Homecoming and other fun stuff

All ready for Turk?

Oh, and Captain Canada? Kind of mixed emotions today, no?

Well, this should get you through it until 1 p.m. when we’re back to chronicle the game.

See ya.

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Q: Hey Doug. Okay, waiting for a 2 for 1 to happen so BC gets to keep Dupree (tough D) and Dorsey (hungry rebounding) around for a while is getting boring, so since you're asking for questions.

The NBA has had its fair share of famous Johnsons (not including Wilt's or Shawn Kemp's) so here it is: Pick your best NBA team of past or present players with the last name "Johnson".

Sounds like fun, huh? You're welcome.

 

Derek S, Toronto

A: Oh, man.

It’d be a smallish team but what the heck:

Magic, Dennis, Kevin, Avery and Larry.

How’s that sound?

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Q: Hi Doug, what would it take to get Rudy....just kidding!_My question is what would be the Rudy Fernandez scenario if the shoe was on the other foot? If Rudy was under contract with say Regal Barcelona and he made the same statements to try and play for Portland? Would he get fined and then reimbursed by Portland?

Thanks for your time!

 

Anthony R, Milton

A: I don’t think there’s a Grand Poobah of either the ABC or EuroLeague who’d take him, or his agent, to task for such disruptive public talk.

Besides, who’d want to leave Barcelona for Portland anyway?

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Q: Hi Doug, a Bargs related question for you (nothing stirs up the masses like a good Bargs question). I think we all know what Andrea does well and where he could improve, but one thing after watching him for 4 years now that I simply can't believe is the coaching staff STILL does not seem to have developed one solitary "set play" they run for him. After all this time being the unanimous 2nd option (and now 1st option) he still seems to have to find his offence. That's ok for a wing player or even a big who lives off getting put-backs and fast break dunks, but shouldn't Bargs have at least 1 play where they get him the ball in a certain spot, create some space for him, and see what he can do? What are your thoughts on this? Thanks as always.

Andrew J, Burlington

A: My thoughts are they do indeed have plays, and have had for years, to get Bargnani shots. Mostly high screen-roll, or pick and pop but they have had and will have again.

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Q: Hi Doug. I have been wondering what do players do to kill time when they are on the road? Or are their days fairly structured with travel, practice, team business that they do not have much time to get into too much trouble.

Brad L, Guelph

A: There’s only evenings and they’re usually spent doing normal things like dinner, maybe a movie, a walk, hanging out.

Typically, on a travel day, the team will practice at 11, fly about 3, get to the destination sometime early evening, check into the hotel, do dinner, rest, have a shootaround from 11 ‘til noon and then be back at the gym around four.

After the game, it’s either a flight back to Toronto or onto the next city where it’s pretty much lather, rinse, repeat.

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Q: Doug, regarding the technical calls this year, do you think the NBA has a business plan with regards to the monies collected? I would expect the NBA would have an idea as to how much they expect to collect and a plan for it's distribution. Any way to find out what plans they might have?

 

Steph R, Glencoe

A: Oh yeah, there’s a business plan. All the monies the NBA collects from fines – technicals or otherwise – is passed on to the league’s charitable endeavours so the cash goes to good causes.

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Q: I see that Timofey Mozgov is getting a turn at starting C for the Knicks. I've never seen him play and I have no idea how he'll do, but given the Raptors had a summertime interest in finding a C, did the brain trust ever kick the tires on Mozgov?

 

Patrick H, Toronto

A: I saw him in Turkey, once in person, a couple of times on TV and he’s okay. A project, but okay. And the Raptors, like 29 other teams, were aware of him but they weren’t about to give him three years and almost $10 million.

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Q: Hey Doug. Wondering about the trade exception. Is it the worst thing in the world if the trade exception isn't used?

I know fans would like it to be used, but assuming there isn't a deal that makes sense for the Raptors improving, isn't the best deal no deal at all?

I get the feeling it'll be an interesting year for you dealing with fan griping...

Have fun this season Doug, take care.

 

Bill V, Toronto

A: No, I don’t think you can let an asset like a $14.5 million trade exception expire without using at least some, if not all, of it to improve the talent level on the team.

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Q: Hi sir. (Wednesday) night on 1 defensive possession at the end of a quarter they played 5 "smalls" to match up.

Not for long stretches (unless it works) do you see the Raps playing some Don Nelson Golden State "4 shooters and a rebounder" offense and just switch everything on defense?

Maybe: Jack, Barbosa, Demar, Weems & Amir?

Might not win a lot with that 5, but it should would be fun to watch.

 

Robert W, Brampton

A: I think it happened more than once. In one of the overtimes, I believe it was, they had Calderon, Jack, Barbosa, DeRozan and Bargnani on the floor and when asked about it, Jay called it his “free-throw shooting” team (as if that worked!) and left it out there for a defensive possession because they had a foul to give and wouldn’t be easily exposed.

I can see it in rare circumstances but absolutely not something they use on a regular basis.

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Q: Why is Gilbert Arenas getting flack for faking an injury to give someone playing time? It happens in every sport, I had a guy do it for me in my first year of high school football and I've seen it happen many other times.

It’s a pre-season game, cut him slack. He's looking out for a youngster instead of threatening one for a change.

 

Rob C, Toronto

A: Um, well, unlike your high school team, most professional sports teams would prefer that their highest paid players not, you know, blatantly lie about injuries.

What Arenas did is wrong on so many levels it’s not even funny. First, his history of knee injuries would have made it a major cause for concern; second, it’s flat-out lying to the bosses and smacks of a guy covering his ass. What he should have done was go to his GM and coach and said, “hey, Nick (hardly a “youngster) needs to play, he’s ticked off; I could use a night off, let me sit this one out.”

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Q: Hey Doug. I've noticed that the Raps have been offering game packages with guaranteed Heat games. What kind of message does that send to fans, trying to boost sales by advertising another team?

 

Craig S, Halifax

A: I think the message is “We want your money and we don’t care how we get it.”

And I’d say 30 teams in the NBA probably sell the kind of mini-season ticket packages like the Raptors are doing.

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Q: Hi Doug. A few months ago, you replied to a question I had on whether the Raptors would do a preseason game in Montreal, and based on your contacts, you said it was unlikely anytime soon.

Since then, the Knicks and Suns have set up successful games in Vancouver and Montreal (already sold out), which stand to benefit the Raptors by expanding their fan base across Canada.

My question is simple: why has Raptors management been reticent to host games in these major cities? Surely a yearly preseason match in Montreal with 18,000+ fans would be better than ones like on Wednesday night at the ACC, where barely 1000 fans showed up.

Thanks as always,

 

Charlie D, Montreal

A: I think it was a few months ago, indeed, and my answer was based on the fact they tried to do a pre-season game there in, I believe, the second year and found very little, if any, support.

I must admit I’m quite surprised the game’s almost a sellout, if it isn’t already, and I guess that speaks to the popularity of the game overall, coming as it does early in the NHL season.

Now, the Raptors, in the last few years, have held training camps in Ottawa and Vancouver and played a pre-season game in Edmonton so I think that knocks off a few “major” cities.

And I wonder if an annual event would draw consistently; the novelty might be part of the reason they are having such success this time around.

Oh, and I’ve mentioned a few times, it’s actually Toronto’s “game” in Montreal, giving them an odd five “home” games this pre-season.

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Q: Hey Doug, since DD and Weems are so tight, and seemed to feed off each other in the Summer league, does it make sense to play them together...or would one of them have to either develop a consistent 3-pointer or better handles for isolations first?

 

Roelof P, Grand Rapids, Mi.

A: I don’t think they can play together for that very reason, neither of them has the ability – yet – to stretch the floor as a three-point shooter. Athletically, they can probably defend interchangeably but it’s at the offensive end where it might hurt. When I can see them playing alongside each other, though, is if Kleiza is on the floor at the four as a three-point threat.

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Q: Is it fair to say that as far as players go Bargnani seems to be key to the team's success? If so, what does he have to do / focus on, what type of player does Mr. C need to get to play with him,and in regards to on court chemistry which current teammate should we all be hoping on? Still bummed I didn't get to buy you an Efes, take care.

 

David H, Istanbul

A: A defensive-minded, shot-blocking, wide-bodied big man would be best but, sadly for Mr. Colangelo, they don’t grow on trees and aren’t readily available. So they muddle along.

Oh, and I’ve found Efes for sale over here now and the fridge has more than a couple in it.

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Q: With the recent contract issues in the NHL (Jeff Finger, Ilya Kovulchuck, Wade Redden, etc) and With NBA contracts like Arenas', you have to wonder what these all powerful brilliant GMs are thinking.

Has a long term, huge financial contract ever worked out for the better?

And why do the GMs continue to sign them?

 

Jamieson C, Brantford

A: I’m thinking the people who gave long-term, huge financial contracts to the true stars – like Bryant, James, Durant, Wade – might think they worked out all right.

And GMs sign guys because they think they can find some way to make it worth the money. Doesn’t always work but, as you know, being a GM is not an exact science and sometimes things don’t work out.

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Q: I know that it goes against every Toronto sports instinct, but wouldn't the Raptors be better off sticking with the roster they have, finishing near the bottom of the league and getting a chance at the number 1 pick?

 

Mike T, Winnipeg

A: Answer a question with a question:

Why don’t they stick with the roster they have, try to win as many games as they can and see how things play out?

Or, barring that, why don’t they try to win and not cheat themselves, the game and the fans?

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Comments

[DaveT - Ottawa]

Doug,

A question for the mailbag comments: Do you see the NBAPA, assuming that the tall foreheads of the NBA get one of their wishes and get guaranteed contracts down to something manageable, get some sort of "franchise" tag, similar to the NFL? I was always a little confused about the perks of the NFL franchise tag, but for the NBAPA it seems that the "franchise" should have more to do with a long-term deal: say the "franchise" can still get a 6-year contract, everybody else's max is 4 with Bird-rights to 5.

Of course, you need to work out a scenario with something that works for trades and whatnot (maybe one franchise contract signed by your team per year and your team can't sign one if they have another on there, with an ability to renounce after 3 years? I'm making stuff up now).

Enjoy your Sunday. Many thanks!

[Eddy]

Looks like we drove the liar and quitter, Chris Bosh, off of Twitter. The quitter is quiting again. The only joy Raptor fans will have this year is seeing him booed more than Wince Carter when he is in town.

[Nick]

Hey Doug,

There's an error in your Turk column: He and Vince were never teammates. Orlando dealt for Vince after Turk left. If they were, those would be the laziest wings not on a penguin.

[Richard]

Actual quote from today's game: ``I think it was a lot tougher in Vancouver,'' Gentry said. ``I don't know if word travels all the way across Canada or what, but they were pretty tough on him in Vancouver.''
Doug, next time you see Alvin, can you tell him that word travels by snowmobile in Canada and can sometimes take weeks! :-)

[Ian Murray]

@Eddy
I don't think it was T.O. fans that stopped him from using Twitter. Someone (his agent or Pat Riley) must have told him that "until you learn to think before you tweet, shut up". Smart move by Bosh getting rid of the Twitter account.

[GM]

How do we know Arenas is telling the truth now? He first said he sat out the game due to knee soreness. Then after the game said it was to let a younger guy play. Maybe the second statement was a cover-up. He doesn't want people to think his knee is still sore after all these years. But apart from that, no matter what the truth is, I can't see it being a big deal when teams rest their star players at the end of the regular season. If a guy doesn't play in the preseason, it's of little consequence.