The Raptors surely got all kinds of goodies this holiday season, but here¹s a look at what should have really been on their Christmas lists:
One reason the Raptors are about where they were last year is because the middle teams of the Eastern Conference are all relatively mediocre. This means the Raptors could yet make the playoffs if they go on a roll (they missed out to the Chicago Bulls on the last day of last season).
You could say that Bosh is having a sub-par year. He’s averaging about 18 points per game and eight rebounds. "I don’t know what happened to his game when he went to Miami," said fan Ravi Hansra of Brampton.
But Cybulski said Bosh has a different role in Miami.
"The sense among basketball experts is that Bosh is a great complementary player, not necessarily the franchise player," he said.
"To win in basketball, it’s not just about one star player any more. You need at least two star players and a strong supporting cast."
After seven seasons in Cleveland, when he could have left in four, he went to the end, trying to figure out how to stay, asking star after star — Bosh, Wade, Chris Paul — to join him.
Myriad sources involved in last July’s far-flung process say it was only after LeBron couldn’t bring in help that he turned to Plan B, as in Bananas.
More sources involved at other levels confirm parts of the story.
A Toronto source says Bosh turned down a Raptors offer to trade him to Cleveland, which would have given him a max deal, $10 million bigger than the one he took in Miami.
A New Orleans source says the Cavaliers pursued Paul, one of James’ closest friends, who would have been overjoyed to go.Unfortunately, with Paul signed through 2012, the Hornets wouldn’t have taken the entire Cavalier roster for him.
James didn’t make his decision until Bosh told him he was going to Miami with Wade … who had almost bolted for Chicago, taking Bosh, before yielding to pleas by Heat President Pat Riley and owner Micky Arison.
