Toronto Raptor fans - check in here

yeah yo raps are probably gonna draft aldridge.... out front court is looking sexy.
F/S: Sz 7 Pusheads | Sz 8 Futura Prods | Hawaiis Sz. 9.5 | Air Max Penny B (NYC) sz 9.5 | all DS hit me up if interested

Aim: clutchLT , Email: [email protected]
 
Raptors deal struggling center to Utah

Posted: June 8, 2006

Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Jazz are bringing former Brigham Young center Rafael Araujo back to the state where he starred in college.
The Jazz traded forward Kris Humphries and rarely used center Robert Whaley to the Toronto Raptors for Araujo and cash Thursday.

The deal was basically an exchange of two former first-round picks from the 2004 draft that so far have not panned out in the NBA.

Toronto took Araujo, the Mountain West Conference co-player of the year, with the No. 8 overall pick in the draft. The Jazz selected Humphries, the freshman of the year in the Big Ten, six spots later. Araujo has averaged 2.9 points and three rebounds in 111 NBA games with the Raptors and Humphries has averaged 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 129 games.


Toronto fans often booed the 6-foot-10 Araujo, who said in a conference call he welcomed the move back to Utah.

"I cannot say I'm a different player. I think I'm just more mature," Araujo said. "Sometimes it doesn't work for you how you think it should be working."

Araujo plans to return to Utah for the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league, then play for the Brazilian national team. He's spending the early summer in southern California, where he is working out with a trainer and improve his conditioning.

He'll need it to play for Utah coach Jerry Sloan.

The Jazz hope giving Araujo another chance fills a need Utah has at center. Jarron Collins, who started half the season at center, is a free agent and backup Greg Ostertag announced after the season he would retire. Whaley, who can also play forward, played in just 23 games last season.

"We wish Rafael well and feel this will be a positive move for both teams," Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo said.

Colangelo replaced Rob Babcock, who was fired in January by the Raptors in part because of Araujo's struggles.

Araujo will be playing about 45 miles north of Provo, where he played two seasons at BYU and averaged 18.4 points and 10.1 rebounds in 2003-04. He shot 57 percent from the field and made 72 percent of his free throws.

"One day fans boo you. Another day fans cheer you," he said. "I think that's part of sports."

Trading Humphries left Utah with Deron Williams (2005) and Andrei Kirilenko (1999) as the only players taken by the Jazz in the first round who are still with the team.



SELLING TO TORONTO RESIDENTS ONLY:
J.Morrison Vandal blk/gum sz10.5 $140cdn, Haight Vandal Brown sz10.5 $140cdn, AF1 low "LA" Edititon sz11 $180cdn and alot more...
 
Well Nesterovic pretty much lost his starting spot. Although he is kind of an upgrade oover Araujo, I doubt he will be the answer to our centre situation. We still might grab Aldridge or Bargnani.
_______________________
 
after hearing BC's post interview with ESPN, he says thqat bargani is a good drdt for the future. i think i know what the intent is here. he decided to draft someone with alot of upside but not much immerdiate impact, declare that the team is rebuilding and that everyone needs to be patient... the team will continue to struggle next year. he hopes to snare a lottery pick for next year's draft which supposedly is extremely deep.
---------------

"When everyone thinks alike, no one's thinking."
 
What the.....

Charlie V is gone
WANTED: ALOHA DUNKS sz 9.5
Get at me Canada!
 
yeah i was suprised by the trade, but it does make sense in terms of the raps needs, however knowing the raps poor luck, charlie V will take off

and Ford will end up injured unable to play
Sz 9 DS Pilgrim/Olive Court Forces $150 shipped shipped , New Logitech Xbox Wireless headset $40 shipped
 
Looks like we just signed some guy called Anthony Parker and John Salmons.
Wanted: Air Trainer III sz.11-11.5
For Sale: Nike Air Max 1 Red (Mesh) sz.11 DS, Shox Stunners navy/silver VNDS and Zoom Flight 2k3 navy/silver VNDS both size 11
Flightposite III DS gold/black sz 11.5
[email protected]
 
Calderon is looking good for Spain at FIBA....
Latest Pickup: Air Jordan XXI Low (black/met silver-varsity red) and Reebok Ice Cream Boardflip (blue/yellow/purple/pink)
 
just got back from Italy 3 days ago, Bargnani was on my flight in first class of course, but he was willing to have pictures taken

nice dude
 
Quote:
just got back from Italy 3 days ago, Bargnani was on my flight in first class of course, but he was willing to have pictures taken


you get any pics with him?
_______________________

[/url][/center][/b]
Click to expand...
 
n28118847_31324980_8774.jpg


he was there with the Raptors new Assistant General Manager
 
please tell me...

what bosh's reaction will be when calderon and garbajosa walk into the raptors locker room with gold medals....HAHA
 
I'm really optimistic going into this season. Last season I knew we would be bad but not THAT bad. This team has the potential to go .500. I expect the team to be slow out of the gate, allowing colangelo to fire Mitchell. Once Colangelo gets his man in charge of the team, we should finish strong down the stretch and hopefully sneak into the playoffs. Realistically though this team shouldn't expect to be playoff bound until next season.
 
I hope we struggle again,get a good lottery pick,and add some mroe talent in the offseason. then we can really compete next yr.
______
WE GROWN.
 
got this from a post in the sports fourm. good read but long




Hollinger's Team Forecast: Toronto Raptors
By John Hollinger
ESPN Insider



Sometimes you don't judge the success of a season by wins and losses, and for the Toronto Raptors it was that kind of year. Though they went from 33 wins in 2004-05 to 27 in 2005-06, the team's future brightened immeasurably.

On the court, the cause was the play of Chris Bosh. The third-year forward is the forgotten gem of the star-studded 2003 draft, and he took another huge step forward by making his first All-Star team, averaging 22.5 points per game on 50.5 percent shooting.

Additionally, the team played much better after a horrific 1-15 start. Toronto's point differential in those first 16 games was a whopping -9.9 points per game, but for the rest of the year the Raptors nearly played their opponents to a draw at -1.3 per contest. For the season Toronto had 31.3 Expected Wins, so the team on the court was better than its 27-55 mark indicated. Had they not gone 1-9 in overtime games, it would have been more obvious.

But the real action was off the court. The Raptors made several smart moves to improve the team's long-term future, most notably by firing general manager Rob Babcock and replacing him with highly regarded former Suns executive Bryan Colangelo.


Before exiting, Babcock made some good moves that partly undid the damage he wrought a year earlier. He was able to dump the contract of Rafer Alston on Houston and got a hugely productive year out of Mike James in the bargain, while he made two inexpensive additions in Matt Bonner and Jose Calderon to help flesh out the bench. And in the draft, his selection of Charlie Villanueva came up roses, as he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.

That couldn't undo all the stench from his other moves -- Rafael Araujo still was terrible, another draft pick (Joey Graham) wasn't much better, and the team still had nothing to show for losing Vince Carter and Donyell Marshall. But it at least got things headed back on track.

Before Colangelo came aboard, veteran exec Wayne Embry ran a caretaker administration that made one other slick move -- he sent a first-round pick and Jalen Rose to the Knicks in return for Antonio Davis, which bought the Raptors millions in cap space for the summer of 2007.

On the court, the Raptors' lack of size was a persistent problem. The team often played Bosh at center and frequently had to play zone to try to mask its shortcomings in the frontcourt. But no matter how much lipstick they put on it, it was still a pig. Toronto ranked 29th in defensive efficiency, and in any ordinary year would have been dead last -- only the historically pathetic effort from Seattle kept them out of the cellar.

Toronto's defensive deficiencies were numerous. The Raptors finished last in field-goal defense at a rancid 49.1 percent, and thanks to the lack of size they blocked a lower percentage of opponent shots than any other team. Toronto also gave up an above-average number of free-throws and 3-pointers -- again, the lack of size comes into play here, as they always had to double the post -- and as a result permitted a league-worst 57.3 true shooting percentage. The only thing the Raptors did well was rebound.

Worst field-goal percentage defense, 2005-06
Team Opponent FG%
Toronto 49.1
Seattle 48.5
Charlotte 47.8
Atlanta 47.8
Portland 46.8
NBA avg. 45.4


Looking at Toronto's lineup, it's not hard to see what the problem was. The rail-thin Bosh, generously listed at 230 pounds, didn't have nearly enough muscle to keep opposing big men out of the middle, and he didn't have much help either. The other big men were physical-but-limited types like Bonner and Araujo, or the fundamentally lacking Villanueva, so interior defense was a huge issue all season.

The perimeter was no great shakes either. Rose matadored his way through 46 games before being traded, while James focused more on offense and Calderon and Graham struggled as they learned the ropes. The only quality defender on the team was wingman Morris Peterson, but even he is more a complementary defender (taking charges, rotating, etc.) than somebody who shuts guys down one-on-one.

Here's how bad Toronto's defense was -- the team finished fourth in the league in scoring and fifth in offensive efficiency, but still won only 27 games. That's hard to do.

Worst shot-block rates, 2005-06
Team % of Opp. FGAs blocked
Toronto 4.22
Milwaukee 4.23
New York 4.26
Sacramento 4.45
New Jersey 4.47
NBA avg. 5.95

Which brings us to the next point -- not that anyone noticed, but this was a legitimately dangerous team offensively. The attack didn't seem that sophisticated, but it was devastatingly effective. Mostly, they'd run a pick-and-roll and wheel it around the perimeter until somebody either drove or shot a 3. James and Bosh killed people off the two-man game on the high screen-and-roll because both are such good shooters. Guys like Villanueva, Peterson, Rose and Bonner weren't chopped liver either, and as a result the Raptors got more offense from their second options than many far more accomplished clubs.

The "shoot-a-J-or-swing-it" offense also had one other benefit -- the Raptors took very good care of the ball. Toronto gave it up on only 13.8 percent of its possessions, the third-best rate in the league.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


OFFSEASON MOVES


Colangelo's first summer at the helm was an active one, although he went in a different direction than many expected. Rather than go for one big catch in free agency, he opted to make several smaller deals in the hopes of improving the team's depth and defense. The logic is sound since he'll have cap money again next year thanks to Alvin Williams' retirement, although he'll need some of it to keep Peterson and new acquisition T.J. Ford.

Colangelo's most interesting decision is upcoming -- head coach Sam Mitchell is on the last year of his deal, and new executives historically aren't fond of keeping around inherited head coaches. Mitchell has been learning on the job in his first head-coaching gig at any level, and there have been some rough patches -- the defensive effort, the defensive strategy (such as in Kobe's 81-point game), the public spats with Alston, etc. He's also earned the players' respect, especially Bosh's, and I love that he's one of the few coaches with the cojones to foul when he's up three in the final seconds. But if the D doesn't improve, he's probably toast.




Ford
Traded Villaneuva for Ford, let James leave: The Raptors needed a point guard because James left, but they didn't need to trade their second-best player in order to get one. While the idea of cashing in Villanueva's stock wasn't a bad one -- he plays Bosh's position -- Colangelo got pennies on the dollar here. Ford isn't as good, he's less durable, and he'll make more money if the Raptors intend to keep him beyond this season.

Further, I don't get the logic on another level. A lot of commentators are saying Colangelo picked up Ford to be the pace-setter in a Phoenix-type offensive attack a la Steve Nash. If that's the prescription, I think he's looking at the wrong patient. Look again at Toronto's numbers from last season. The offense wasn't the problem. In fact, they were a fantastic offensive team. If he had traded Villanueva for a defensive ace that would be one thing, but instead Colangelo traded him for another defensive liability. Moreover, Ford's inability to shoot means he won't be nearly as effective playing the screen-roll game that is Bosh's biggest strength.




Jones
Signed Fred Jones and Anthony Parker. In what amounts to a resounding vote of no-confidence in Graham, Toronto picked up two inexpensive shooting gaurds and will move Peterson to small forward. Jones is a generic backup, so Parker is the more intriguing property here. He put up excellent numbers in Europe a couple years ago, but his numbers have declined the past two seasons and, at 31, I'm a little worried how much is left in his tank.

Signed Jorge Garbajosa, let Davis leave. Garbajosa helped Spain win the World Championship, but I like him a lot better in FIBA ball. He likes to play outside but is a low-percentage shooter and the longer 3-point distance in the NBA might prove very challenging for him.




Bargnani
Drafted Andrea Bargnani. The young Italian forward was the first pick in the draft, and he ain't no Tskitishvili, that's for sure. He should step in and contribute right away, although he might struggle at the defensive end given that he's a bit of a tweener between the 3 and 4 right now. Long-term, he'll be a quality power forward and combined with Bosh will be a match-up nightmare.

Traded Araujo to Utah for Kris Humphries and Robert Whaley. The nightmare is over, Raptors fans. Humphries played very poorly last year but at 21 is young enough to get better. Better yet, the coach won't be under orders to start him in a pathetic attempt to justify a wasted drafted pick.

Traded Bonner and Eric Williams to San Antonio for Rasho Nesterovic. In a nod to the Raptors' need for size, they sent out sharpshooter Bonner for the Slovenian giant. Nesterovic adds salary and isn't as good as Bonner, but this was another case where the Raps had so many surplus forwards with similar skill sets that they needed to reshape the roster. Look for Rasho to start games at center, but not necessarily finish them.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


BIGGEST STRENGTH



Speed. The Raptors' offseason moves changed their make-up from a perimeter-oriented half-court offense to more of a track team. The key is the addition of Ford, a blindingly fast guard in transition who will push the tempo and play a pass-first point guard. Calderon behind him also has good speed and like Ford will look for the pass rather than the shot.

On the wings, Jones and Graham are outstanding athletes who haven't put up great results as of yet, but could perform better in a more up-tempo environment. And up front, Bosh and Bargnani routinely will beat other frontcourt players in transition. The other players are solid in transition, too -- Parker, Peterson and Garbajosa can all get up the court. The only real slowpoke is Nesterovic.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


BIGGEST WEAKNESS


Size. Even with Nesterovic, this team looks smaller than last year's undersized bunch. While Nesterovic is one of the game's better defensive centers thanks to his size and shot-blocking, the Raptors are short almost everywhere else. Bargnani (7-1) and Bosh (6-10) are wiry guys and the 6-9 Garbajosa isn't exactly a hulk either, so the backup center spot is essentially vacant. One possibility for that job, Pape Sow, hurt his neck in a summer league practice and is likely out for the season.

The lack of size extends into the backcourt. Ford is listed at 6-0, 165 but seems like he's 5-10, while 6-2 Jones gives up several inches at off guard. Parker and Peterson have decent length at 6-6 and 6-7, respectively, but Graham is the only guy you'd really call strong and he probably won't play much.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




2006-07 OUTLOOK

Finish this sentence: "The second-best player on the Raptors is "

Bosh is fantastic, the prospects are enticing and the roster looks deeper than a year ago, but it's tough to imagine a team doing much damage when their second-best player is either Peterson or Bargnani. Throw in the lame-duck coach, the ongoing lack of size, the defensive limitations and the loss of Villanueva, and it's hard to see Toronto improving much on last season's mark.

That doesn't mean there hasn't been some real progress here. The Bosh-Bargnani combo should be a strong one for years, the cap situation is strong, and after years of mismanagement the Raptors finally have a quality executive calling the shots. But just as a year ago, you might not see the results in their record just yet.




http://p093.ezboard.com/fniketalkfrm15.showMessage?topicID=49371.topic
 
Who's going to the Tel Macaviv (sp?) game? I got free tickets courtesy of my school club :smile:

I was man enough to go through it...are you?​
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

The ultimate sneaker enthusiast community.

NikeTalk was created as a way of giving back to both the sneaker enthusiast community and to the greater global community of which we are all a part.

NikeTalk is NOT affiliated with Nike Inc. in any way, shape, or form. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Nike, Inc.

© 1999-2024 NikeTalk.com

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom