the Raptors didn't issue a press release to update its fan base on Joey Dorsey. But the dog days of summer might be a great time for you to write that feature article on him.

[Carl]

Doug, you seem to have missed Colangelo's explosive interview with regards to Bosh on the FAN590 yesterday evening. Check it out and let us know what you think: http://www.fan590.com/ondemand/media.jsp?content=20100726_173501_6484

Blogger's note: Didn't hear it. I may check it out tonight, or I may not; depends on how family stuff goes.

[Dallas]

Hey Doug,

Have fun with the family stuff. Regarding your inbox, who would be emailing you from New Orleans? Are you referring to fans or other Beat Writers? And, why may I ask would they be rushing to contact Toronto people. Are there people in New Orleans that think Toronto may somehow be involved in the Chris Paul Sweepstakes in some way?

Cheers.

[Brian67]

Doug - with that criteria if the NBA ever expands to Europe you're going to love Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

[Mike S]

Doug, I don't see what is troubling about Chris Paul demanding a trade from the Hornets. This is a team that just traded a useful role player (Mo Pete) and the #11 pick for the number 18 pick IN THE SAME DRAFT! If I was a superstar in my prime (like Paul) that would be the biggest betrayal possible. I'm actually a little disturbed that we and the media treat player signings as an unconditional marriage to a city and team on the part of the player. When Paul signed that contract, he was definitely promised certain things by NO management, otherwise he would have signed a shorter ext. and left like LeBron... in which case we'd be excoriating him anyway. How can a player win in that circumstance?

[Mackdhami]

In my mind (and maybe others) the Raptors have lacked toughness for quite a while now (since the days of Charles Oakley to be exact). Anyone with an edge is usually confused as having 'attitude'!! (ahh to be Canadian).
To the point now... From what I've seen, Joey Dorsey (aka "Dwight Light") would give the Raptors a certain presence in the middle that Reggie hasn't really been able to provide. Joey is a big boy and i wouldn't mind seeing what he is able to offer in the fall.

[Dave in BG]

Re the BC interview:

I will help Doug out and answer in his stead.

"BC is entitled to his opinion, but no one except the player can know the severity of an injury. No one around the team really knows how hurt CB4 was"

OK, I have overstepped my bounds, my apologies Doug.

[TMF]

Hmm... perhaps you should have chosen a different wording about how many emails you received from New Orleans...

[Reuben]

Hi Doug

I’ve got nothing against wishing to play for a winner or play in a city you prefer but this whole off season there appears to be a sense that there is some major collusion going on amongst the players and agents to create uber-teams.

So where is the Commish in all this?

For the most part David Stern and his office has been silent so far even though we get a sense that the Bosh, Wade, James deal was in process way before the free agent season started and now it appears there may be outside forces (sounds ominous doesn’t it) involved in Paul’s issue if he chooses to leave New Orleans.

For a Commissioner who attempts to rule with an iron fist as if the NBA was a communism country pre glasnost, with the way he fines players and owners for the slightest comment that goes against his pristine image of the league I’m a bit surprised that he hasn’t said much this off-season.

Of course there are those that will argue that the league prefers a small number of uber-teams rather than true parity as it makes for a better product to market but that totally screws over certain teams making them feeder teams for the big boys sort of like in the MLB.

Now Stern has presided over the great expansion of the NBA and for that I give him credit but it seems like this summer is a crucial point in NBA history where he should be making a stand or at least making some comments. Why then do I get the impression its more of a Nero fiddles while Rome burns situation with him at the moment.

[pain777pas]

BC did not outright say that he checked out without reason. He knew that they did not have a chance to keep him. Colangelo is a business man and spoke like one with BBall head office experience and understanding. Keep him as GM. He understands the business. He wasn't bitter. He said everyone checked out and some like Turk never checked in. He pretty much said what any analyst would have said. Bosh did what could be done with the effort on the floor and talent. Why would you try hard with some of the guys that don't play any defense which is the biggest part of any game let alone BBall.

[CavaLIAR]

Hey Doug,
Are you going to be in the heart of the attractions in Niagara Falls? If so, on Lundy's Lane there is a Star Bucks with WiFi. You can pretty much get WiFi anywhere there is a hotel, but more than likely you'll need a password in which you'll get if you are registered there.
Also try Dave and Busters on Clifton Hill, they might have it at the bar on the second floor.
Just forget the internet for one day and enjoy yourself and your family.

Blogger's note: This is my town, I'm in the Starbucks right now doing this, may stop at Mick and Angelo's for lunch and then back to family stuff.

[John MacDonald]

Wondering if you have any thoughts on the comments that Yao Ming might decide to retire if his foot doesn't heal completely this coming year. I think his presence has had a big impact on exposing the NBA to Asian markets and really moving the game of basketball ahead. I have never been a huge fan of his game but I understand just how valuable a player like him can be for a team. I feel for him and the Houston fans who just want their best player to be healthy. Better he retire now than get another long term big contract and not play half the games right.

Blogger's note: I think it would be a very sad story reminiscent of Bill Walton without the championship, of course.

[Scott]

Wait, isn't Evans the 4th big right now? (after Bargnani, Johnson and Davis) or are you putting Alabi or Kleiza in front of him (I assumed Kleiza fills the 3).

Blogger's note: Depending on what happens I think they see Kleiza as multi-dimensional enough that I'll count him as a wing and a big right now.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=612860564]

I heard BC's interview on PTS, and I must say, Bosh needs to be his own man. I think he's caught up in the glam and we'll see how well he performs playing with those two. However I'm surprised he bulked up at the beginning of the season and was on a tear up to the All Star game. Seems like a waste of time and energy. He definitely needs the right people around him to guide him, otherwise he'll be another Rap star that could have been.

[Neil]

Great candid interview but im not sure BC should have came out with that information. We all suspected something was up with the way the season ended BC just confrimed it but i dont think it should have came directly from his mouth on a interview on Primetime sports....he should have leaked that information via some other media outlet. It just makes BC look a little unprofessional and bitter at the way things went down the stretch after the all-star break. BC also mentions that they tried many different peices to build around bosh as the center piece but it didnt work and that Bosh is not a center piece player if her knew all of this why not trade CB4 before the deadline? BC isnt looking so teflon anymore.

[Rob.V]

Yeah, Colangelo indirectly was stating that Bosh "threw in the towel" on the Raptors playoff run last season. When your ex-boss bascially states that "there was no damage to the ankle, MRI's showed nothing, with limited swelling... and Chris decided to sit out another 6 games"... that's pretty telling.

From Bosh's perspective, I can understand why he would want to be careful (with what, the biggest pay day of his life being a couple of months away).

But still... Kobe doesn't do his team like that!.

[Jk]

Doug

I swear that starbucks in on hwy10 and Harbor'm'

Blogger's note: Harbor'n' I believe now; my original mistake

[Nick M]

Wait a minute,

So if you find a place with wireless for lunch and post a few comments is that considered a business lunch? And does the Star pay?

This is the real inside scoop your reader's want to know!

Should I put this in the mailbag?

Blogger's note: I'll talk to my bosses, see if this constitutes work because that's precisely what I'm doing.

[robguy]

More reaction from the Colangelo comments this time from Miami. AS far as I am concerned, really nothing new...

http://blogs.herald.com/miami_heat/2010/07/another-hindsight-hack-job.html

[Josh Benzacar]

Doug you are going to read this and laugh at the stupidity but I would like to say from a marketing standpoint this could be huge for Toronto and we would probably secure the 8 spot and make the playoffs. I know we dont need a bandaid fix but for one season this could really make a splash. (I know it would never happen in a million years, but think of the possibilities)

To battle back against the big 3's of the eastern confrence why not give a team of Rejects and washed up stars a chance to re-live their prime?? sign Shaq, Iverson, Tmac to one year deals. all three of these players are richer than smalll countries so If they really want to play let's let them play.(for the league minnimum) 1 year deals for them to showcase to the league what they still have and for us we fill the stands and have a little swagger of our own around the ACC.A starting lineup of Shaq/Bargz/Tmac/Iverson/Barbosa would be pretty solid. having a full second unit starting lineup to do the patch work and spell the washed up superstars. Jack/derozan/Weems/Klieza/ Amir to get out on the break as a second unit would be fantastic , a little undersized but it would get the job done. LBJ and CB4 have made a mockery of the NBA , lets have a little fun of our own.

[Mike kovacs]

Do you like the Flying Saucer Rest for breakfast?

Blogger's note: Saucer Fries were a perfect end-of-the-night meal way back in the day; not sure about their breakfasts.

[Brook]

Hey Doug,

So I read the hindsight-hack-job column, and while it was nothing new I was surprised that the guy quoted the Sun who was quoting the FAN -- isn't that a no-no? Or at least a bit un-professional not to get the quotes directly from the source. I'm not a managing editor, but I have taught academics, and 3rd-party sourcing in an article is just lazy (especially when the source is freely available on the internet).
Is that an acceptable journalistic short-cut (time crunches and all) or is it a bit frowned-upon as unprofessional and a risky way to increase the chance of mis-quoting someone?
Not asking you to bash another journalist, but I am curious about how you'd approach that.

[DougG]

Anyone who thinks Chris Bosh and Lebron James made up their minds, the day Lebron announced his decision on TV, probably believes Pat Riley didn't know it was a possibility until the last day too. I know Bosh and Lebron kept pretending they hadn't made their minds up, until they had dreams or visions or whatever, in the last 24 hours, but that is still no guarantee of the truth. The issue is what did Pat Riley know, and when did he know it. It is a disgrace that Stern refuses to look into it. It is also disappointing that MLSE is not pressing the issue. Perhaps they signed off on that possibility when they got the TPE and the draft picks?
.
I was very happy to hear BC stand up and tell the truth the other day. Let's hope that Bosh and Lebron's absolute solipsism doesn't ruin the game. The only thing I don't understand is why they decided to let Wade be the only one not to ruin his reputation on the way out the door. Wade must be the Batman in the threesome. One can only hope Bosh is getting enough attention now to compensate for the terrible years he was caged in Toronto. The man was crucified by the terrible foreigness, and smells, of Toronto