#3 Marcus Banks stats
Raps Fan: Probably the most disappointing player in the entire league. How bad was he? The Gatorade cooler helped the Raptors win more games then he did last season. There are signs of life though, he is saying he wants to contribute and has game and such. He could start by taking over the water/juice duty from Jose at half-time.
#7 Andrea Bargnani stats
Raps Fan: If VL can recreate his performance sans Smitch, and grab a few more boards a game, he will have earned that $50mil extension Colangelo dropped in his lap in the summer. Heading into year 4, expectations are high, but he looks good to deliver, the Mail Man he aint, but with the focus pointed away from him, watch for the goods.
#0 Marco Belinelli stats
Raps Fan: He can shoot, drive, create and apparently defend, and is solid insurance while DeRozan gets accustomed to life in the NBA. If he can bring the pain, then things will get super interesting at the ACC.
#4 Chris Bosh stats
Raps Fan: Bigger. Faster. Stronger. Franchise. Elite. Max Player. Our man is a free-agent at the end of the year, and winning is everything. BC has retooled and given him a deepish team that he can win a few games with and make some noise. It’s up to Bosh now to make do with what he has, and take this team to the playoffs. Here’s hoping he resigns because we wont be able to recover if we lose another franchise player.
#8 Jose Calderon stats
Raps Fan: That injury was worse then we all realized, 6cm tear, but he had the summer off and will be pushed to perform night in and out by The Franchises BFF. Some folks, me included, are super excited to see him play some off-guard. Catching and shooting from the wing, should be a thing of beauty.
#10 DeMar DeRozan stats
Raps Fan: Heir Canada spent all summer Tweeting about practicing and hitting the gym hard. Turns out he wasn’t lieing. The kid showed up to training camp with some added muscle. The kid is raw, but he isn’t expected to be the man from the opening tip. All he has to do is play some D on the wing, grab some boards, fill the lane on the break and put down some nasty dunks. Do Kobe proud (link to kobe shoe article).
#5 Quincy Douby stats
Raps Fan: The best performer on the summer-league team. Banks should have taken note. Douby has earned himself 3rd string point honours as well as occasional spot up duty at the 2. The kid is looking good to be the sentimental crowd favourite.
#30 Reggie Evans stats
Raps Fan: One of the stand-outs from training camp. Arse begged for him two years ago, and his dreams were answered. We finally have a nasty, dirty, tough son-a-bitch to patrol the paint, which should bode when lined up with either Bosh or Bargnani.
#1 Jarrett Jack stats
Raps Fan: You have to admit, Jose is much better when his minutes are managed and is being pushed by his alternate. Jack steps in and fills the big whole TJ held down had two years ago. Factor in that the Raptors committed four years to the Franchises BFF (strategic genius), and you have to like this signing from every angle.
#15 Amir Johnson stats
Raps Fan: History tells us that Bosh will be injured for a few games this season. This season, the Raptors finally have a backup if[STRIKE] when Bosh goes down. Johnson is athletic, long, defensive minded, and active in the low block. How Johnson responds with the minutes he gets will go a long way in validating what Dumars saw in him when he drafted the kid and gave him that contract, and what BC saw in the kid when he gave up a young pg and a quality wing.
#12 Rasho Nesterovic stats
Raps Fan: It should be noted that Rasho was on both those Raptor teams that made the playoffs the last two times. Coincidence? I think not.
#13 Patrick O’Bryant stats
Raps Fan: AltRaps is looking for big things from this kid, and with good reason. POB13 is poised for a breakout year. He has the size and agility, but does he want it? That’s the question.
#26 Hedo Turkoglu stats
Raps Fan: For the first time in franchise history we landed the premiere free-agent. Lots of talk about giving a 30 year a 5 year deal, but if he can make that high pick-n-roll with Bosh purr, take some playmaking pressure off Jose and hit a couple clutch shots – he will be worth every penny. For the record, I don’t think he’s our saviour, but he makes this team better.
#24 Sonny Weems stats
Raps Fan: There can only be one. Bizzaro or not, with the arrival of Sonny, the writing was on the ball for Joey Graham. What started out as a throw-in to make salaries work, has turned into the best interview this team has had since Oakley.
#21 Antoine Wright stats
Raps Fan: You can’t rank his performance with a number, *couch* PER *cough*, but the guy leaves his mark on the game. He started for the Mavs, and gave Melo a hell of time on D. These are things that get me excited.