A bit of mail to get you started

Okay, not to worry folks, there’s more of this to come later.

But they’re about to put me on an airplane here and who knows when I’ll get settled in Miami so this is here for now and I’ll get to the rest perhaps sitting pooosldie this afternoon.

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Q: Hi Doug. I had a question or two regarding Maurizio Gheradini. For the last few years I have noticed many calling for him to be fired, and insulting his work and competence. Yet, I have not seen many reasons for this other than that the team has struggled but, more often, the reasons have generally been racist. While I know we have had some European players that have not lived up to their billing (Turk, Linas and even Bargs) I'm not certain this justifies the ousting of our Assistant GM who also happens to be European.

However, this week you have suggested that the Raptors should re-up his contract and even gave your reasons why to a commenter. The hard part for the rest of us may be that we don't see what he does in relation to what the GM does. For example, was it his idea to sign Turk or Colangelo's, did he want to draft Andrea. Or conversely did he have no interaction with the drafting of Demar or Ed Davis. Essentially, should we assume he does not deal with non-European activities?

So I suppose my main question is what does Maurizio, and as an extension, any Assistant GM do? How does it differ from the GM themselves? Perhaps, if known, you could give some examples of his successes and failures in his role with the Raptors.

 

Ajay M, Guelph

A: Nothing justifies the uninformed opinion of people who react to every situation with the demand that someone get fired. It’s ridiculous.

But, to answer your question, they do what every management “team” in every industry does. They offer advice and insight, they scout and talk to agents and meet with corporate partners and travel an awful lot. There is no specific delineation of duties, they do the stuff that comes up in the workaday world of the NBA.

So there are no individual “successes and failures.” It is, and always will be and is everywhere else, a collaborative effort.

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Q: Hi Doug. Ever since you started this blog thingy, we (ie the world) pretty much know what kind of work you do and what your day/days looks like. (Keep it up, we love it)!

Now you say that Maurizio should come back. This much I've often wondered: What does he actually do? What does a day/week/month look like for a guy in his job?

Thanks.

 

Alex F, Calgary

A: There’s a strange fascination with how executives fill their days and, to be blunt, I can’t explain it sufficiently.

Some days may involve a breakfast meeting with Canada Basketball or a corporate sponsor, watching video of draft eligible kids, reading reports.

Some days might be a flight to Europe with a meeting with some team owner or GM right after and then a game.

Some weeks involve a game in Kansas one day, one in New Jersey the next, one in Italy the next.

Seriously, I cannot tell you what a “ typical” day is because as much as my life tends to be jumbled day to day, that of an NBA executive makes mine look like a drill-press operator working the swing shift.

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Q: Doug. I don't want to bash anyone (wait for the but), but I've been a Raps ticketholder for 7 years now and this year, my wife asked me to give her three reasons why I should spend our travel money on them in 2011-2012. I came up with... zero. Same management, coach and likely team (plus one Euro big man) that left me giving away 60% of our tickets by February. Can you give me three reasons beyond praying DeMar becomes VC and Andrea Dirk why I should be coming back this year?

Ray S, Toronto

A: Two things you can’t tell people: How to spend their money or raise their kids. So …

Really, not only is not my job to convince you to watch a team I cover, it’d pretty darn presumptuous of me to think that I could or should. I will tell you this, for entertainment value – rooting interests aside – I think basketball provides a pretty good bang for your buck.

But do as you like, I can’t – won’t – try to convince you either way. Just keep reading here.

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Q: Hey Doug. Great job, especially with the blog. When I saw Cory Joseph entered his name in the draft after the college year ended, I was mildly surprised, but figured he was trying to monitor his status. When the withdrawal deadline passed and his name was still on the board I was much more surprised.

My first impression is that he had a strong season, this is a weak draft and with Myck Kabongo coming into Texas he was worried about his standing on the team. But it still seemed like he made a potential error in judgement.

Your thoughts?

 

Ted N, Mississauga

A: As I mentioned in a story earlier this week, a couple of executives I talked to this week think he could very well get into the bottom of the first round and grab the guaranteed contract goes with that. Others think it’s a gamble but I can’t say what went into the decision but I’m sure the future at Texas might have had something to do with it.

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Q: Hello Doug! This season is coming to its end, but the Raps frenzy just warmed up! Who is the best potential pick? How the Raptors look like next season?

From Europe, the best player is Dimitris Diamantidis, 6.6 PG, Euroleague's MVP and best defender. He's not in the drafts cause he's 31. Any other European is not worth mentioning! lol!

So, Walker or Knight? I'm in Europe so I cannot be sure, but I like Kemba. He seems a guy with more potential.

 

Konstantinos C, Athens

A: You know, or maybe you don’t know, that I’m not big on either/or stuff, especially this early in the process but the few scouts I’ve talked to who’ve seen them both tend to think Knight’s better as an NBA guy right now but Walker could turn into something very good.

Now, Diamantidis is the reason I even used this question, actually. Outstanding player who could be a good NBAer, he’s just the kind of guys teams want but who won’t likely come because he can probably make as much money with a lot less hassle in Europe. But I could watch him play all day.

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Q: Isn't there a tad bit of hyprocrisy (maybe with a dollop of irony) that you post and grip about social media on your blog?

Colin K, Ann Arbor

A: Nah, don’t think so. I think I use social media – and by that I mean solely the twitter stuff rather than anything else – the way it should be used: As a virtual tip sheet to let people know when things are done that are more, um, complete rather than 140 characters of opinion.

But you also know that mocking and griping and then doing as I please is part of my gig.

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Q: Hubie Brown is a B-Ball treasure, energy, passion, knowledge, what a treat, works well with Tirico, good rhythm, good cues. Besides Chick, Johnny Most, Tommy H any other announcers that made/make an impact with you?

John C, Mississauga

A: Um, sorry, but I think it’s a terrible disservice to two giants – Chick Hearn and Johnny Most – to speak their names in the same breath as the other guy.

I’m okay with Hubie, although I think he can be a bit condescending and talkative at times.

And you know who I liked – a lot?

Bill Walton.

Yes, he was over the top and verbose and said things that no sane human being may actually think but I found him highly entertaining.

But the list of great announcers starts and stops with Chick and Johnny. Not sure who’d be third because you can’t see second from there, that’s how far behind he’d be.

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Q: Hi Doug. You know that I have total respect for you, but in light of today's Maurizio Gherardini debate which seems to be going on in the comments (May 19), I was just wondering who you think needs to be let go on this team. Personally, as a fan, and not a beat grunt, I'm unaware of the contribution that Gherardini has made. But the flip side must mean that someone in your position IS aware of who isn't pulling their weight, or who might be the wrong fit for this team. We can't be the 3rd worst team in the league and only need a few players to change. There has to be more to it then that. Are the trainers as good as other teams' trainers? The scouts? What changes would you make off the court? Or is that something that someone in your position would have a tough time saying because you might risk a relationship with a source?

Peter L, Toronto

A: I disagree with the basic premise of your argument that “we can’t be the third worst team in the league and only need a few players to change.”

I have been, for years, against wholesale change for change sake. I think there needs to be some level of continuity always.

That said, this team was third worst, for the most part, because it was a group of relative kids on the floor who didn’t know how to win yet but who showed flashes of “getting it.” Now, do I think they can add new people? Sure, you can fire every assistant on the coaching staff or front office staff, you can fire the GM and/or the coach and you can start all over again. Me? I think they’re on the right path and change is not necessary at the moment. There is no question that GM and his staff have created enough flexibility that they can add players, there can be no question that kids like DeRozan, Davis, Bayless, Johnson and Johnson are better now than they were under this coaching staff.

Last season sucked, no question about it; but unless you can tell me next season will be better if there was a new cast of characters in charge, I think they need to let things develop as they have.

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Q: Having spent the years watching the Raptors selecting the "best" available player in the drafts, it is probably save to say that once the player establishes himself in the league and gets the high-priced contracts he will leave Toronto for a warmer place with proper cable channels (some depart in ways more graceful than others). Would it not make sense for Toronto to pick Tristan Thompson? I would think a kid from around these parts would have a better chance of sticking around when free agency comes along.

I know conventional wisdom says to pick the best available talent in a talent-driven league but there's little sense in fully developing a player only to watch him scoot off to a championship contender. Since there hasn't been a lot of top drawer Canadian talent in recent years, wouldn't you think it's a good time to cease the opportunity?

 

Kenneth P, Markham

A: It would make very little sense to me, actually, unless they find a way to divest themselves of either Ed Davis or Amir Johnson and that’s not going to happen, I don’t think.

Thompson’s got a good game, is a helluva player who works hard at both ends but I think there are better players who play positions that need filling.

Because the draft is such a crapshoot, it’s impossible to tell, really, who “the best available player” is sometimes, as well. But if one of the guards – Walker or Knight – or a taller big who projects as a centre rather than as a power forward as Thompson does – they have to go that way.

I don’t ever, ever, ever want this team to draft someone just because he’s Canadian. Fans deserve – and want – wins based on talent, not passport.

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Q: Doug. Passive-aggression on my part, but do you think the Jays should get it over with and release E-5 already?

 

Justin S, Toronto

A: I’m going to have to confer with my man Griff on that but I wouldn’t mind seeing what the Laurie kid can do there.

And there will be seamheads who work for the Raptors who will tell you I said early in the spring that the injury I feared most of all was the separated shoulder that Adam Lind would suffer when a baserunner took him out when Lind had to stretch up the line to field an errant Encarnacion throw. Hasn’t happened – yet.

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Q: Doug. I know you were just baiting us with the following comment and so as not to disappoint you I'll rise to the bait.

Regarding the love for Dirk you said "Now, he can’t defend on his own to save his soul but …". Sort of sounds like a sweet shooting big we have here in Toronto but he gets very little love at all! Granted he is not yet in Dirk's class but the similarity is there and the comparison has been made more than once in the past.

Your thoughts? All the best.

 

Dave M, Puslinch

A: It was a horrible comparison five years ago and it’s a horrible comparison today. I’m of the school of thought that every player is unique and an individual and it’s unfair – and unwise – to project the skills or career of one on to the other.

There are things that Nowitzki does – or has learned to do – that Bargnani will never, ever learn and some of us that knew that from the start. Conversely, there are a few – very few, but still some – things that Bargnani does that would make Nowiztki even better.

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Q: Hey Doug. It seems like all of the NBA fines are nice round numbers ending in a five or a 0 before those extra 000s are tacked on at the end. Is there a standard formula the NBA uses to determine fines or a level of severity chart? - Or are fines determined on an instance by instance basis, and if so, by whom?

 

Ryan M, Ottawa

A: No standard form that’s laid out for anyone to see. It’s not that David has a wheel in his office that he spins to come up with a number, either. What’s happened is that they started with an “x” dollar fine for some transgression years ago and every now and then kick it up by $5,000 or $10,000 to adjust for inflation.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[booyah]

Hey Doug. Just wondering what you think of visitors to your blog in general. I know you seem to have an uncanny ability to separate your work from wanting the Raps to win, but Raptors' followers are a suffering lot, aren't they? Do you think the number of comments that deserve snark will drop if and when the Raps start winning? Or do you have a Hobbesian view of posters and imagine the amount of negative garbage will rise as the overall fan base increases? Would love to catch some insight into how your mind works.

Blogger's note: I'm not entirely sure how my mind works, to tell you the truth. I don't know that negative garbage would rise but I think it would remain about the same proportion, or maybe even drop. And what do I think of the visitors here? Generally good thoughts but there are some who, to be honest, try my patience on a nearly-daily basis. But, overall, it's a passionate group of people with their minds in the right place. This is supposed to be fun, and rather light and taking ourselves too seriously is a waste of time.

[Chris C]

The NBA playoffs have been great this year. These guys are amazing athletes and its nice to see everyone cheer against the Heat. How can anyone still keep comparing Andrea to Dirk. White, 7ft and Eruo thats it. But thats not to say that Andrea cant develop into a player similar to Dirk by the time he is Dirks age. Another thing that seems to be forgotten is the CBA. Its easy to get excited about next season, but the thing that turns me off the most is the fact these guys are asking for more money. Lebron is worth 48mil last year according to Forbes. Bynum will lose $700 000 from being suspended for 5 games. 5 games. That is crazy. That kind of fine would take the average doctor several years of salary to pay off. How can these players seriously think they dont make enough and talk about feeding their families. I know there are a lot of them who donate generous amounts but a lot of them have come from nothing. All the credit to them for this but lets not get gready either. I am just waiting for the day when some professional athelete union realizes that they are paid on an outrageous level.

[Matt M]

Of course I agree Lawrie should be brought up sooner rather than later, provided that his own error problems that he was having early in the season have been solved. But releasing E5 would be a terrible decision by AA. Like with Rivera, at least try to put him in a position where he can succeed (i.e. anywhere but third base) and either keep him to provide bench depth or trade him to a team that needs bench depth. Releasing everyone that might not be of starting caliber is a great way to ensure you have no depth on the major league team.