Sunday mail on a Tuesday; what a novel approach that is

Guess what happened to me on the flight home?

Nothing.

Left on time, got in on time, smooth sailing all way. Shocker, I know.

Anyway, I see Carmelo got traded (that came out of nowhere, didn’t it?) and that’ll give me something for later once the excitement dies down. Oh, and I’m pretty sure now that the Anthony deal is done in might open a few other possibilities so that might make this week fun.

But until that starts, here’s some way late mail.

Oh yeah, one other thing: I need to miss the IGBT tonight, family matters call.

Sorry; we'll be there tomorrow for the Bulls.

-

Q: Doug when you file a late game story, does it still go through an editor?

Mike K, London

 

PS: I'm not trying to imply anything by this question.

A: Oh, I’m cool and I’m sure your not at all.

And, yes, an editor’s on our desk until the last edition is over and done with and if, for instance, there’s a west coast game where I end up writing just for the web, our internet desk is staffed to handle the copy.

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Q: One last kick at the mailbag, here goes. After another well fought game against Miami, I starting to think last year's Raptors were actually blown out in more games than this year's team. If you were to consider a blow out to be 15 or more points how does this year's team compare to last? Also, can you think of a similar statistic or other comparison on the same vein of measuring the level of each team's competitiveness?

David R, Little Britain

A: I usually put it at 20 and last year they were 5-9 in games decided by 20 points or more and they are 0-3 in those games this season.

And because things change so much season to season, here and around the conference and league, I find it difficult to make statistical comparisons.

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Q: Hi Doug, I know you hate all the 'Melo trade speculation and its driving me crazy as well. I wish they'd just get it over with already. My question though is why does Mark Cuban get hit with 100k fine for saying anyone would want the best player in the league and Rudy Fernandez got fined 25k for his agent saying he wanted out of Portland, but 'Melo is allowed to orchestrate his exit? Is it because he hasn't expressly said 'I want to be traded' or is it because the league is looking the other way because this will put him into the leagues biggest market?

Jay B, Oshawa

A: The difference – and it’s minute and probably splitting hairs – is that there haven’t been any on-the-record quotes attributed to anyone involved in the process.

It’s ridiculous to not think that GMs or agents or players aren’t behind many of the stories but they’ve created a level of deniability the league can’t crack.

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Q: Rainy Sunday and you did say please. I think the dunk contest is great but am concerned somebody may get hurt badly. Does the league really care or is it all about the show?

 

John P, Vernon Hills

A: On, no, the league cares a lot and you can be sure that every general manager or owner would have been told about any nutty dunks. You know, like jumping over the hood of a car.

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Q: Dear Doug:

Welcome back to the Great White North.

I'd like your take on the following flawed analysis of the Raptors current edition in comparison to last year's team.

'10 - Bosh and Johnson v '11 Johnson and Davis, Evans. What was envisioned as the biggest drop is materializing as an asset. PF may be the Rap's best position this year.

'10 - Bargs and Rasho v '11 Bargs and PFs.

Slight upgrade.

'10 - Turk and Wright v '11 Kleiza, Wright, Weems. Downgrade. SF Rap's worst position.

'10 - DD and Weems v DD and Barbosa. Upgrade.

'10 - Jack and Calderon v Calderon and Bayless. Even. Jack last year about equivalent to Jose this year.

So, given that the talent level this year is relatively equivalent to last year, how do we account for this year's team winning half as many games? Are Bosh's loss plus the injuries solely responsible for this discrepancy?

Sincerely

 

Frank B, Toronto

A: I think there are a couple of reasons.

While the overall talent may be equivalent, the roles that those players are being asked to fill in the absence of an offensive player who would command a double team have changed greatly and I think some of them – DeRozan, Bargnani, Weems, Davis in particular – are having a hard time finding the necessary consistency as they learn how to deal.

And I do think the injuries, and subsequent switching of responsibilities and the search for on-court chemistry, hurt an awful lot.

As we saw at times very early in the season, when this team was together and fully functional, it was quite competitive; once that started to change, things went south in a hurry.

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Q: Long time reader here...love the insights. I know you like brevity, so here goes:

Colangelo's contract - renewed?

Why or why not?

Better options?

Take care

 

Werner O, Thunder Bay

A: Brevity, it is:

Yes, renewed.

Because he has them poised to improve with a young core, you cannot be guaranteed they’d find a better guy out there, and, yes, the last three years have been bad, the first two not so much.

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Q: Hi Doug. I was wondering what happens (if anything) to the NBA draft if there is a lockout that goes on for a long period of time. Is there still a draft? Would the possibility of a lockout sway possible lottery picks from leaving early? Any light you can shed on this would be great.

 

Gene T, Toronto

A: Well, we do know that this year’s draft is going to take place as schedule on June xx (the current one doesn’t expire until June 30) but we have no idea past that. Sorry, but there has been no light shed on what might happen to a 2012 draft if the 2011-12 season is cancelled.

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Q: Hey Doug, What odds would you give the Steve Nash wants to stay in the game after he retires. I hope he does, because as a Canadian, I would love to see him and Jay Triano on the Raptor bench in the future. Would that be an entertaining team to watch. Please say yes, don't ruin my dreams.

 

Nick K, St. Catharines

A: Sorry, dude.

I have never asked Steve what his future plans are but I think I know him well enough to say that coaching in the NBA would be the last on the list. His outside interests in film, video, ecological works and philanthropy are going to take up his time.

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Q: It’s amazing seeing guys like Lebron and Wade live to really appreciate how truly athletic they are. Other guys who have stood out for me are Josh Smith (a true physical beast), Carlos Boozer (very powerful and looks like he is wearing a helmet his head is so big) and Serge Ibaka. Who stands out for you?

 

Phil W, Toronto

A: I like your list and would round it out with Dwight Howard and Kevin Durant.

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Q: Hi Doug, lots of calls for firing Triano but I actually think he's doing a great job given what he's had to work with this season. Do you think he's got the ability or interest to eventually move into a GM role? Or is he just more of a teacher, x's and o's guy? And yes, this is a partially loaded question.

 

Tom D, Winnipeg

A: He’s never indicated to me or anyone that I know that a GM gig would be something he’d aspire to. But, he is relatively young so who knows but I think coaching and, perhaps, player personnel stuff, is his forte.

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Q: Hi Doug. If you were a player, what would be your main criteria as a free agent?

Money, stability, hometown fan support, close to home, warm weather, championship contender, big market, endorsement opportunities, teammates, coaches.

Thanks

 

Greg M, Halifax

A: It’d be a chance to win consistently, front-office and coaching stability, teammates mostly. The money’s going to be the same, or close to it anywhere; the location doesn’t matter because when the season starts it’s pretty busy and I could go anywhere I wanted in the off-season and market size would be a non-factor.

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Q: Hey Doug. With watching games in L.A. I always love seeing how dark the crowd is with the court looking like a theatrical stage with the lights just on it. I know it’s Hollywood, but why doesn't the rest of the league/Raptors follow in this style of presentation? It looks great on TV and I imagine even better in person.

 

Karl V, St. Catharines

A: One other arena does it, Madison Square Garden and I’ve been told every time I ask that it’s a matter of cost and configuration of the arena that doesn’t make it feasible in other buildings.

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Q: Was that the Raptor's athletic trainer/Triano's assistant who was sitting on the East All-Stars bench?

 

Yezzir C, Markham

A: It was indeed Scott McCullough. He got the gig as part of a seniority/rotation thing and I ran into him on his way to catch a red-eye to Charlotte after the game Sunday and he said he had a great time.

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Q: Hi Doug. You've said multiple times that Kobe is the best player on the planet right now, and I tend to agree with you after his display on Sunday.

As someone who grew up in the 90's, MJ is where the discussion begins and ends in terms of the GOAT. What would Kobe have to accomplish for the remainder of his career to surpass MJ

Thanks

 

Greg M, Halifax

A: That’s a debate that’s going to rage for a long time in some circles and I’d say Kobe needs at least another couple of titles before he’s done. And, as someone who didn’t grow up in the 90s, I can say you might find at least a little bit of dispute about the discussion beginning and ending with Jordan.

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Q: Some of the U.S. media, including Sir Charles, actually had some good things to say about the Raps youth and future. In your opinion, what needs to be done and how quickly until this team is a perennial deep playoff contender? Bonus question: Can it be done with Bargnani as the top one or two talent on the roster?

Ron B, Kingston

A: It needs a stud three; a rebounding four or five, some time to grow and some help from other franchises. Short answer: I have no clue how long and anyone who says they do is lying.

And not as No 1 but perhaps as a 1A or a 2.

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Q: Oh Mighty Yankee Coach... Will the Nets change their name to the Deckers when they move to Brooklyn?

On another note, I saw a bit of a college game and they had the benches at the baselines. Are there any rules against this in the NBA? Wouldn’t the owners like their space on the sideline to sell better seats? (more expensive) If they were on the baseline the high chair that Phil Jackson uses would block the view of the unwashed masses instead of the hoi polloi.

I read your stuff every day, first thing, so get back to the Eastern Time Zone! Thanks!

 

Bob E, Kanata

A: No specific rules and owners have already started shifting the benches further and further down the court. Here, for instance, it wasn’t too long ago that the benches butted right up against the scorers table; now there are, I believe, six seats there. But to move them entirely off the court? I don’t think anyone has that thought.

The college game you saw, I imagine, was at Vanderblit.

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Q: Hey Doug. Love the blog. Keep it up!

This question revolves around the CBA. I've heard here and there that contraction could be a remote possibility.

It seems that in the NBA, more than any other league, if you stink, you'll stink forever...no matter who owns the team or who's the GM. Look at the Wolves, Clippers and Kings, they've had runs of decent teams here and there, but for the most part, they are perpetually dreadful.

A two-part question, if you will.

Which teams do you think would be prime candidates for contraction?

Of those teams you list above, which players do you think would suit the Raps?

Thanks as always.

 

Mauro F, Hamilton

A: I don’t think for a second there will be contraction, it was a shot across the bow by Stern early in the process. So, not only can’t I name teams, I most certainly can’t name players.

Oh, and the Timberwolves and Kings have played for conference championships in the not-too distant past, so compared to, say, here, they are wildly successful franchises.

-

 

 

Comments

[a]

you wrote antoine wright in your article

[AT]

Doug,
How did Masai pull off that trade? It has to be one of the all time best trades by any GM!! Especially considering that the Knicks could have just waited until the end of the year!! The worst case scenario was the Carmelo would have been a rental for another team for a couple more months!!.. BC has taught Masai well!! It was obvious that Carmelo wanted to be a Knick... Can you explain this from a Knick perspective? Why did they give us so much for a few months>?

[Eddy]

During his time in Toronto Ujiri must have been taking notes about what not to do when it comes to maximizing return on one of the NBA egomaniacs who will only play in 4 cities with other egomaniacs.

Now we learn the cheap, greedy MLSE may not even get an asset with the trade exception.

[Boko]

Greg M, Halifax, Doug didn't offer who'd he'd have as the G.O.A.T. but I will ...

1st string:
Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

2nd string:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West & John Stockton.

3rd string:
Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, Julius Erving, Kobe Bryant & Isaiah Thomas.

Yes, Oscar Robertson & Lebron James are not there. Lebron probably will be someday.

[Kent]

Melo's move to the East is terrible news to the Raptors. Good luck finding players better than the big three in Miami, Melo and Amare in New York, Rose et al. In Chicago. All of these guys are so young and will dominate the East until like 2019, 2020?

[E]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/New-Orleans-guard-Jarrett-Jack-arrested-and-charged-with-DUI-022110/?gt1=39002

Looks like JJ enjoyed his all-star break!

[Julien]

Hi Doug,

there are rumors that the Raptors are interested in Danilo Gallinari? Do you believe in this? Do you think the Raptors' late pick (Miami's pick) would be enough to get him? Would it be a good fit for the Raps?

have a nice day.

Blogger's note: No clue to the veracity of the sourced reports that include three or four teams

[doug]

@Boko your lists are fine and I for one never ever get into GOAT talk, but you have to include Oscar Robertson, that's just not right to exclude him, but their your lists.......interesting trade, will be debated far and wide, but all in all trade worked out well for both teams...be interesting to see how Amare and Melo mesh, I for one have my doubts, there both ball stoppers, although Melo is a bigger offender then Amare...be interesting, and Billups may help but he isn't the transition type guard D'Antonio likes....what this trade points out to me more clearly is how Toronto and more specifically Babcock got totally fleeced in that Carter deal, as Carter was the Melo of that time and we in essence got chump change, aside from the draft picks...speaking of Toronto I wonder how high the angst meter will register here in some quarters if some of the rumours are true in that the Raps are in play for Gallinari, another Euro, another long lean outside shooter lacking defenive skills...let the fun begin...

[skiff]

It's too bad Masai Ujiri wasn't in charge here last year...maybe we could have actually got something for a top 20 NBA player instead of next to nothing (oh yeah, those trade exemptions are goin to do all kinds of great things for us!!). Reason #1 (among many) that BC should not get renewed. From all the info that's come out since last summer it seems pretty clear Bosh wasn't staying, so why wait and get nothing for him? It's crippled the team right now. And peddling false hope with the trade exemption is loathesome. Trade exceptions are only useful if you actually have assets to trade. No one wants what the Raptors got.....

[Evan]

RE: Resigning BC

I really think that anybody who thinks they can build a winning team around Bargnani should not be rehired. He is almost peak age. He has never been productive.

As an exercise, compare his per36 numbers to any guard on the team, and ignore the points column. He generates possessions about as well as Bayless, DeRozan, Calderon, and they are guards! He is not an efficient scorer, never has been. This doesn't even show what he does on defense.

BC is too arrogant to get rid of Bargnani, and thus BC has to go.

[John]

Doug, with all the talk about how good the Knicks will be for the future, while Melo is a great player, what makes anyone think he is all of a sudden going to take a team to a championship by himself? As for the future, has anyone stopped to realize that Amare will be 30 next year, had microfracture 5 years ago (which studies show only lasts around 5 years, they couldn't even get insurance on this contract), and is on the books for a TON of money for the next 5 years.

It really is amazing...

[m]

@Bob E, Kanata
"uses would block the view of the unwashed masses instead of the hoi polloi."
The hoi polloi are the unwashed masses. Dictionaries are our friends.

I'm certainly glad that the all star sideshow is over, it just seem to magnify all that is wrong about bball.

[GM]

• If the Raptors have been involved in only three 20-point games (all losses) with only 26 games left, and were involved in 14 last year (with 9 losses), that’s an improvement. It doesn’t matter that things change from season to season. It’s all relative. One team’s success is relative to only that particular season. I thought there were fewer blowouts. It’s good to have some concrete stats to back it up.
• * Of course injuries have played a role this season. Some people say injuries are never an excuse (except when they are – these same people will say Boston would have won had Garnett not been injured). But all injury situations are not created equally. You have to look at each situation on its own. That’s like saying all conspiracy theories are wacko. Some are, some aren’t.
• * The naysayers choose not to remember, but you’re right: early in the season, pre-injuries, the team was quite competitive. Not world-beaters, but competitive and much better than they are now. That’s when we didn’t hear from the Kents and Kelseys of the world. Their motto: if you don’t have something bad to say, don’t say anything at all.
• * I have no idea what Nash’s plans are, either, but I’ve heard all kinds of answers from players over the years saying what they plan on doing when they retire from playing and very few of them follow up on it. Most of them end up associated with the league or game somehow, either through coaching or other jobs in an organization, or as talking heads on TV. Remember how Greg Anthony was going to go into politics? The saddest case of all, which I experienced in Phoenix, was seeing former slam-dunk champ and all-star Cedric Ceballos doing the in-game hosting at the arena. That’s usually a job for broadcast flunkies. (On a side note, I was watching the Vancouver-Toronto game on NBA-TV last night and saw Pete Chilcutt. He totally reminded me of David Anderson. Then I decided to Google Pete to see what he was up to. He’s a teacher now.)
• * I remember, pre-expansion to Florida, when Nelson Scalbania first brought up the idea of bringing the NBA to Vancouver (years and years before it came), he brought Rick Barry up to Vancouver to talk to the media. Barry said how basketball doesn’t do well in warm weather climates. Funny how quickly things change. Now it seems all the players want to be where it’s warm.
• * @Greg M… Nice job! Two questions answered in one mailbag. That may be a record!
• * I always cheer for the west in the all-star game but I quickly changed that tune when Kobe Bryant started selfishly trying to get his record MVP early in the game (i.e. before they started playing defense). Uh, Kobe, it’s an all-star game. Pass the ball. Your teammates are actually, you know, good. And I’m not a Kobe hater! Seriously!

[Gerald Tanner]

I think for the list of G.O.A.T. a little room ought to me made for
Bob Cousy

[Jacques]

Doug, Would there be any intrest in trading with Minny for Ricky Rubio, I think they need another 1st round pick.

[John]

Ah, for all you speaking of how Raps got nothing for CB4, did everyone forget that they were 29-22 and on an 8 game winning streak? Did everyone forget that CB4 was still telling everyone that he may stay in Toronto, that he hadn't even thought what he is going to do, even though he admitted later that the deal was already done for him to go Miami at which point BC had NO options? The situation was completely different. At least Melo didn't lie to his employers about staying so that the team he was going to go to all along didnt have to give up any players to get him there. At least he went along with the GM so that they could maximize return for the team.

Is CB4 really stupid enough to wonder why JT isnt running across the court to shake his hand.... And he comes back and blows kisses to the crowd? Blame BC for a lot of things, holding him accountable for CB4 is just plain wrong...

[Kelsey]

@ GM....Im sure you have selective reading, I give the Raptors when they are playing good, I give Bargnani due when he plays good. But the bottom line is that this team is not good and dont look to be getting better as long as they have a Andrea aka "Spectator" Bargnani as there #1 option on this team.

Your point on blow outs if I read it correctly doesnt mean much, people remember Wins and losses..Less blow outs way more losses!! Yes there has been injuries, but Reggie Evans, Weems, Klezia, Barbosa and all others collectively would not have given this team more than lets say 5 wins. Injuries are part of the game, Noah goes down, Kurt Thomas steps up, Bynum down other Lakers step up, Perkins Shaq down, Erden and others step up.. This Raptors team is just in a total rebuild. i look forward to the future...Its time for a new regime!!! That means no Bargnani, no calderon and no Triano..Just how it is

I dont believe the Gallonari rumors, I think any Euro player automatically gets affilated to Raptors. That being said, if the Raptors ever, ever,ever did bring him in, I would seriously have to think about not purchasing anymore home games!!!! Euro experiment = FAIL!!!

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Good for DeRoz! I like his attitude the past while and heading into the last half of the season, especially in the face of being jobbed (again). Doug, do you think we could find out what the other gems were that he and Chocolate Thunder had cooked up for the final round, or is that all water under the bridge now...
And is it time for a drum roll? As in... Here come de Regend, here come de Regend, order on de court cuz here come de Regend...
Cheers. Go Raps! And how about this Raonic kid, eh?

[Lorie]

@GM:
That's a rather insensitive way to describe the person who performs in-game hosting; some might see it as a step up. Don't you think the ability to engage with and entertain people is more eviable than a physical skillset allowing one to slam a ball through a hoop? Or, are we only talking money here? And Doug: did you read that the opportunity (and the trade's not even official yet) to sit in the nosebleeds to watch Carmelo play his inaugural game against the Bucks can cost upwards of $600??? Per ticket!!! Courtside seats are being offered at the bargain price of $3600 each.) Makes you wonder who the real winners and losers are in this player transaction.

[GM]

@Lorie, point taken. 'Flunky' is a harsh word. What I mean is that type of cheerleading job is usually given to someone on the bottom rung of the media/PR ladder. I can't imagine it pays well at all so it's surprising a former all-star would take such a job.

[skiff]

Way to go DD! Great to hear him take his stand. I agree the props are out of hand, especally considering how good DD's dunks really were. He at least deserved to lose to Blake in the final. The league should just be upfront with the players and tell them that props are the key to winning now so they can account for it.

@ John - I don't think we'll ever know either way because some things will never get said in the media with these things (and that's understandable), but I would suspect BC had to know more about CB4's intentions. The writing was on the wall...CB4 signed a deal the perfectly matched Wade's and LBJ's even though no-one had EVER signed deals like that (which gave them maximum free agency well ahead of the usual timeline). Once he didn't sign the extension in '09 he should have been shopping him. He could have sold a Bosh trade for real assets then to fans and I think they probably would have been okay with it. If he didn't know these things at all and was blindsided, then all the more reason he shouldn't be at the controls for the Raptors. (and don't get me wrong, I'm not a BC hater and I guarantee he gets another job and has success in his career).

[Ian Murray]

@boko, not telling you you're wrong since it's your opinion, but maybe Tim Duncan should replace David Robinson.