The Toronto Epidemic

[Deadallus]

I get the impression that there is an epidemic plaguing our poor Raptors team. It seems like players come to this city to either a) collect a massive paycheck that no one else will offer them or b) bulid up their career and then fly south the first chance they get. Anyone else get this feeling? Like the Raptors are the joke of the NBA.

[noxleno]

I see what you mean, and its more than likely a result of the fact that the Raptors are the sole international franchise, and regardless of the validity of some of the problems that playing "internationally" might present to players, the appearance of a "difference" is there. Probably the best way to change the widespread negative view of Toronto among the players is simply selling the perks of playing in TO, and education as to how there's really no substantial difference between living in TO and living in the US.

On the other hand, the Raptors have essentially been an unsuccessful franchise in terms of playoff success, which I think is the real reason it's an unattractive franchise to play for. Players don't exactly flock to the T-Wolves or Clippers either. The sooner we create a winning culture in Toronto, the sooner players will consider it an attractive option.

[Nick]

Its all about the economics. Toronto is a top 5 earner in the league. Not exactly a joke.

[Mantonio]

I would've thought that some smart budding superstar and their equally smart agent would have recognized the status that would go along with leading the first truly international team to an NBA championship. The gravity of opportunity created by being the "first", added to the global recognition that such an event would generate could be quite significant. Sadly, the infection known as "the US as the centre of the universe", has kept this possibility in the shadows. There's gotta be someone out there who doesn't just want to become the next "Jordan", but rather hopes to blaze his own trail - a global one. I keep hoping...

[DirtyMikeSeaver]

No one wanted to go to Boston until they got Garnett and Allen. Utah is a horrible place for NBAers based on the fact there's zero alcohol in that state and about 3 black guys. New Jersey has a hole for an arena and desperately wants to leave. Sacramento handed out bad contracts to Europeans (sound familiar) and the Webber/Bibby combination got very old and might move. Minnesota cares more about hockey, was compared to a Toyota to Utah's Bentley by their best player and has the most incompetent GM. The Knicks couldn't sign LeBron James and had Isiah Thomas. Cleveland is a wasteland after "The Decision". Atlanta barely sells out for an exciting team and had to overpay for a 31 yr old swingman who shot -14% in the playoffs. Memphis overpaid for a swingman that can't hit 3s. Carmelo Anthony is doing everything but holding up a sign saying "TRADE ME" to get out of Denver. Chris Paul would pull an Andy Dufrense to throw alley-opp passes to Amare. Steven Jackson and Baron Davis left treadmarks getting out of Golden State. Brandon Jennings has about a 0.3% chance of staying in Milwaulkee unless they overpay him. Detroit starts Ben Wallace and have to overpaid for the likes for Charlie Villeuneuva. Indiana has a rosterful of guys that look and play exactly like Tyler Hansborough. And the Clippers are the Clippers.

Can we please stop with this "Toronto is a wasteland" thing and no one wants to play here? I love the "Black players won't play here" arguement, because they are just chomping at the bit to play in Utah, Boston, Milwaulkee and Minnesota. Once they start making smart moves and stop thinking things like "Jose Calderon for $45 Million? Genius!"

[Rainman]

@ DirtyMike; A little on the ranty side, but I agree with everything said.

[Beaverboi]

No one wanted to go to Boston until they got Garnett and Allen. Utah is a horrible place for NBAers based on the fact there's zero alcohol in that state and about 3 black guys. New Jersey has a hole for an arena and desperately wants to leave. Sacramento handed out bad contracts to Europeans (sound familiar) and the Webber/Bibby combination got very old and might move. Minnesota cares more about hockey, was compared to a Toyota to Utah's Bentley by their best player and has the most incompetent GM. The Knicks couldn't sign LeBron James and had Isiah Thomas. Cleveland is a wasteland after "The Decision". Atlanta barely sells out for an exciting team and had to overpay for a 31 yr old swingman who shot -14% in the playoffs. Memphis overpaid for a swingman that can't hit 3s. Carmelo Anthony is doing everything but holding up a sign saying "TRADE ME" to get out of Denver. Chris Paul would pull an Andy Dufrense to throw alley-opp passes to Amare. Steven Jackson and Baron Davis left treadmarks getting out of Golden State. Brandon Jennings has about a 0.3% chance of staying in Milwaulkee unless they overpay him. Detroit starts Ben Wallace and have to overpaid for the likes for Charlie Villeuneuva. Indiana has a rosterful of guys that look and play exactly like Tyler Hansborough. And the Clippers are the Clippers.

Can we please stop with this "Toronto is a wasteland" thing and no one wants to play here? I love the "Black players won't play here" arguement, because they are just chomping at the bit to play in Utah, Boston, Milwaulkee and Minnesota. Once they start making smart moves and stop thinking things like "Jose Calderon for $45 Million? Genius!"

Ball.

[Raptorsss]

What's with all this "small member syndrome" lately? Toronto, is the lone international team, and it presents itself as a novelty. The majority (I don't think I'm wrong here) of American players haven't travelled outside the U.S. until they get drafted in the USA. So, Toronto is presented as strange (AKA Bosh's humourous smells different, Kilometres. Or Davis not wanting his kids running around with meter sticks.) No, one has bashed the country or the city. The only complaint is the weather, but Portland, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Minnesota...etc. are the same or worse in February.

Of the players who slighted Toronto/Vancouver...Damon Stoudemire (career wasn't really better). McGrady (dude just keeps on making bad choices and will be out of the NBA during the course of this year). Steve Francis (An awful waste of talent, dude just got arrested for being drunk and disordorderly.)

If you want, the Raptors to be succesful, its simple treat the players well, pay them well and develop a culture of winning. Free-agents don't go to Boston for the lifestyle or the weather they go because of the winning culture. Toronto is no different.

[insight_tor]

It is happening with all smaller NBA markets as well ... NBA is a league where the focal point are the elite players. Everybody wants to be in the elite class and therefore they want to be where they have the best change to market themselves. If Raptors franchise could somehow build a championship team, then I am pretty sure players won't mind playing in Toronto.

[peanutplaza]

you never hear a peep from professional baseball or hockey players about toronto. Sure those sports have better fan bases and media but the bottom line is the big "W" to keep players here

[Ryan_1523]

you never hear a peep from professional baseball or hockey players about toronto. Sure those sports have better fan bases and media but the bottom line is the big "W" to keep players here

That's debatable with baseball, attendance has been pretty low as of the last couple years.. I remember Alex Rios and Ozzie Guillen earlier in the season saying baseball was dead in Toronto. I think we showed them by doing as well as we did, and we're only getting better.

Winning is all that matters, and I'm positive we'd be able to sign a big name free agent, in baseball or basketball, as soon as we show them that we're not far from being a legitimate playoff team who's going to contend for years to come.

[Raptorsss]

Toronto baseball fans have been criticized not the city. To add what Ryan said, Roger Clemens when he left Toronto (after winning two cy youngs) said that Toronto isn't a baseball city. Also, similar to basketball, for European players, the blue jays have always been a top destination for latino players.