A chance for a meeting and Canadian roster decisions loom

A tad tardy this morning but whatcha gonna do? And a tad slow, too.

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Here’s the best thing about the American national team playing Spain in Madrid on the weekend.

It’ll give Jay a chance to chat with Jose and while I don’t think there has to be much fence-mending done, it’s a pretty good chance to at least say hello.

I know Jose pretty well having covered him his entire career and I don’t think the botched trade will weigh on his mind too much but I’m pretty sure Jay should make a point of telling him that he’s still an integral part of this team if there’s no move made.

Everyone involved understands the business aspects of the game, that if something presents itself that makes sense, trades are going to happen and Jose’s been around long enough to realize that.

Still, we all know he loves Toronto, the city and the organization and I think Jay needs to sidle up to him at some point and say, ‘hey, you’re with us, you’re one of us and we need you.’

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So, lose by a billion, win by four.

Some ride for Canada, no?

Not sure the win over Serbia is much more indicative of the team’s fate in the worlds than the loss to Greece was but it had to be heartening for them to bounce back at least.

The trouble spots remain, though.

Got a note from Leo late yesterday and they still know they need to get Andy Rautins fully healthy – he didn’t play again – and Jermaine Anderson’s not quite at 100 per cent yet but he got some minutes in each of the two games.

Another interesting thing is that the team still has a couple of cuts to make before the worlds start and with the boxscore showing non time for Olu Famutimi against Serbia, I wonder if he’s not on some kind of bubble.

Rosters don’t have to be finalized until a week from today so there are four games to go before any decision has to be made.

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The Raptors?

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Dead quiet in what’s traditionally a very slow time around the NBA. People are on vacation, doing off-season office work and kind of coasting.

I’m all for it.

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In keeping with our worlds theme these days, here’s this from the early mail:

Q: Not sure if you've answered this before but I haven't seen it lately. After getting dusted by Greece and seeing the drop-off between tier 1 and tier 2 international outfits, would you say Canada Basketball fans my be looking at 2016, even 2020 before we can really challenge on an Olympic stage._It would seem our real stud prospects (The Pangoses, Josephs, Thompsons, Kabongo's, etc.) are still fairly young in the system, and we may not see them with the SMNT for a while.

N A, Toronto

A: I’ve said it long and often, actually. I’m thinking the progression should be, top 16 at this worlds, qualify for the Olympics, top 12 at the 2014 worlds, qualify for the 2016 Games and see where that takes them for the 2020 world championships.

You’d hope by that time that kids who have so far shown promise but who have really accomplished little will have grown into capable players. I warn you, however, that it is a long, long, long, long way from talent as a teen to being able to play as a man.

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Hmm, so I’m reading all the post-concert stuff yesterday and I see there’s a suggestion of some kind of contretemps between Steven Tyler and Joe Perry.

I have to admit I only saw Tyler in the audience and figured that was the norm for concerts these days.

But if they want to have full contact music, I think it’d be a hoot.

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Speaking of mail.

Click. Send. I’d like to hear from you.

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Is everyone tingling with excitement about a Bills-Colts pre-season game in Toronto tonight?

Whoop!!!!

And

Eeeee!!!

Seriously, if there’s anything more dull than pre-season football, I’m not sure what it is.

But have fun at the game.

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Okay, it’s really slow here today, I need to come up with some theme of things to do each day until I land in Turkey. Am open to suggestions but keep in mind I need most of late September and October to do NBA stuff.

Anyway, here’s one more from the mail just so I feel I’ve done my duty here.

Q: Watched the broadcast yesterday of the Youth Olympics. They were showing "Basketball" and it was 3 on 3. Why on earth did they even bother? If you can't afford 5 on 5 ....what's the point?

Bob C, Wingham

A: The point is it’s a different game, it’s something FIBA and the IOC want to try to promote the game and participation in it and, honestly, I’m all for anything that gets youth participating in sports and offers them a chance to play on a global stage.

Comments

[Marc]

Late season baseball when your team is clearly not going to the post season is about as dull as watching paint dry. Yes, more dull than a pre-season Football game in my view...but then again, I like Summer League basketball so what do I know?

[Mark L]

Doug,

What are your thoughts on Rudy Fernandez's decision to go back to Europe? (no, I won't ask if we can get him)
He seemed to fit in the NBA during his rookie year and looked to have a relatively promising career. Is it just the wrong system/team for him in Portland?

Blogger's note: I think it's a bad fit with a team that has a glut of guards. There is no doubt in my mind that Rudy's an NBA talent.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Morning Doug,
You rate pre-season football ahead of NBA summer league for boredom bragging rights?! Who-da-thunk-it?
So, where would darts, poker and cars driving in circles rate on the Smith scale among sleep-inducing televised "sports" offerings? Is there perhaps a list in the offing here?
In your 15+ years covering the hometown hardcourt shenanigans, does anything top this endless summer for Raps non-newsworthiness? Any hints at all about when a roster tweak or two might show up on the radar? End of the month? December? Cheers to ya.

Blogger's note: No idea when, or if, something might happen. And that list is now added to the list of lists for slow days

[Anthony R]

The Raptors?

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Should we assume that there are no deals in the works that may possibly come to fruition by the end of this offseason? Will this be the roster that we can expect to show up at training camp?

Blogger's note: Oh, I'm sure there are talks going on but I can't say whether anything will come to fruition.

[Jack]

Hi Doug,

I've been reading your blog for years, but I'm becoming disillusioned with The Star, which I've been reading online for a decade. Today one of the headlines was about a fire that started from a leaf blower, and then the sports page is trying to hype up the Rogers Bills/Colts game. I'm switching to the Globe & Mail... of course I'll be on here to read your blog, but maybe you can have your blog posted there?

Blogger's note: I'm guessing my bosses -- and those at the Globe -- wouldn't go for that.

Kind regards.

[CM]

Poker is miles ahead in that category. Possibly one of the worst ideas in tv history to televise a bunch of guys sitting around a table playing with their chips and wearing ridiculous sun glasses to... prevent their opponent from reading their mind. I prefer wearing a tin foil hat

[Marius]

Hi Doug!
Keep doing what you are doing...we need basketball news everyday...we need also Raptors news.
One question: Are the Raptors interesed in any way in Xavier Henry from Grizzlies? He hasn't signed a contract with them and might be traded....
Thanks!

Blogger's note: It's a money issue with Memphis so why would they want to trade him for a guy with an existing contract?

[Mike S.]

Doug, not sure if you heard through the grapevine or not but, Sonny Weems and DeMar DeRozan showed up at the Pavillion (a gym in Thornhill) last night and played some pickup with the locals. They had Tweeted about it earlier in the day so there was a small crowd but not to many. Maybe around 100 people. They were really approachable, taking pictures and signing stuff. I was wondering if you think this is just two young guys having fun (like I wish more players would) or part of a concerted effort by management to try to raise the profile in this post-Bosh era.

Blogger's note: No, I think they did it on their own as a couple of kids having fun.

[Jacques]

Doug, Does BC have any interest in working a deal with Portland for Rudy? do you think he'll be a fit here in T.O.

Blogger's note: I think he'd fit; the question is does Toronto have anything Portland wants. The answer to that, I believe, is no since they've talked and there was no deal

[Eric in NS]

US-Spain on tv anywhere?

Blogger's note: The listings I see show it at 3 p.m. on RaptorsTV Sunday

[Casey]

I thought rain-delays while covering golf was the most boring thing you had to sit through... does an nfl preseason game trump that?

Blogger's note: It might, at least in rain delays I can tell stories with other writers

[Lorie]

Good Afternoon Doug,
Quick suggestion for you to mull over whilst you recline on Casa Doug Party Deck sharing sunscreen and Stella with Super Dog: perhaps you could regale us with a "Q&A" sometime before you take off for Turkey? Thanks, and time to turn over. Both of you.

Blogger's note: We'll try to find a good Q and A time before it starts

[DougG]

Doug given the league's refusal to investigate the possible tampering by the Miami Heat, even in the face of evidence provided by the player's themselves, do you think they, the league, actually want a system where only 3 or 4 teams are able to compete? Is that good for basketball in their minds?

Blogger's note: No, it's probably not.

[DL]

RE: Marius post regarding Xavier Henry.

Don't know anything about the Xavier Henry but can't Memphis trade him and take back trade exception from Bosh?

Blogger's note: Sure, but that'd give Toronto 16 players and it' a non-starter

[joeu]

@jack
There are many headlines on TheStar.com's home page. Why do you suppose they haven't tailored each one to you alone ?

I guess the followup story " How to dry your car seats without using a leaf blower" is leaving you with no option but to boycott leaf blowers ?

And, you're complaining that a site that offers (for free) content that you would otherwise buy a paper to read has the gall to generate revenue through advertising ? I'm sure you won't find that at G&M, or even at ESPN's "insider".

[CM]

Good day Doug, would you mind throwing together a list of players who you feel are true starter quality 5's.

Blogger's note: Um, sure. Some day I will.

[CM]

Seems a pretty mindless request i know, but i went through the rosters and i found it really hard to find very many quality 5's, especially difficult to find any that are worth going after. The ones that it seemed to make any sense for T.O. to show interest in, doesn't appear their team would have much interest in our players. So I'm thinking maybe my idea of a quality 5 is a little too specific.