Always been wary of Sunday games for the exact reason they’re talked about as an advantage for us. Instead of being an extra step quick, we’re usually a step slow and leave it for the second half to make up for our first half indolence. In that sense, this game wasn’t much different from the Indiana game last Sunday where the Raptors found late gears to avoid what would’ve been a rather humbling home defeat. Solid team play in key stretches, a boost off the bench from Antoine Wright, and steadfast offensive resolve from Chris Bosh were the keys to taking care of business as the Raptors continued their plunder through the soft part of the schedule.

Transition play and offensive rebounding is the only reason the Kings stayed in this game. Those are two of our weaknesses and they were went about exploiting it in a consistent manner. As well as the Raptors were playing early, everything they did on offense was negated by those two shortcomings. The good news is that both our weaknesses have more to do with effort than personnel so when we were only up 3 at the half despite shooting 60%, you knew it wasn’t going to be this way as long as we just picked it up.

Our strengths lie in the interior play of Bosh, the playmaking ability of our wings and in the sanctity of team basketball. Bosh was a beast on offense tonight (36/11/5) and operated very close to the basket for most of the night, he executed a few drop-steps for dunks and always made the drive his first priority. Bosh’s scoring is only half of his post-game, the other half is getting others open shots and our management of how to handle Sacramento double teams was impeccable. Bosh’s reads of the help was good and his passing out of it led to swing sequences and more (his 5 assists proof of that). There were many plays today where Jack, Turkoglu and Bargnani demonstrated great unselfishness which always led to a better shot. Sometimes we make extra passes out of the Bosh-double which end up being a detriment for the possession, but not tonight, Sacramento was left chasing the ball and our 28 assists reflect that.

Turkoglu was back wearing a mask, DeRozan was back after his ankle injuries and Calderon surprised everyone by returning from his ankle sprain. As expected, Jack went right at Tyreke Evans from the get-go which surprised the rookie; Jack had 9 assists on the night, most of which came off drive and kicks – the best assist for a PG. Turkoglu was aggressive on the high screen and set the tone early by driving for a couple and then knocking down two open jumpers after clever fakes. 7 points in 7 minutes is a lot of production for him and hopefully he climbs his way out of the rut he’s been in. With Bosh operating inside, Turkoglu and Jack on their games, it was going to be a question of whether the defense would get up to the level of our offense.

For most of the game it didn’t, Sacramento had a 26-6 fastbreak point edge in the first half as our already poor transition defense was made to look worse because of 9 turnovers. It’s like adding fuel to fire. There was little doubt the Kings weren’t going to come back after the Raptors went up by 13 early; they were excellent at running back our missed jumpers for points and as already mentioned, the turnovers hurt us. Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin and Donte Greene’s agenda was to challenge the Raptors in transition and since all three are excellent open-floor players, had success. This is where the Raptors looked their worst on Sunday – matched up in the open floor against athletic wings who are running at them. The offensive rebounding was a problem as we finished -9 in the department, Spencer Hawes being the main thorn in our side. Bargnani’s rebounding numbers are decent (8 rebs) but some of his play in help situations was deplorable. Triano tried to insert Johnson to match the Kings’ energy but he was overmatched against Sean May, who is looking less like a blimp these days but still pretty fat.

I had a keen eye on Calderon in the first half and was expecting him to take it a little easy and work himself back in the game. To my surprise he started hunting for his own shot which was good to see. An aggressive Jose is a good Jose and even though he was only 3-7 with 2 assists in 21 minutes, he got an excellent run in which should help him in his next game.

With Belinelli out, the job of checking Evans fell to Jack and Wright, as DeRozan/Weems were handling Kevin Martin. We held him to 3-8FG for 11 points and he was more or less a non-factor, you could also argue that the game-high 18 shots launched by Martin did well to take their best player out of the game. Wright’s defense on Evans was invaluable, especially in a couple key fourth quarter possessions when the game was rocking back and forth. DeRozan couldn’t get a handle on Martin’s trickery early, the rookie has trouble guarding SGs who use screens well and Martin’s one of them. The way he got burned on that out-of-bounds play with 5 seconds left in the first half was not good. Not good at all. DeRozan played 24 minutes, also got a good run in but didn’t play the fourth quarter as Wright’s play left Triano no choice. Later Triano spoke about the adjustment of switching Wright on Evans:

We wanted Antoine on the floor and we wanted him guarding Tyreke at the end as much as we could…We didn’t want to get too sucked into the paint trying to help on him and have him kick for threes.

The early third quarter followed a similar pattern as the first half with the Raptors giving back what they scored, Andrea Bargnani had 8 in the frame and worked well off of Chris Bosh. The constant Bosh double-teaming was providing everybody with looks and the Raptors did a solid team job of making them pay. With the Raptors up 6 with 3:39 left to play, Triano decided to give Chris Bosh a breather and inserted Amir Johnson into the game. We almost lost the game. With Bosh out, our offense hit the wall as we were forced to create from the top rather than going inside-out and our rebounding also took a hit. The Kings went on a quick-fire 11-0 run sparked by three Donte Green threes which changed the face of the game.

I want to give special attention to the drive and And1 Jarrett Jack had at the end of the third, we’ve seen him try to carry the team in times of adversity a lot this year and that play was another one of those occasions. On the ensuing possession the Kings’ Ime Udoka clearly goaltend the ball but the refs blew the call. Jack picked up the technical and seemed very upset, he actually threw the ball into the 10th row while making it look like he was attempting a 3/4 court three as time expired. The hotheadedness might’ve cost him fourth quarter playing time as Calderon was the guy Triano went with. Triano’s shown a tendency to alternate PGs per quarter so maybe Calderon would’ve played the fourth all along, especially since he didn’t play a second in the third.

The fourth didn’t start promisingly as Udrih burned Calderon twice to setup May for clean looks as Johnson was sucked into the paint. Staring a 7-point deficit and the momentum squarely on the Kings’ side, it didn’t look great. Enter Sonny Weems’ defense. Two steals, one leading to an Antoine Wright three and the other to his own dunk. All in all, an 8-0 run in 48 seconds. That’s all it took, 48 seconds to turn this game around. The defense was sparked and the confidence to run the offense was back. Later on Wright hit two more jumpers, both assisted meaning that they weren’t taken out of rhythm and didn’t come out of one-on-one play. Of his six field goals, five were assisted and his ability to spread out the floor was key in Calderon being able to operate freely in the fourth. That quarter was a shining example of the Raptors at their best: sharing the rock and patiently passing the ball till we find the late rotation to get the clean look.

A finishing touch was supplied by an Andrea Bargnani three, once again made out of excellent ball movement. The Kings had no answer, after the Raptors had tightened their defense (read: increased their effort), Sacramento couldn’t get the easy break points they lived off of in the first half and were forced to score out of the half-court. They only had 10 fastbreak points in the second half after netting 26 in the first, Wright’s defense on their main gun was very influential in taking away their half-court scoring and credit needs to be given to Bosh and Bargnani, who both improved their help defense in the second half.

Raptors win. Remember that 10-game stretch that was mentioned in the podcast a couple weeks ago, well, we’re on pace to go 9-1.

First up we have the Kings. I’ll be honest, apart from their Über rookie Tyerke Evans, Kevin Martin and Jason Thompson, I know nothing about this team. So I decided to check in with one of the best NBA bloggers out there, Zach Harper from Talk Hoops, Cowbell Kingdom and Hardwood Paroxysm, if you haven’t been following him, now is time…do it:

The Kings started the season on a tear of sorts, what slowed them down?
Reality didn’t help them keep their early season pace, that’s for sure. With the Kings, everything was so new and Jason Thompson was playing extremely well to begin the year. In fact, you could have even made the case for JT to challenge for the All-Star game after the first month in just his second year. But ever since they choked away back to back games against the Cavs and Lakers in late December, the team has been on a free fall. The defense has been nonexistent (just four opponents held under 100 in the last 22 games) and they’re getting nothing inside in terms of consistent offensive production. Their best post defender the past month has been Jon Brockman, who is 6’7″ with lifts in his shoes. Combine all of that with the fact that they can’t win on the road and their inability to close out games and it’s amazing they’ve held up this well as of late.

Looks like you have a player in Tyreke Evans; how good is he? What’s his ceiling? ROY?
The Kings franchise hasn’t had a young player this good with this high of a ceiling since Oscar Robertson and that’s not an exaggeration. Tyreke Evans is going to be a star in this league. He can dominate the game by driving to the basket and playing defense. And oh boy, his defense. He’s a really good defender and not just for a rookie. He can defend three positions. Now, if he learns how to knock down the three then we’re approaching dangerous territory. Rookie of the Year has all but been wrapped up for him for about a month now. He’s the only one putting together a full season so far. Jennings faded and Curry took too long to come on strong. Assuming he stays healthy, he should be unanimous for the ROY awartd.

Kevin Martin looks to be on the outs with Sac, and also a rumoured target of the Raptors, what happens to him in the next two weeks?
I doubt he’s going anywhere in the next two weeks. Kings want to see what they have with him and Tyreke in the backcourt. I think they can work perfectly together but they can’t freeze out the rest of the team while playing together (which has unfortunately happened since his return). They’ll give Martin at least the end of the season to see what they have with him and Evans. And if they can prove to be a 50-point backcourt that helps bring wins then there’s no way he goes anywhere.

Will Kenny Thomas finally prove to be useful for the Kings and bring someone back, or does he walk at the end of the year?
K9 had a couple of productive games sometime in late November or early December. And since then he’s disappeared. That might be because he sits behind Sean May and we can’t see him now because of it. I’m not sure. I don’t think the Kings will make any moves at the trade deadline. Martin would be traded for someone like Al Jefferson but that’s not going to happen. The Kings are better off doing a trade around the draft than this trade deadline. They’ll let K9 expire and unless a contender wants to take Nocioni, Garcia or Beno for cap relief, I doubt Sacramento does anything this season.

Anything you want to add?
I’m not sure what Chris Bosh’s career high is but against this Kings interior defense, I can almost guarantee he’ll break it. From what I’ve heard, Omri Casspi should have a big fan base at the arena on Sunday. I recommend watching him play. He’s very competitive, fiery and finds a way to contribute without ever getting a play called for him. He’s very fun to watch and easy to root for.

A lot of nice pieces on this Sacramento team. Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes have been heaven-sent for me in two of my leagues, Tyreke Evans is the reason I’m in second in one of my drafts, and I picked up Martin a week before he returned from injury, and am starting to reap the rewards (those 30 point games really help me keep distance with the folks behind me). Now all that needs to happen for me is for these guys to perform well, give me my points, but for the Raptors to win.

Jack and DeRozan will have their hands full with Evans and Martin, although they will be able to return the favour on defense. Udrih is their version of Banks, and as the first point guard of the bench…well, I laugh at that – HAH! I always liked Francisco Garcia, but he will be facing the three headed 2-by-committee who have been playing pretty good over the last few games.

What has me excited is that if the Kings have no one to cover Bosh, that also means they have no one to cover Bargnani; it will be up to them to take advantage and capitalize. I’m guessing in the vicinity of 50pts and 23reb between the two…that seems reasonable.

What worries me is that the Raptors haven’t played since Wednesday, and they usually come lethargic and sloppy in these situations. A young, athletic team like the Kings can get up and down if you sleep on them, and with the Raptors history of playing down…I just don’t want to go through one of those games where the Raptors spot a 10 point lead, and claw their way back to eventually win by 7 or 8.

Turkoglu may or may not go, and either way, I think we can expect the same production form him – just saying…

The gamblers have the Raptors as 8.5 point favourites with an over/under of 215.5.

Chris Denker, of Netscouts Basketball, is reporting live from summer league:

If you are evaluating on wins and losses the Toronto Raptors summer league performance has been disappointing with an 0-2 start.  But if you are merely evaluating individuals and getting a look at your draft picks you can take away a few positives with those disappointments.

NBA veteran guard Quincy Douby has been a bright spot averaging over 18 points per game through two games.  He has played hard on both ends, competing defensively as well as attacking the basket often drawing fouls and knocking down open jumpers although he did struggle from 3 going 0-3 against the Lakers.  I also like PG Roko Ukic, his 6’5 size and length has given some guards issues and he is steady and under control while also adding some scoring punch.  It can be difficult trying to run a team with odd parts and little practice so all in all he has done well.  Smush Parker (wasn’t he just in the NBA Finals a few years ago?) has had a few highlights but would need to be more consistent throughout the week to really gain attention.

One concern would be the lack of defense the Raptors youth have displayed.  In game 1 against LA the Lakers Adam Morrison, being guarded by DeMar DeRozan, scored 24 points and 6’8 235 CENTER Ben McCauley (out of NC State) lit the Raps big men up for 24 points and 15 rebounds.  McCauley out-scored and out-rebounded 6’11 Paul Davis and 7’0 Patrick O’Bryant combined!

DeRozan is a talent and has good legs, hopefully for the Raps he will be a quick study and learn the nuances of the game and become the player Raps Fans are yearning for.

CRAZY HOPS!

Brent Petway, the 6’8 SF from Michigan who has spent the past few years in the NBADL (Idaho) is one of the best leapers in the entire Summer League and had perhaps the dunk of Day 1 but also scores some with his lefty turn jump over smaller G/F who match up on him.  Does he possess the stroke from range to play in the NBA?

In game 2 the Raps lost to Detroit in another high scoring affair (by summer league standards) 91-87.  Lottery pick DeRozan looked better scoring 20 points, 4 rebounds, 0 assists but needed 20 shots to get there and doesn’t get to the foul line very much whereas the much smaller Douby had 21 points on 13 shots, got to the foul line 5 times and had 5 boards and 3 assists.  DeRozan and the Pistons top pick Austin Daye basically watched each other score (while guarding one another) as again DD’s check went for team high honors scoring 19 points and 8 boards on only 14 shots.  The Pistons have looked quite good and all three draft picks are playing decent ball.  DaJuan Summers was terrific in game one and versus the Raps he scored 19.  Jonas Jerebko, the 6’10 lanky athlete from Sweden, played the Center spot and scored 13 points and grabbed 7 boards against the Raps bigs which isn’t bad for a guy who was touted as a SF/PF in the recent draft.

Random notes from Vegas:

• Stephen Curry and Tyreke Evans had a shoot-out with Curry coming out on top 29-27 in their battle and also hit the go ahead bucket under a minute to go as Golden St. beat Sacramento.
• Cartier Martin (Kansas St.) has been a big surprise to some, averaging over 20 ppg.
• Coming off a trade and ACL injury, Adam Morrison is leading the event in scoring at 22.5 ppg.
• Rodrigue Beaubois has been stellar, his quickness off screen/roll and crazy long arms have given opposing PG’s fits and he is also scoring over 20 per including 34 in the night cap vs. Houston.  Not known for his stroke, RB went 7-12 from 3 land which with his quickness, if he can shoot like that, he’s a keeper!

Toronto has a much needed day off today (Sunday) and will play Portland on the 13th.

@chrisdenker :: @raptorsrepublic :: facebook :: rss feed

Toronto Sun

Evans is the perfect piece on an imperfect Raptors team that slowly is changing its image and culture.

General manager Bryan Colangelo has taken a lot of heat, but his acquisition of Evans, which cost the Raptors the services of Jason Kapono, is such a good move that only the most idiotic of basketball observers would dare offer a dissenting opinion.

Evans will push the team’s bigs like no other in recent history.

The guy doesn’t have to score a single point, but his presence alone gives the Raptors an edge that sorely has been lacking.

Evans will practise like he plays — hard.

He’ll set hard picks and put a body on an opponent.

Toronto Star

"The only way you’re going to succeed in this game is certain people have to bring certain things to the table," Evans said yesterday after taking his physical at the Air Canada Centre, the final step to completing the deal for Jason Kapono.

"Like Chris Bosh: We look to him to get buckets, rebounds, that’s what he (does). Everybody has their different roles on a team, mine are to rebound and play some of the tougher guys at my position.

"I have fun doing that, I don’t mind doing that, I love doing that. It’s a perfect fit … it’s going to be fun."

Globe and Mail

The personable big man doesn’t mind rubbing people the wrong way in practice either, making him a necessary piece of sandpaper in a dressing room that has been short on grit recently.

“I don’t bite my tongue,” said Evans, 29. “If I feel something isn’t right, I’m not going to look to the coach: ‘Coach, can you tell him.’ I’ll tell him myself. The only way to get better is to work hard. If you want to relax, go sit down or go home.”

National Post

Oakley, the highly quotable, equally grimy forward, was a key part of the Raptors from 1999 to 2001. Evans spots one key difference.

"Comparison-wise, I don’t know, because he had a jumper," said Evans, who met with the media yesterday after being acquired a week ago from Philadelphia in exchange for Jason Kapono. "He could shoot a 17-foot jumper, 15, 17 feet. So you couldn’t really leave Oakley. So we don’t really compare. I defer a lot of jumpers. Pass it, set a pick … I’m not going to say I’m not going to shoot. I’ll shoot one now and then, every blue moon … I’ll give you a shot a month."

The Knicks Blog

9 – Toronto Raptors - Tyreke Evans

Evans will have a nice career, but I question his shot selection and ability to run the point.  He’s going to be a lot like Larry Hughes;  He thinks he has a jump shot, but he doesn’t.  There lies the shot selection issues.  But even if Evans can’t play the one, the Wolves have a vacancy at the shooting guard spot too.  I like Demar Derozan more for them here, but his stock has dropped.

CBC

Evans’s reputation preceded him on the Raptors because forward Chris Bosh told reporters he hated playing against him.

"That is a good thing," Evans said with a hearty laugh. "That lets me know I’m doing something good."

"When Chris says he doesn’t like me, I don’t like Chris. I like him now because we’re teammates, but I didn’t like him either.

"There is nothing bad about it. It is a good thing."

3rd String Safety

9. Toronto Raptors – Demar DeRozan SF, USC – The Raptors need help at the wing because they could potentially be losing Anthony Parker and Shawn Marion to free agency. DeRozan, because is so athletically gifted and could play the 2, could be drafted even higher by either the Wizards or Timberwolves. If DeRozan is gone, the Raptors can look at point guard or someone else to fill their void at the three or two.

Hoops Addict

7th – Toronto Raptors

Original Pick: Charlie Villanueva, F, UConn
New Pick: Andrew Bynum, C, High School

It creates a lot of size in the frontcourt. I’d love to go point guard here, but they had Calderon just waiting to take over. Not to mention that Mike James played 37 minutes a night. This draft doesn’t have much else. And maybe playing alongside Bosh would have helped Bynum’s progression.

WGRZ

Late Monday afternoon Greg Gamble got an important phone call. It was from the Toronto Raptors. They wanted him to come to Toronto and workout for the team Tuesday morning. Gamble drove to Toronto late Monday afternoon.

It was the first workout for an NBA team in his career. Gamble played his high school ball at Niagara Falls. He was a key player on that 2005 Niagara Falls Championship team. Gamble played his college ball at the University of Buffalo.

A position switch before his senior really helped Gamble open some eyes. He was a swingman his first three years but switched to point guard for his senior year.

The Hoops Report

9. TORONTO: DeMar DeRozan 6-6 211 SG/SF Fr. USC
The Raptors need a wing player who can penetrate and get to the rim. With DeRozan still on the board, he would be a wise choice. The pick would come down to DeRozan and Gerald Henderson. Either one could be a reincarnation of Vince Carter, something Toronto fans would like to see.

Sportsnet

The Toronto Raptors announced they have extended a qualifying offer to restricted free agent guard-forward Carlos Delfino. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.
In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its rights of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent it must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal in favour of the NBA team for which the player last played.

Captain Factorial

9
Toronto
Jrue Holiday, point, 6?4.5? 200, Fr. UCLA
Toronto is, pure and simple, in need of a good wing from this draft.  And DeRozan and Evans (more of a point-wing) are gone.  What’s left is a bunch of point guards.  Despite having Calderon in the fold, I think the Raptors have to go BPA here and figure it all out later.  And BPA, despite his underwhelming freshman year at UCLA, is Jrue Holiday.  They aren’t going to want to play him next to Calderon in light of how badly he played the off-guard next to Darren Collison, but they’ll figure something out.

Canoe

9. Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan, SF, USC – This is a high risk, high reward pick for the Raptors. DeRozan was one of the most hyped freshmans in the nation last year, but had a forgettable season until the end-of-year tournaments started. DeRozan stepped his game up and took USC to the NCAA tournament almost single-handedly. He looked very good in the tournament and in terms of potential, is an elite prospect. DeRozan has the skills to be an excellent, all-star level talent, but he has trouble creating his own shot and had only a handful of elite NCAA performances.
The Raptors could go for a safer pick in Gerald Henderson or Jrue Holiday, but it says here Bryan Colangelo will go for the home run and take DeRozan.

Jurassic Hoops

Regardless, if Delfino chooses to sign with Toronto he’ll bring more toughness and perimeter defense to a team in desperate need of both.  His stunning good looks and chiseled jaw-line aren’t bad either, it’s ok to man-crush on the Argentinian heartthrob… he is that good looking.

Where’s Russ Granik?

Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis
Tyreke is mature enough physically to handle the rigors of the NBA, and can play both guard positions. Not only can he play the 2-guard next to Calderon, but he’s a significant upgrade at the point guard position for spot minutes, as he’ll come in and instantly be our second best PG. Hopefully he can add some excitement and scoring to help convince Chris Bosh to stick around past this season.

You’ve Gotta Love Sports

Toronto Raptors – Jonny Flynn (G/Syracuse)
It seems as though the Raptors are in this position year after year. Each new year seems to be the year that the Toronto Raptors should be a team that makes a run, should be a team that makes the playoff, or even a team that’s competitive, but alas, it never is. This team has a nice nucleus of talent around the basket, and even out towards the perimeter. What it lacks though is passion or a spark. That type of grit that can be brought from a floor general, someone who wants to win. That’s why I think the Raptors will select Jonny Flynn.

Philly.com

“Seven years in the [NBA], each time the season ended, I was always on a plane for home [Pensacola, Fla.] the next day,” Evans said yesterday. “This time, I stayed in Philly a week-and-a-half. I never did that.

“I was getting real comfortable. We had put in 2 years together, but it was an unfortunate situation for me, because we were loaded at my position.”

“We” used to be the 76ers. That changed Tuesday when the Sixers sent the power forward to the Toronto Raptors for shooting forward/big guard Jason Kapono.

“Honestly, looking at who [the Sixers] got, I really couldn’t be mad,” Evans said. “There’s nothing to be mad about. It’s business. I see the direction they’re going in.

“They’ve been looking for a shooter since [president/general manager] Ed Stefanski got there. Kareem Rush didn’t really have an opportunity, Donyell Marshall had played 14 years in the league, couldn’t play a full season. Now, they’ve got somebody who can spread the offense.”

National Post

It seems increasingly unlikely that Southern California swingman DeMar DeRozan will be in that group, although it is possible that he could come to the city — just not to hit the floor.
It sounds as if the Raptors would like to work him out, but the freshman is just not obliging. Toronto might have to do with an in-depth conversation.
“That’s part of the draft procedure,” Kelly said of Toronto’s inability to get DeRozan in sneakers at the Air Canada Centre. “We don’t actually control it. We deal with what we have.”

Toronto Star

With the addition of Alvin Williams to the coaching staff now a mere formality – he’s in town and working full-time even before he signs his contract as a basketball development coach with Toronto – the Raptors had 6-foot North Carolina guard Ty Lawson in for a look.

Whether or not Lawson’s a legitimate possibility for Toronto’s ninth pick in the June 25 draft is debatable; what isn’t open for discussion is the fact Williams will work with whomever the Raptors decide constitutes their backcourt.

“When I was coming up, it was, `Pass the ball and get away’ and let other guys create,” said Williams. “These guys are so talented with the basketball and they get a lot of freedom to do a lot. The point guard play has changed. That’s something I have to get used to.

“I know when I played, I passed the ball to Vince (Carter) and got out of the way. You see guys like Jose (Calderon), who’s very good with the ball, creating for other teammates.”

Globe and Mail

A day after trading for Jason Kapono, whose .454 career three-point shooting percentage is tied for first in league history with Steve Kerr, Stefanski said the newest Sixer will immediately help his team.

“We’ve been sorely missing a player like this,” Stefanski said Wednesday. “He gives us a threat out there and you have to respect him.” The 76ers acquired Kapono from Toronto for power forward Reggie Evans on Tuesday. Both players must pass physicals for the trade to be completed.

National Post

“I don’t want to be the old retired player that sounds bitter,” Williams, the former Toronto Raptor guard, said after the club worked out draft prospects yesterday. “But I came up with guys like Charles Oakley, Kevin Willis, Mark Jackson, Dee Brown, Muggsy Bogues, Dee Brown. All those guys were older vets that I looked up to when I was growing up. They showed me the work ethic that I already had.

“The younger guys, I’m not sure if they have those role models that I had coming to a team. But hopefully I can help with that from the sideline.”

Hoops Addict

9. Toronto Raptors - Jonny Flynn PG – Video: In The Scrum With Jonny Flynn
20 years old; 6?0?; 172 lbs.
Syracuse, Sophomore

Outside The Pressbox

Toronto Raptors (home, road, alternate): The Raptors changed their sets in 2003, trying to join the power reds worn by Miami, Chicago and Portland. It just doesn’t work though. Then they added black in 2008. Plus, they have the purple and the whites. It doesn’t matter. The thing that kills them all is that black and white ribbing down the sides. Like so many teams that have come along in the last 15 years, the Raptors have no visual identity because they keep adding and changing. If they had stuck with the purple, they would have been better off.

Bryant Ball

Although the league’s salary-cap figure for next season won’t be established until July, Toronto expects to have the ability to clear nearly $9 million in cap space this offseason, with that figure potentially climbing to $10 million if the Raptors don’t retain low-cost free agents Quincy Douby and Patrick O’Bryant.

Bosh told ESPN.com in April and reiterated last week that he will pass on Toronto’s offer of a contract extension this summer, preferring to wait for the widely anticipated free-agent bonanza of 2010. But the Raptors still face an immediate decision on Shawn Marion — who is an unrestricted free agent this summer after being acquired by Toronto in February in exchange for Jermaine O’Neal — as they try to rebound from a disappointing 33-49 season that has raised questions about their ability to convince Bosh to stay.

Def Pen Radio

9) Toronto Raptors: Tyreke Evans, SG, 6-6, 220, Memphis, Freshman, 17.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.1 spg, 45.5% FG, 27.4% 3FG

Tampa Bay Online

Happy birthday to fraternal twins Joey and Stephen Graham, the former Brandon High School basketball players who helped Oklahoma State to the 2004 Final Four and are now in the NBA. Joey just completed his fourth season with the Toronto Raptors (career averages of 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds), who selected him as a first-round draft choice in 2005. Stephen averaged 5.4 points this season with the Indiana Pacers. Today, the Graham twins turn 27.

Toronto Sun

The MLSEL mess doesn’t stop with just hockey. Everything they touch makes an ash of itself. Show me a Raptors star and I’ll show you a guy who left town in a huff — mostly because he got tired of being surrounded by garbage year in, year out.

They were lucky. They got to leave. The fans just got a ticket renewal with a price increase.

Toronto Sun

Raptors broadcaster Eric Smith looks at the hiring of Alvin Williams as part of the coaching staff and the Jason Kapono for Reggie Evans trade.

South Philly Pro Sports

The loss of Evans after two seasons will be a blow for the Sixers, though on paper it appears they got the better end of the deal. Unfortunately, basketball is probably the least individualistic game out there (see: the Magic’s rise to this year’s finals with hardly a superstar player) and whether or not Kapono can keep up with the fast-paced tempo played at the Wachovia Center will determine his fit for the team.

As far as Evans is concerned, his banishment to the land of Maple leaves has so far gone unannounced as a search of the out-of-proportion and out-of-date Web site of the Raptors contained no trace of the (pending the passing of a physical) addition of the newest member of their team, donchaknow.

Heels On Hardwood

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the Raptors have lacked toughness and rebounding over the past few seasons. That problem is less of a concern now with the acquisition of Reggie Evans who brings both the qualities along with some heart. Calling him the next coming of Charles Oakley may be pushing it, but Evans has been in the top 10 in rebounds per 48 in minutes over the last 6 years. He is one of those guys you hate playing against but would love to have on your team.

matrix31.com

Well another week has almost past, I’ve just been relaxing the past 5 days, NO TRAVELING!!!  LOL   I had an opportunity to go bowling with my aunt and to spend some time with my grandparents, which is always a blessing.   And I want to give a birthday shout out to my mom it was her birthday this week.

Well it’s about that time for me to hit the gym and start my summer workouts, I’ll keep you posted on how there going.

I did get a chance to see the new Terminator this week it was sooo sweet.  Until next week

Holla,

Matrix

The 700 Level

And the asking price? Well, we’ll miss Reggie, no doubt–he provided energy and hustle that carried the Sixers through many a rough patch the last two seasons, and gave us countless priceless memories with his clowning, flopping and general rabble-rousing. But fact of the matter is, he was an overpaid offensive liability that was probably going to have to be dropped in the rotation in the future anyway to make room for the growth of Marreese Speights. That we didn’t have to waste cap space or a draft pick to fill our need for a downtown bomber–it’s about as good a deal as we could ask for.

Dino Nation Blog

Today our guest on the starting 5 is Ryan McNeill of Hoops Addict. Ryan gets a chance to cover the workouts for the Raptors so I thought that was a good enough excuse to invite him to be a guest.

Foot On The Line

Anyways, if Jonny comes here, I’ll be happy. I might like Tyreke Evans even more, but I seriously doubt he’ll be available at #9. Any of them I believe can provide some heart to our team. We just traded for some balls (Reggie Evans) and maybe this transplants make the next season better and more fun to watch.

Raptors2010

Give the man a jersey!

Having him back on the team brings back so much memories. I’m young so I grew up watching him, JYD and Vince. Plus, he’s still young and that will help him connect with the players. Maybe he could teach Roko something…

Canoe

Some think Bosh isn’t worth a max deal anyways, so the Raptors should just get whatever they can for him in a trade, rather than crippling their future cap. Don’t buy that. Good teams have an all-star or three. Trading the only all-star on the roster and one of only two top-15-20 players the team has had in its 15-year history because he’ll make too much money is folly.
Perennial all-stars get paid, period. Sure he’s not a LeBron, a Chris Paul or a Wade, but not too many are.
Bosh is not Toronto’s problem. Lack of overall talent is.
The pressure is on Bryan Colangelo now to do something about that or risk having to build around a talent-base that just isn’t good enough.
Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon, the ninth pick in this draft and whatever middling pieces a team will give up for an unsigned Bosh won’t get the Raptors anywhere, besides maybe an annual first-round exit.

Fan590

Toronto Raptors superstar forward Chris Bosh joined Hoops to talk about the NBA Finals, the off season, his budding electronic empire and his future in Toronto.

Toronto Sun

As for taking less than a max deal to allow Colangelo to beef up the rest of the lineup, Bosh doesn’t sound like a guy who would consider that.

"An old school guy told me: ‘Take advantage. You can’t play this game forever. Make sure you maximize your potential,’ " Bosh said.

When it was put to Bosh that he was saying no to a hometown discount, Bosh laughed before replying, "In a nice way."

For now, Bosh’s focus is on improving his game.

And this summer, that means hitting the weight room hard and hitting the dinner table often.

Toronto Star

While he set the odds at "good" that he’ll be back in Toronto after next summer – the Raptors, after all, can pay him more than any other team – it’s hardly a guarantee. And so Bryan Colangelo, the general manager, is in the midst of making a tenure-defining read of the tea leaves, to either bank on Bosh re-signing next summer or to engineer an asset-salvaging trade before Bosh leaves for zilch.

Complicating it all is the reality that trading an all-star rarely yields equal value, which is why so many NBA teams give franchise-player contracts to second-tier all-stars. Certainly Bosh, centrepiece of a squad that has won exactly zero playoff series since he arrived, has cemented himself in the latter category. And more and more he comes off as a delusional duper-star. Alert observers still cringe at the season finale in Chicago, when the Texan – needing 18 rebounds to average an even 10 boards a game for the season – pulled down 19 caroms. Too bad his season-high binge came for selfish purposes on the last night of a lost campaign.

National Post

That is not to say Bosh is not critical of his own shortcomings; the four-time all-star is aware that he has hit a certain plateau in his career – as he puts it, "I’ve felt that I’ve been really stagnant." He has grand plans this summer to transform his body, which is still more foal than racehorse.

But Bosh also has a realistic assessment of his value on the National Basketball Association’s open market next summer, and has no plans to compromise that. Ask him if he considers himself a player worthy of a maximum NBA contract, and he does not hesitate.

Binary Basketball

Bosh is currently earning $14,410,581 over 2 years, the same as LeBron, Melo and Wade but will obviously look for more when he’s a free agent. The Knicks will continue to create cap space for the big 2010 class.

But in the mean time Toronto need to try and build a better team around Bosh so he will be convinced to stay with the Raptors, if they don’t do anything to improve the team Bosh will certainly not want to re-sign with the Raptors in 2010.

Detroit Bad Boys

Bosh is unique in that he has the game of a small forward (driving to the hoop, shooting range) in a power forward’s body. Defensively he gets bullied in the post by stronger players like Garnett, Sheed and Howard (but Howard can’t guard Bosh either — Bosh averaged 24/13 on 53% in four games against Orlando this year). Offensively, he’s efficient, but has rarely single-handedly taken over games late.

Barring on-court epiphany similar in magnitude to T-Pain, CB4 is Pau Gasol. If he improves defensively, then maybe Kevin Garnett. Players who are perfect 1A superstars in the league. They will put up mad numbers but for whatever reason, those numbers correlate more with All-Star game appearances than winning and playoff success.

The Knicks Blog

So let’s just say that both Jrue Holiday and Stephen Curry are off the board, and Tyreke Evans is there at 8. With what we now know about Toronto’s love affair, what does Donnie Walsh do?

Does he take Evans and immediately call Toronto and inquire about a possible Lee, (another contract might be necessary depending on what Lee signs for) and Evans for Chris Bosh deal? You’d think that the conversation would take place especially if Walsh somehow acquires a later first round pick. He’d take Evans and sign Lee then look up “C” for “Colangelo.”

Toronto Sun

There was some hysteria over a story or two yesterday that suggested that pending free agent Chris Bosh was finished in this town after next season.

The Raptors star played down the talk last night on The Fan.

He suggested that some people were putting words in his mouth.

"I’d say the odds are good (he would be a Raptor beyond next season)," Bosh said.

"I like it here, that’s what people don’t understand. I like it here … Toronto has treated me well."

Bleacher Report

The Raptors went from Atlantic division champions to squeezing into the playoffs to being a lottery team, and it seems Bosh is the same player throughout.

The only season they truly had success, Bosh not only was not being asked to create, but also not being asked to carry the offense in the clutch; that was TJ Ford’s job.

Therefore, if the Raptors were eliminated in New Jersey, it wasn’t only because Bosh was being stopped by journeymen centers like Mikki Moore and Collins, but because TJ Ford isn’t the type of talent who can successfully carry an offense.

Bleacher Report

In the 2009 draft, the ninth pick is a roll of the dice between any of about ten players.  Some mock drafts have the Raptors taking Jrue Holliday, guard from UCLA, others have them taking Stephen Curry from Davidson or forward Earl Clark from Louisville.  Look for a point guard to be the eventual choice, which one though is anybody’s guess.

So when there is no clear-cut draft pick, what is the GM to do?  He starts making some phone calls around the league to find out how he can improve his team through a trade.

When trying to understand how GM Colangelo would shape them team through trade, we need to look at the needs of the Raptors;

Hoops Addict

17th – Toronto Raptors

Original Pick: Michael Bradley, F, Villanova
New Pick: Kwame Brown, C, High School

I think a major reason that Brown never developed was the pressure of being the top pick in a draft. Combine that with what I’m sure was constant ridicule from Jordan and Brown really had no chance. Send him to Canada to learn to get tough from Antonio Davis, an elder Hakeem Olajuwon and a grinder that was Jerome Williams. You never know…

Celtics 17

Once again, there were rumors during this year’s trade deadline that Stoudemire could be heading to Toronto in exchange for Bosh, but the rumors fell apart hours before the deadline hit (like all others did).
Stoudemire could be the perfect partner with Jose Calderon, who, like current Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, is very effective in the pick-and-roll and open court game, which Stoudemire thrives in.
The Raptors may not immediately become contenders after this move, but they would certainly have a chance of making the playoffs.

Josemanuelcalderon.com

This past May after his return from Canada, José Manuel was assessed by the medical team of the Central Sports Research Unit of the Faculty of Sports Sciences of the University of Castilla-La Mancha.

Jose had an ultrasound and a study of his dynamic muscle function and morphology in order to determine the status of his recent muscular injury and the most appropriate treatment for his recovery. The results of these analyses helped José Manuel to make his decision to renounce his attendance in the European Championship and focus on his recovery throughout the summer.

Khandors Sports Blog

It seems as though a certain segment within Raptorville is, once again, suffering from grotesque “delusions of grandeur”, regarding the actual ability and hoped for improvement of Andrea Bargnani [C, 7-0, 250, 2006 No. 1 Overall Selection] this off-season.

i.e. According to Doug Smith, in a segment on PrimeTime Sports [FAN590] yesterday, a legitimate case can be made that Bargnani might qualify as the 2nd Best Center in the Eastern Conference [EC] over the course of the 2009-2010 season.

Dino Nation Blog

But if you put down your pitch forks and calm down for just a second. If you are the agent for Chris Bosh. Why would you not take this course of action. What happened today is not a ticket out of town for Chris Bosh. In fact in his interview on Hoops he said he likes Toronto and he said that the city has been good to him for 6 years he has been here. Why there is this massive panic to trade Chris Bosh before he leaves has never made any sense to me. It makes even less sense than the stories and comments that T.J Ford was this bad dude that was the problem with the Toronto Raptors. When are people going to chill out and relax about these things. I have read little to nothing positive about the Toronto Raptors since the season ended. A guy that was one of only 3 players in the NBA to record a 20 and 10 season is suddenly not worth having out of fear he is going to walk away? It is crazy.

Up until the draft, we are going to talk to Chris about college hoops, top prospects, international players, who the Raptors should be targeting, and why NetScouts should be retained by Colangelo to shore up our scouting. Part 1 after the jump:

Q. What do you look for in a player that other scouts may not?
A. I can’t speak for other scouts but one thing I look for is results. What did they get done? A guy may look good in a uniform and run and jump well but never gets a rebound and is a low percentage shooter. I would prefer the guy who has shown he’ll produce for you. The best explanation of this is the NFL Combine and NBA Pre-Draft Camp where guys are tested on their physical abilities. Look at mock drafts before these events and then after and notice how some guy who jumped out of the gym is now a lottery pick but before he wasn’t a lock 1st round pick simply because he is an exciting athlete.

Last year Kevin Love and Michael Beasley were VERY similar in their ‘measurable’ scores such as 3/4 court sprint, cone drill, etc. Prior to that event everyone thought Love was too slow and not athletic enough to play. Another example is a guy like Josh Howard who slid to the 29th pick of the draft after being the 2003 ACC Player of the Year! I guess 28 teams decided to ignore what he did night in and night out in the ACC, “he’s ‘only’ 6’6 (but has very long arms) and not overly strong or quick” so he slid down the draft board. He’s since become an All-Star and played on a good Dallas team who regularly makes the playoffs.

In this years draft there are several guys who fit this label such as Ty Hansbrough, Dajuan Blair, and Sam Young. I’ll be curious to see where they go.

Sam Young - Slept on/ready to step up?

Q. What is the toughest position to scout for?
A. I think the Center position is the toughest because automatically we all love that size. Get the 7’0 franchise center for your organization! Well, not many big men have panned out lately. Although he’s coming off injury and just completed his official Rookie season, Greg Oden is a great example for this question. He has not performed to the ability it appeared he had coming out of Ohio State and a lot of people are starting to question just how good he’ll end up being. So he is replaced by Kosta Koufas at Ohio State, a skilled big man who also comes out early and is selected by the Jazz. He spends his entire year either on the bench or in the NBA Developmental League. Now the third young big man from Ohio State, BJ Mullins, is coming out early and being projected as a late lottery to mid-first round pick. This guy didn’t even start at Ohio State and his numbers pale in comparison to the other two.

Perhaps someone will take him, develop him and he becomes the best of the 3 but I think that is what makes evaluating the Big Men the toughest for scouts.

Q. The Raptors need a 2/3 that can defend and score from the perimeter, who should they be targeting?
A. If the Raptors are looking for a 2/3 that can defend and score from the perimeter, they can go a couple ways. Do they want an Combo-Guard/Shooter type who can also play some point or do they want more size in a Small Forward/Wing type guy who might be able to slide over to the two spot as well? Or will they simply take the ‘Best Available Player’ on the board? Once they make those decisions I think it’s important to look at the option of trading up to get their guy or going 2 for 1 and trading down. If the position is deep or the guy you want may be available later and you can get another value pick or player for the 9th, trade it! The Spurs & Blazers have made a killing doing this type of thing over the past few years.

Specifically they’ll be looking at:

• James Harden, 6’5 218 SG, Arizona State (Lefty, scorer, would probably need to trade up)
• DeMar DeRozen, 6’7 200 SF/SG, USC (only 19 years old, up and down year at USC)
• Chase Budinger, 6’7 218 SF/SG, Arizona (Shooter, good athlete)
• Sam Young, 6’6 215 SF, Pitt (Tough, proven All-Big East performer)
• Gerald Henderson, 6’5 215 SG, Duke (Great Leaper, father was NBA Player)
• Terrance Williams, 6’6 220 SG, Louisville (Multi-Skilled, Best Passer of group)
• Tyreke Evans, 6’5 195 SG, Memphis (only 19 years old, streak shooter)

If they did want to consider a Combo Guard type of player they’d also look at:

• Stephen Curry, 6’3 185 Guard, Davidson (Best Shooter in the draft?)
• Jrue Holiday, 6’4 195 SG/PG, UCLA (18 years old, athletic defender, shaky season at UCLA)

If it were me, with the depth available, they may consider trading down and still coming away with Young, Henderson, or Williams and another player or pick.

Demar DeRozan - A few more years?

Q. Are you suggesting that the drop off from a DeMar DeRozan to a Sam Young (or one of the other guys) isn’t that steep? Is it a matter of that player needing to be in a certain situation to shine, or their ability/skill level that makes you say that?
A. Yes, it depends on how they have guys ranked and who they feel can help them, and if two guys are very close. But the consensus is that one is going very high, drop and take the other and get a second rd. pick or a vet player in the exchange. As an example, I for one, really like Sam Young and think DeRozan (although highly athletic) is a few years away. If I’m a team like the Raptors who went from playoffs to out, I must feel like I’m only a player or two away from challenging again, and can I wait on a young guy to develop? Take for example Courtney Lee of the Magic, he is a guy who played college ball, learned and developed, then found a role with a good team like Orlando shooting open 3′s when teams double Howard and playing tough defense. Sam Young, Terrance Williams, and Gerald Henderson could fill a similar role whereas I think DeRozan needs physical strength and maturity but could eventually be better than all of them. The question is, do the Raptors want to wait for that to happen?

Q. Lakers or Magic?
A. I’m not in the prediction business but I think you have to consider the Lakers the favorite with Kobe and they have home court.

Gasol & Bynum will be key to the LA attack as Howard has had occasional foul issues. If LA can get good defensive play from their role guys like Walton, Ariza, & Vujacic, and Lamar Odom they could wear down the Magic.

I like the Magic, I like how they play and think Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu have been terrific so from a fan perspective that is who I’ll be rooting for.

Smart pick? Lakers in 6.

If you have any questions you want Chris to answer, post them in the comments or drop me an email (rapsfan [at] raptorsrepublic [.] com). We are working on a few posts from now until the draft, so we will do our best to get them all answered.

Chris is active on Twitter, and one of the folks I enjoy following, you can catch him at @chrisdenker and @netscouts.

We’re active too, check us out: @raptorsrepublic @altraps @arsenalist @rapsfan

RaptorTalk

Within the next three weeks, Bryan Colangelo needs to decide if he trades Bosh for the best package available or if he chooses to hold on to Bosh and offer him a max deal in 2010. Of course, we all know that Bosh will not stay in Toronto for anything other than max money – 6 years/ $130 million.
While my personal preference would be to flip Bosh for a package of younger players and/or draft picks – let’s assume Bryan is leaning towards keep Bosh long term.

Bright Side Of The Sun

The Raptors desparately need a dynamic shooting guard that can score the ball. They can certainly fill that role in the draft with DeRozan or Curry but relying on a rookie to put up big numbers is never a good way to be consistently competitive.

The two names that come to mind are Jamal Crawford and Jason Richardson. I am fairly sure that the Raptors could use a combination of draft pick(s), cap space and minor contracts to aquire either of these players.

American Chronicle

Also Sunday, the New York Daily News speculated that Boozer might end up in Toronto if the Raptors feel pressure to trade Chris Bosh ahead of possibly losing him as a free agent next summer.

If nothing else, Toronto would be a humorous destination for Boozer, who spends his offseasons enjoying the sun of Miami.

Boozer is expected to opt out but has until June 30 to officially do so. He is due to make $12.7 million next season and voiced his desire to return to Utah after the Jazz were eliminated by the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

Bleacher Report

There is a possibility that if the Pistons were able to sign Boozer this summer, that they would move him in a deal to Toronto for Chris Bosh.  Most, if not all, would favor Bosh over Boozer in the Pistons’ system, which would be the highlight of the rebuilding program that Joe D is going to proceed with.

Globe And Mail

Memphis guard Tyreke Evans is among a group of players who might be available when the Toronto Raptors make their pick (No. 9) in the NBA draft. Evans’ wing-span was recently measured at 6 feet 113/4 inches, the largest measured of any guard in recent years, including Dwyane Wade. Evans has a big fan: U.S. President Barack Obama recently told the Maloof brothers, who own the Sacramento Kings, that they should take Evans when the Kings pick fourth overall.

Vegan Fish Tacos

Toronto Raptors- Tyreke Evans, SG/PG, Memphis. A pretty solid fit, though there is the possibility of DeJuan Blair if the Bosh situation clears itself up before draft day.

Sun-Sentinel

So Dwyane, for all the renewed speculation about a Wade-LeBron free-agent pairing in 2010, what should be made of the Bosh-Wade bond under Thomas?
"The only thing about that is Henry is a big player in 2010 because he has two of the players that people are talking about and wanting," Wade said. "Besides that, it really has no other indication of anything."
But with the NBA’s pre-draft combine in Chicago last week, it did afford Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo face time with Thomas.
"I think more emphasis has been put on us meeting than is necessary," Colangelo told the Canada-based Globe and Mail. "It’s very routine. It’s not like I’m going to be coming out of the weekend with plans to trade or start drawing up an agreement for a contract extension."
Yet nothing is routine when a single agent holds the key to two teams’ futures. It is why Heat President Pat Riley acknowledged "other business" in Chicago last week beyond the combine, while declining to go into specifics.

Straight To The League

The Raptors must decide whether or not to offer a no doubt huge contract to an unsettled Shawn Marion.

If they decide to abandon Marion to pursue his quest for respect/money/star status elsewhere, they simply must look to sign another superstar. Why? If they don’t Chris Bosh is leaving in 2010.

Another losing season like the one that Toronto has just experienced will all but secure his departure to greener pastures.

In all likelihood the Raptors will need to sign more than one ‘big’ player to help assuage Bosh‘s feelings. Luckily they do have options, if the money is available.

They could make a run at Carlos Boozer whose time as a member of the Utah Jazz could well be over. A Boozer/Bosh front court? Ummm. The Jazz, who also have Mehmet Okur, Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap to re-sign, will struggle to make an offer to Boozer which will satisfy his $100 million contract rumours.

Bleacher Report

The following is a listing of ten prospects the Raptors should give a very good look at, and where they’ll likely be drafted.

Some of these players will be drafted ahead of the ninth spot and the Raptors would have to trade up a few spots to nab them.

Others will be available later in the first round and could be had by utilizing the money acquired in the Jermaine O’Neal trade to buy a draft pick as team’s prepare for a declining economy.

About.com

9. Toronto Raptors – DeMar Derozan (SG/SF – USC)
With both Anthony Parker and Shawn Marion likely to leave the team, a swingman makes sense for the Raptors. So would a point guard, to provide insurance for Jose Calderon.

Atlanta Journal Constitution

9. Toronto

• Tyreke Evans, 6-6, 215, point guard, Memphis

• The skinny: Evans bolted from Memphis just time to join a Raptors team trying to retool in time to keep Chris Bosh.

Remember to follow @raptorsrepublic for updated news throughout your busy day.

Toronto Sun

It may wind up the Raptors only get to see a guy they are potentially interested in at a group event like Chicago this week, Minneapolis early next week or New Jersey a week before the draft.

Even the Chicago event this week may turn out to be much ado about nothing. While Kelly is confident the Raptors will at least get solid medical information on the players, finding out anything further about their game and abilities from these workouts will be much less certain. Unlike in the past when these combines were held in Orlando, the NBA has altered the formula, eliminating the 3-on-3 portion of the event in hopes of attracting more of the top draft-eligibles to the proceedings. Top picks were staying away from Orlando in droves not wanting to expose any possible weaknesses in their game, which are more likely to show up in game action.

Individual interviews, however, will be conducted as well as physicals in Chicago.

Kelly might even get a little closer to a confirmed schedule of visits but as of yesterday, that still was very much a work in progress.

Globe and Mail

“It at least gives us a chance to see and meet with some players we might not otherwise work out,” Colangelo said. “You never know, a guy projected to go in the top five who won’t work out for us in Toronto might slip down on draft night, and at least this way we’ve met him and have a feel for him.”

Colangelo is also scheduled to meet with a half-dozen agents, among them Henry Thomas, who represents Chris Bosh and Anthony Parker. Bosh is eligible for a contract extension this summer and free agency next summer, and Parker is a free agent this summer.

All the meetings are preliminary, according to Colangelo, who does not have a meeting set with Dan Fegan, who represents Shawn Marion, the Raptors’ other free-agent starter.

“I think more emphasis has been put on us meeting than is necessary. I’m meeting with Henry, but Henry also represents Anthony Parker, and I’m meeting with five or six other agents. It’s very routine. It’s not like I’m going to be coming out of the weekend with plans to trade [Bosh] or start drawing up an agreement for a contract extension. It’s early in the process.”

Hoops Addict

9. Toronto Raptors – Gerald Henderson SG
21 years old, 6?5?, 215 lbs.
Duke, Junior

Pete Marasmitch

Yeah, Evans would fill a need on this Raptors team – scoring depth – but defense is a greater need. I guess the draft isn’t the only way to get it.
From netsurfing, I see that Evans is a scorer with a huge wingspan (7?3?), but a dominant ball handler who turns it over a bit much. Comparisons include T-Mac, Jamal Crawford and … ugh … Larry Hughes.

Hoops World

The Raptors were among the league worst rebounding teams and Colangelo loves toughness… I have spoken to both Bryan and Jay Triano this summer… they see two guard as a need, but not their most pressing need the will make an offer to Anthony Parker, Triano wants him back, they are also hoping to get Carlos Delfino back… I expect two guard to be addressed in free agency or trade and for the Raptors to get in the mix at the bottom of the first round.
Just spoke with one of Toronto’s people in the lobby and they are really struggling to narrow things down, so anything really could happen with them.

Sporting News

9. Toronto Raptors
Chase Budinger, G/F

Fan590

Jerry Colangelo. The man behind the 2008 Redeem Team joins Prime Time Sports to discuss the situation involving the Phoenix Coyotes, since he was a key figure in moving the Jets to Arizona. He also talks about Jay Triano, along with the future of USA basketball.