According to Bryan Colangelo (GM), the player roster is now set for the start of next season.
2008-2009 Toronto Raptors
STARTERS: Jose Calderon, Anthony Parker, Jemario Moon/Jason Kapono, Jermaine O’Neal, Chris Bosh
BENCH: Roko Ukic, Jason Kapono/Jemario Moon, Andrea Bargnani
RESERVES: Will Solomon, Hassan Adams, Joey Graham, Kris Humphries, Nathan Jawai
When you compare the ‘content & quality’ with the team that began the 2007-2008 campaign … i.e.
2007-2008 Toronto Raptors
STARTERS: Ford, Parker, Kapono, Bosh, Nesterovic
BENCH: Calderon, Delfino, Bargnani, Humphries, Garbajosa
RESERVES: Martin, Dixon, Graham, Moon, Baston
… it’s apparent that this year’s squad (as constructed) will not be taking a step up the ladder in the Eastern Conference anytime soon.
Jose Calderon is a significant upgrade at the Starting PG position over TJ Ford but other than that lone improvement the ‘quality depth’ on this roster is far below where it needs to be (and once was, at the height of the Glen Grunwald regime) in order to be considered a LEGITIMATE CONTENDER in the NBA.
Needing to upgrade their 2007-2008 roster with improved REBOUNDING & Defense the Raptors addressed neither of those primary concerns with the acquisitions they made this off-season …
* Adding O’Neal while discarding Nesterovic + Garbajosa is a zero-sum gain
* Adding Adams, Jawai, Ukic & Solomon while discarding Delfino + Baston + Martin + Dixon is a zero-sum gain
* Elevating Calderon while discarding Ford … and not getting a significant Wing player or an established back-up PG in return is a zero-sum gain
Looking back to what was written in this space on July 2 …
Understanding Bryan Colangelo’s method of operation (good & bad)
very little has changed over the years in the way that their GM conducts the business of basketball … i.e.
* Field a competitive team which wins its fair share of regular season games
* Concentrate efforts on finding ‘solid’ players at a ‘reasonable’ cost
* Include a sporadic ‘high end’ player acquisitions which comes with considerable ‘risk’
* Construct a player roster which falls short of what’s actually required to be considered a Legitimate Contender for an NBA championship
* Always come in under the Salary Cap
* Make a lot of money for the team’s ownership
Despite the fact that this year’s team will have 5 (of 13) new faces on the player roster … the more things (seem to) change the more they (actually) stay the same in Raptorland.
Tags: Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Bryan Colangelo, Carlos Delfino, Chris Bosh, Darrick Martin, Hassan Adams, Jason Kapono, Jemario Moon, Jermaine O'Neal, Joey Graham, Jorge Garbajosa, Jose Calderon, Juan Dixon, Maceo Baston, Nathan Jawai, Roko Ukic, TJ Ford, Will Solomon
July 29, 2008 at 10:12 am |
Thanks for this update… just hope Bargnani will be a lil’ more wise on the court. If only he could pass the ball!
July 29, 2008 at 10:45 am |
Considering that Garbajosa didn’t play last year, this insinuates you think that JO and Nesterovic are equivalent players. I am going to check back here in December to see if you still think that. My belief: you are totally wrong. Unless JO injures himself again, there is no comparison at all.
July 29, 2008 at 10:45 am |
Julien, thanks for the comment.
One of the current ironies is that the player who Toronto drafted No. 1 overall in 2006 had the reputation, at that time, of being an exceptional passer for a man his size. During his 1st season in the NBA, in addition to showing glimpses of becoming a first-rate 3-Pt Shooter, Bargnani displayed on occasion a flare for making solid use of this skill as well … justifying his italian nickname, Il Mago (the Magician), in the process. Last year, however, as his shooting percentage continued to flounder, so too did his use of ‘the pass’ to create easy scoring opportunities for his teammates. If he can re-establish this part of his individual game again, in addition to his at-times deadly 3-Pt marksmanship, the continued development of Bargnani remains the KEY FACTOR in the success/failure of the Raptors … as it SHOULD BE for a player drafted in the No. 1 overall position two years ago.
July 29, 2008 at 10:57 am |
malefax, thanks for your comment.
Losing Garbajosa last year was a significant component of the Raptors 2007-2008 season.
And, despite appearances to the contrary … at this stage of their respective careers … there is little difference between what Jermaine O’Neal and the Rasho Nesterovic/Jorge Garbajosa combo bring to the Raptors.
PS. The actual comparison SHOULD be between (i) a healthy JO & (ii) a healthy RN/JG combo, since both O’Neal and Garbajosa were injured for the majority of last season. If O’Neal “injures himself again”, then it would become a major ‘loss’ (overall) for the Raptors, in comparison to last season, as Nesterovic is no longer there as well, and proved to be a durable player during his time in Toronto.
July 29, 2008 at 12:01 pm |
The Raptors were stupid in the 2006 draft they were the only team that would have drafted Bargnani with the #1 pick. They should have drafted Lamarcus Aldridge like Chris Bosh wanted.
July 29, 2008 at 1:57 pm |
[...] Sports Blog has a list of what the Raptors player roster now looks [...]
July 30, 2008 at 6:44 am |
[...] – Kandors Sports Blog [...]
July 30, 2008 at 1:59 pm |
jim: drafting aldridge would have been better, but someone like brandon roy or rudy gay would have been a better fit. if aldridge was taken, either him or bosh would have been playing out of position (at center). but taking a roy or gay would have satisfied the 2 or 3 spots that are still missing on this team.
September 8, 2008 at 7:41 am |
[...] line-up … tough enough (or not) Given the Raptors’ Current Player Roster … and legit concerns about the overall Quality of their Wings … it says in this [...]
September 8, 2008 at 2:09 pm |
hello.i’m persian RAPTORS fan.we have HADDADI in grizzlies,did you please sign him?!!!
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