So much for a slow off-day

Guy takes the long way home and lands to find out about buyouts and trades and a reason to have to pay attention to the dunk contest on all-star weekend.

Should have stayed on the road.

-

So long, Peja, we hardly knew ye.

I guess there were two surprises in the whole Stojakovic departure Thursday:

That it happened so quickly.

And that no one wanted to offer anything for him.

As was made quite clear to me last night, the Raptors explored every option and when they couldn’t find one – and figured they wouldn’t find one in the next three weeks or so – it was time to pull the plug.

A buyout was always a possibility but I had been told it was quite unlikely to happen before the trade deadline so that Bryan could explore all his options with an “asset.”

The GM did explore all his options and didn’t find one but I wonder if the fact Peja had some kind of promise in Dallas, as opposed to, say, New York or New Jersey or Miami or Atlanta or some other Eastern Conference team, might have factored into it.

It’s always best to let a guy go to the other conference and now that Peja’s apparently out of the clutches of any conference rival, why not let him go early.

Now, about his knee?

Was he faking, embellishing, using a low pain threshold to take a wee vacation? I don’t know and I won’t ever doubt a guy who says he’s in pain but I would think if it were different circumstances, you might have seen him out there.

But that’s between him and whatever team employs him.

I do wonder, however, what guys like Kleiza and Johnson and Calderon and Bayless must have thought when a sore knee dragged on for weeks and weeks while they went out and played hurt.

Maybe that was a factor in the timing? Who knows.

-

So DeMar’s got Darryl Dawkins helping out with his dunks now that DeRozan’s replacing Brandon Jennings in the all-star weekend contest and that’s all well and good.

I guess Vince wasn’t available to help out?

Anyway, I’m hoping one other aspect of Dawkins’s personality rubs off during whatever time they spend together:

Quotability.

DeMar’s a nice kid and all and he’s always around when we need someone to talk to but, really, he’s got to pick it up in the quotes department.

The ones the other night about being tired of losing and feeling like he was back in high school were the best we’ve gotten out of him in a while and, truth be told, they weren’t so great.

It’s probably just a function of youth because not many kids hit the league running in the quote department and here’s hoping some interaction with Dawkins helps out.

After all, a dude who once named a dunk “The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam” knows his way into a reporter’s heart.

-

What’s the trade?

Well when I was talking to people after getting on the ground late last evening, it was still very much evolving but the only thing that really matters is that Toronto’s going to get this Alexis Ajinca kid from Dallas somehow.

(I warn you, again, that nothing’s done until it’s done but this looks done).

Who is he?

Young kid, just 22, a legit 7-footer who has some shooting range and he barely played with the Mavs after a short bench-warming start to his career in Charlotte.

Is he an upgrade in any way?

Well, he’s better today than Solomon Alabi is and he’s taller and probably fits the offence better than Joey Dorsey does but he will come in as the fourth big and there might not be a lot of minutes for him.

Please, don’t go all “Ajinca’s the answer” on me, he’s a bit player on a team with a very bad record.

-

Orlando?

They’re on a bit of a roll, seven wins in their last 10 games, and as Brian tells in this piece, they’ve got some, um, magic going for them of late.

Turk?

The old fella’s been okay, he’s had some big games in his old hometown and seems far more engaged.

Go figure.

-

I can’t wait for that Pittsburgh-Green Bay Super Bowl, can you?

And I’d like to thank the NBA schedule folks for giving us this Sunday and Super Bowl Sunday off. First time that’s happened in a long while and for a guy who usually cares more about the social aspect of the NFL playoffs than the actual games, I’m quite happy.

-

Here’s one out of the mail:

Q: On Friday when the Raptors were in Toronto playing the Pistons, Reggie Evans was there on the sidelines, walking around sharply dressed in his suit.

I can’t imagine why he would be rehabbing in the frozen wastes of Toronto if he didn’t have to be (isn’t he from Florida and aren’t all the doctors and therapists in the U.S.?). Is there a requirement in NBA contracts that injured players have to travel with the team and show up at games? Or does it depend on the player’s contract?

 

 

Andrew M, Toronto

A: Yeah, I might pick Florida over Toronto these days but I don’t have that chance.

And neither does Reggie, actually.

Teams generally demand that injured players stay in town so that team physicians and trainers and the like can get their hands on them each day.

The exceptions, and we’ve seen it here with Reggie and Peja, rest his soul, are when teams send injured players to be looked at by specialists or to rehab with people the player might be more comfortable or familiar with.

But the general rule of thumb is that injured players stick with their teams; it’s not a contractual obligation but a traditional one.

-

Oh yeah, one more good thing about the trade with Dallas if it goes through as expected.

Won’t have to answer any more “how come they don’t bring that Printezis guy over, he’s great?” questions.

-

Man, those Delta Airlines pilots sure know how to instill confidence in passengers.

Guy gets on a tiny jet in Minneapolis (how else would you get home from San Antonio?) and the guy driving points out that it’s a bit cold in Toronto and there’s some weather coming in as we’re headed that way and just in case, the “emergency airport” is Rochester, New York so we’ll be okay.

And then we’re sitting there waiting patiently with the door still open about 30 minutes after departure time and the dude comes back on to tell us they’ve got enough oxygen for the pilots if it was a domestic flight but there are different regulations for international flights and we have to wait for them to bring some more.

For the pilots. Not for us.

Yeah, I love travel.

-

Want a shot at the mail? Take it here, please.

-

Okay, here’s the deal.

There are a few other tugs on my life, believe it or not, so I’m afraid an In-Game Bloggy Thingy can’t happen tonight, which is too bad. Hope you understand, though.

Don’t think there’s anything up for tomorrow, although I’m told (and I don’t get a lot of say in the matter) there might be so I guess we just have to stay tuned in the morning.

Sorry, but things happen.

 

Comments

[Robert]

Hi Doug,

It seems that the trade with Dallas (fringe players) was more than just coincidental with the Peja buyout. Is it likely that the trade was organized so that the Raptors could receive some cash from Dallas to help buyout Peja and to encourage the Raptors to buy out Peja now instead of waiting to Feb 20?

Blogger's note: Might have had something to do with it; or maybe Dallas will end up paying some of Ajinca's salary in a round-about way

[JT]

Doug,
I’m not a fan of the move to buy out Peja. With what BC said about the move, it seems pretty clear that they’ve given up on trying to win this season (however faint the hopes are for a playoff spot). I don’t think that’s the right message to send to the fans, especially since the Raptors are so thin with healthy players at this point. There is still 3-4 weeks before the February trade deadline so why bother buying Peja out now? BC can’t possibly tell us some injury might not happen to some team between now and then and wouldn’t come calling for trades. It makes no sense other than doing Peja a favour so he can sign with a team earlier. Buying out Peja is basically wasting potential money to spend on the club. So instead of having his $15mil plus $12 mil in trade exceptions to spend, the Raptors are only going to have $12mil to spend and come down about $15mil in payroll for next season. So all the spiel about the asset(s) of expiring contracts was all complete b.s.

[Kent]

Amazed by all these questions/interest about Ajinca. For those who have not seen him play, the guy can hardly run without triping over his own feet.

Also amazed by all these questions about Peja being let go. He is done and worth next to nothing. The only reason why Dallas wants him is because they can do no worse than Sasha Pavlovic.

[The J]

Thanks for the response Doug.
-
It will be interesting to see how hurt Peja is by how soon he is on the floor for the Mavs. If he is back on the floor within the week, we will know that the injury was at least an embelishment, but if he still gone for a couple of weeks, then he might look a little more honest. I do find it interesting that BCo was quick to point out that he should be back soon, as if he was already justifying Pejas quick return to the Dallas lineup.

[vank]

“The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam”

WOW that is "wicked awesome"

[J]

I guess it could be interpreted as Stojakovic for Ajinca, a second rounder and cash, but it's more likely that BC knew Dallas wanted to sign Stojakovic (but not trade for him -- it was impossible for them to do so without moving a core player), and offered to help free up a roster spot for the Mavs. If not for the Ajinca trade, Dallas would have had to release one of its players to make room for Stojakovic. Dallas pays us to absorb Ajinca's cap hit, thus saving them a bit in luxury tax (omg, those cheap bastards). The second rounder and Printezis are included to make the deal work. I do believe this trade reduces our TPE by the size of Ajinca's salary, unless we have a small TPE that I've forgotten about.

I remember we were interested in Ajinca in the 2008 draft, but unlike Bayless, I don't think he'll amount to anything. Forget the whole Euro-label (which, btw, should make all the anti-Euros out there quite happy since our Euro count went down by one); this is a kid who barely played in a French professional league, and barely played here in the NBA. He has length and is supposed to be a defensive-minded (yet mobile) big man, but he's going to need to get a lot stronger to be effective. He's also not a great rebounder. He has immense potential, yes, but I believe this is one of those cases where potential is used negatively. Doesn't hurt us to try him out, especially since we need all the help we can get, but I wouldn't expect anything out of him.

[Greg]

Isn't Ajinca the guy HWSNBN dunked over in Sydney?

Blogger's note: No

[DannyFromFreddy]

Hey Doug, it looks like your social director has the same name as mine. The wife!

[John]

I dont understand what the big deal is about Peja. There was no point in him playing here, he knew it and BC knew it. Everyone knew his expiry date was the trade deadline. BC wanted the contract flexibility for next year which he now has. He also has the flexibility to use the TPE now and add a player if there is a good one available.
Doug, if Peja was traded, wouldn't the team he was traded to have to return contracts of similar value? And if these contracts weren't expiring, BC would lose his flexibility next year no?

Blogger's note: Yes

[Tim W.]

I'd heard that Dallas was also sending a 2nd round pick to Toronto. Is this what you've heard, as well? Also, won't David Stern have a bit of a problem with this whole deal, since it's a way to get around the CBA? It's basically a wink-and-a-nod deal that if the Raptors release Peja and he signs with Dallas, Dallas will give the Raptors Ajinca and a 2nd rounder for (basically) nothing. I've never seen a deal quite like this before.

[Penguin]

Note to franz joseph third, dude if you want people to read your comments, try writing proper English. I tried to read your post just in case it might have something interesting or insightful to say. I couldn't make my way through the entire post. I have read tweets that were clearer.

[Smalahove]

Re airliner oxygen: passenger's emergency oxygen is supplied by individual oxygen generating canisters which are activated in an emergency and supply about ten minutes of O2. These canisters get changed when the plane is in for maintenance; there is never a need to load passenger oxygen on a flight by flight basis. For the pilots it's a different story, there are some circumstances where they're required to be on continuous oxygen. So now ya know. :)

[doug]

Darrly Dawkins aka "Chocolate Thunder" was the first man-beast to play in the NBA, he of the glass smashing dunks (literally) but he was out there...imagine being Billy Cunningham you have World B Free and Dawkins on the same roster,no wonder his was a relatively short coaching career...those 2 players together would be a sports reporters dream....you know the more this plays out the more I am thinking maybe Wade,Bosh and LeBron are made for one another...they all take turns just saying the most idiotic things...latest was Wade in response to Phil Jackson saying they have to learn as a team to get out of the east, which is valid...but Wade's response was this "We're not these kinds of teams that need to play together". wow, these guys are clueless, i have a new nickname for them the "Three Stooges"

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/262012-wade-heat-dont-need-to-play-together?eref=sihp#ixzz1BiNgGnkD

[doug]

ooopps..forget a few words Phil said they needed to learn to play as a team to get out of the east....my typing is a few words behind the thoughts in my head (which shows how slow my typing is as my thoughts aren't flowing like a waterfall,more like a trickle),,,hence i forget chunks of words at times...