It's travel time for the Raptors talent evaluators

Lewis and Clark time for Bryan and The Henchman.

While we’ve been waiting – impatiently, in many cases – for the May 30 lottery to find out how easy it’s going to be for them to trade the pick for a three who can help now, the lads have been out scouring the continent watching kids work out and doing some of their pre-draft due diligence.

Florida. L.A. Vegas. Chicago. Jersey. Minnesota. And who knows where else.

It’s mostly unofficial individual workouts set up by agents, a guy or two in a gym working on their own skills, because all the top picks are waiting for the lottery results before they decide which teams they’ll grace with their presence in private workouts leading up to the draft.

But it is part of the process and it drones on.

As I recall, it was in one of these road visits that the Raptors brass fell in love with DeMar DeRozan, seems to me that he wowed them out in L.A. and they had pretty much made up their minds on his selection long before the draft actually rolled around.

I’m not saying that’ll happen again – and the folks who I talked to yesterday didn’t even provide specific names – but the more information you can glean, the better off you should be when it comes time to make the pick, if indeed they make it.

Now, these workouts are indeed informal and since the teams have little or no control over what happens, it’s not like they are seeing all the warts on the potential picks.

If a kid can’t go left, he’s not going to go left an awful lot in a workout run by his agents for specific teams. If the kid can’t make a 22-footer to save his soul, he’s not going to be standing out beyond the arc firing up jumpers with abandon.

Those kinds of workout specifics happen when teams gets guys in their own gyms in the period between the lottery and the draft. That’s when all the stuff GMs and Henchmen and scouts have seen over the course of the college season can be explored and, perhaps, unearthed.

For now, it’s getting more information and keeping busy until it really gets time to be busy.

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You know me and fashion, right?

Hardly a good mix most of the time. But, I tell ya, I may not know anything but I do know that whoever decided it’s cool for guys to wear black-rimmed glasses without, you know, glass in them really might want to find another line of work.

Silly?

Oh yeah.

Silly to the Nth degree, methinks.

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I would say we in the PBWA got our awards right this year, wouldn’t you agree?

Steve Nash as the Magic Johnson winner for combining on-court excellence with gold standard co-operation with media, Doc Rivers as the Rudy Tomjanovich winner for doing the same thing among coaches and, believe me, the Milwaukee Bucks media relations staff does an historically great job the led to it being awarded the Brian McIntyre award.

Well earned awards all around.

Nash and Rivers are indeed outstanding in dealing with us, they provide great insight and good quotes; they take the time to answer repeated questions with patience and good humour and if you need them, they’re there.

Sounds simple, right? Well, you’d think so but there are far too many players who simply don’t get it, or won’t do and it’s ridiculous to some degree. It’s not a hard part of the job, I do think it’s part of the responsibility that goes with being an athlete and if they put half the effort into answering questions with insight and respect as they do either hiding from us or telling others to tell us they “aren’t talking” it’d be to the benefit of all.

But that’s just me.

And Nash’s post-award quote to the one and only Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic kind of sums up what he’s all about:

“It’s a privilege and honour to be recognized by the pro basketball writers, whose passion and skillfulness present the frontline of how our game is understood and perceived by our fans. Their role in our sport can’t be underestimated and it’s an honour to be recognized by them along with the past recipients.”

The past five?

Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh, Brandon Roy, Grant Hill and Luol Deng.

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Do me a favour?

On behalf of all the Buggy Boys at all the gin joints supermarkets in all the world after you dump your stuff in the car, take the buggy back to its little pen there in the middle of the parking lot if you won’t take it back into the store. That way, when Super Son gets fetched from a hard day (well, four hours) of work, the first words out of his mouth might not be:

“People are annoying.”

Some, yes; not all, but some.

Thanks.

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All I know is that when Kevin Garnett was called for setting an illegal screen on an out-of-bounds play that cost Boston a chance to tie or ultimately win its game with Philadelphia last night there were 29 NBA coaches scattered around the league who said, in unison, “it’s about freaking time.”

I’m not saying the Cs are the lone offenders in sticking out hips or elbows when they set screens but they have perfected it and I’m kind of glad it bit them in the bum.

Sure, it was a ballsy call but it was the right one, one of the few times officials don’t ref the situation but ref the call.

Flopping is one of the biggest scourges on the game right now, on that we can all agree, but illegal screens – more like football blocks, actually – might be a close second and maybe having a call all but decide a playoff game will give officials the confidence to call them more often and let players know they can’t get away with it.

Yeah, right. A guy can hope, I guess.

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I officially decree Birth Week to be upon us.

Figure it should end the day of the actual event so let the hilarity and hijinks commence.

Suggestions?

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Comments

[Tim H.]

C'mon Doug! This is a SPORTS blog - what's with the Raptors stuff?? ;>)

Blogger's note: Ding. Ding. Ding

[Jeff D]

Happy Birth Week, mine started last Sat. and runs into the long weekend. No comment on OKC pasting the Lakers last night?

[David in Oakville]

Good Morning Doug,

Boy, you could fill a week's worth of blog entries with pet peeves about supermarkets and parking lots... I think it's best to steer clear.

I agree with your comments on illegal screens with one caveat... if the refs had not called an illegal screen set by KG or anyone else up to that point then the dying seconds of a close game is not the time to call it. I did not see the whole game (with dog walking and dinner making duties interfering) so if an illegal screen had been called prior than fair game.. otherwise, not right.

Also did you see the play early in the game when KG dunked and then held on to the rim for what seemed to be an eternity and stared down the Sixers... I thought that might have led to a technical?

Let's face it Doug, if fashion were about functionality, whole forms of clothing would disappear.. like ties and socks for some people I know.

Lastly, I just want to commend your newspaper for the fantastic work you guys do... the tireless work of the reporters investigating the ORNGE mess/boondoggle has been outstanding!

Blogger's note: The dunk, if it's the play I'm thinking of, was okay because he was trying to protect himself and the Sixers player underneath him; that's allowed

[Mike D.]

It's telling that Doc Rivers didn't even act surprised about the illegal screen call.

It must be hard on KG these days: with Perkins and Big Baby gone, he has to do all the Celtics' illegal screening himself.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

By Thunder, that was an entire can of whoop-ass laid out in OKC last night.
And if NBA refs don't distinguish running blocks from legal screens, they should switch to the NFL for their whistling pleasure.
So Doug, what do you say when Super Son mentions the baby buggies that are now pretty much the size of golf carts, two to three abreast, lumbering down sidewalks, in coffee shops and those skinny grocery aisles?
Cheers. Keep Thundering. And has anyone seen them TOD hinting at turning a corner yet?

[Tabber]

Illegal screen call couldn't have been made on a more suitable player. If it weren't for Tim Duncan, KG would be the Big Whiner. Neither has ever committed a foul in his life.

[capt kirk]

It might be the right time to give Russell Westbrook his due. Playing the most skilled position on the court and redefining the way we think it should be played at the same time. What impresses me most is his fearless approach to attacking the rim and his ability to make his teammates that much better. The best point guard in the game today?

Blogger's note: One of.

[james]

I find myself feeling great sympathy for Bosh. What a terrible time to incur a season-ending injury. Can they win without him? And if they can, that makes him less than essential.

[Ian Gollert]

When are Raps allowed to begin pursuing free agents? Is it the same as NHL - July 1? Thanks Doug.

Blogger's note: Yes

[Rob.V]

KG's foul? The best line I read was: I've see KG basically hit guys with a steel chair off the top rope, and not get called for the foul - credit the ref's for making the right call.
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On this note though I will say this again. I know there is talk of Nash out there for the Raptors however BC should really consider KG or Duncan for 3 years at 30 million as well. Yes, I know they're old (and bigs fall quicker) however if you are serious about the defensive model one of these guys could really help shape the franchise for the next 5 years with their mere presence and leadership.
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It's no wonder that they're both playing so well (contract years) however Garnett looks like a very spry 35-36 year old. He's still 16-8 and would be a great mentor for the Raptor kiddlings.
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In fact, why not go old. Sign Garnett and Nash next season (amnesty), and trade for a wing.
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OKC - wasn't that the sweetest blow out ever?!!... 3 more would be wonderful!
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There seems to be a lot of doubt out there as to whether or not they can continue to make those jump shots however they've done it all year and no one stopped them. Westbrook and Durant are "automatic" when they are in their spots.
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Is this the beginning of the NBA's great new dynasty? I hope so. Who better to cheer for than a smaller market team, with a bunch of good kids who just want to play (without any "star like" shenanigans following them).

[Norris Radd]

Raptors looking to add Jeremy Lin. Bye bye Jose. Can you say amnesty?

Blogger's note: Nope

[AT]

since someone brought up KG as a possible raptor, just wondering if you would put him in the same category as Oakley??? If he is available, he would be an interesting possibility if nothing else, but to teach the young bigs how to play with a bit of toughness and some of the other intangibles of the game..
love em or hate em, he definitely knows how to get under the skin of opposing teams and plays with a bit of "sandpaper" as the announcers now talk about...

Blogger's note: Perfect note for the morning; give me some time to think about it, write a note to myself and will do it tomorrow first thing. Thanks

[Steve]

@Norris Radd The Arenas rule applies to Lin so nobody can offer him more than $5 million and New York gets to match any offer. Thus even before you consider the pending arbitration on whether or not Bird rights apply it's fairly unlikely he doesn't end up staying in New York if they still want him.

[Steve]

Oh and yeah, I know they can backload the contract, but any GM that gives him a 3/4/5 year deal right now is bonkers.

[Brad]

Did you see the half-time show during the Spurs game? Barkley basically verbally posterized Shaq, publically disagreeing with his 'turning point' segment. It was actually uncomfortable watching it.

Can't help but wonder how much time Shaq has left on that show.

[Aditya]

agree with Brad about shaq's effectiveness on Inside the NBA....he's pretty horrible....uncomfortable to watch