In Colangelo We Trust: Toronto Raptors Draft Day Preview

The Belgian — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:17:36 -0400

"In BC we trust!"

During the first two years of Bryan Colangelo's tenure as Toronto Raptors General Manager, this was a popular saying amongst the fans. He had turned the troubled franchise around in a single season and was enjoying messianic status.

Coming off a terrible third season in which the Raptors failed to make the playoffs, his reputation has taken a hit and many fans have lost faith in their one-time savior.

But this summer he has the chance to redeem himself. He already managed to trade Jason Kapono for Reggie Evans, not an easy thing to do.

Colangelo's next stop will be the NBA Draft, where Toronto picks ninth. Colangelo has had great success picking at the ninth spot, picking up both Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire for the Phoenix Suns.

Who Is Colangelo Looking At

In an interview today on Toronto radio station Fan590, Colangelo said he is looking at DeMar DeRozan, Johnny Flynn, Jordan Hill, James Johnson, and Jrue Holiday with the Raptors pick.

That's a pretty logical list. With this said, the inclusion of Johnson, who looks like a reach at No. 9, and the omission of Gerald Henderson, who I thought he would at least consider, are surprises to me.

Then again, he could be setting a smokescreen and reach for a player who he thinks will fit our needs.

Colangelo also said he feels that Stephen Curry and Tyreke Evans will not be available at the No. 9 spot. I'm confident he would pick them if either became available.

Don't Expect Big Moves

The Raptors have very few valuable assets to make a move with on Draft Day. Jose Calderon, Andrei Bargnani, and Chris Bosh are off-limits and the rest of the Raptors lack vale.

Still, Colangelo knows the Raptors need an infusion of young talent. The Raptors are most likely going to trade the $3 million they received from the Marion trade and/or a player like Kris Humphries for a second first-round pick.

Another possible option would be to absorb a bad contract to move up in the draft or acquire another pick. Since Colangelo is looking to re-sign Marion, I don't expect him to do this. Forget I even mentioned it.

Who Am I Looking At

I have been looking at some guys. These are the players I like in this draft:

Tyreke Evans: If he falls, the Raptor must take him. His ability to break down his man would be invaluable. The way he carried a weak Memphis team looked promising. He should be the clear pick if he is available.

DeMar DeRozan: I'm not that huge a fan of DeRozan, but Toronto needs a major talent like him. He has an NBA-ready body and, unlike Gerald Green, he has a good attitude and work ethic. The superstar potential DeRozan possesses is too tempting to pass on, even for a skeptic like me.

Johnny Flynn: I like his game, his leadership, and his character. Flynn seems more than willing to play in Toronto, something Colangelo will surely value. The creation of a new version of the Calderon-Ford tandem would be a great lift for the struggling Raptors' bench.

Gerald Henderson: His defense and basketball IQ at the shooting guard could be huge for the Raptors. It is unlikely he busts and if he works on his three-point shot, I think he would be a great replacement for Anthony Parker.

Terrence Williams: This kid brings athleticism, rebounding, passing, and elite defense to the shooting guard position. Williams will be a reach at No. 9, but with a second pick I would be over the moon to have him.

Austin Daye: A high risk, high reward type of player I am certain we can obtain with a second pick. He is an amazing shooter and has good athleticism despite underachieving at the combine. If he adds some weight to his body, he could be a poor man's version of Rashard Lewis or even Kevin Durant.

I will end the article like I started it.

In BC I trust!... I have no other choice.

Why the Raptors Will Still Get Good Value If Bosh Leaves

The Belgian — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:53:28 -0400

The last few weeks, the US media and fans of US-based teams are confident that the Toronto Raptors and Chris Bosh will be parting ways this summer. This is quite possible, and I won't debate about that.

What has been bugging me, however, are the arrogant trade proposals being thrown around, thinking it is market value.

To give an example, though...I don't want to single them out.

Heat fans are now at the point where they believe Udonis Haslem-Marc Blount is good enough value for a Chris Bosh-type player, since Toronto won't want to lose him for nothing. I, however, am more confident that Toronto won't lose him for nothing, and I have several reasons to believe it.

Competent Management

You may not believe me, but the Vince Carter and Pau Gasol trades were horrible decisions by sometimes suspect GM's. The values they returned are not the going rate for borderline superstar players.

Especially Chris Wallace, who not only single-handedly brought the Lakers back to prominence, but also gave the Magic the PG they desperately needed for their run to the finals after Nelson went down.

Bryan Colangelo, on the other hand, is respected, something that always has a positive effect during negotiations, and has proven to be a sly trader in a similar situation. When Joe Johnson wanted to leave Phoenix, he got excellent value in Boris Diaw and two future picks.

Bosh Loves Green

Chris Bosh has clearly stated he wants a supermax contract in 2010. Since Toronto currently holds his Bird Rights, they are the only team that can offer him this six-year, $130 million deal, and he would have to be traded before 2010 or signed and traded during the summer of 2010 for another team to be able to offer this amount of money.

Supply and Demand

For my final reason, let me tell you how many teams Chris Bosh would want to sign with: Miami, Orlando, Cleveland, Chicago, New York, LAL, (Portland?), (Golden State?). That is 6-8 teams, and there is only one Chris Bosh.

If one team sends a horrible offer, the others are bound to send their own slightly-less horrible offer all the way unttil the offers become respectable and eventually establish a fair market value.

I conclude from this that Toronto may not get 100 percent of what Bosh is worth, but it's certainly going to beat Udonis Haslem and Marc Blount.

Bleacher Report - Articles by The Belgian

In Colangelo We Trust: Toronto Raptors Draft Day Preview

Why the Raptors Will Still Get Good Value If Bosh Leaves