The future, the pressure and what happened to skating?

Well, that was a bit of a dog of a game, no?

Stay close for a bit, fade greatly at the end, lose by a lot on the road against a better team.

I’m telling you, we live Groundhog Days existence through most the year and Groundhog Season one year after the next.

Fun, isn’t it?

Anyway …

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THREE POINTERS

Don’t get your hopes up

Yeah, kinda sucks about the Bargnani injury, kid’s had a horrid year and no matter what you think of him, anyone who likes to see someone hurt needs to re-examine their lives.

And here’s one more that I’m sure will stick in the craws of many:

I can tell you with 99.999999999 per cent certainty that, at this moment, using the amnesty clause to get rid of him has never been discussed at the highest level of Raptordom.

Sorry.

But it really makes no sense at any level to use the one-time provision on him.

It doesn’t get them below the cap (it would get them below the tax level but there are other means available to do that) so it’s not like you can say goodbye to him and find some of equal value on the free market.

Now, if you could use that $10 million or so to bring in a $10 million player it might make sense but that’s not possible in an amnesty situation.

And besides – I know few of you out there want to hear this – the guy has some value, he still has skills and I’d rather wait until you see what you’ve got before you simply throw him overboard.

No, he’s not going to get you eight rebounds a night – never was, never will and those who thought otherwise were kidding themselves – but he is going to make a shot, defences are going to have to pay a bit of attention to him and, who knows, maybe he’d settled into a bench role just fine.

I do think this latest injury makes a summer trade unlikely – not impossible but unlikely – and while I’m certain Bryan will get it a shot, I don’t imagine anything gets done.

It’s been a terrible year for Bargnani – and he hasn’t helped himself at all with his manner or his personality or his work ethic and he has to take more than his share of the blame for how things turned out – but at least it’s over and we can all put it out of our minds until at least late June.

Right? Can’t we? Please?

Thanks.

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Pressure time

I’m on the couch paying rapt attention to the game – or it’s white noise as I’m reading, you guess which one – and I notice something we’ve seen before, something a wee bit troubling.

Can’t remember which game it was – at Washington right after all-star comes to mind – but some near full court pressure was giving Kyle fits and we remarked on it.

Saw it again last night with Avery Bradley and it’s a part of the game they need to work on.

It’s not necessarily the strips and steals and easy baskets that result, it’s that it might take 12 or 14 seconds to get into a halfcourt offence and that only leads to more individual play and rushed shots, precisely what this team doesn’t need.

Maybe it’s as simple as getting him some backcourt screens or simply working harder on his skills but it has to improve.

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Oh yeah, the future

Forgot this yesterday, sorry. Not really news, or all that interesting but whatever.

When I was talking to Tom Anselmi for the ticket story the other day, the conversation did turn to the front office future with the Raptors – specifically the option year on Bryan – and the answer was totally expected but at least now on the record.

“We’re just going to park it until the end of the season … let’s focus on finishing the year in a quality way.”

And that’ll be that until May, I would presume. I think that’s when we have to find out officially what’s going to happen because if there’s a move to be made, it has to be made with enough time to give a new guy a running start at the off-season.

-

More? Always is.

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If you promise not to collectively ask more than a thousand questions about Andrea Bargnani, we’ll have one of our hour-long noon chats today.

Sound good?

See you then.

-

So Argentina’s got Pope Francis and Lionel Messi and if Messi ever gets his national team to some level of prominence in some shady manner, we’ve got Hand Of God Redux, for sure.

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Hang on a sec.

Francis?

Not named after Francis Albert, right?

Yeah, probably not.

-

From the department of things that have fallen off the radar a wee bit, we give you …

The world figure skating championships.

Yeah, they’re going on now down in London (Ontario, not the other, better one) and I know there are stories in the paper every day but isn’t the buzz about them gone a wee bit?

I can remember when even I paid a bit of attention to them, now I’m told by Stumpy on the tweeter yesterday that there were empty seats at one of the sessions.

Is it a lingering hangover from the scoring scandals that reach way back to the Salt Lake City Olympics? The lack of a compelling, magnetic, dynamic personality in any of the individual disciplines? The splintering of the sports world with so many other events to crowd the calendar? Everyone tired of sequins and costumes and theatrical performances?

Or is everyone still crazy about it and I’m just off my rocker?

-

I see the Italian dream at the World Baseball Classic came to an end last night and now we’re down to Dominican Republic, the USA and Puerto Rico on this side of the draw.

That’s probably how it should be, right? I imagine if you were asked before the event who would come out of this side of the bracket you would have picked of them, right?

But I’m warning you, my Netherlands is waiting to pounce when the semifinals start on the weekend in San Francisco and, internationally, I’ve them at TOD for sure.

Gotta find something orange to wear when watching.

-

 

 

 

Comments

[Geoff Read]

Horrible game last night. Amir played with his usual hustle; otherwise I can think of nothing good to say about last night's effort.

I'm not glad Bargs got injured; but it's probably fair to say the team won't miss him much the way he was playing. His lack of effort seemed to be deflating for his teammates at times.

The new Pope seems like an improvement in many respects, but for those with interest in such things, they might want to check out his past connections with the military Junta of the 1970s. They're... well, troubling is probably be the best way to put it.

[Kevin]

Thanks for the assessment.

[Mike kovacs]

The 'other' London is better? What 'other' London?

[David in Oakville]

Good Morning Doug,

Won't argue with your assessment of Bargnani but if I may tweak it a bit... to me it is no longer a question of waiting to see what you have with Bargnani, it is more waiting to see what he has left. It's fine to say that Bargnani needs to shoulder most of the blame for his horrid year.. but will he? Will he come into camp next season ready to play, ready to meet the modest goals that Dwane sets out for him. History suggests not, sadly.
I am not yet with Not Grace Kelly - move AB at all costs, but I am also less hopeful than you. And it is clear, 10 million in salary or not, the Raps need a front court player who gives them more than AB has in the past.
+
Interesting choice for Pope. I like that he is not a Vatican guy and that he is not European. I was around Franciscans growing up and always found them to be a joyful and humble bunch. That a Jesuit should take the name Francis gives me great hope.
+
Good to know that your jinx also applies to religious orders. I would have been worried if you had made bank on your choice of Pope.

[Mike D.]

I thought the game that most highlighted Kyle's struggles with defenders pressuring the ball was the Denver game, when Ty Lawson must have scored or assisted on half a dozen baskets from it.

Detroit has a veteran PG with an expiring contract who handles ball pressure really well. The Raptors should take a look at him this summer.

[Matt M]

Raps have a lot of problems, Andrea is just one. I'm sure if things stay the same that Andrea won't be amnestied. I'm also sure that things won't stay the same so I will wait and see. There are opinions that any team would be better without someone who provides as little as Andrea does on the court, regardless of what they get in return. I'm sure Colangelo does not agree with that opinion. Me? I think I would have sent him packing last year.

Blogger's note: Okay. For who? And what are/were the long-term financial implications? And would you have done this when he was playing so well early in the year or when he was injured? "Sent him packing last year" is a gross over-simplification

[Chaid]

I agree that amnestying Bargnani is an absurd idea.

It would make more sense to keep him for a year and try to flip him as an expiry if getting value back is such an issue.

[Geoff Read]

Hey,

Totally off topic, but looking at the Sports page just now I was struck by the following observation: Milos Raonic looks a lot like "Dexter Morgan." I wonder what Milos does in his spare time?

[Mike K.]

Sorry, I've been out of the loop for a few days - what's this about Andrea Bargnani being elected pope?

[larry lukeeborg]

perhaps the raptors should 'amnesty' bc??

[JHK]

Two words.
Yuna Kim.
Just watch her once and you will be mesmerized.

[LeeZ]

Doug, colour me confused (which is my natural state in life, but even more so when it comes to capology questions). You write: It doesn’t get them below the cap (it would get them below the tax level but there are other means available to do that) so it’s not like you can say goodbye to him and find some of equal value on the free market.

Now, if you could use that $10 million or so to bring in a $10 million player it might make sense but that’s not possible in an amnesty situation.
Why could you not find someone of equal value on the free agent market, and then use those "other means" you mentioned to bring the team under the cap. And why is replacing him with a $10 million player not possible in an amnesty situation? If you don't have the time or space today, maybe you could elaborate on this in tomorrow's blog, or perhaps the noon chat today. I guess what I'm asking is, what's the point of the amnesty provision if the Raps can't do what you suggest they can't? And why amnesty Kleiza, if that's the case? Is your point simply that Kleiza has no value whatsoever, whereas Bargs has a little, hence the preference of amnestying Kleiza. And if they amnesty Kleize, what would THAT do to help the Raps? I'm sorry, Doug. I never did well in Capology back in high school. I was always checking out Cindy two rows ahead of me, and not paying attention to the teacher.

Blogger's note: It would help them get under the tax level to amnesty Kleiza; same with Bargnani but neither gets you below the cap

[DaveB]

Now with Andrea out for the rest of the year the Raptors should win every game, right? After all he was what was holding him back.

It is good to see the the new Pope is not another "Soft Euro" or is everybody not from the USA a "Soft Euro"? And here is hope that he brings women's rights at least into the nineteenth century.

[ronmor]

Doug,

Last word, at least until the end of the season, on AB. We all know his weaknesses some of which are self-imposed (unwillingness to rebound and seeming lack of work-ethic which is the most galling) and some of which seem to be genetic (injury prone and low pain tolerance).

However, given this, he no longer seems to be a "good fit" with the Raps current personel. For example, despite his first two games back in early Feb.,playing with the likes of Anderson and Lucas who are prime ball-stoppers he became tentative and then passive. Secondly, when you have Gay and Derozan sharing 35+ shots in the starting lineup and more more emphasis on developing JV's inside game, Andrea' best skill (outside shooting) was not being utilized.Also, Lowery is nowhere near as efficient as delivering the ball to AB(and other shooters) as was Jose.

I have often wondered why after 7 years in the NBA, Andrea has not developed a decent inside game. Has it been his reluctance or coaching decisions or a combination of both?

So what does the future hold for AB? Only time will tell.

RSM

[Tom]

"I can tell you with 99.999999999 per cent certainty that, at this moment, using the amnesty clause to get rid of him has never been discussed at the highest level of Raptordom."

So you're saying there's a chance they use the amnesty on Bargnani... :-)

[Rick]

Painful how the refs continue to pounce on the Raps, I hope we fans continue to raise the issue until the NBA eventually listens. It was getting better after the two league apologies but they are back at it again.
I was at the Garden last night and many Celtics fans around me were surprised on how lopsided the officiating was.

[Rob.V]

Okay, I too am tired of all the Andrea talk. Still, reporters are writing that Bryan has been "reluctant" in moving his #1 pick in Andrea. This drives me crazy!. Either they're not paying attention (Bryan's noted publicly he would consider moving him), or they simply do not know enough about the subject. How does this garbage get written??

Look, the people who see Andrea as an "amnesty" do not understand the business side of it.

The Raptors will NOT amnesty Andrea. Why?... because there is absolutely no logical reason to other than if he was such a terrible person that they wanted to remove him from the locker room. Why amnesty a player (who you still have to pay) so some other team under the salary cap can pick up. I'm not sure how this works entirely however my guess is that if he clears waivers any team could pick him up for the veterans minimum or whatever it is.

Sure, so let's pay Andrea $22 million dollars so the Sixers or Nets can pick him up for nothing!. Right, I want to pay a players salary so that I can improve a team in the Atlantic Division.

Which GM in their right mind does this?

Also, if you follow the NBA you will know that Amare's contract was traded. How about closer to home. Anyone remember that Hedo guy. Look, if that wasn't one of the worst contracts that has been moved (TWICE!!!) over the last couple of seasons I don't know what is.

You may not like it, you may be want to blame all of the Raptors misfortunes on Andrea however the fact remains if he gets back on the court next season and sticks shots, there WILL be a market for him.

[David]

If Bargnani returns to the Raptors, a key will be whether he plays for Italy in Eurobasket in September. If he does, he will have a training camp, some pre-tournament games and the tournament itself to get into game shape and rebuild his confidence. As soon as Italy's tournament is over, he would come to Toronto in the best condition, mentally and physically, even basketball-wise, as he's been in two years. He'd actually be in a better state starting training camp than his teammates. He played for Italy two summers ago, had a strong tournament, and then a strong start to his season before the calf injury.

[David]

And an addendum on Bargnani - people say he doesn't fit. Right now, I'm not sure if anyone "fits" on this team. Does DeRozan fit next to Gay when neither is a three point shooter? Does Lowry fit Casey's style? Does Jonas even fit on a team that can't set up a proper pick and roll?

That's why I am down on Casey. He has to come up with an offensive strategy to make at least some of the pieces fit.

[Boko]

I love the Raptors, BUT jawing at any official is counter-productive in at least two significant ways: 1) No official likes to be disrespected, so you are NOT going to get better calls in the near future, & 2) it takes energy & focus out of you, leaving less for the actual winning of the game! I wish that all NBA players were T'd up the first time they yapped at an official, so that they'd shut up and play the game the rest of the way!

[kurt weinberger]

Whether Bargnani getting amnestied,benched, or not is not so much the issue. His work ethic, his refusal to rebound, his reticence to add the muscle to play the power forward position clearly dictates that he must be removed from the ream. His presence is, however you might want to image it is either likened to a cancerous tumour, or an energy draining parasite who sucks the positive energy flow out of the organism.
Heaven forbid he is on the team next year, but if that happens then bring back that veteran, soon to be free agent, guard who currently plays for Detroit so AB has that small fraction of utility - his open jumper.

[The J]

After watching the game last night, as a fan, I couldn't help but wonder if I could be amnestied.

Admit it Doug, there are probably nights where you wish the same. Amnnestied as a Raptors reporter, and free to sign a long-term deal as a reporter for another team like the Jays.

So they moved out the man in Italy for one from Argentina. I wonder if anyone would be happy with a similar move with the HOTH. Manu Ginobli is Argentinian right?

[El]

I agree with Mike D that we should look at 'veteran Detroit point guard...'; however, various people in Detroit club have said they tried to land Jose for years and Pistons have made it clear they hope he'll resign.
Here's a recent link of highlights: http://www.nba.com/pistons/video/pistons_hits
Have heard more accolades and info about Jose from Detroit and opposing team announcers than did his whole time he was in To.

[Matt M]

Hmm. A fan who gets all his information from local media coverage grossly oversimplified things. Shocking. I suppose I could have made an argument based on my imperfect knowledge of how the system works but since my point was to express an opinion and not rehash the basis for that opinion that has formed and evolved over the last seven years what I did was sufficient for the forum that I participated in.

[J]

@Leez:

You struck the nail on the head. There isn't a beneficial reason for amnestying Bargnani, and most people hoping for it are mistaken either about the cap rules and/or the Raptors' cap situation.

The team is so far above the cap right now that the only benefit of amnestying anyone would be to get us farther from the tax level and/or "apron". The reason Kleiza would be preferable is because his salary is smaller, which may seem anti-intuitive at first. However, if you consider the bottom line, that our capped out team will only be able to add players via trades (and incoming salaries have to match to a degree) or via whatever exceptions are available to us (non-taxpayer MLE, etc), then Bargnani's larger salary becomes more valuable as cap ballast. Say we wanted Gasol (just as an example) and the Lakers wanted to dump him for nothing more than tax relief, we would have to mortgage the entire team just to match salary if we amnestied Bargnani.

--

I know it may seem like I just painted a bleak picture, but basketball is a team game and sometimes, all you need is that one piece to make everything click. The Warriors went from zero to hero (though less so of late) with very little roster turnover. They had that major trade last season, but 1) they were still losing a ton post-trade, and 2) Bogut barely played this season. If the Raptors' youngsters continue to improve (especially Ross, because DeRozan would then become a trade chip), then it could be as simple as trading for a defensively solid starting PF and selling the team on improved ball movement over the off-season.