Bleacher Report - Articles by Allan Wexler

What's with the Toronto Raptors?

Allan Wexler — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:03:05 -0400

In the Toronto media, prior to the start of the year, most of the brainiacs in the city were debating how many wins the Raptors would have in 2007-2008 and many, if not most, were betting on them winning at least 50 games. I was more negative predicting 44, but even that looks optimistic with the Raps having won 41 games with one game left.

What went wrong?

To begin with, there is no doubt in my mind that the Raptors overachieved last year and were never as good as they appeared, so the 47 wins that they achieved were not a proper indicator of the talent of this team. They caught many teams by surprise and got exceptional performances from the new faces including, TJ Ford, Anthony Parker, Andrea Bargnani and Jorge Garbajosa. In addition, Jose Calderon broke through to become a very good backup guard. Sam Mitchell mixed the parts well and the players responded with a terrific year, although ending in disappointment with a first round loss to the New Jersey Nets and No. 1 enemy Vince Carter.

Without a draft pick in the 2007 draft, the Raps went into this year with the same team (more or less). They were hoping that the experience gained from their division championship would enable them to advance even farther in the playoffs this year.

They didn't bank on the loss of Jorge Garbajosa, who fractured his leg against the Celtics near the end of the regular season last year, and, despite advice to the contrary, played in the World Championships for his country in the summer of 2007. As a result of not undergoing the surgery that the Raptors thought he required in the summer, he was sidelined all year undergoing surgery. All of a sudden, a team sorely lacking in toughness, defense and rebounding lost the one guy on the team who brought these traits to the arena each and every night. Don't get me wrong, Garbajosa is not an All-star, but on a team that is generally thought to be "soft" he is the one component that cannot be replaced. The loss of Garbajosa made a soft team, mushy.

Prior to Christmas, TJ Ford went down with an injury, and while he was able to recover and return to the lineup in the new year, a new controversy developed.

Who was the starting point guard?

Calderon played like a starter and the team responded with him leading the team. TJ responded poorly, believing that he shouldn't be knocked from the starting lineup as a result of an injury, and his play since that time has been of a pouting non-starter, who believes that he should be No. 1. He has forced the offensive game to the extent of failing to get others involved and his defense, always suspect because of his size, has continued to be a detriment to a poor defensive team. Lately, he has played better and the guard position may again be in good hands as the Raptors face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs, but my guess is that TJ has been pampered so as to showcase him for a trade this summer.

The biggest disappointment for the Raptors has been the play of Andrea Bargnani. He started off the year learning the center position, but never got a handle on the position. He was never a strong rebounder, to begin with, nor a good "help defender." The idea that he would be too quick for opposing centers was tempered by the fact that he had trouble defending the position. What was even more disappointing was his inability to shoot the ball, from any distance. While he has tried to be more effective by putting it on the floor, his effectiveness has been limited by the fact that teams are not respecting his shooting ability since he's shot so poorly this year. I still believe he's a good shooter, but some major work needs to be done this summer in building up his strength and confidence if he is to be the player that the Raps thought he would be.

A lot of the disappointment revolves around the failure of the coaching staff to deal with some of these issues. Sam Mitchell has not reined in TJ Ford, which is surprising given Mitchell's long time relationship with Ford. Either he is Ford's biggest fan (a possibility) or he really is trying to show the rest of the league that the guy is holding up so that his trade value is at its highest. He has shown the toughness with Bargnani, yanking him every time any mistake was made, a factor which undoubtedly led to Il Mago's loss of confidence. Mitchell has to find the middle ground with both these guys, because if the Raps are to play well in the playoffs, both Ford and Bargnani will have to produce.

And a first round win against Orlando, might just be the tonic needed to get Toronto fans to forget the disappointment of the regular season.

Some Thoughts on the NCAA Tournament

Allan Wexler — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:23:29 -0400

In my opinion, the greatest show on earth for any sports fan is the NCAA basketball tournament.

It brings together much that is good about college sports, and its sudden death format provides for a ton of excitement and a great deal of joy, or disappointment, for alumni, students, fans, and pool players. Men and women who wouldn't know the difference between a basketball and a grapefruit are entering tournament pools all over the world and the talk on Thursday to Sunday invariably revolves around the latest and greatest upset(s).

This year has been no different. Watching the games as religiously as I do, a few thoughts have come to mind:

I love Duke and the aura of the program, but how many games will Coach K be out-coached in until the fans critique his performance?

He has built a tremendous program (within the rules, I might add) but a near loss to Belmont this year and an actual loss to VCU last year, as well as this year's second round loss to West Virginia should make fans sit up and take note. How many high school All Americans can Duke amass before they make it back to the Sweet Sixteen?

He is sheltered from any criticism because of the tremendous job he has done at Duke for so long, but he shouldn't be absolved of responsibility for failing to have his teams properly prepared.

UCLA has, for so long, been the model of college basketball, and have done it with the West Coast flavour of finesse and the dubious reputation of being a tad soft.

Well, not this team!

They can thug you in the street as good as any Philadelphia Flyer hockey team and still possess enough finesse to beat up on other Pac-10 opponents that remain at the soft end of the scale.

Kevin Love is a joy to watch at the college effort and his maturity may be enough to take the Bruins to the title. I'm not convinced that he will be a star at the next level, but he certainly has grasped the college game. His two baskets in the last seven minutes of the game Saturday night against Texas A&M were sufficient evidence to me that the guy is a winner.

Anything can happen in college basketball and one bad game or one lucky shot can spell doom for any team. At this point, I like UCLA's chances of going all the way. A date with North Carolina will be tougher than any college football game we've seen for the past few years.

Those of us who live in Toronto had the pleasure of watching Del Curry ply his trade for the Raptors. An incredible shooter with one of the quickest releases I have ever seen, he was as reliable and professional a pro basketball player as you can ever hope to see.

Now, the player making the biggest splash in the tourney is Del's kid, Stephen Curry, who has simply been incredible in leading Davidson to the the Sweet Sixteen.

If there's a better shooter in the college game than Curry, I haven't seen him. As a matter of fact, if there's been a better shooter in the college game over the past 20 years, I'm not sure I have seen him.

While his press clippings may be almost as big as Lebron's, I wasn't too impressed all year with the play of OJ Mayo. I'm still not sure what position he plays because he's not a true point guard or a two. When the Trojans won big it was because of the effort of Davon Jefferson as much as Mayo.

If I were Mayo, I'd stick around at least one more year to hone my game, but with the kind of money he might get as a late lottery pick there's not much chance of that. He could be surprised by his late pick in the draft because his success in the NBA, in my opinion, is still very much up in the air.

Ben Howland left Pitt and may be a top five coach in college basketball, but I love the job that Jamie Dixon has done at Pitt and believe that he is, and will remain, one of the top coaches in the college game.

I think it's time for Jim Boeheim to scrap his vaunted zone defense and teach the dapper dandies how to defend one-on-one. Syracuse has as much talent as you can have on a college team and it is amazing that they failed, again, to even reach the tournament.

Yes, the injuries to Rautins and Devendorf were catastrophic, but a great Hall of Fame coach should have been able to nurse the remaining stars to the tourney. Both Boeheim and Calhoun may be getting a little long in the tooth, as their teams have underachieved for two years now.

Keep your hat on folks. There are still two more weeks to go and the excitement is sure to be there.

Roger Clemens, Get Yourself a Lawyer

Allan Wexler — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:47:47 -0500

The Roger Clemens hearing is very compelling television.

Inasmuch as we lose sight of the fact that this is simply a story of an athlete who plays a sport and may have taken substances which improved his endurance, strength, or longevity (or nothing), the one amazing factor in the whole equation is why Clemens is now forced to fight for his reputation when an early admission as to use, as others chose to do, would have permitted him to avoid the criticism and scrutiny that this hearing now promises to provide. And, in the end, he may face criminal prosecution as a result of the stand which he has chosen to take.

Roger Clemens has received terrible legal advice. His lawyers ought to be fired, and perhaps disciplined, if they were the ones who advised Roger to tape record telephone conversations and meet with his nanny prior to turning over her "contact information" to the investigating committee. Advising Clemens to go public with the tape-recorded telephone conversation with McNamee when the telephone conversation was inconclusive of anything was an historic mistake of epic proportions.

If they really had solid evidence which would have absolved Clemens from any wrongdoing, the same should have been turned over to the proper authorities. Instead, he chose to be a TV star, and public sentiment began to turn against Clemens quickly. McNamee is no angel, and a proven liar, but Clemens has fallen behind in his battle against such a weak opponent, because the advice he received was so faulty.

Ben Johnson did the same thing. After beating Carl Lewis in the 100 meters to win the Olympic gold medal, he was stripped of the medal after failing a urine test. During the public inquiry in Canada, Johnson maintained his innocence before Justice Dubin, when a simple admission of wrongdoing would have been accepted by the public and forgiveness would have been forthcoming. Instead, as a result of terrible advice, he compounded the problem by maintaining his innocence until such a time that he could no longer do so.

And we also know that criminal prosecution and incarceration lays in wait for those who are convicted.

The better advice would have been for Roger to have admitted taking whatever substances he took, and maintain that he relied on the advice of McNamee. The "steroids" did not make Roger the pitcher he was, but may have contributed to some degree to his success. But we already know that he won two Cy Youngs prior to meeting McNamee and was a household name in baseball lore before he allegedly immersed himself in drugs. Clearly, he had the talent and work ethic prior to these transgressions, if they occurred.

Why exacerbate the problems by lying? Poor advice is one answer.

The Week in Basketball: Shaq, Steve Nash, Duke, and Bob Knight

Allan Wexler — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:28:58 -0500

Shaq has made the news again and there is a lot of controversy as to whether the Suns ought to have made the deal which sent Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to Miami for Shaquille O'Neal.

I think it makes sense for both teams. The Heat probably hope that Marion does not exercise his option to stay in Miami next year, which would free up close to $20 million of cap room for the Heat and with the hope that Wade gets healthy, Haslem continues to develop, and with a top draft choice, it would not take much to make the Heat competitive again.

For the Suns, they obviously made the decision that they could never win it all as they were constituted so they broke up the big three and went for size in the middle. It will allow for Stoudemire to play the power forward position and allow them to match up better against the Spurs and Lakers.

The real problem will be on defense where Nash will now have to defend the best guards, a job usually assigned to Marion. At 34 years of age, this could really wear Nash down and lessen his effectiveness at the offensive end.

If Shaq is healthy, he will be a big help and for those that fear that he is too slow, just remember that someone has to get the rebound, make the outlet pass and need not follow the guys breaking downcourt—so his failure to run like Marion may not be such a disadvantage. At playoff time, where half court sets are more the order of the day, Shaq will fit in well.

In Toronto, the TJ Ford vs. Jose Calderone debate continues.

I can't understand why the fans of Toronto don't accept that two guards can co-exist on one team and provide that team with 48 minutes of great guard play. Both TJ and Jose have their own styles of play which give opposing teams a different look and I like the idea of the Raptors playing with these two guys for the next 10 years. Who cares who starts or who finishes? Go with the hot hand at the moment.

Fans in Toronto are back on the Andreas Bargnani bandwagon (for this week), as he has played three very good games in a row.

What's really interesting about Bargnani is that he has had great statistical games against the best teams—Lakers, Spurs, Pistons and Mavs. He has looked far more comfortable shooting the basketball and continues to improve at the defensive end. But it's his offense that will keep him in the league and he can do it all.

I believe that Sam Mitchell will make him a complete player.

The excitement at the Duke-North Carolina game was there in spades, but the game also demonstrated the weaknesses of both teams. Duke doesn't rebound well enough to make a long run in the tournament and North Carolina can go very cold from the perimeter.

I'll tell you one thing though. Kyle Singler is one heck of a ball player. I'd love to be his agent in the years ahead.

I had an opportunity to watch UCLA-Arizona last weekend and was impressed not only with Kevin Love (player of the year?) but with the exceptional athleticism of Russell Westbrook, the UCLA guard who was an afterthought in their recruiting efforts two years ago. He can do it all and has a future at the next level.

I'm still not sold on the Lakers. Kobe is magnificent, but Gasol is weak defensively and Odom is...Odom. If he ever played to his press clippings, I would not have the doubts I have. I'm surprised the Lakers didn't try to get Lowry in the Memphis trade as they could use a pure point guard, Jordan Farmar notwithstanding.

Bob Knight will be back coaching.

I have to believe there is more to his sudden decision to step away from Texas Tech to allow his son Pat to take over the reins. My own belief is that he has already been contacted by another school which has interested him and rather than putting himself in the position of knowing he was going elsewhere while coaching TT, he stepped aside.

Look for him to be back on the bench either next year or in 2009-2010. I also say it will be a Big 10 school, although I won't be so bold as to say Indiana.

See you all next week.

Week Two of the Australian Open: Maria Sharapova's Conquest, Shuffling Feet, and a Classy Breakout Player

Allan Wexler — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:07:26 -0500

Week Two of the Aussie Open was just as exciting as the first. Now we anxiously await the finals, sure to prove unpredictable.

I can't believe Maria Sharapova can be beaten, given this week’s performance. Don't get me wrong—Ana Ivanovic is a masterful player and ready for the finals. But Sharapova has been awe inspiring, particularly with her demolition of Justine Henin in the quarters.

Jelena Jankovic did not fare so well against Sharapova, and one can only dream of what might have been if the Williams sisters hadn't lost as early as they did.

By the way, is this the first time a Williams sister has lost without blaming it on some injury?

And Daniela Hantuchova's insistence that Ivanovic’s shuffling feet prior to the serve caused a disruption to her game: PAHLEEEEEZ. Give me a break. Hantuchova hasn’t defeated any player of consequence in getting this far in the tourney and should thank the Aussies for a very generous draw. If she could focus more on her game and less on the shuffling of feet, she might regain some of the promise she showed as a 16 year old.

At any rate, I say Sharapova over Ivanovic in two sets, 6-3, 6-3.

The men's side has been tremendous.

Novak Djokovic has not been challenged once during this tournament and for those who think his defeat of Roger Federer was a fluke, let me remind you that he had the Fed beaten at the U.S. Open, only to throw away the match—and he did beat him in Montreal a year ago.

Novak is the real thing, a far more formidable opponent than Rafael Nadal on a hard surface, and his talent should raise him to the No. 2 spot this year.

The story of this tournament has been Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a very gifted Frenchman who has never accomplished so much as he has in the past two weeks. The Australian Open has a history of players who did very well here, and then disappeared for the balance of their careers to be middle of the road pros—and Tsonga could fall into that role.

I loved his reaction to beating Nadal. Rather than falling to the ground and kissing the court or jumping up and down like an idiot, he showed class and respect for his opponent by simply approaching the net and congratulating Rafael. He did his customary jumping, etc., after Nadal had left the court and I wish more "pros" would take a lesson from his behavior.

I hope Tsonga plays well against Djokovic. It's a great story.

But, I say Novak in three relatively easy sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

Enjoy the finals!

Australian Open: Andy Roddick, Williams Sisters Punctuate Week One

Allan Wexler — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:19:07 -0500

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam event of 2008, has produced many entertaining matches in the first week of play. It has also raised, in my mind, questions about the grand old sport of tennis.

Why is there such an infatuation with Andy Roddick? He is a one-dimensional tennis player who has won just a single Grand Slam while acting as though he totes 20 such titles. He had a wonderful time at the U.S. Open interviewed by Justin Gimelstob (whom he had just beaten), and was seen as this wonderful ambassador of tennis. But his behaviour at the Australian was abhorrent and even worthy of sanctions (which the ATP is unlikely to impose).

I am convinced that Andy Roddick is a product of the American press which made efforts to anoint him the Messiah even before he showed he had the ability to win consistently. Take away his serve, and Andy would be teaching tennis at some country club.

For my money, the only American worth rooting for is James Blake. He has always conducted himself with class (ask Lleyton Hewitt) and has the athleticism to compete at the highest level. His consistency can be questioned, but not his heart, not the manner in which he carries himself. James Blake is one of the good things to have happened to tennis.

For the first time in four years, Roger Federer looks beatable. I don't think it's going to happen, but if he does lose, Novak Djokovic may be the guy to do it. And I wonder if he'll do the Maria Sharapova dance to entertain the crowd.

Women's tennis needs someone like Djokovic, or at least someone who understands that tennis is part of the entertainment industry and that its actors must play the part.

We are now down to the quarter finals of the women's draw and there are still far too few competitive matches. Last night Venus Williams beat a qualifier (albeit a good one in Marta Domachowska) to reach the quarters. The women are heading for a Williams/Williams final, an event we haven't seen in a while. The likelihood of seeing a great match is still doubtful, and the only player really capable of knocking off the Williams sisters is Justine Henin. What else is new here?

If I hear once more that Venus Williams is a great spokeswoman for the Women's tour, I'm going to vomit. I can't think of a worse spokesperson. Someone who skips tournaments after committing to them is not the epitome of any kind of representative.

Is it my imagination, or are the women more beautiful than ever? This event is becoming a beauty contest and the women are complying by wearing outfits that could be part of the bathing suit competition or the gowns portion of a pageant.

And, is it coincidence that so many players default against Nadal?

The match between Baghdatis and Hewitt was a classic, with both players playing their hearts out. These are two guys who always play hard and they gave the fans their money's worth while battling into the wee hours of the morning.

Can't wait until Week Two.

Women's Tennis: How the WTA Can Save the Game

Allan Wexler — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:44:49 -0500

Women's tennis is currently enduring some serious problems, and until the WTA amasses the courage to make changes, the game will continue to suffer—at the gate, and in public perception.

Fans who pay top dollar to attend matches other than the Grand Slam events know that there will be few competitive matches in the early rounds. Furthermore, the likelihood of competitive matches at any stage may be questionable, depending on who shows up for the various tournaments.

And this is where the problems begin.

As opposed to the regulations of men's tennis, the women do not have to play a specified number of tournaments in any year in order to preserve their ranking. This has led to many stars (Can you spell Serena and Venus Williams?) pulling out of events at the last minute—despite the fact that fans have purchased tickets based on the publicity generated by the expectation that these players will attend.

In fairness, some injuries are legitimate and the WTA needs to address the issue of year round play.

But the women just don't get it. They take their endorsement money and forget that they need to sell the game of tennis continuously in order to maintain interest among fans. While the Williams sisters are the best female athletes I have ever seen, they pose serious and damaging challenges to the sport.

The WTA needs to adopt a mandatory minimum number of tournaments required to sustain ranking and eligibility in order to play in major events. Additionally, after the U.S. Open, there should be a tournament of Champions followed by an "off season" during the months of October, November, and December prior to the Australian Open and the prep tournaments.

Players who commit to a tournament and fail to play, for any reason, must be prohibited for a period of 30 days from participating in other tournaments and exhibitions. Real penalties must be instituted to give weight to the governing rules and regulations.

I do think the WTA is trying to do something, but they must reach forward a great deal more before women's tennis is fighting back serious failure.

Top 2006 Draftees Show Their Worth in Blazers-Raptors Matchup

Allan Wexler — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:13:00 -0500

In what was considered a matchup between two up and coming teams, the Toronto Raptors hosted the Portland Trailblazers yesterday in a matchup which also focused on 3 of the top draft picks in the 2006 draft, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andrea Bargnani and Brandon Roy.

Before I talk of the draft, let me opine that this was one of the better games seen in Toronto this year with the Raptors winning in two overtime periods, despite the fact that they made every attempt to blow the game.

At the end of the regulation, Jamario Moon inexplicably fouled Travis Outlaw on a three point attempt with the Raptors ahead by four points. Outlaw made the shot, and the foul shot, sending the game into overtime. At the end of the first overtime period, with time expiring, Brandon Roy had the ball and was attempting to get into position for a three point shot (the Blazers trailed by three). Instead of fouling Roy, Jose Calderon permitted the three point attempt, which Roy made, sending the game into a second OT.

Both Bosh and Calderon logged over 50 minutes, but they played very well. Brandon Roy was, in my opinion, the best player on the court, and may be becoming one of the finest shooting guards in the league.

That brings us to the question of the Raptors taking Bargnani with the first pick of the 2006 draft when both of Roy and Aldridge were available. It appears to be common knowledge that the Raps were choosong between Bargnani and Aldridge, but went with the European, on the basis that his upside appeared to be greater. For his part yesterday, Bargnani played sparingly, with foul trouble early on and ended up with 4 points and a rebound. While in the game, he was often matched up against Aldridge whom he defended well.

My own take from this one game is that clearly Brandon Roy is the best player from that draft today. He is likely to become one of the stars in the NBA. At 6'6", he has great size at either of the guard positions and can shoot and drive equally well. Does he merit the #1 pick? I doubt it. Rarely does one take a "guard" as the #1 pick when you are a team like the Raptors who needed so much at the time of the draft. In particular, when there are 7 footers available, with talent, it's hard to project a guard being such a force in the NBA, so to ignore Roy instead of a "big body" is understandable.

But the Raptors could have taken LaMarcus Aldridge. He is, in fact, only a few months older than Bargnani. Aldridge is also athletic, was endorsed by Chris Bosh and has had a terrific season this year. If one goes by the stats that he has rung up, he seems to be the rebounder that the Raps need, and has a reputation of being a shot blocking inside force.

He showed none of that yesterday.

He appeared weak underneath, unable to muscle against the likes of Bargnani and Bosh, two guys not known for their "muscle". He didn't shoot the ball well, (which can happen to anyone on a given night); he didn't show any ability to put the ball on the floor and showed a total inability to "finish". He scored by being the benficiary of Brandon Roy's drive to the hoop with a dish to Aldredge all alone. In fact, there was not one aspect of his game which I would consider anything better than average. He may be a second coming of Channing Frye.

Bargnani didn't look good either, getting into foul trouble early and spending most of his time on the bench. However, he made two beautiful drives to the basket and one jumper. We know that Bargnani can shoot with the best of them, although he hasn't had an opportunity to do so this year, being perpetually in foul trouble. The Raps are trying to make a center out of him and the experiment has not raised his game, to this point.

Based on yesterday's game (it's only one game, remember), I still say take Bargnani over Aldridge. He can do one thing better than most 7 footers, and that's shoot. He will, ultimately, be able to put the ball on the floor consistently, which will give him a varied offensive repertoire. He is already a very good passer. His defence and rebounding are weak, but I trust that working with Sam Mitchell will improve that aspect of his game.

Ah, but hindisght is 20/20.

Toronto Raptors: Getting to Know Jamario Moon

Allan Wexler — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:01:40 -0500

The feel good story of the year for the Toronto Raptors—and perhaps the entire NBA—has been the emergence of Jamario Moon.

Who?

At a free-agent camp last summer, Jamario Moon literally and figuratively jumped into the spotlight and earned an invite to Raptors training camp—with an infinitesimal chance of making the team, but with the hope of showing off his talents for some other club tat might need an extra body.

Six months later, Moon is an integral part of the starting lineup for a team which will challenge in the Eastern Conference. He's also garnering support from fans across the NBA for his acrobatic leaping ability, and for the energy he brings day-in and day-out.

Moon has had some dry patches recently, but with five blocks Wednesday night against the 76ers, one has to take note of the 27-year-old who's finally getting paid NBA money.

You can't help but root for Moon. He doesn't have an entourage, and has maintained his small-town manner without any glimpse of an attitude. He played in his home state of Georgia recently, and made sure that his immediate family were all there to see him.

Moon acknowledged that many old friends were trying to become hangers-on, but he sticks to the philosophy that only his immediate family gets preferential treatment.

Last week, the Raptors picked up Moon's contract for the balance of the year—and I'd be shocked if he didn't become a first-team All Rookie selection this season.

Moon has become to the Raptors what Dennis Rodman was to the Bulls—a shutdown defender and a terrific rebounder. Add to that the fact that Moon's offensive game is more balanced than Rodman's, and you have a guy who'll play in the League for many years.

Catch Moon the next time he's in town. He's worth the price of admission.

Trade Deadline Looms - No Trades from Raptors?

Allan Wexler — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 03:53:58 -0500

While many sports writers and fans in Toronto are speculating trades to be made before the February trade deadline, I don't believe that any blockbuster is coming.

They may make some minor trade(s) to fet a backup point guard if they determine that T.J. Ford won't be able to play this year; they may also clear some room for a draft choice in the upcoming draft.

But I believe Bryan Colangelo is gearing up to make this team the championship material two years hence, when they will rid themselves of large contracts (such as Rasho Nesterovic's) and will have had the advantage of two drafts—which, hopefully, will produce a couple of players who will fit into the rotation.

Because the Raptors won their division last year, most fans are looking for them to compete for the crown this year, but those expectations do not blend with the long-term vision that Colengelo has brought to this team.

He drafted Bargnani over Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, knowing that he was less ready for the NBA at the time of the draft. But Colangelo believed that Bargnani's upside was larger, even though it might not be realized for a couple of years.

Colangelo also put the ball in the hands of a young guard (Ford) coming off a year of inactivity due to injury, and was aware that it would be a couple of years before Ford became a championship-type guard.

Adding Garbajosa and Parker, two established international players, brought maturity to this team—but their integration into NBA life was not expected to take effect over night.

The Raptors also hold the rights to Roko Ukic—perhaps their backup point guard of the future—who languishes in Europe, where he has not received the playing time that the Raptors hoped he would get.

The bottom line is that Colangelo's plan was intended to take effect over three years. He won't ruin the core of the team and interfere with that process by making significant trades unless it brings the Raptors closer to that goal.

I don't see a trade on the horizon that would accomplish that

Raptor fans, sit tight—the future is not now.