Calderon goes all Ford

Michael Grange, 08/05/08 at 3:02 PM EDT

Sorry for the late start today. There is some more mail to get through and I will get to it, but I thought I'd drop a couple of links just to tide you over.

Some of you may have seen this but Jose Calderon has gone all T.J. Ford. He had a blog entry on his website where he says that he too wants to be a starter. He also no doubt made his agent cringe with this line: “If I have to choose between a sports offer and an economic offer, I will choose the first.” He also wants to “be a starter and be in a team that aspires to everything.”

He continues: “Of course I will not be in a team in which I cannot be an important contributor nor if there is not a solid structure or if there are not options to be in the “Playoffs”.

I'm guessing Calderon will get his wish to be a starter and hey, don't all teams aspire to everything?

XXXXX

Phone rang last night and it was Rob Babcock calling. He did not apologize for not drafting Andre Iguodala, but at this point it's understood.  Instead he was calling to offer his appreciation on Chuck Swirsky, who, as we all know, is heading to Chicago. Babcock was merely looking to get a good word out, so here it goes:

“Chuck is one of the best broadcasting people I've been around,” said Babcock, now an assistant general manager with the Timberwolves. “He has an unbelievable work ethic and his passion for the team and the organization was second to none when I was there. The charity events he would MC, the community appearances he would make – he would do whatever he could. In most cases the broadcasters do their broadcast and that's it, but he developed that role into a true ambassador for the franchise. If he was available to do something, he'd do it.

“And on a personal not he's a genuine, good, guy who really wanted guys to do well.”

XXXXX 

This was brought to my attention yesterday, and it is hilarious. Apparently Charles Oakley is pitching a cooking show. J.E. Skeets, point guard, and the guy who runs the Ball Don't Lie blog at Yahoo Sports tried Oak's recipe for ribs. They certainly seem deliciouso! Make some for dinner tonight. Here's the recipe, courtesy of Skeets and his unique gift for NBA satire.

Charles Oakley's Beef Short Ribs in Cinnamon Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients:
* 6 large beef short ribs, bone in
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 18 beers
* 1 large onion, finely chopped, no tears
* 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
* 1 cup ground fresh tomatoes
* 1/2 cup red wine
* 2 or 3 Cuban cigars
* 4 cups chicken stock
* 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
* 1 x whole piece cinnamon bark (approximately 3-inches long)
* 1 tbsp. cumin
* 1/2 tsp. turmeric
* 1/2 tsp. red cayenne pepper
* 1 heaping tbsp. Mexican chilli powder

Directions:

1. Drink 10 beers.
2. In a large, heavy saucepan, add the cooking oil and the cumin to high heat. Let the seeds sizzle, then add the cinnamon and onions. Sauté until the onions are intimidating.
3. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until your done smoking a nice fat stogie.
4. Lower the heat and add the tomatoes and all of the remaining spices. Just chuck it all in there. Bang the cupboards.
5. Once you stir the powdered spices in the tomatoes, increase the heat back to medium. Stir regularly — with your bare hand, very important! — and continue cooking the spices until the oil separates from the tomatoes. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. 7 minutes if you yell and belittle the oil.
6. Slam 3 beers.
7. Stir in the stock and red wine and bring to a boil. Probably a god time for another smoke. Maybe a game of poker, too.
8. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes and/or until you hear Tyrone Hill screaming from the basement.
9. Add the short ribs and stir well. (Note: If you're short on time, skip steps  1-thru-8 and just eat the ribs raw.)
10. Bring back to a boil.
11. Chug 5 beers, work up an appetite.
12. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer the short ribs until the meat completely separates from the bone. This will take approximately 4 hours, so order some pizza and hookers with Jordan's credit card.
13. Serve, charge dinner guests for your troubles.

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D'Antoni can't talk to Toronto

Michael Grange, 07/05/08 at 9:37 AM EDT

Wow. Still digesting a Chuckless future.

In the meantime, here's a little tidbit for all those who might be wondering why soon-to-be former Phoenix Suns coach Mike D'Antoni has somehow not yet been teleported to the Raptors, Sam Mithchell not withstanding.

Two league sources have confirmed that when the Suns agreed to give D'Antoni permission to talk to other clubs, the Bulls and the Knicks in particular, there was one condition: they would not grant permission to D'Antoni to talk with the Raptors.

The suggestion was that the Toronto ban was initiated by the Suns and reflective of the desire of Suns owner Robert Sarver to not be seen to doing any favours for current Raptors president and former Suns general manager Bryan Colangelo. There is no indication the Raptors were seeking permission to talk with Phoenix.

 

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Losing ground?

Michael Grange, 06/05/08 at 10:10 AM EDT

Couple of good topics here: Where would the Raptors rank if the season were to start today, and: Are people too hard on Bargnani?

Did  anyone watch Chris Paul last night? He is ridiculous.

Anyway, TNM(TM)

Hi Michael,

I believe this season has to be considered a failure but not necessarily because of the record. ...The other thing that concerns me is that we seem to be losing ground against other teams in the East. Forget about the Celtics and Pistons, they're in another stratosphere. I used to think the Cavs and Magic were reachable but they're starting to pull away, admittedly with the not inconsiderable help of a superstar on each team. But now even the Wizards and 76ers are moving in the right direction while we seem to be regressing or treading water at best. Also the playoff performance of all of the East teams that we would consider to be our immediate competition has been superior to the Raps.

Steve Graham

I think that pretty well sums it up Steve.  How would the projected Eastern Conference standing look right now, barring trades, signings and the draft?

I'd say:

1.    Boston
2.    Detroit
3.    Cleveland
4.    Orlando
5.    Washington
6.    Philadelphia
7.    Atlanta
8.    Toronto

And it's not like the Raptors would be a lock for eighth. I think it's safe to expect Chicago to make a move up; Indiana maybe; Milwaukee will be better. Charlotte played better basketball than Toronto down the stretch. Miami will have a healthy Dwayne Wade, an integrated Shawn Marion and the No.1 pick in the draft.

As well, the gap within the top eight appears to be growing. Orlando is a much better team than most people realized; Cleveland will almost certainly return to it's 50-win ways. Detroit and Boston of course, and Washington, presuming a healthy Arenas, is a team that has had some brilliant stretches the past two seasons but has had serious injury woes. If their big three is healthy and you get continued production from an improving supporting cast, is that not a team that can think about 50 wins? Philly is probably a year away, but they do have cap room to add talent. And who wouldn't trade Atlanta's top-six for the Raptors, straight up?

Mock drafts all had Bargnani going first, second or third back in '06, so why is everyone so pissed off now that a 7'0 project turned out to be a 7'0 project? Honestly, Barney had a rough (terrible) season but his flashes of brilliance are great, plus the only thing truly holding him back at the end of the year was his shot...which you know he'll get back, since it's mostly just a kink in his technique (he's throwing the ball from his palm I notice, not enough wrist action. he isn't shooting, he's aiming).

And:

Who do you think would look better in a Raptors uniform:
Luol Deng, Boris Diaw, Andrei Kirilenko, Mickael Pietrus or Jamal Crawford?
TYLER

Hey Tyler, these are some good reasons to be concerned about Bargnani:

1. He was picked first, but it's clear he won't be the best player in his draft class. Brandon Roy is that player, and barring injury he's destined to be a 10-time all-star and be a regular MVP candidate. He also plays a role - slashing, scoring, play-making wing – the Raptors are still trying to fill. As well Rudy Gay is on track to be an all-star and also plays a position the Raptors are still trying to fill. Yes, this is perfect hindsight, but then again the Raptors had unlimited foresight on Bargnani because of Gherardini.

2. He's 22, not 19. He played two seasons of Euroleague basketball prior to coming to the NBA. He was never defined as a project, although it was conceded there was longer development curve. His second NBA season wasn't flat, it was a regression. This after a sub-par performance with the Italian national team last summer.

3.  There is a concerning tendency to explain away his development lag according by citing off-court challenges, adjustment issues, minor injures etc. Truly elite performers – like someone taken at or near the top of the NBA draft – use these challenges to drive performance. What makes other people struggle literally makes them better.

4. In the same vein at one point this season Bargnani stopped doing extra work on a regular basis, according to team insiders. No one will say exactly why. A truly elite performer so closely identifies with the quality of his performance that he would never, ever, let this happen.

5. Don't be so quick to dismiss his mechanical flaws. He is supposed to be a top-flight perimeter shooter. For his game to thrive he needs to be a deadly three-point threat. Not only did various ‘kinks' creep into his game, they stayed there. This doesn't happen to premier shooters. They intuitively understand their mechanics and fix them and won't quit working at them until they are fixed. A week-long slump is an eternity for these guys.

6. Perhaps the biggest hole in his game that rarely gets mentioned is his lack of feel for the game. This gets washed over every time he makes a slick little touch pass, but that happens once a game, max. Many times he rotates the ball when he's open and shoots when he's not. He doesn't react to the defense he plans his move and gets messed up when someone anticipates it. He plays in a rush; only very occasionally does he seem to settle into a flow. The ball – rebounds, loose balls, deflections, tips – doesn't find him. There is almost no way to quantify this, but if there is a 50-50 ball on the floor or in the air some players come up with them more than others: They react faster, have softer, quicker hands and are generally more aware of what's going on at all times. I think it's safe to say this is not a strength of Bargnani's game.

 As for who I'd like to see with the Raptors, barring salary cap issues and the like?

1. Deng
2. Kirilenko
3. Crawford.
These guys could change your team. The other guys are just pieces of the puzzle.

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Just OK

Michael Grange, 05/05/08 at 3:07 PM EDT

With time on his hands Chris Bosh is getting all creative. Did he go to Montessori or something? Shouldn't he be playing video games? Anyway, this is a new video from CB4 and it's not bad, I have say. Or I guess I'd say this: it's pretty much just okay, but the cable guy made me laugh for real. And I think the poker player might be a tribute to Rasheed Wallace.

 

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Raptors-land angst

Michael Grange, 05/05/08 at 12:58 PM EDT

Okay, back at it. I'm still getting through the off-season portion of reader mail for the This is Not a Mailbag™. I'll get at it in a second, but it's worth making note of a couple of links that were brought to my attention:

T.J. Ford to Miami (thanks to Vincent)?  There's a rumour for you. But before anyone gets too excited, who on that roster helps the Raptors? And do you really want to spend $17-million on Shawn Marion?

I'm more interested in this nugget (thanks to Mary):

The Raptors are frustrated and out of answers with regard to ANDREA BARGNANI, who was a no-show (6.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg) in the first-round loss to Orlando. Truth is, there wasn't a time this year when the kid didn't look physically and mentally exhausted. Still, the potential is tantalizing if he has the right mentor (such as, say, the Nets' KIKI VANDEWEGHE). So let's throw this out there: Bargnani and expiring contracts (JOEY GRAHAM, JORGE GARBAJOSA) for RICHARD JEFFERSON, who would be the perfect wing-walker for the point guard tandem in Toronto and an ideal No. 2 option playing off CHRIS BOSH. Just one snag: "If they traded me within the division, I'd kill them four times a year," RJ says. "But yeah, (Raptors GM BRYAN) COLANGELO has watched me since high school."

You know, this is one of those deals that makes me think: why exactly would the Nets want to do this? Dave D'Allesandro is no fool though, so we'll give it a whirl: The Raptors would be INSANE not to do this deal if there was even a germ of a chance, which I suspect there isn't. A proven wing who scores, defends, gets to the free throw line and is 27 years old with only three years left on his contract -- Oh, and he's been to the NBA Finals twice -- for a 22-year-old project who just grabbed seven rebounds in five playoff games.

There is no way Rod Thorne is that stupid. (I wonder if Jefferson realized that he was about to mentioned in a rumour that included him being moved for Andrea Bargnani and Joey Graham. If he knew my concern would be that he didn't punch anyone in the face.)

Anyway, on to the TNM.

I'm intolerant towards ignorance, and unbalanced opinions. I can barely consume media anymore for fear that I will be overwhelmed by the loud, one-way dialogue, leaving me unable to counter. So I ask you be cognizant of us. Be cognizant of the moderates who seek more than the quick-fix, overly-critical, unbalanced perspective. As for the rest of raptorland, if they fail to see this team is competitive and intent on improving then I ask the organization to save me from raptorland, take a page from Clay, and relocate.
KB

Okay. All of you should know that KB's email was 1,330 words. Safe to say, he covered a lot of ground. But if I were to distill his thoughts to one theme – always  dangerous, but hey, I do it for a living – it's that much of the Raptorsland angst about Ford-Calderon, Bargnani, Mitchell or whatever is the product of over-hyped fan expectations, flamed by knee-jerk, immoderate media coverage.

And you know what? He's right. Rationally the only way to look at this whole package is to take a step back and say, all together, “we'll see what happens when it happens.”

Is trading Ford the right move? We'll see. Is a patient approach with Bargnani the right path? We'll see. Is Mitchell an asset or an anvil? We'll see. Does Colangelo have the vision to keep this team moving ahead? Or is wheel-spinning going to be a long-term trend?

This is always the only safe answer. Are your kids going to be okay? We'll see. Did you pick the right major at university? We'll see. Are you buying the right car? We'll see.

But being a fan isn't about being patient and rational and waiting for everything to be okay. It's about hoping, wanting, dreaming, believing and expecting things to work out for the best, and despairing when it's not clear they will.

Moreover management is supposed have a clear idea and plan to ensure that things will work out for the best. And they sell tickets on that basis.

One reason for the Raptors-land angst is that no one in the Raptors hierarchy was projecting a 41-win season and a sixth seed and a near sweep in the first round. The team was widely billed as an improvement. Jason Kapono was an expensive player signed to be a significant piece. Team depth was better. Maceo Baston was going to add athleticism and rebounding to the front court. Bargnani was going to continue to improve. Fifty wins was an internal goal, even if no one publicly mentioned a number.

None of those things happened.  And with big steps made this season by Boston, Atlanta, Philly, and Orlando, the Raptors appear to have taken a step back, not only measured against themselves, but against their competition.

The media's job is to try and explain why and how that happened. When a top free agent signing becomes a near forgotten role player or when T.J. Ford seems to be the source of significant chemistry problems or a No.1 pick has a miserable second season I don't think it's knee-jerk to point that out and try to offer reasons why. And if there is a gap between those reasons and management's reasoning, point that out too.

KB, you are welcome to tune out and wait, with a Zen-like calm, for everything to work out. But 1,330 words say you're having a hard time with that.

Hi.  Enjoy your impending vacation... well deserved.  Always enjoy your stuff.

If I was Colangelo (which I am not) here is what I would do: 

1. Keep Sam... he doesn't deserve to be fired yet... if next Christmas he is 5 games under 500, then maybe fire him.

2. Resign Calderon is the obvious one. Delfino would be signed if the price is right.

3. Trade TJ and Rasho (16 Million) to the Clippers for the right to sign Corey Maggette and maybe someone else ... and if not him, someone of that stature.    They need a stud who can defend and get to the hoop
at will!!  Clippers seem logical to me because they don't have a good PG, and then Rasho could be their 3rd big after Kaman & Brand.

thanks for listening.
mark
london, on.

Mark, thanks for you're note. In order:

1. It's pretty clear Sam will be kept, unless somehow Donnie Walsh – for example – asks Colangelo for permission to talk to Sam about the Knicks job; Sam listens and Walsh offers it to him and Sam is willing to reduce his buyout to get out of his current deal. That is mucho ifs. And Colangelo said last week that Walsh has not called. It's probably not worth noting that he's not said that he wouldn't grant permission, but consider it noted. As for next season, it depends. If the Raptors make some significant roster upgrades and struggle, or if Bargnani and Sam are perceived a bad mix or if Bosh questions lineups and game plans, an in-season move is a lock.

2. Calderon, yes. But if they make an upgrade at SF, then someone has to go out of Delfino, Parker and Kapono and Moon.

3. Many calls for Maggette because he is the slashing, foul-generating scorer that would seem to be the missing link in the Raptors offensive puzzle, and the Clips are used to fragile point guards. A word of caution: One insider I spoke with used Joey Graham and Maggette in the same sentence as far as basketball IQ.  Think about that.

Can it happen? The deal mentioned above just might work, but it implies that Maggette is a max or near-max player, and pretty much sucks up your salary cap flexibility for the next few years. This on a guy who came off the bench when the Clippers finally put together a decent season, gets hurt plenty and relies heavily on athleticism at age 29 and is nentering his 10th NBA season. Hmmm.

My five things:

1) The small forward position is problematic. Either Kapono was asleep, schlepping or poorly used all year. Delfino is the Raptors' Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. And while Moon had some great defensive actions, his scoring isn't reliable. Someone or everyone needs to go. I'm guessing it won't be Moon.

2) I hope to God there's a clock on how long the Bargnani-ineptness tango continues. I don't want to see him traded only to catch fire with another team, but there has to be a limit.

3) I would prefer to keep Calderon in the city, but his own admission that he wants to win makes me wonder if he will push to be traded to a starting position somewhere else. I don't think anyone banks on this team as a contender.

4) Either Bosh needs a reliable scoring buddy or he can never--ever--back down in the face of the league's Dwight Howards. Guess which option I think is more likely.

5) Garbo needs to come back healthy. (Please.)

I will be really sad to see Mitchell, Parker or Calderon go. They are classy dudes (at least the side fans see--even Mitchell's grousing with you journos shows spirit and sense). But for all Colangelo was making nice, I think he might dump people left and right if the opportunity presents itself.

Ellie

PS -- It would be nice to see a decline in the use of homophobic and sexist cliches in fan blogs. But that's about as likely as the Heat being championship contenders next year.

Thanks Ellie.

1. Yes their will be changes at the SF spot; the only reason Moon isn't back is that someone insists on having someone that cheap and that productive included in a deal. He's got some holes in his game, but improved over the year and those defensive actions – he makes plays, simple as that -- are hard to find at any price

2. The Bargnani clock. I like the idea. I think we'll have a pretty good idea by next Christmas if he's got as much upside as everyone wants to believe he does.

3. Interesting point regarding Calderon. There's a presumption that he only wants to play here, but that's probably not a wise one to make. He's already made the leap from Spain to North America; there's nothing to stop him from going from Toronto to any other city in the NBA – other than the Raptors intention to match all offers.

4. I don't think backing down is the issue; Howard throws people down by accident. But I think Jack Armstrong made the point: You don't think Bosh would be served nicely playing with Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu? He needs help.

5. You know, this whole cult of Garbo thing is kind of rich. I'm a fan of ‘glue-players' as much as the next guy, and Garbo is that guy. But it's worth pointing out that he shot 42 per cent from the field and grabbed less than one offensive rebound a game. Yes he's a good and willing passer; and a tough, savvy team defender. But how can a good team have him, Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker in your top six? Who scores? Who gets to the basket? Garbo has become a catch-all explanation for all that ails this team, and I'm not buying it. And if he was so, so important – why did they let him play for Spain last summer?

PS1: Yes, all classy, fun guys in their own ways who would be missed. And yes, Colangelo would make moves on any of them in a heart beat.

PS2: Agreed on both counts; though I'm not saying I've never uttered the odd impolitic comment myself. Nothing to be proud of, however.

I've heard some pundits claim that much of what the Raps lacked this season and in the playoffs is already on their roster in the form of Garbajosa.  It seems implausible to me that he could have been the difference in the series with the Magic, or the regular season, considering the injuries the team suffered and regression of Bargnani.  Nevertheless, what sort of impact do you foresee him in his return to active duty next season?  Should he be able to recover enough to be a dependable starter in the NBA, or should Colangelo be looking elsewhere for their much needed inside muscle?
--Andrew Willis

Thanks Andrew. I'll refer you to point No. 5 above and add the following thought: Even if Garbo does come back healthy I – like you, I sense – doubt if he's going to fix the Raptors problems. He might even add to them. If the Raptors upgrade the SF spot Garbo won't start there. Is there room for him to start at PF if Bargnani does improve enough to start at centre? Of course not, that's Bosh's spot. And how much of a glue guy will Garbo be coming off the bench? He's never had to do it in his career, and it wasn't like he was the happiest camper this season when it appeared his role was going to be diminished – this is when he was losing minutes to Kris Humphries, remember, at a stage when he was claiming his leg was perfect.

 

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Our two cents

Michael Grange, 02/05/08 at 1:59 PM EDT

Okay. I meant to start rolling this out yesterday but then Sam did or did not go golfing and that kind of sucked up my time, except for the half hour after lunch I pecked away at curing cancer. As mentioned earlier, a nice batch of comments and emails and I'm going to do my best to get to all of them over the next few days. Just a question: I'm happy to get emails but obviously it's hard to get into a back-and-forth all the time, why do some folks prefer email and some prefer comments and some do a little of both? Call it market research.
 
Anyway on the first annual post-season post-mortem/off-season catch-all. There is no rhyme of reason to any of this, so hang on. We'll start with the most important question first. And remember: this is not a mailbag (TM)
 
 
Hey Michael,
Just a quick question...Are the Raptors the only NBA team with their own "gang sign" (a la Jose after a three)?
Thanks,
Nolan Kerr

I think Nolan is referring to the gesture Paul Pierce made to Al Horford the other day, which is kind of close to Jose's symbol after a made three, but apparently also close to the signals associated with various gangs.

Well Nolan, I think the safe answer is Jose's symbol is not meant as a gang sign, unless maybe it's the European Union Crew. You do them wrong and they might hit you with a tariff when you're not looking.

Michael,
We all know what Bargnani will be up to this summer to improve his game, but what can we expect from the other key players in terms of areas of focus? Would you agree with any of the following:
1. Calderon and Kapono improving their defense
2. Bosh working in the weight room
3. Moon improving ball handling (and hence attacking the rim)

Does the coaching staff suggest (and enforce?) various improvements for the players to work on in the summer? Also, do you know of any of the veteran player's summer routines and how they differ from the younger player's workouts?

This insight is greatly appreciated, thanks. Shawn.

Some good questions here Shawn. My answers, in order:

1. The scary thing about Kapono anyway is that he is already a good defender …for him. If you noticed against Orlando, Kapono was perhaps the most dedicated Raptor at rotating over and trying to interfere with Dwight Howard as he barrelled down the lane in various pick-and-roll situations. He also fouled early and often to send Superman to the line. But you may also have noticed that whenever they had a chance Orlando would create an isolation on Kapono every time he was caught covering Turkoglo or Lewis for the simple fact that he can't contain those guys. It's not that he doesn't care, he is physically unable to hold down elite twos and threes at the NBA level. He can defend in a system, but not in isolation. Calderon isn't quite as limited, not even close, but remember he's guarding the quickest point guards in the world. He thrives at the other end because he's a brilliant decision maker and good shooter who makes defense pay whatever approach they take with him. But he does give up some foot speed and I think it shows against a smaller, quicker guard. One of the reasons Calderon always started behind Ford before the injury is Ford would regularly blow Calderon away in practice. That didn't make him a better player over all, but illustrates that Calderon will always likely have his struggles against the smaller, quicker club of NBA points.

2. Bosh's strength of lack of it is over-sold. Having watched him work out from a distance and seen his body develop over the past five years I think the gains remaining to be made are pretty minimal. He's much stronger than he was (though I can't quantify that) and probably strong enough. Some guys will always be able to push him around, but they're pushing other guys around too. He makes them pay in other ways. His key is to find ways to train that make him more injury resistant and that probably has to do with body alignment and balance and things like that rather than simply strength.

3. Sorry, I don't see Moon becoming that kind of player. He's very slight and finishes poorly under contact and doesn't really seem to enjoy it, which I think you have to if you're going to be that player. Rather than worrying about trying to get all the way to rim I think some improvements to his catch-and-shoot skills from three combined with a really strong two-dribble pull up game would increase his scoring chances and consistency.  

4. Yes, the coaching staff does suggest an off-season improvement plan, but are limited in enforcing it, though coaches and strenght and conditioning staff try to visit each player over the course of the summer. In Moon's case his contract ins't guaranteed for next season, so he's got plenty of motivation and I do expect to see a reasonable improvement from him

5. It varies player to player, but my sense is that the veterans who stay in the league and improve learn how to build their game up in the off-season and find that balance between rest and improving. Training is a skill like anything else, and there's no doubt that you can get more efficient about it the more you do it. I do know that a lot of agents have basketball trainers on staff, basically, to work with their clients in the off-season. A lot of young players get exposed to that process in preparation for the draft and maintain those habits from the start, so it's not like young guys are clueless. As the summer progresses players will visit various hot-spots – Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago – to work out and play pick up with other NBA and college players. Sometimes they'll train and do skill work in the morning and play in the late afternoon.

Boots here. Not much has been said in the media about why BC clings to Bargnani as "the one", as though Bryan is Morpheus and Andrea is Neo.  He believes it, even though everyone around seems filled with doubt.

I think the reason (and this has hardly been covered) is the Caliper test, which I'm sure you're familiar with. There's this story on ESPN, back in Feb of 2007:

“Teammate Anthony Parker cuts through all the psycho-babble. He says, "He's absolutely fearless. Why? I think he was just born with it." Bargnani himself brushes off talk of his extraordinary self-confidence. "I'm just a normal person," he says. But the trait is real, measurable, in fact.

"For years, NBA teams have used the Caliper Profile to evaluate potential draft picks. The Caliper is a personality profile used by numerous corporations and organizations to measure one's capacity to excel in specific situations. Over the past 24 years, Caliper has assessed more than 20,000 athletes, including NBA players from Detroit, San Antonio, Denver and Phoenix. Colangelo has long been sold on the system. When he heard how Bargnani measured up, he nearly dropped the phone.

"They said his upside and potential were off the charts," Colangelo says from the tunnel of the Air Canada Centre as Bargnani drains a three against the Cavaliers. "They said, 'Out of all the athletes we've profiled, we've never seen anything like this.' 

"The test showed that Bargnani is virtually oblivious to what others think of him. And his tremendous ability to block out such potentially negative pressures enables him to focus completely on the task at hand. So the expectations and anxieties that come with being the No.1 pick, or the only Italian-born player in the league, or even taking a game-winning shot, don't even register with him.

Then, there's this from Dr Greenberg, the founder of the Caliper Test:

That's the kind of thing we're very, very proud of. We did some … I wouldn't say “arm twisting,” because they liked him, but they knew they'd get a lot of criticism for drafting him. I can tell you right now: He will be one of the top eight or ten centers in NBA history.”

So...could that be it? Is that why I, and others, are still holding out hope that Bargnani will grow into a special player? When you read things like that, you have to hit the brakes on any trade sentiment towards Bargnani this summer, his poor play this year be damned.

I'm hoping to hear your thoughts on it. And for you to tell me I'm not delusional in thinking we can nab Josh Howard in a larger (possibly 3-way deal with Sac) for TJ Ford.

Thanks for all the good work this year

Boots

Boots! Thanks for the great item, and remember, the failings of the FDFA all-star were entirely the fault of my management team. They know that and have paid a steep price.

Yes, I remember the article. Chris Broussard wrote it. We're fairly friendly from his days covering the Knicks for the New York Times and we talked a fair bit about Bargnani when he was in Toronto working on the story, which I thought was really good.

And yes, the caliper angle is interesting, but it's not really holding up right now, is it? Far from being able to tunnel through the doubts and expectations, Bargnani seems to have really had his confidence shaken and it's affected his play and is reflected in his shooting, which has been generally awful. This, of course, affects his confidence, and the cycle continues. Trade Bargnani? The only reason I'd say no is because his value could hardly be lower.

As much as I've gone cold on the guy I can still see him becoming a pretty good player, maybe even a really good one. But barring injuries I can't see him becoming the best player in the 2006 draft. And he will not become one of the best 10 centres in NBA history. No way.

Michael,

Have enjoyed your columns immensely over the year, so a big thank you from this Raptors' fan.  Thank goodness for the Internet, because it's not easy to get proper coverage of any Toronto sports team here in Denver, where I live.

I note your comments today in relation to Jack McCallum's analysis of D'Antoni, Mitchell, Toronto, etc.  Agree that NY or Chicago might not be the best fit for him, but to my way of thinking, the guy who might make the best fit for Toronto is Avery Johnson.

The team needs to toughen up defensively and stop falling in love with perimeter ball. I think Johnson could improve them here. And although I don't blame Mitchell completely for the relatively disappointing season (disappointing in part because of last year's unexpected success), the fact that the same mistakes were made over and over again throughout the year does reflect on the coaching to some extent, as does Bargnani's regression. 

And even though he's got issues, I wonder whether Colangelo shouldn't make a pitch for a guy like Ron Artest, who would bring a degree of meanness and defensive toughness currently so lacking.  True, he has issues, but didn't Charles Oakley?  To me it is more than coincidental that their best year (and Vince Carter's best performances came) when they had a guy like Oak, who would slap people into gear when they kept making dumb mistakes.  And he wasn't the easiest guy in many respects, so you can't always get a choirboy!

Anyway, hope it proves to be an interesting offseason for you.

All the best,
Marshall Auerback

Ah Denver. I remember it well. I spent nearly three days in the airport there the season before last. Good times.

1. Avery Johnson? Hmmmm. Just watching him flex his jaw muscles gives me a tension headache. I see where you're coming from, but I'm not feeling it.

2. No Artest because he'd be expensive and he's crazy. Nothing against crazy people. And if Artest was so good, why have his teams been so bad? The exception being the brawl team in Indiana, and how did that work out?

3. Oakley was crazy like a fox. Artest is a whole different category.

Here's my two cents worth: Thanks for your reality-based coverage of the Raptors. As I grew evermore weary of the apparent naïveté of the broadcasters (maybe that's just their job), with each passing disappointing performance, your insightful columns (“post-mortems”) became the only refuge.

I have a great deal of respect for your honesty and for your ability to get to the heart of the matter. It must put in jeopardy your relationship with your “subjects”, or at least those of the fragile ego. But this just makes your reporting of the truth that much more admirable.

So thanks again Michael.

Best regards,
John

What a nice note! Not really a question in there, but a few points and maybe a story. As far as the broadcasters go, the guys who do the Raptors games on Radio and TV are really knowledgeable about the game and the team. I have learned a lot from them, just talking hoops, over the years. Do they have strong opinions and insights? Definitely, but they obviously have a different responsibility than writers; criticizing them for not raking one aspect of the team or another is kind of misplaced, I've always thought. I'm glad to be perceived as providing 'reality-based' coverage; it's kind the goal.

The only time it ever caused a problem was at one point this season I made the point on a blog item that Darrick Martin's usefulness in the NBA had come to an end; no offence to Martin -- and I made a point of giving him his propers for making it 13 years in the league, which is an amazing accomplishment -- but he looked to be a step or two slow, even in a very limited role.

I've kind of been resisting this because it's so obvious and a bit unpleasant, but Darrick Martin's time in the NBA, generally borrowed in the first place, is just about up.

I'm not really supposed to say these things, but I like D-Mart. And I definitely respect him. He is a man of routines, which is the foundation of any successful professional. On days when he's got a chance of playing, like last night when Ford was out and on the many more days when he's got no chance, he does the same thing. He's at the arena early and among the very first on the court, often bringing a developing young player with him. He does some skipping to warm-up and then gets into a solo shooting routine. Then he's out there for some group work and stays long after to encourage other guys. He's always in the same mood, always upbeat. Everyone likes him and he seems to like everybody. I subscribe to the theory that he adds something to the team even if he never takes to the court.

But the problem is when he takes to the court, I don't think he can hold his own the way he has in the past. He did buy some minutes for Calderon and ran the team decently enough last night, but that was a high point so far this season. His perimeter shooting is suspect, but it doesn't stop him from shooting, and when he penetrates he's as likely to get the ball sent back to centre as to score. He's had an amazing run for a guy with his athletic talent, but if the Raptors get in a situation where Ford or Calderon are out for an extended period, the drop-off to Martin is too steep for a team with a deep playoff run on their minds.

This was December. Flash forward to February and the Raptors are in New York and Martin comes off the bench and plays some pretty good minutes and the Raptors win. I'm in the tiny visitors locker room after the game and D-Mart has his back to me and says to Hump in the is loud stage whisper: "That's the guy who said I was all washed up."

I can barely remember what he was talking about, but I find the passage and read it and figure that must be it. He'd just been sitting on it for a month until he had a chance to rub it in my face, I guess. We talked about it the next day and D-Mart pointed out that his assist to turnover ration was 18-1 or something. Actually not or something. Exactly: he had 18 assists on the season and one turnover. I could only nod. I'll say this: confidence has never been an obstacle to Darrick Martin reaching his potential.

Otherwise no real problems. For all the heat T.J. has taken he alwasy stands up and talks and never makes it personal. He'll tell you why you're wrong, but he leaves it at that, which I respect.

There's more where this came from. I'll catch up on Monday. Enjoy the weekend.