Filling a hole at no cost on an uneventful deadline day

Yawn.

Yeah that’s the reaction to the trade deadline, right?

Remember this next year, would you? And if someone’s got the time (too much time, actually) go back and check the breathless reaction to things that weren’t going to happen.

Anyway …

These guys at least did a little thing, as we all know, and it’s just what Bryan said he’d do the night of the Gay trade, shore up a hole in the roster and fill a need for a third guard.

To do it at no discernible cost and with no financial obligations past this year is a very good thing; they’ll rent Sebastian Telfair for 29 games, give him a good look to see if he might be worth keeping around next year and it’s done nothing to hamper them in the summer.

In fact, getting out of the small guarantee there was on Hamed Haddadi’s contract (he went to Phoenix with a second round pick for Telfair) is good because it takes them a bit farther away from the tax level.

But what’s it mean on the court?

Not an awful lot, I don’t imagine. Telfair’s more of a pure point guard than John Lucas but I’m not sure he shoots it as well. The big thing is he’s a better ball-handler and a facilitator and could end up getting the backup minutes behind Lowry.

And it’s good insurance to have a third guard to protect against injury, foul trouble or ejections and I’m sure Dwane feels more comfortable knowing there is someone in that role.

It’s not going to change the balance of power in the conference, nor is it going to make it any easier to make a move on Milwaukee to close that five-game gap. It’s a minor deal that needed to be done and it was done without any disruption to the future.

Not good, not bad, not big but necessary.

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I have no idea why Super Son had this blaring out some electronic music making thing upstairs this morning but now I cannot get it out of my head. And you should feel the same.

This is a pretty good cover version, no?

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Mail?

Please.

But I’m entirely full up on the Andrea Bargnani questions so we can let that subject go, right?

You can get them sent by clicking on the link over to the right but it’s askdoug@thestar.ca if that’s easier for you.

Talk soon.

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Right, Benoit Benjamin.

His name came up the other night as the first guy who played for both the Vancouver Grizzlies and the HOTH and there’s a story. A couple, actually. I’ll clean up some of the language because, well, because it’s among the most vulgar things you imagine.

Big Ben was actually one of the lesser, um, motivated players and the tale of his departure from Toronto is legendary.

They’re practicing at Glendon College and Ben’s not quite putting out the effort that then-coach Darrell Walker wanted.

Darrell gets on him a little bit, gets on him a little bit more, gets on him a little bit more as the team’s running sprints, the story goes.

Ben looks over says:

“Bleep you, you bleep-face, bleep-bleep.”

Ten minutes later, he’s waived and the Benoit Benjamin era comes to a close.

Oh, and I didn’t see this in person so it’s second-hand but there was also the night they were out in Calgary for a pre-season game and it’s mentioned to the players that they might want to keep a bit of a low profile.

Not sure this is what they had in mind about low profile when Benoit, a 7-foot bald man, walks into an establishment where women remove their clothes for a living and he’s clad in a full-length white fur coat.

That’s inconspicuous for sure.

Yes, there have been some interesting characters run through town.

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I’d say I’d have way more interest in the Oscars if I’d seen even one of the movies nominated in any category.

So, who wins?

And we have a rare Sunday off so instead of reading IGBT comments on who’s wearing what, I can watch and mock on my own from the comfort of the couch.

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So, who won trade day?

How about no one?

I’d say the one team that filled a need and improved itself in the short-term was Milwaukee; getting JJ Redick gives them another offensive option and might be the thing that keeps Toronto from closing that gap for eighth place all the way.

Houston did okay with the Thomas Robinson acquisition I guess, but other than that? It was a bunch of deals that were financially driven or backup for backup or bit piece for bit piece. It is forever thus and, sure, maybe there’s some fun in the three weeks leading up to the deadline to imagine blockbusters or hear reports about this GM talking to that GM but more often than not, it’s just chatter it the wind and nothing comes to fruition.

Yes, much ado about nothing, indeed.

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IGBT tonight. Just before 7 p.m., be there or be square.

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With the Knicks in town, it means an overflow crowd on media row because there is not a single team that attracts a crowd of writers like New York does.

Last I heard, there were eight people coming – and that’s outside the team broadcasters for TV and radio – and aside from the Lakers, there is no team that operates with as many scribblers.

And considering with us, it’s usually two for the road, I can’t imagine how anyone gets any work done on their own.

One of the good things about travelling in a small group on the road is that it gives you a better chance to talk to people privately, develop relationships and perhaps get information that you can eventually use in some news story.

Sometimes the travel can be a grind, but professionally, it’s when we get a fair amount of groundwork done peacefully; not sure it’s that way with my fellas who cover the Knicks.

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Comments

[Andrew Gregg]

Hi Doug:

I've been noticing that Sonny Weems has been playing very well in Europe. Can you foresee a scenario where the Raps look to bring him back?

AG, Toronto

Blogger's note: Nope

[Mike kovacs]

Doug you used 2 letters more than I thought you would with your Sonny Weems reply.

[doug]

@GM you go on like a broken record, throwing out stat after useless stat...you need to get over it, trades happened it is what it is....cheers...

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Somehow your BBs' Flip Flop and Fly took me right back to J Geils Band, and pretty much the same song, only different: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC-2CDhquDs
And Doug, if Super Son is rooting around for some new sax material, he could do a lot worse than to check out James Hunter's two – count 'em, two! – horn blowers, Lee Badau and Damian Hand. A sampler: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJIqVQy_vDA&playnext=1&list=PL9EF3B9CB2459A5A1&feature=results_main
Cheers. Go Raps!

[P C]

@GM, that article is pretty hilarious. If only bball was that simple. You would think with Gay's struggles in that game, that the Grizz would have won by thirty considering they knew what Gay was going to do. Regardless of the implausible condition that a switch that left Randolph to guard Gay that quickly becomes essentially what they wanted and that they knew that Gay would go left is, quite frankly, monday morning talk radio hype.

Gay's been struggling a bit, but he does a terrific amount beyond just scoring to help. I have always liked his game and we gave up very little to get him.

And, again I would also like to add that to my eyes the Raps have been terrible offensively all season and Casey lacks any creativity on the offensive side of the ball. A curling Demar off a screen, pick and roll with Amir, and pick and pop with Bargs. That's it. I have yet to see any real concerted three or four option plays.

It's always been a heavy improv kind of offense and I think Landry proves this point as he cuts off ball and looks backdoor and he is really the only one who does that so that to me suggests that's his IQ and not playcalls. If it was Casey we would see more of that.

This current team gets out and pushes tempo and creates off turnovers and second chance opportunities far better. It's a better team. You might not like Rudy and that's fine, but he can ball. And he's by far the best player on our team. You don't need stats of any kind to see that. If he only shot and shot and shot and missed and missed and missed, then we'd agree. But to suggest he is hurting our team right now like say, Bargs does when he can't hit shots, is not what I see with my eyes.

[doug]

@PC excellent post as tonights game showed anyone that questions the Gay acquisition is out to prove their own mandate...and 2nd Casey has no clue how to run the offensive end of the court ..in fact his love for AA may cost him his job at some point as AA is a 10 day
guy who for whatever reasons that only Casey sees he gives far too much playing time...and Bargs lovers or those that question the boos BC needed to trade him for both there sakes...Bc if I were on the board would have to answer for that as he didn't trade BC just to save his own butt as he couldn't get value for him...will he ever???...not trading him may have cost BC his job as the to amnesty him will be a total loss, between Bosh and him what would he have in terms of assets??/...oh but wait I digress Jose for Gay is a bad trade in some circles, come on lets get real...cheers...

[J]

@doug:

Using one game (or any small sample size) to prove a point? You of all people should know better than that. I've been a big proponent of the Gay trade and even I have to disagree with you.

Also, trading Bargnani for his benefit is silly. If it doesn't benefit the team, then no trade is better than making a trade just for the sake of trading him.