Has everybody Jonazzed in their pants yet? Good, let’s move on to this series I’m regretting having started because it’s so damn depressing.
A classic failed quick-fix, Colangelo tried to pair-up Chris Bosh with Jermaine O’Neal and hoped Andrea Bargnani would fit somewhere in the mess. He gave up Roy Hibbert, who would have looked good right about now in a Raptors uniform. The draft and the season were wasted because of this one move. Colangelo succumbed to the idea that Jose Calderon was a starting caliber point guard, and didn’t hesitate to break up the Forderon combination which had worked only too well, at least before fans/media turned it into a PG controversy and forced one out.
Grade: F
Team impact: Very negative.
A money-saving trade that freed up a roster spot which was used on either Pops Mensah-Bonsu or Quincy Douby, take your pick.
Grade: C+
Team impact: None
This is Colangelo applying two quick fixes in one move in addition to a self-destructive blow: 1) Get rid of O’Neal to promote Bargnani to the starting center and hope Marion’s rebounding/defense can make up for the the former, 2) Enter the summer sweepstakes early to overpay for another bad fit (Hedo Turkoglu). Self-Destructive Blow: The Heat used the cap-space freed up by O’Neal to sign Chris Bosh (albeit in a sign-and-trade). The pick the Raptors threw in there was too much of a cost at the time, and in hindsight, maybe letting O’Neal expire a year later would have been the smarter move (at least it could’ve avoided the whole Turkoglu fiasco).
Grade: C
Team impact: Negative
Solomon was absolutely awful and possibly the worst Raptor since the expansion years. Patrick O’Bryant was worse. I mean, at least Will Solomon entertained by committing turnovers whilst attempting over-the-back passes into the backcourt. Patrick O’Bryant just sat there staring into space.
Grade: C
Team impact: Negligibily negative.
This was a great trade but I’m only giving this a B because for one reason: it should have happened two years earlier when the Raptors lost to the Nets and Evans was very much available. Instead that summer we got Jason Kapono. Colangelo corrected, but it was way too late. He’s been injured a lot, but did provide what was advertised, however the Raptors never quite replaced Jason Kapono’s outside shooting.
Grade: B
Team impact: Positive.
The Raptors gave up on Humphries who needed the oxygen of minutes to get himself noticed, and he did. Hedo Turkoglu was a disaster from day one, and it was clear that nobody had communicated to him the role he was expected to play in Toronto. This is like that bad project at work where everybody hates each other and can’t stand to be in the same room. This project did end, but just like with Jermaine O’Neal, not until another year was wasted.
Grade: F
Team impact: Very negative.
Colangelo had been chasing Belinelli for quite some time, and when he finally got him and gave him the promise of minutes, Belinelli did nothing but disappoint. The culmination of his crapiness had to be that late-season playoff game against the Bulls where he missed four wide-open threes, sending the Raptors into another lottery. Absolutely criminal.
Grade: C
Team impact: Very minimal, but positive.
Amir Johnson turned out to be a good player, and is headed for a long-career as a rotation player. Sonny Weems showed early potential only to lull himself to sleep as he lost his place on the team. Who’s the better player as of right now, Delfino or Johnson?
Grade: B+
Team impact: Positive.
In case you missed it, there’s a part one to this affair.
