SI: Raptors at a crossroads

LX · 12-09-2012, 07:40 PM

Toby posted the link in the game thread. I thought it was worthwhile posting the whole thing here.

Quote:

By Ben Golliver

Things are coming apart north of the border.

The 4-16 Raptors have been pretty atrocious under second-year coach Dwane Casey after showing hints of respectability last season. They have regressed on defense, found innumerable ways to lose close games, failed to meet modest expectations almost across the board and have sunk to the third worst record in the league entering Sunday. The only two teams below them — Cleveland and Washington — have played some or all of the season without their franchise point guards. The Raptors have no such excuses and even GM Bryan Colangelo, in the last year of his contract, sounds fed up in comments to the Toronto Star.

“This situation is, from all standards, unacceptable,” the team’s president and general manager said. “It’s disappointing, it’s embarrassing but this is where we find ourselves.”

“There’s been a lot of dialogue, a lot of discussion,” he said. “It’s constant evaluation of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it and why we’re doing it.”

“We’re all under a microscope now, as should be the case, including myself,” said Colangelo. “We clearly have to make this right.”

A major lightning rod for that dialogue, not to mention ongoing criticism, is Andrea Bargnani, Toronto’s underachieving seven-foot forward who averages less than five rebounds per game and couldn’t guard a stanchion. This week, CBSSports.com reported that Toronto could be the “most likely landing spot” for Lakers forward Pau Gasol and that Bargnani would be one of the key pieces sent to Los Angeles. ESPN.com also reported earlier this week that the Raptors were weighing the idea of shopping Bargnani in an attempt to land Gasol but that nothing came out of the talks yet.

The Toronto Sun reports that Bargnani is as frustratingly indifferent off the court as he is on it.

“No, of course it doesn’t affect me, but I think it does make sense on this team,” he said. “Who else would you blame? I don’t really know what you want me to answer.”

“It’s something you don’t control, so there’s no purpose in being prepared for it or getting prepared for it,” he said. “The only thing you really care about is trying to play good for yourself and for the team. That’s what you have to prepare for. A trade? Be prepared or not prepared, it doesn’t make you a better player or a worse player. If it’s going to happen, it happens. If it doesn’t, I mean it’s not something you really think about, at least I don’t think about it.

For Raptors fans stuck watching a fifth straight lottery visit unfold, with the very real possibility that the team’s 2013 first-round pick will be transferred to the Thunder following the Kyle Lowry and James Harden trades, Bargnani’s laissez-faire attitude must read like nails on a chalkboard. Maintaining focus amid a brewing media storm is admirable, sure, but if Bargnani doesn’t care whether or not he’s traded, why should anyone care about the Raptors? Role players cycle through the league at a fast rate but $10 million per year for guys like Bargnani, especially those selected near the top of the draft and cultivated over the course of six-plus seasons, usually project a little bit more buy-in to their surroundings. Here, he’s left fans wondering: If the thought of getting traded isn’t a big deal, does winning or losing really matter? If he’s come to terms with being gone tomorrow and the thought doesn’t seem to particularly bother him, what hope is there that the next 62 games will look meaningfully better than the first 20 if he’s not moved?

Bargnani has dealt with criticisms of his game for long enough that he knows how things work. His scoring and rebounding numbers this season are his worst in four years and he’s shooting a pathetic 40.2 percent from the field with more than sixty percent of his attempts coming from 15+ feet. This, at 27, when he should be ascending. This, while being paid $10 million this season and another $10.8 million next season. This, after years of steady backing from Colangelo.

Right now, the arguments for moving on from the Colangelo/Bargnani era appear far stronger than the arguments for staying the course. An array of teammates have cycled through around Bargnani, producing nothing but middling results. Multiple coaches have tried to crack the puzzle, to no avail. Colangelo has doled out more than his fair share of bad or questionable contracts (Hedo Turkoglu, Amir Johnson, Linas Kleiza, Landry Fields, DeMar Derozan, etc). Even the rays of hope –DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross– are not guaranteed to form a winning core in the future. Taken together, the current turmoil has the developing feel of a crossroads commonly reached by perpetually struggling franchises: the moment when it becomes clear a drastic change in direction couldn’t possibly be worse than maintaining the status quo.

http://nba.si.com/2012/12/09/raptors...sct=nba_t11_a0

**'trane** · 12-09-2012, 08:46 PM

believe i'm sinkin' down.

rapsmannn · 12-09-2012, 09:17 PM

Game over for bc Andrea Bargnani and coach Casey Raptors about to clean house. Raptors also need to trade derozan and Lowry for draft picks and let the new gm mold the team

0nekhmer · 12-09-2012, 09:20 PM

Yup. We need to tank and tank hard..

rapsmannn · 12-09-2012, 09:21 PM

One more thing trade everyone acquire more picks in the 2014 draft. Wiggins. By the way watched almost every game since Vince. It's to the point where I just watch highlights and get angry. Watched today because I had days off work Very disappointing to see how they run the offense.

LX · 12-09-2012, 09:25 PM

I would love, and I mean love, to read an inside account of everything that has happened this season. Certainly more so than I am going to love watching any of the games.

TORaptor4Ever · 12-09-2012, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LX

I would love, and I mean love, to read an inside account of everything that has happened this season. Certainly more so than I am going to love watching any of the games.

I would love to know all the possible trades that have been floated for Bargs that have been turned down by BC over the years.

Betting we would rage so hard that we'd stroke out.

Thug · 12-09-2012, 09:29 PM

Everyone needs to take a deep breath.

Tomorrows game is the tell-all game of the season.

If we win tomorrow, we are in good shape for a momentum swing upwards.

carp · 12-09-2012, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TORaptor4Ever

I would love to know all the possible trades that have been floated for Bargs that have been turned down by BC over the years.

Betting we would rage so hard that we'd stroke out.

I'd also like to know the Bosh trades he turned down..... yikes.

JoeyJoJo Shabbadu · 12-09-2012, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thug

Everyone needs to take a deep breath.

Tomorrows game is the tell-all game of the season.

If we win tomorrow, we are in good shape for a momentum swing upwards.

There's being positive and then there's being insane.

Its over. This year is over. This team is over. Its only a matter of when. New GM assuredly to happen and new guy rips it all down. Its the only thing left to do. Trade everyone except for Davis, Ross and Jonas, trade them for veterans with huge contracts that are an anchor and picks. And byt the time we get to draft again the ridiculous contracts should be expiring.

TORaptor4Ever · 12-09-2012, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carp

I'd also like to know the Bosh trades he turned down..... yikes.

Yep. Those too.

LX · 12-09-2012, 09:59 PM

And the Jose offers.

Dark Knight · 12-09-2012, 10:02 PM

And the Patrick O' Bryant offers...

Thug · 12-09-2012, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeyJoJo Shabbadu

There's being positive and then there's being insane.

Its over. This year is over. This team is over. Its only a matter of when. New GM assuredly to happen and new guy rips it all down. Its the only thing left to do. Trade everyone except for Davis, Ross and Jonas, trade them for veterans with huge contracts that are an anchor and picks. And byt the time we get to draft again the ridiculous contracts should be expiring.

Call me insane, but Im not ready to write this season off just yet.

We've lost 9 of our last 10.

The schedule is finally going to be easier for us, and if we steal a win tomorrow in Portland...

tyguy94 · 12-10-2012, 12:00 AM

Not to be a downer, but I really really don't want to win against Portland, because I don't want then to win and have the mlse think the teams alright and not hire a new gm/rebuild, I honestly don't see us turning into contenders without rebuilding, I say get rid of everyone except Davis, Ross, and valancunias, with acy derozan and lowry beig iffy depending what we can get for them but lowry would probably be past his prime before we contend

creative1mm · 12-10-2012, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Not to be a downer, but I really really don't want to win against Portland, because I don't want then to win and have the mlse think the teams alright and not hire a new gm/rebuild, I honestly don't see us turning into contenders without rebuilding, I say get rid of everyone except Davis, Ross, and valancunias, with acy derozan and lowry beig iffy depending what we can get for them but lowry would probably be past his prime before we contend

DD is fine.. bring in a stud to play with him and that is perfect

Raptors1995 · 12-10-2012, 12:11 AM

What if 4-21 happens?????????????????????

Currently 4-17

Next 4 games:

Portland
Brooklyn
Dallas
Houston

creative1mm · 12-10-2012, 12:16 AM

this has to be one of the worst starts in our franchise history

Raptors1995 · 12-10-2012, 12:31 AM

This is pretty bad..

Raptors1995 · 12-10-2012, 01:14 AM

I still wish we would have drafted Drummond.

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12-09-2012, 08:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
'trane is on a monk trip. giant steps Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 15,260 Representing:	believe i'm sinkin' down.

12-09-2012, 09:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
rapsmannn is happy with our core players Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,307 Representing:	Game over for bc Andrea Bargnani and coach Casey Raptors about to clean house. Raptors also need to trade derozan and Lowry for draft picks and let the new gm mold the team

12-09-2012, 09:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
0nekhmer is excited for this season! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 2,104 Representing:	Yup. We need to tank and tank hard..

12-09-2012, 09:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
rapsmannn is happy with our core players Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,307 Representing:	One more thing trade everyone acquire more picks in the 2014 draft. Wiggins. By the way watched almost every game since Vince. It's to the point where I just watch highlights and get angry. Watched today because I had days off work Very disappointing to see how they run the offense.

12-09-2012, 09:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
LX is boycotting boy cots In the Paint Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 23,334 Representing:	I would love, and I mean love, to read an inside account of everything that has happened this season. Certainly more so than I am going to love watching any of the games.

12-09-2012, 09:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
Thug is in Houstatlantavegas Presidential Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,502 Representing:	Everyone needs to take a deep breath. Tomorrows game is the tell-all game of the season. If we win tomorrow, we are in good shape for a momentum swing upwards.

12-09-2012, 09:59 PM	#12 (permalink)
LX is boycotting boy cots In the Paint Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 23,334 Representing:	And the Jose offers.

12-09-2012, 10:02 PM	#13 (permalink)
Dark Knight is waiting for the sun to come out so he can let his guns out. Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Electric Avenue Posts: 15,049 Representing:	And the Patrick O' Bryant offers...

12-10-2012, 12:00 AM	#15 (permalink)
tyguy94 is looking forward to Bargnani getting traded Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 417 Representing:	Not to be a downer, but I really really don't want to win against Portland, because I don't want then to win and have the mlse think the teams alright and not hire a new gm/rebuild, I honestly don't see us turning into contenders without rebuilding, I say get rid of everyone except Davis, Ross, and valancunias, with acy derozan and lowry beig iffy depending what we can get for them but lowry would probably be past his prime before we contend

12-10-2012, 12:11 AM	#17 (permalink)
Raptors1995 is it's time to empty the trash Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,025 Representing:	What if 4-21 happens????????????????????? Currently 4-17 Next 4 games: Portland Brooklyn Dallas Houston

12-10-2012, 12:16 AM	#18 (permalink)
creative1mm is a Raps fan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Mississauga Posts: 755 Representing:	this has to be one of the worst starts in our franchise history

12-10-2012, 12:31 AM	#19 (permalink)
Raptors1995 is it's time to empty the trash Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,025 Representing:	This is pretty bad..

12-10-2012, 01:14 AM	#20 (permalink)
Raptors1995 is it's time to empty the trash Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,025 Representing:	I still wish we would have drafted Drummond.