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