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  • Pistons' fan website's perspective of our offseason

    http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2012/8...oronto-raptors

    The Toronto Raptors are in a somewhat similar position to the Detroit Pistons. Sub-.500 since the 2008-09 season. Defensive-minded coaches entering their second year trying to right the ship, young low-efficiency guards that need to grow with a lot riding on their young center prospects. It seems, however, that Toronto is a little closer to turning things around, in the short-term anyway.

    2012-13 Toronto Raptors Offseason Recap

    Additions:

    Draft Picks: Jonas Valanciunas (2011 Draft), Terrence Ross, Quincy Acy, Tomislav Zubcic.
    Free Agents: John Lucas, Landry Fields.
    Trade Acquired: Kyle Lowry

    Subtractions:

    Gary Forbes, Solomon Alabi, Jamaal Magloire, Ben Uzoh, Jerryd Bayless, Leandro Barbosa, James Johnson, Rasual Butler, Anthony Carter

    2012-13 Toronto Raptors Prospective Depth Chart

    PG: Kyle Lowry | Jose Calderon | Josh Lucas
    SG: Landry Fields | Terrence Ross
    SF: DeMar DeRozan | Linas Kleiza | Alan Anderson
    PF: Andrea Bargnani | Amir Johnson | Ed Davis | Quincy Acy
    C: Jonas Valanciunas | Aaron Gray



    Offseason Analysis

    The Toronto Raptors are not going to be a very good team but they seem to be doing things the right way. They didn't lose anyone of significance, they got younger and they are pegged to have three new starters on opening night. Although he hasn't played a minute of NBA ball, everyone seems very high on Jonas Valanciunas as a possible impact center. He will probably start from day one as his defense is ahead of his offense and they simply have nothing that can compare to him on the bench.

    And the team hasn't just paid lip service to the importance of defense under second-year coach Dwayne Casey. In his first season, Casey was able to knock eight points off their points per 100 possessions, which launched the team from dead last in the NBA in 2010-11 to 14th last season.

    Replacing the horrendous defense of Jose Calderon with a nice two-way player like Kyle Lowry will go a long way to shoring up the remaining defensive weak spots on the roster. And the only way that Andrea Bargnani could ever hope to live up to his lofty contract would be if you can surround him with enough quality rebounders and defenders that all he has to do is shoot early, shoot often and make the shots. Because he has proven he can't do much else.

    But as was so painfully clear last season the team can't just rely on Bargnani for offense. When he was in their offense was bad and when he went down to injury it were dreadful. Calderon has always been a willing passer but he had no one to give the ball to. Two of their five biggest shot-takers (Leandro Barbosa and James Johnson) are off the team and their offensive contributions will not be missed.

    The team way overpaid Landry Fields (three years, $20 million) in an attempt to lure Steve Nash into considering them a worthy destination but it didn't work out. Now Fields stands as the third-highest paid player on the team but if the team behind Calderon (who the team is trying to give away) and Bargnani and will need to fill the quiet stat-filler role he was able to play so effectively in New York. Of course, in New York he was playing alongside Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudamire. Now that he won't get so much open space to work with I don't think he'll be nearly as effective.

    The team had what the commentariat considered the biggest reach of the 2012 draft in Terrence Ross. He is a jump shooter that has the athleticism to develop into a quality wing defender. But getting your shot off in the NBA is a lot harder than in college and decision-making remains a big question mark. Kind of sounds like Nick Young and would anyone say that Young made a bad Wizards offense particularly better?

    Summary

    The Raptors are a bad team making the slow climb to respectability. They are a few ladder rungs ahead of Detroit but don't have that star to build around. DeRozan and Bargnani have proven to not be that star player and the jury is still out on the intriguing Valanciunas. Still, the team has young talent at every position, some cap room in the near future, have taken a step forward on defense and could conceivably battle for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The danger is that might be their ceiling beyond 2012-13.
    TORONTOOOOOO RAPTORSSSSSS

  • #2
    Pretty bang on, which is impressive for a website belonging to a team around our relm
    Twitter - @thekid_it

    Comment


    • #3
      He's underselling Fields a bit, he was much better before Melo got there. and horrendous when Melo arrived. He will be effective in the minutes he gets--it just might not show up on the stat sheet

      Comment


      • #4
        Yeah, not bad at all for one fan site reviewing another team. The few things I would say in response:
        I'm not convinced that JV plays starter right from day 1, especially since Casey has shown he's comfortable starting Gray.
        They're slightly overstating Bargnani's limitations, but it's up to Bargnani to change those perceptions.
        The team's not trying to give Calderon away. They're looking for a decent return, or else they'll hang on and let the contract expire. His value a bench player who can get the ball to the rookies in scoring situations can't be ignored.
        They get Fields' salary numbers wrong, but everyone seems to be saying $20 million. The take on Fields' being less effective once he's not playing with Anthony is a little odd, given that most analysis seems to be that Fields' production suffered when Carmelo was on the court.

        Comment


        • #5
          detroit is better, in the long run.

          they have 3 potential all stars in knight, monroe, and drummond (that last guy could fuck up really really hard, but he has monstrous physical tools)

          I don't know too much about stuckey or tay tay? are they (in princes case, still) any good? if they can sign a big free agent in coming years watch out....

          Comment


          • #6
            akashsingh wrote: View Post
            detroit is better, in the long run.

            they have 3 potential all stars in knight, monroe, and drummond (that last guy could fuck up really really hard, but he has monstrous physical tools)

            I don't know too much about stuckey or tay tay? are they (in princes case, still) any good? if they can sign a big free agent in coming years watch out....
            If those are what you consider potential All-Stars, then I would say that Lowry, Bargs and Valaciunas (and even Demar) would also have to be considered Potential All-Stars. By your standards.

            Comment


            • #7
              *yawn*
              No question he got some things right, but this is one of those non-researched/uninformed pieces that takes stuff from what others have said, puts them together, and throws it out there.
              Why do I say that?
              1. Fields=$20M is a mistake made all over the place, and not factual by $1.5.
              2. AB : 'proven he can't do much else"- if being quite good at man-o-man defense isn't worth anything.
              3. His reasoning for how things won't be as easy for Fields. Huh? If he can't keep track of what went down in NY after the black hole named Melo showed up, what in hell independent valid opinion does he have of what's going on in T.O.?
              4. He's talking of JJ as if he was a valuable shot taker, in the same breath as LB? Huh?
              5. In a piece he acknowledges the importance of Raps' defense now, he equates Ross to Young? Huh? Has Young ever been even considered a mediocre defender? Casey loves Ross for his defensive skills!
              6. "Calderon (who the team is trying to give away)". Another tidbit he's picked up off of others' rumours. Zero evidence that the Raps don't want Jose this year, at least until trade deadline. They're not looking to "give him away". Both for his abilities to nurture the young guys on the 2nd unit, and his whopping expiring contract, they're not looking to give him away, not to say that they won't trade him if a good deal comes along.

              Comment


              • #8
                p00ka wrote: View Post
                4. He's talking of JJ as if he was a valuable shot taker, in the same breath as LB? Huh?
                "Two of their five biggest shot-takers (Leandro Barbosa and James Johnson) are off the team and their offensive contributions will not be missed."

                Don't think he was referring to him as a valuable shot taker -- just a shot taker. Agree with everything else though.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Iwould hardly call Bargs'contract lofty by todays standards. There are worse players making more money, thats for damn sure.

                  Seems pretty regurgitated to me... Doesnt really form an opinion just reiterates what he hears and reads.

                  Nice to see Casey is getting some help on the bench with the Coach from Glory road .... Josh Lucas WTF...

                  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385726/

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    i dont think bargs is overpaid. even with no defense 20 point scoring 7 footers get paid and he is only 10 a season. i also want to see a reporter put himself out there and give us a number of how overpaid fields is. just stating the same thing as everyone. i think he probably got 1-2 million a season more than he should have made had he stayed with new york, but if he comes in and does everything the coaching staff thinks he can do that contract is fine.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      themasao wrote: View Post
                      "Two of their five biggest shot-takers (Leandro Barbosa and James Johnson) are off the team and their offensive contributions will not be missed."

                      Don't think he was referring to him as a valuable shot taker -- just a shot taker. Agree with everything else though.
                      Oops, thanks for pointing that out. I sadly misinterpreted what the dude was saying there.

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                      • #12
                        IROR wrote: View Post
                        He's underselling Fields a bit, he was much better before Melo got there. and horrendous when Melo arrived. He will be effective in the minutes he gets--it just might not show up on the stat sheet
                        ya, that was the only thing I found wrong with besides the way-overpaid. I mean, it's not astronomical and you have to overpay rfa's or might as well not make an offer.
                        If Your Uncle Jack Helped You Off An Elephant, Would You Help Your Uncle Jack Off An Elephant?

                        Sometimes, I like to buy a book on CD and listen to it, while reading music.

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                        • #13
                          The comments from the Piston fans about our team are flat out ignorant. Every second comment is about Bargnani sucking. There are a lot of serious comments about Amir taking us somewhere and the team riding on his performance???? This to me proves what we all know/suspect from most american fans about our beloved raptors...Bargnani, euro, bust, soft, can't rebound, Canada SUCK!

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                          • #14
                            Let those guys prove them all wrong ; )
                            Official Pope of the Raptors sponsored by MLSE.

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