Colangelo’s Future a Murky One

One of the biggest questions heading into this coming offseason for the Raptors and their ownership is what exactly they are going to do with GM Bryan Colangelo.

Though he is highly respected within MLSE and has a very high-profile around the league, the results he has been able to achieve on the court have been a “mixed bag” at the best of times.

He did bring the Raptors their only Atlantic Division championship and did manage to manoeuver his way around some terrible contracts and big acquisitions that didn’t work out.  He’s drafted well and is well-respected around the league. This season he liftedn the veil on the Raptors front office to create two highly successful television programs in Behind the Draft and Open Gym that have earned league-wide praise.

These shows may not seem like a big deal to the average fan, but both have raised the profile of the Raptors around the league and have likely helped to earn Colangelo a few “brownie points” with the “bigwigs” in the League offices.  This type of positive standing around the league doesn’t really do anything for the product on the court, but it can definitely have positive impacts for the ownership.

Bryan Colangelo doesn’t have a contract for next season and there is no guaranteel that the Raptors will bring him back.

On the flip side Colangelo hasn’t gotten great results where it counts.  The Raptors, under Colangelo, haven’t made the playoffs in the past five years and he has given the fan base in the city no real reason to believe that the playoff drought will end anytime in the near future.

So what exactly should the team do with their high-profile man in charge?

On one hand there is little doubt that Colangelo has shown himself to be one of the classiest executives in the business over his career. He has been part of winning franchises and has proven to be a winner elsewhere. He managed the Phoenix Suns very well and was able to make a number of big moves that thrust that franchise into the championship conversation year in and year out.

Since arriving in Toronto he has taken a number of different approaches to winning.  He was one of the first to really invest heavily in players playing overseas, signing a number as free agents in his first tenure (Garbajosa, Anthony Parker) and drafting one first overall (Bargnani).  He has tried to make big free agent acquisitions (Hedo Turkoglu) and he has shown that he isn’t afraid to make a big trade (Jermaine O’neal, Rudy Gay).

None of these game game plans have worked to a positive conclusion.  While it isn’t clear what his next course of action is one would have to assume it will involve Rudy Gay and Jonas Valanciunas as the core moving forward. Depending on your outlook this core might seem promising or not quite enough to compete for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Still, he has shown an uncanny ability to fix the mistakes that he makes.  When he was in Phoenix he was quickly able to turn the trade of Jason Kidd for Stephon Marbury back into his favour.  By acquiring Penny Hardaway he created capspace for himself to sign eventual two time MVP Steve Nash. The result was a solid run for the franchise.

Here in Toronto he quickly turned the hated Rafael Araujo into the serviceable Kris Humphries. He made a huge commitment to Hedo Turkoglu, which turned out to be a disaster, but then moved him to Phoenix for a dependable Leandro Barbosa and saved money in the process.

He is one of the best GM’s at fixing his own mistakes.  What Raptor fans have to ask, is whether they want to let him make any more.

Another plus working for Colangelo is that he is not a “stand pat” kind of general manager.  He never has been and never will be.  Colangelo takes risks.  He signs players he believes in and isn’t afraid to move confidently in a direction others may disagree with.  Drafting Andrea Bargnani was a shrewd move as was his decision to draft Jonas Valanciunas with the 5th overall pick two years ago. The two decisions have worked out differently, but you cannot say that he isnt afraid to take risks.

Obviously, as fans, you want every risk Colangelo takes to turn to gold, but the fact that he isn’t afraid to do what he feels is right for the team is an admirable trait.  Hopefully his most recent risk of acquiring Rudy Gay turns out like many of his others.

Colangelo’s risks have also earned him the ire of the fan base in Toronto at times.  He chose not to trade Chris Bosh before his free agency and did not receive any compensation for the teams franchise player.  His drafting and subsequent handling of Andrea Bargnani has incensed Raptor followers and may well be the reason he is ultimately let go this summer.

While Colangelo has made his fair share of mistakes in his time as GM of the Raptors and there are plenty of reasons to look to a new GM in the fall, the question remains: who out there is better? Who would you bring in that could do a better job?

Do you simply get rid of a quality GM because he hasn’t got the job done? or do you wait until someone better for the job emerges?  Colangelo doesn’t have the results.  This year, like the four before it, will end in disappointment and missed opportunities.  But if you let Colangelo go, you have to replace him with someone better suited for the job, someone more likely to get results.

If not Colangelo, then who?

I am as disappointed with this season as anyone.  I miss playoff basketball, hell I miss the possibility of playoff basketball.  Losing stinks and under Colangelo we have done our fair share of losing.  But there are a lot of positives in place with this team going forward.  A young core, a potential star to build around and tradeable assets that can be used to help improve this team.  Colangelo has shown over his career that he can swing a big deal to maximize the value of the player being traded.

So maybe he should stay for one more “playoffs or bust” season.

Colangelo’s fate has not yet been sealed and the decision to keep him around or not is not going to be as easy as it may seem.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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Raptors Fight off Struggling Lakers

For only the 7th time in the history of the franchise, the Toronto Raptors were able to come away with a victory against the Lakers of Los Angeles.

The Raptors were able to win the game by doing things they have not done in their previous 4 (all losses).  The Raptors played better defense, specifically on Kobe Bryant, who was not able to be the game changer that he usually is against Toronto.

They shared the ball well. Whether it was Calderon or Lowry at the point, the ball was moving to the right places.  Even Alan Anderson chipped in with 8 assists off the bench.  The team was unselfish and every single player was able to get on the score sheet as a result.

Finally, they closed out the game.  The Raptors gave big leads away against Milwaukee, Chicago and then another on Friday in devastating fashion to the Sixers.  Today they let their 19 point first half lead slip away, but fought back, regained control and then held off a very talented team in the 4th.

There is still much work to be done, but the Raptors can really hang their hat on a game like this.  If this team has serious playoff ambitions, this is the type of effort they are gonna need game in and game out.

Especially going into Miami.

Zan for Three

Landry to the Rescue

The Toronto Raptors’ difficulty playing against Kobe Bryant is well documented.  He has owned us throughout his career and that doesn’t even take into account his 81 point, history making performance in 2006.  The Raptors have tried every which way to defend Bryant, but nothing has really worked.  He always seems to pick us apart.

Today Landry Fields was able to do something we haven’t seen a Raptor defender do since the inception of the team; he contained Kobe Bryant.

For the most part.

Fields played him extra close and bothered every single one of his shots.  Yes, Kobe still had 26, but on 10 of 32 shooting. Fields really rattled Kobe today.

In addition to his stellar defensive effort, Fields was also very active on the offensive end.  He did a great job cutting to the basket, breaking down the Lakers D, and finished when the Raptors needed him to.  He’s not shooting particularly well away from the basket, but today he didn’t need to.

When Bryan Colangelo brought Fields over in the off-season for big money, this is the effort he imagined on a regular basis.  Now that Fields is healthy, he is starting to play his style of game.  Today he looked like the Landry Fields of old, the player that opened eyes in his rookie year.

That’s the player we are going to need down the stretch, if the playoffs are to remain within reach.

Being Ready

Despite the fact he was a trending topic on Twitter this week, not enough credit is being given to Aaron Gray, Quincy Acy and the rest of the Raptors bench.

These guys are always ready to play, no matter how long they sit on the bench or how brief their appearances are.  Aaron Gray was a DNP-CD in 4 of the 10 games the Raptors have played in 2013, but when asked to move into the starting spot, did not miss a beat.  He’s played very important minutes for the Raptors as a starter and is helping to give the overworked Raptor bigs; Davis and Johnson, much-needed rest.

Quincy Acy has also been ready when thrust into duty and John Lucas has also handled his lack of playing time well, being ready to come in off the bench at the drop of a hat.  Clearly the conditioning of this team is not an issue. The depth of this bench gives Dwane Casey a number of options and very valuable opportunities to rest some of his overworked starters.

The struggling Lakers are not used to losing in Toronto, but on Sunday their lacklustre effort wasn’t enough against an inspired Raptors squad.

Who are These Guys? 

This has arguably been one of the worst starts to the season in recent memory for a team expected to do so much coming into the season.  The Lakers have looked lost on both ends of the floor.  They can’t seem to figure out what to do with the ball and they haven’t yet found a way to share the ball well.

Today, with the early ejection of Dwight Howard, the ball got stuck in Kobe Bryant’s hands.  He had 32 shots.  32 SHOTS!!!  An unreal number for a player with the talented teammates he has around him.

Dwight Howard looked lost early in the game and then his frustration got him kicked out.  Nash looked a little discombobulated on offense and was a complete sieve on defense.  D’Antoni is not running an offense that he is used to running and this team is becoming  a mess.

It took Miami and Boston the better part of a year (in Miami’s case two)  to figure out how to share the ball with a “Big Three”, but LA might be running out of time if they want to make a serious run at the top of their conference.  Right now, they are in danger of falling out of the playoff conversation entirely.

When chatting with reporters after the game, D’Antoni didn’t hold back either: “We’ve got a lot of issues…Offensively the ball sticks and we don’t take very good shots. Defensively, ups and downs, we forget guys.”

It is clear that something is rotten in the state of California.

Zan of the Night

Landry Fields/Jose Calderon

Hard to decide between these two.  Both played solid minutes and did the things they needed to in order to win.  Fields played great D on Kobe and Jose contained Nash.  Fields made some excellent cuts to break down the Lakers D and Jose was fearless on the offensive end scoring points and dropping dimes at will.   Complete efforts from both of these players was the difference in the game today.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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Crunch Time for Raptors

It is getting down to the point in the season where the Raptors are going to have to make a move in the standings now, if they hope to catch up to a playoff spot.  With four consecutive losses now, the last 2 in heartbreaking fashion, and a number of key injuries, the Raptors are really going to have to dig deep to find the will to win.

On Friday night in Philly, the Raptors twice gave up big leads and could not defend the basket on key plays at the end of the fourth quarter.  Jrue Holiday had a field day in the final frame and the perimeter defense could not stop him in overtime.  The Raptors essentially gift wrapped a victory for the Sixers.

The Raptors have now been leapfrogged by the likes of Orlando, Detroit and Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference standings and are still sit 5.5 games back of the current 8th seed Celtics.  Time is running out.  With two very difficult games this week against the Lakers and Miami Heat the Raptors may find themselves free-falling in the Eastern conference standings by as early as next week.

The raptors are beginning to fall farther and farther out of the playoff picture. Their lack of finish over the last week has seen them fall right out of the playoff conversation.

So what is wrong with this team?

What needs to change?

Firstly the Raptors need to get Kyle Lowry more involved in the game.  He needs to be the number one guy again.  Watching Jose play against quick opponents like Jrue Holiday really cemented the need for a stronger defensive presence on the perimeter.  Lowry is a much better defender and he was brought here to be that defender against elite point guards in the league.  Lowry was not good against the Sixers either, granted, but he has always got a better shot against the elite point guards in the league than Jose.  The Raptors will now face Steve Nash this week and Kyrie Irving next week.  Those two games need to have Lowry starting or, at the very least, playing the lion’s share of minutes.

The Raptors have done a terrible job protecting the ball, especially late in the game. While Calderon is generally good at protecting the ball, he isn’t anywhere near solid enough to defend quick athletic point guards like Jrue Holiday.  Lowry takes chances, but defends the perimeter much better than Calderon.  It is Kyle who needs to be on the floor for the Raptors at the end of the game, when it really matters.  Jose shoots well, but it is Lowry who is more likely to keep he defender in check.

Secondly, we need our bigs back.   I get the “Bargnani hate”, I’m not particularly fond of him right now either, but we sure could use his size and quickness on the defensive end.  If nothing else he provides greater opportunity to get Amir and Ed some rest.  Both have played incredibly well since being inserted into the starting lineup, but both play far too many minutes and it is beginning to catch up with them.  Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray have filled in admirably, but I’d much sooner see Bargnani and Jonas Valanciunas giving Amir and Ed a rest off the bench.

Size and toughness hasn’t been an issue for a little while. But we witnessed Carlos Boozer absolutely decimate the Raptors frontcourt on Wednesday and then Thad Young and Spencer Hawes both had strong games on Friday.  With games coming up against Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh and Big Baby Davis the Raptors frontcourt is going to be working hard. This unit of Davis and Johnson has held up the fort for the last few weeks and were instrumental in bringing this team back from the Eastern Conference basement, but they need some rest.

Let’s get Bargnani, despite his current villainy, back in this lineup backing up these two very tired front court players.  He’s not going anywhere in a trade just yet, so lets increase his value a little bit by bringin him in off the bench when he’s back and healthy.  And yes I did say “backing up” Amir and Ed.

Lastly, Dwane Casey needs to figure out what is going on with DeMar DeRozan.  It has been an up and down year for the Raptors star, but he hasn’t looked anything like himself the last two weeks.  His percentages are way down, he’s forcing up bad shots and is not playing within he flow of the offense.  He was a key component of the Raptors recent win streak, but he hasn’t been the same since the first half of the loss to Milwaukee.

Something is up

It could be adjustments to the change in point guards, the fact that so much of the offense now flows through the post, that opposing defenders are scouting his game a lot more than they were early in the season or maybe he’s just having a bad stretch.  Whatever it is, Dwane Casey needs to figure it out and get DeRozan back to his early season form.  If the Raptors are going to make a playoff push, they’ll need a more effective DeRozan.

Time is ticking for the Raptors.  If the playoffs really are the ultimate goal then they are really going to have to dig deep to find a way to get back on the winning side of things.  Whether a big trade is the answer, a major shakeup in the starting lineup or small adjustments, something needs to be done before the season is lost.

The time is now.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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The Landry Fields Era Begins

The small Forward position, as it tends to be,  is filled with intrigue this year.  The Raptors went out this summer and added Landry Fields to the fold.  He provides defense, high basketball IQ and the ability to mesh with anyone you put on the floor with him.

His path to Toronto is well documented.  The short version of the story goes something like this.

The Raptors and Bryan Colangelo really wanted Steve Nash, but it looked as though Nash was going to head to the Knicks in a sign and trade deal that centered around Landry Fields.  The Raptors quickly moved to sign Fields to an offer sheet they knew the Knicks couldn’t match which effectively eliminated them from contention for Nash.  Toronto was then seen as the clear front-runner for Nash’s services until the Lakers entered the fray, stole Nash away from Toronto with promises of championship glory and the Raptors were left with a pretty large contract offer to Landry Fields which he was then signed to.

Some contend the Raptors contract to Fields was a huge mistake and will set the franchise back.  Others, myself included, feel that while they overspent to get Fields, he brings a work ethic and defensive presence that will markedly improve this team and will specifically bring tough wing defense, something the Raptors have not seen for a long time.  Though more expensive than he should have been, the Raptors are still likely to get decent return for their money.

Landry Fields has a lot of doubters in Toronto after signing a big contract. It will be interesting to see if his hard work and defensive intensity can win over fans the way he was able to in New York.

The Toronto Raptors haven’t really had a strong presence at the Small Forward since the days of Tracy McGrady.  Recent starters have included (in no particular order) Jason Kapono, Jamario Moon, Hedo Turkoglu, Shawn Marion and Sonny Weems.

While the small forwards for the Raptors have had varying degrees of success, a few (see Turkoglu) were cataclysmic failures, but  none made a significant impact for the club during their time as a starter.

Landry Fields may change that.

Fields is known around the NBA as a hard worker, a defensive presence and good teammate.  His his focus on the defensive side of the ball will certainly come in handy for a team that has had significant issues guarding the perimeter over the years.

Fields is a positive personality and will certainly endear himself to the Toronto media.  Truth be told, he already has.

But that contract….

Many pundits, bloggers and journalists choose to focus on the length and cost of the contract Fields has.  To be fair it is an expensive and longer term deal for a guy with only two years of experience under his belt, but certainly not a contract that is going to cause cap issues for a long period of time and it is likely flexible enough to become a tradeable asset if the situation presents itself.

Fields is an upgrade at the position and if he can improve on his woeful 3-pt shooting he could become a solid offensive piece to the Raptors game plan going forward as well.

If not, the Raptors have a host of solid pieces to back Fields up and offer the Raptors a number of different matchup possibilities.

Linas Kleiza is a pure scorer who brings instant offense off the bench.  There are some in the Raptors fan base that believe he should have been the starter to maximize Fields defense on the second unit with Jose Calderon, a noted deficiency on the defensive end.  Though Kleiza has had great success internationally, he has yet to put it together consistently for the Raptors.  He’s been injured and inconsistent in his time in Toronto, but still offers the Raptors great flexibility. He is a natural small forward and can also slide over to the 4 if need be and create a strong smaller lineup when Casey wants to go small.

If Kleiza can shoot the ball well and play the way he did in the World Championships then he may see increased minutes throughout the season, maybe even some time in the starting lineup.  Especially if Fields struggles on the offensive side of the ball where he has not been as effective.

Alan Anderson is another interesting option for Dwane Casey off the bench.  The journeyman really impressed the coach in limited time last season and continued his strong effort throughout the pre-season.  Anderson is a smart and savvy veteran who knows what his role is.  He provides strong defensive ability (like Fields) and can score, mostly because he has a knack for getting into great position to score.

Dwane Casey is going to have struggles at times finding enough minutes for everyone, but he has something a lot of coaches do not have: options. He can pull out an almost pure scorer in Kleiza or go for defense with Anderson and Fields.  If he wants to go small he can easily move Kleiza over to the 4 and both Fields and Anderson can slide over to the two if need be.

Casey has a great deal of depth at his disposal and can utilize it to exploit the matchups he wants.  The fact that these three players are versatile enough to play other positions and do not usually get into foul trouble could mean that we could see any of the three on the court in various positions.

The forward position is sure to be a strength for the Raptors and it is clear that with Landry Fields in the starting role the focus will continue to be on the defensive side of the ball.

Landry Fields will get his opportunity to prove fans and doubters wrong even if he isn’t a high scoring small forward in the mould of Tracy McGrady.

Hey, at least he isn’t Hedo Turkoglu.

***

ZTH

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Magloire Back Where He Belongs

On the surface, the Toronto Raptors signing of veteran big man Jamaal Magloire would appear to be a small, bench building move.

The Canadian is in the twilight of his career and would like to finish his basketball career where it all began.  The Raptors need a big man off the bench that can play minor minutes and add another big body to match up against the Chris Boshs’ and Dwight Howards’ of the league.

Magloire, a 13 year veteran and former Eastern Conference All Star, knows how to win games and can certainly be of help to younger front court players in Toronto.  Most notably, he will be asked to assist with Jonas Valanciunas.

Jonas is the future of the Toronto Raptors, at least in the minds of many in the front office and the fans that have been drooling over his hotly anticipated debut.  That makes Magloire’s role on this years team one of the most important ones for fans.  Getting Valanciunas NBA ready is seen as the key to the Raptors future success.

Magloire, who has played in All Star games, NBA playoff battles and most recently the NBA Finals, can offer a great deal of insight and assistance in how to adjust to the pressure of NBA life.  It is advice that Jonas is unlikely to be able to get from anywhere else on the current roster.

After a stellar NBA career, Jamaal Magloire seems to be embracing his new role as veteran mentor for the Toronto Raptors. With Jonas Valanciunas arriving in Toronto this season it could be an important year for the Canadian born centre.

This is becoming a bit of a habit now for Magloire, who will also play a mentorship role with the new look Canadian National team.  He is being asked by Jay Triano and Steve Nash to come in and prepare the young Canadian kids for the battles that lie ahead.

It all seems like a bit of a turnaround for Magloire, who once declined to get involved with the National team.

It is clear he has turned over a new leaf and appears to now be embracing his role as veteran leader.

Last year in Toronto it was clear that Dwane Casey trusted Magloire quite a bit and would often sub him into games to send a message to the Bargnani’s and Ed Davis’s of the team to improve their defensive efforts.  Magloire would then go out and show them how to play tough defense against difficult opponents.

Casey wants defense and toughness, especially from his inside defenders; qualities that Magloire possesses in spades.  With the arrival of Jonas Valanciunas, the on court lessons will become even more important.

Magloire is in the twilight of his career, but as a former All-star, NCAA champion and strong and steady NBA playoff performer he has been through the toughest battles a player can go through.  This knowledge and experience make him a perfect guide for a young player like Jonas Valanciunas. It makes him a great player/coach for the National team.

Last year he seemed to relish his role as team leader.  He was vocal with teammates, active in scrums and at practice and was chosen by the franchise as the player to address the fans at the end of last season; a role usually reserved for the vocal leaders of the team.

For Magloire it is a nice way to cap a successful career.  He’s finally home in Toronto and has finally joined the national team he was reluctant to be a part of.

There are many fans out there still upset by his refusal to play for Canada back in the days of Nash, but all is well that ends well.  Magloire’s role shaping the performance of Andrew Wiggans, Tyler Ennis, Andrew Nicholson and Robert Sacre may be  even more important than his role would have been playing back in day.

Magloire’s role is now about shaping the future in Toronto and for the National team.

That new role seems to suit him just fine.

Despite what may be said, this small transaction of bringing Magloire back could have a seriously profound impact on the Raptors season.

Welcome home Jamaal.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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In Defense of the Landry Fields Contract

This offseason it would appear one of the most polarizing debates for Raptor fans is the signing of Landry Fields.  The signing of the Knicks restricted free agent was done with a bigger picture in mind.  The move instantly upgraded the small forward position and, at the time at least, prevented Steve Nash from signing elsewhere.

For a day or two it seemed like a stroke of sheer genius.  Our GM had effectively solidified his big off-season by signing another strong piece to the team puzzle and blocking the competition for his coveted free agent point guard.

Then, the Lakers came in and made Nash an offer he couldn’t refuse and Colangelo and the fanbase in Toronto watched their coveted acquisition walk away to the bright lights of Los Angeles.  The Raptors were left in the cold with only a significant offer sheet signed for Landry Fields.

Suddenly the signing that looked incredible days before, appeared to be a giant mistake.

Despite Colangelo’s acquisition of Kyle Lowry to take over as point guard, many Raptor faithful still see the Landry Fields’ contract as a mistake.

Bill Simmons put his two cents in as well on Monday and fans continue to doubt the contract that Fields was signed to this summer.

“I saw the talent and the young group of guys they have…When they came to me and wanted me to be a part of that, I was excited. I love the city of Toronto, too.”

The deal is for $18.7 million over three years.  The last year of that contract is guaranteed for close to $9 million.  That is a lot of money to pay a player that has only two NBA seasons under his belt and one that doesn’t appear to be a superstar in the making.

The contract is expensive and Colangelo admittedly overpaid to get Fields, but it wasn’t as bad as most people think.  The first two years (at close to $5 million per year) are actually fair market value for a player of Fields abilities. The third, well that was the year that got the deal done and one that could become a tradeable asset later on.

Fields has been a consistent starter over the last two years with the Knicks and was named to the All-Rookie team in his first season.  He was also part of the Rising Stars squad at the All-Star game.

This past year he encountered a little bit of difficulty, but when playing with Jeremy Lin found great success in the back court for the Knicks  en route to a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

The popular Basketball site Wages of Wins, argues that Landry Fields is worth the money.  In a climate where teams overpay players with enormous salaries and don’t get very much in return, giving Fields a decent term for what should amount to steady production seems like a wise choice.

Is the deal a little too much? Probably, but it’s only three years for a player just entering his prime.  Restricted free agents are not cheap and you usually have to be creative to get them and need to fork over a little more coin.

Fields fits right into the Raptors rotation and is a player with a pedigree that fits quite well with current head coach Dwane Casey.  He has the potential to be a part of this Raptor team for a long time.

Fields is a bulldog.  He works hard on both ends of the floor and judging by his stats he is capable of providing opportunities to win on both ends of the floor.  He is a great lockdown defender who will likely be given the task of guarding some of the NBA’s most elite scorer’s during the next three seasons and he shoots the ball well (46%) FG%) he just hasn’t been a very good three point threat (25%).

He instantly becomes the starter at small forward when the season begins, unless he and DeRozan change positions in training camp.  He will become one of the better wing players the Raptors have had in recent years and he is only 25 years old.  If you’re gonna spend big money on a free agent, better to spend on one entering his prime than one on the downside of his career.

What should give the Raptors more comfort with this signing is the way Fields played with New York point guard Jeremy Lin.  When Lin and Fields were on the floor together Fields averaged 10.1 PPG, had 6.1 RPG and shot 50% from the field.  In Toronto, he will have a solid point guard distributing the ball in Kyle Lowry.  Their chemistry could help improve Fields’ numbers even more as Fields will be one of the top offensive options on the floor for the Raptors.

Toronto fans are beginning to warm slightly to Fields’ despite the fact that Steve Nash elected to go elsewhere.  Fields has shown himself to be very media savvy and has a great sense of humour in most interviews he’s had here so far.  He’s also shown a fondness for the city of Toronto, something Raptor fans seem to always look for.

He is active on twitter and has a number of popular youtube videos he created with Canadian Andy Rautins.  He should be a popular player in media scrums and post game pressers.  He’s funny, approachable and isn’t afraid to be himself.  He has the potential to be the mouthpiece for the team. A player as likeable and camera friendly as Fields hasn’t graced the Raptors locker room in a long time.

Though all of these qualities do not impact what happens on the basketball court, they remain important nevertheless.  This isn’t to say fans won’t enjoy his play on the court.

Fans are likely going to enjoy his style of play.  He works hard, gives his all and does little things that get fans cheering.  He was a fan favourite in New York and will likely become one here.  There is a certain type of player that Toronto fans tend to gravitate towards, usually these players play the game of basketball the way a hockey player would.  They’re fighters and work hard.  They play a team-first game, aren’t afriad to get dirty and admit to their own mistakes.  That is Landry Fields in a nutshell.

Raptor fans who fear handing out big contracts to players like Fields need to understand that this isn’t like Jason Kapono, this isn’t going to end like Hedo Turkoglu.  Hedo was coming off of one solid year and cashed in, he was also much older than Fields and Kapono didn’t have anywhere near the skill set of Fields.  He was a one-dimensional player that failed to fit into a system designed for him.

Fields’ contract is not an albatross that will clog capspace for years.  His first two years are very modestly priced at $5million and the third and final year is $9 million (An average cap hit of $6.3 million) which, if he doesn’t end up working out, could become an asset in a trade as an expiring deal in the third year.

This will be different.  Fields fits the mould of what Dwane Casey wants his team to do, he’s young and athletic and a top-notch defender and fills a direct need this team had.

Fans need to get over the failed attempt at Steve Nash and realize we may actually be better off with Lowry and Fields in the long run.  They’re younger and fit better with what the Raptors are trying to do in the long term.

Yes, the Raptors did overpay a little, but it is very likely they will get their money’s worth.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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No Nash, No Problem

I, like many in Toronto, counted their chickens before they had hatched.  Steve Nash is not coming home, he isn’t coming back to Canada, he isn’t even coming to the same time zone as us. Nash agreed to a 3 year $27 million contract with Kobe and the Lakers on Wednesday.

Raise your hand if you saw that coming…

Me neither.

One person did however, and that was Bryan Colangelo.

Less than 24 hours after losing out on Steve Nash and watching the phone lines at FAN590 and message boards all over the internet light up with calls for his head, Colangelo orchestrated a quick and effective move to fill the point guard position.

Acquiring Kyle Lowry will not have the same impact on merchandise sales or in the PR department as a Nash acquisition would have.  At least not yet.

While Steve Nash is looked upon in Canada as an icon and a saviour for the franchise, Lowry may be the better long-term option for the Raptors.

Nash is 38 years old and could at any time break down.  While I think that is unlikely he still is a little too long in the tooth to be a long-term option at the point for a very young Raptors team.

By comparison, Lowry is 12 years younger than Nash.  He possesses strong defensive skills and gets to the rim frequently.  He is also a very good rebounder for his position.

The Kyle Lowry acquisition may, in the end, work out better for the Raptors than Steve Nash would have, at least on the court.

Last year Lowry was instrumental in Houston’s rise back to prominence.  He averaged 14.3 points per game and helped his teammates get involved with 6.6 assists per game.  Those numbers climbed to 15.1 and 7.2 when he was appointed the starter.   He was an integral piece in their late season surge that almost ended with a playoff berth.

Toronto fans will like his game.  He takes the ball to the rim regularly and doesn’t settle for jump shots.  He isn’t a ball hog and gets his teammates involved in the flow of the offense and  is all over the court on the defensive end.  He’s a hard worker that will likely have fans at the ACC standing in appreciation.  He is a strong free throw shooter (86%)  and can hit with consistency from 3-pt range (38%).

In many ways, Lowry is a much better fit for this young Raptors squad than Nash would have been. Makes you wonder why he was even available, but his relationship with coach Kevin McHale was tumultuous.

Lowry won’t have that problem here. Dwane Casey loves to preach defense and he will now have a strong defender at the top of the circle leading his team on both ends of the floor.  Casey will likely put his trust in Lowry in a way McHale never did.

The icing on the cake with regard to Lowry is that he scheduled to make $5.75 million this year and $6.21 the next. That is a fraction of what the Raptors would have had to pay to get Nash to sign on the dotted line.  The Raptors now still have money and assets to go out and acquire another player.

Perhaps not landing Nash was a blessing in disguise.

For the many who were calling for Colangelo’s head after the Fields signing and the Nash debacle, things now appear to be a bit brighter.

Colangelo, like he has done many times as GM of this franchise, took a punch and quickly responded.  Plan B may actually turn out to be better than Plan A.

Fans in Toronto need to learn to wait until all the dust has settled before they snap to judgement.  Colangelo has been around a long time and is not one of the more respected GM’s in the league for nothing.  The Lowry deal proves Colangelo is a valuable asset in charge of this franchise.

In the end, the success or failure of these off-season moves cannot be accurately judged until the Raptors get on the court in the fall.  But Dwane Casey did a phenomenal job with lesser talent last year.  Fans wanted to see what he could do with an improved roster.  Adding Landry Fields and Kyle Lowry is certainly an upgrade.

Looking forward to seeing what Casey can do with his new talent and what moves Colangelo still has up his sleeve.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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Raptors have the Right man in Charge

It’s been a pretty crazy few days in Raptor land.  Steve Nash may be coming home to Canada to lead the Raptors back to the playoffs with the hope of  hosting a postseason game for the first time in four years.

There have been all kinds of wild rumours and big time dollar figures being thrown around over the “twittersphere” and beyond.  While you may agree or disagree with the players names and dollar figures being tossed around.  One thing should be very clear for Raptor fans.

We are lucky to have Bryan Colangeloas our General Manager.

Colangelo has been a steady hand for this Raptors franchise. His decisions are not always successdul, but they are bold.

In his time in charge of the Raptors he has been active and creative in trying to build a team that will be competitive.  True, his attempts haven’t always brought success on the court, but he has shown resiliency and an ability to admit his mistakes, which keeps the Raptors active every year.

In the past he presided over shrewd business decisions like trading highly regarded rookie Charlie Villanueva for TJ Ford, going overseas and bringing in fairly unknown international players like Jorge Garbajosa and Anthony Parker.  Those moves won him an Atlantic division title.

He tried to take the next step by trading to acquire Jermaine O’neal, but that didn’t work out so he turned him into Shawn Marion and then ultimately Hedo Turkoglu.

Now the Hedo acquisition, at the time, was a stroke of genius.  A trade that simply should not have been able to happen. The Raptors acquired the biggest fish in the pond that year.  A calculated and complicated transaction that, in the end, didn’t pan out.

Hedo was moved quickly (he was likely to be run out of town anyway) for Barbosa who was moved to clear capspace.

And here we are.

Many will look to Colangelo’s record and see a whole lot of failures.  Jermaine O’neal didn’t mesh with Bosh, Turkoglu was an unmitigated disaster.  But what I see is a GM trying to improve every year and who continues to take risks.  Better yet, none of the risks he has taken has cemented the raptors into Salary cap hell or left the team stuck with an untradeable contract.

He’s taken risks, but, unlike other GMs, has been able to get himself out of situations that haven’t worked.

Now this offseason has started with a bang.

Colangelo is throwing a lot of money in an attempt to lure Steve Nash back to his homeland and has made a gigantic offer to Landry Fields.

The Steve Nash signing is about building a culture and selling tickets (lets not kid ourselves here).  Nash would instantly become the face of Toronto sports.  Sorry Jose Bautista and Phil Kessel, but Nash would instantly become the most marketable athlete the city has seen in a long time.  That is instant cash for MLSE.

Steve Nash coming home to Canada, is a dream that is on the verge of reality.

A three-year offer is also safe in many ways.  Nash is older but there is every indication his body can continue to withstand the grind of an 82 game season.  Three year contracts are shorter terms and become tradeable assets in the final year.  If the Nash thing doesn’t work out, his contract is a chip to play in that third year.

Nash to Toronto would mean butts in seats.  But let us not forget the basketball side of this story.  Nash would be a steady hand at the driver’s seat for a team filled with young talent.  His addition instantly makes Demar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas and Bargnani that much better.  It takes a lot of pressure off of them as well.

Nash has made a career out of creating superstars.  Players that have played with Nash have made names for themselves because they were given the ball in the right places. Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudamire, Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, and more have all benefited greatly from playing alongside Nash.

There is every reason he can do the same with Toronto’s young, talented lineup.

Nash to Toronto makes sense.  Basketball wise and money wise as MLSE stands to make millions on jersey sales and merchandise.

Hence the signing yesterday of Landry Fields.

The New York Knicks are one of the few competitors for Steve Nash (yes LA and Dallas are hanging around too but they aren’t really in play).  Colangelo, in a brilliant move, effectively eliminated his stiffest competition for the prize he wants.

New York can’t use Fields in a sign and trade, they’ve taken their eye off of Jeremy Lin (their now biggest concern) and likely have no money left for Nash.

A stroke of genius.

Also, assuming the Raptors do not rescind the offer after signing Nash, Landry Fields represents a significant upgrade at the 3 for Toronto.  He’s tough, can score and plays strong on the defensive end. A trait I’m sure that is not lost on Dwane Casey.  He’s also likely to improve his game with Nash distributing the ball.

Now this decision could all blow up in the face of Colangelo again.  He could lose Nash to Dallas or Nash could sign and be a bust in the mould of a Hedo Turkoglu.  Maybe we watch Nash deteriorate in Toronto and he isn’t able to take us anywhere.

Something tells me that if given the opportunity, Colangelo will right his wrong, clean up his mess and be able to point the ship back in the right direction.  That’s what he’s always done.

For now we get to enjoy one of the most exciting off seasons the Raptors have had in years.  There is a real buzz surrounding the team and in the eyes of most, a real shot at achieving some success.

We have Colangelo to thank for that.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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Calderon the Odd Man Out

This offseason is going to be a big one for the Raptors.  First and foremost they are coming off a 23-43 season that saw lots of positive steps forward, but not enough to avoid missing the playoffs for another year.  The Raptors need to take the next step forward. 

They have money to spend and tradeable assets that could net them a talented young player or two on the open market.  Most importantly though is that Bryan Colangelo is entering the final year of his contract extension and needs this team to make significant strides forward if he hopes to return to his current post.

With all of these factors in place, it is no surprise that the Raptors have been linked to all kinds of players already this offseason.  Steve Nash, Kyle Lowry, Jeremy Lin, Goran Dragic, Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala and Nicolas Batum are just a few names that have popped up on blogs and message boards over the last few weeks.

Jose Calderon will be front and centre this offseason as the Toronto Raptors try to rebuild their franchise.

While any and all of those players would be welcome additions, it does beg the question, What about some of the guys we already have?

With many point guards appearing on the list of players the Raptors are linked to, one has to wonder where, if at all, Jose Calderon fits into the Raptors future.

Mind you, he is a very humble player and has happily embraced a backup role when asked by his team in the past.  But one has to figure with a Nash or a Lowry in the fold, Calderon may have seen his last game in Raptor red.

Such a thing is almost unimaginable.  He is the longest-serving Raptor, a fan favourite (for the most part) and is coming off of one of his most important seasons yet.

This season he raised his game (10.5 points, 8.8 assists in 34 minutes per game)  and became a leader in the locker room.  He also became a different player under the watchful eye of Dwane Casey.

Casey is widely credited with finding a way to make Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki fit into a successful defensive system.  He was asked to do the same with Calderon, who was thought by many to be one of the worst defenders in the league.

This season Casey helped Jose adjust to a new defensive system and minimized those defensive miscues that had Raptor fans calling for Calderon’s head a couple of years ago.  Casey trusts Calderon with the team on both ends of the floor which is evidenced by the number of minutes Calderon  played this year.  He gave everything he had on the floor and led the team by example throughout the entire year.

When asked about Calderon near the end of the year, Casey had this to say: “He’s what I want our team to be about, that type of toughness, that performance, that seriousness, that sense of purpose… Jose means so much to us.”

Casey clearly sees value in Calderon and his role in the progress the Raptors have made year. 

Calderon showe marked improvement across the board and worked hard on his defensive game under coach Casey. He became the leader of the Raptors team this year.

So if Calderon plays a key role on the team,  is coming off one of his better years as a pro, has taken to Casey’s defensive system, and the fans love him, why then are we looking for point guards?

Obviously the talent and allure of a Steve Nash or Jeremy Lin is too much to pass up if you are Colangelo.  And Calderon provides a host of other possibilities for the Raptors boss.   

Calderon could become part of a point guard tandem, something that certainly is not unfamiliar to him.  He broke into the Raptors starting 5 by battling TJ Ford for the starting point guard spot in 2007.  That tandem, colourfully called “Forderon” by many, was not as successful as the Raptors had hoped.  Calderon was solid in a starting role, but Ford couldn’t handle what he saw as a demotion and the whole experiment crumbled.

Calderon and Bayless were not able to find harmony either as a tandem this past season.  Bayless, like Ford, was only able to raise the level of his game as a starter despite the fact his skill set appears more suited to coming off the bench. In both instances, Calderon eventually returned to the starting lineup.

To his credit Calderon has shown a willingness to step aside and let others contribute.  Jarryd Bayless had a pretty solid stretch of games, where he looked like the heir apparent and Calderon stepped aside without incident or noise.

Can he do the same if the Raptors acquire a Steve Nash, Jeremy Lin or Kyle Lowry? Would he be okay sharing the time?  Would the team benefit from having two point guards of different abilities on the court? I mean, we’ve already seen this story, right?

Calderon is a Ying to most Point guards’ Yangs. So while  a Nash or Lowry might push the tempo up and take larger risks, the Raptors can always depend on Calderon to come in and slow things down and play it safe when need be.  This is something he has been one of the best in the NBA at over the last few years.  Assist to turnover ratio is one of the beacons of light from Calderon’s stat line every year. He provides a good contrast to the younger, flashier point guards the Raptors appear to be targeting. 

He could also be a great teacher and veteran presence to a young point guard like Jeremy Lin or Kyle Lowry.  He could help them develop ways to protect the ball, teach them when and how to play in control and would provide that veteran presence off the bench when the younger point guards make the mistakes that young point guards do. Or provide extended backup minutes to allow the aging Nash to rest. 

Calderon could be a formidable backup point guard.

The only issue with this creating a tandem is Calderon’s large contract.  Calderon will be paid $10.5 million this season in the final year of his contract.  That’s an awful lot of money to be paying a backup point guard.  It’s also a lot of money coming off the books at the end of the year and, thus could be very appealing trade bait for another team with a small forward or a shooting guard to spare.  It wasn’t long ago that Calderon’s contract was considered one of the worst in the association, but now it is gaining popularity with each passing month and may be worth packaging with a draft pick or even keeping until the deadline.

Calderon, then presents a conundrum for Colangelo.  He has value if he stays and a lot of potential value in a trade.  What is the Raptors boss to do with the popular point guard?

If a Calderon package (with a draft pick and Ed Davis) could attract a top flight shooting guard or small forward, then the decision to move Calderon becomes more logical.  His value may never be higher than this year because of the 10.5 million coming off the books, and the opportunity to acquire an Iguodala, Batum or Rudy Gay may be too tempting to pass up.

 Be assured that the point guard position appears to be one of the first areas Colangelo intends to address when he is finally able to start (officially) making changes to the roster on July 1st.

No matter what happens for the Raptors this offseason, Calderon is sure to be right in the middle of the action.  It is also assured that whether he ultimately stays or goes, “Numero Ocho” will be a big factor in the Raptors’ next step forward.

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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Lady Luck not Really a Raptor Fan

On Wednesday night the Raptors, and their fans will be hoping and praying for some lottery luck to help expedite the turnaround of this franchise. Whether it’s a rabbit foot, a troll doll, or a purple horse shoe, fans will be bringing out their lucky charms to help send the Raptors positive energy in the hopes that one of the Raptor ping-pong balls comes out first.   

Though the team has shown glimpses of success and has a great deal of free agent money to spend, The Raptors really lack a clear franchise player. This type of player is available, but not likely if they stay where they are at the number 9 spot. 

Either Anthony Davis or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could turn the Raptors fortune around immediately if the Raptors were to have the opportunity to select them.

The days of Vince and CB4 are gone.  Although there is little reason to doubt that Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan will turn into serviceable players, they likely are not going to become franchise players.

This NBA draft offers a couple of almost sure shot superstars in the opening round in Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.  The Toronto Raptors are currently slated to draft 9th if everything stays the same, but could move up or down depending on what happens around them.

Lady Luck needs to smile on the Raptors at this Wednesday night lottery.  I hate to say it, but it isn’t likely to happen.

Take a look at our draft lottery history. 

The Toronto Raptors have never really had great success in the draft lottery.  Even in their first season they were put in the 6th position by the NBA offices.  Something that had never happened before until Canadian expansion.  True, the Raptors went on to draft eventual rookie of the year Damon Stoudamire, but still, a lottery win could have been exciting and the team missed out on players like Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Garnett and Michael Finley all who went on to have better careers than “Mighty Mouse”.

The Raptors actually won their second ever draft, but because of league rules were forced to draft 2nd.  That turned Allen Iverson into Marcus Camby.  Don’t even mention that Isaiah Thomas missed out on Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Peja Stojakovic.  Luck just wasn’t on their side.

The Raptors have only ben able to draft in the first position once in their history and chose Andrea Bargnani. Six years later, the Raptors are still searching for their franchise player.

The Raptors did eventually strike the number one overall pick in 2006, the same year the NBA ruled that it would no longer allow underclassmen to declare for the NBA draft.  Had high school students been given that opportunity that year, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant would have been very serious possibilities to join the NBA.

Nothing against Andrea, he has turned into a very good player and probably one of the top five players from that draft, but I’d rather have Kevin Durant.  I think everyone in the history of time and space would agree with me as well. We may have actually dodged a bullet with Oden, but still, the universe has seemingly been against us. 

Lady luck just hasn’t got it done for the Raptors.  They’ve had to make the best out of their poor draft position and, for the most part, they have.  Early on the Raptors found diamonds in the rough in Tracy McGrady at number 9 in the 1997 draft, Morris Petersen at number 21 in 2000 and DeMar DeRozan at number 9 in 2009.

They were also able to create their biggest success through a draft day trade that moved Antawn Jamison to the Warriors for Vince Carter.  The rest is, of course, history.

It would seem that Bryan Colangelo, Ed Stefanski and Dwane Casey are going to have to make the best of their current draft position, but you never know.  This could be our year.  This could be the year the Raptors get to draft that highly touted “game changer” that has alluded them since the franchises inception.  I mean it is mathematically possible according to Jay Satur  but it really isn’t all that likely.

Raptor fans are better to hope that some bigger names drop for some inexplicable reason like Peterson, DeMar and Ed Davis did in their draft years. Or the Raptors will have to hope Bryan Colangelo does his homework as he appears to have done with last years surprise Jonas Valanciunas. The pick was widely panned at the time until common sense and the opportunity to see him play changed people’s minds. 

Still, at the end of the day; I’ll cheer for our 12.3% chance of landing one of the top three picks and our 3.5% of winning the whole thing.  It could happen.

I mean it’s already happened twice.

Hopefully this time it will land the franchise player the Toronto Raptors so desperately need.

And if not, well we’re going to have to trust the Raptor brain trust to make a smart move at a lower position.  Something, we know, they have been able to do over the years. 

Happy Draft Lottery Day folks!

***

Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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