It’s not clear exactly how these moves change the power structure of the East just yet, because there’s a lot of roster-building still to do. It does, however, create another team with heavy recruiting power for the “ring-chasing veterans” group, as Dwyane Wade has always been a strong recruiter and Chicago’s a great city. It also leaves the Heat in a weird, disaster of a position, and maybe a Josh McRoberts hits the block as a result (I’ve been asked about Chris Bosh, too – it’d be awesome, but it would be very tough to match salary in a way that helps the Heat, and nobody seems all that clear on Bosh’s playing status).
Anyway, the moratorium is lifted. Things can officially be signed now, which should open up the trade market a little more and establish the mid-level market. That doesn’t mean something will happen just yet, but it’s a safe bet that something will when I’m on a plane later and unable to cover it. (I’m off to Vegas for Summer League.)
Summer League preview | Raptors Republic
Norman Powell – Last year, he wanted to make a name for himself and fight his way to a roster spot. Not satisfied with doing so and earning All-Tournament honors – because when would he ever be? – Powell returns to Vegas with his eyes firmly on a championship. If the Raptors make such a run, expect the sophomore to take home MVP honors. He’s probably “too good” for summer league, but Powell’s the type who would have been working his tail off somewhere in the offseason, anyway, so why not do it within a game situation with his teammates?
Report: Raptors have made inquiry about Drew Gooden | Raptors Republic
And the Raptors, well, they can probably do better. “Why not just re-sign Jason Thompson,” Daniel Reynolds, managing editor of RaptorsHQ asked at our gate, waiting for a flight to Vegas for Summer League as he watched me write this. And yeah, why not, if that’s the type of asset you can bring in by letting Thompson go? Gooden’s been solid for a long time but was essentially deemed unplayable by the Wizards last year, averaging 2.7 points in 10.2 minutes over 30 appearances and shooting 32 percent from the floor. There’s something to be said for experience, and Gooden shot 39.5 percent on threes over a small-ish sample in the two years before last and has long been a strong rebounder, but those are skills the Raptors can find elsewhere and maintain continuity. If advanced stats are more your thing, Gooden ranked 90th out of 99 power forwards in Real Plus-Minus last season, and nearly all of his offensive metrics got worse.
Raptors Summer League: Practice Update – July 7, 2016 – YouTube
Raptors Summer League: Norman Powell – July 7, 2016 – YouTube
Raptors Summer League: Jerry Stackhouse – July 7, 2016 – YouTube
Raptors Summer League: Delon Wright – July 7, 2016 – YouTube
Raptors Summer League: E.J. Singler – July 7, 2016 – YouTube
DeMarre Carroll on Instagram: “#TEAMCARROLL SQUAD
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHlEyFYAbLC/
Delon Wright on Instagram: “”Rook I was open”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHlXmH8hhgc/
BarDown: Raptors merch is one of the most popular in the NBA according to latest rankings | BarDown
The fact that the Raptors are ahead of a team like the New York Knicks speaks volumes to the continued growth of the franchise and where the franchise is headed.
Las Vegas Summer League 2016 Primer: Here’s what you need to know | Raptors HQ
Is there anything to win?
Of course!
Like every tournament, the Las Vegas Summer League has an MVP award, a championship title on the line, and even a championship MVP award. This is serious business. Past winners include the Golden State Warriors in 2013 (when their very own Ian Clark won the championship MVP), the Sacramento Kings (they won something!) in 2014, and the San Antonio Spurs (does their dominance ever end???) in 2015.
And before you get all glum and say the Raptors never win anything, remember: Jonas Valanciunas won the league MVP back in 2013. What a highlight!
(An aside: Norm Powell has let it be known that he’ll be gunning for the MVP honours this year. Let’s get turnt.)
NBA Free Agency: Raptors reportedly expressing interest in Drew Gooden | Raptors HQ
Resisting the urge to cringe at the sight of Gooden’s name being mentioned in relation the Raptors is difficult at first, but when you consider that the power forward spot should mostly be the domain of Patrick Patterson and DeMarre Carroll (in small units) this season, you could come up with worse options to soak up 10 minutes against opposing backups.
So far so quiet for Raptors in off-season | Toronto Sun
Perhaps because of an unfamiliarity or even an unease with winning, or due to a fear of things reverting to the far too familiar bad old days in Toronto, a vocal contingent of Raptors fans is up in arms over Masai Ujiri’s failure to improve the club this off-season while rivals have been busy shuffling players in and out.
There is some fairness to the angst — the Raptors, having finally broken through with 50 wins and a conference finals berth for the first time, finally drawing more eyeballs to the product in the process, cannot step back now, not with the East still wide open behind Cleveland. Power forward remains a gaping hole, the team’s top defensive player, centre Bismack Biyombo, bolted for Orlando and there isn’t nearly enough quality shot-making dotting the roster in today’s three-point obsessed NBA.
And it’s not like the previous group didn’t overachieve in the first place. The team easily could have fallen in the playoffs against the Pacers or Heat, despite its higher seeding.
Ujiri and his staff still have plenty of work to do, to be sure and they definitely will dig up a reinforcement or two at some point.
In the meantime, don’t confuse the significant movement in the East as proof that a number of teams have now leapfrogged last year’s No. 2 seed.
1-on-1 with Raptors’ Powell: On Kobe, Wade, NBA rivals, Summer League & more | Sportsnet.ca
It was something that was just embodied in me, I guess. It comes from my family, I think. My uncle is the reason I started playing basketball and his mentality has always rubbed off on me, you know, being the underdog and whatnot. He has his own business and when he started that up people didn’t believe in him to be successful with it. I watched him work through everything, and my mom is the same way. That’s really where it all started.
And then I picked things up from watching my favourite players. Seeing the way Kobe was playing—he’d put on that Mamba face and you just know everybody’s in trouble [laughs]. Dwyane Wade, Russell [Westbrook], are the same way, attacking everybody. I love that. I wanted that for myself. Their mentalities really rubbed off on me and I embodied that killer instinct. That’s me when I step onto the court.
