Raptors Rumors: Bargnani, Calderon, Casey
The Raptors fell to 4-18 on the season last night, losing by 18 points to the sub-.500 Trail Blazers. With multiple Raps leaving the game due to injury or ejection, the team mustered just 74 points, matching a season-low. Things are looking bleak in Toronto, and it's possible that changes are on the horizon. Here are a few of the latest rumblings:
- The Raptors are "dangling" Andrea Bargnani as trade bait, but haven't attracted any takers so far, according to Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link) hears that Bargnani isn't on the trade block, but that the Raptors would listen to offers for the former No. 1 pick.
- Jose Calderon has "made it clear" he wouldn't mind a trade, and team president Bryan Colangelo continues to explore possibilities on that front, says Amick.
- Multiple sources tell Amick that coach Dwane Casey's job isn't in jeopardy, and that a roster move is much more likely than a coaching change. According to Amick, a trade "of some significance" may be on the horizon for the club.
Odds & Ends: Ahearn, Wizards, Draft, Bargnani
A year ago today, the NBA lockout had just officially ended and we were immersed in a compressed and frantic period of free agency. As fun a week as that was, I'll take this year's December 10th, which features an evening slate of six NBA contests, including a Southeast battle between the Hawks and Heat. As we await tonight's games, let's round up a few afternoon odds and ends:
- In addition to working out Ben Uzoh on Sunday, the Wizards also took a look at Blake Ahearn, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. However, Washington doesn't plan to sign either player to replace the injured A.J. Price.
- In the latest draft blog at ESPN.com (Insider link), Jay Bilas and Chad Ford discuss which college point guard is the top prospect at the position.
- John Hollinger also has an Insider-only piece up at ESPN.com, in which he examines Andrea Bargnani's disappointing performance so far this season for the Raptors. If Bargnani plays like this all season, the amnesty clause could be a real possibility next summer, says Hollinger. I still think the former first overall pick has some trade value, but that value is certainly not where it was even a few weeks ago.
- The Hawks are still figuring out when to bring back Mike Scott from the D-League, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- Tony Parker sees a little of himself in Jeremy Lin, as he tells Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Jose Calderon Prepared For Possible Trade
Off to a 4-17 start, the Raptors could be one team looking to cash in its veteran assets later in the year for younger players or picks. One candidate to be moved is Jose Calderon, who tells ElMundo.es (English link via HoopsWorld) that he's bracing himself for every scenario, including a trade.
Acknowledging that he has no control over his situation, Calderon said a trade "might happen," if the Raptors believe they can get something of value in return for his expiring contract. The veteran point guard is in the final season of a five-year deal, making $10.56MM in 2012/13. His contract also includes a 10% trade kicker, as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors outlined yesterday.
One popular trade rumor involving Calderon sees him paired with Andrea Bargnani and sent to the Lakers in a deal for Pau Gasol. However, there's been no indication that the Lakers would be open to such a move, particularly not with L.A. still awaiting Steve Nash's return to health.
Eastern Notes: Cavaliers, Green, Lopez
Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal debunks the misconception that the Cavaliers will be forced to spend big in free agency this summer as a result of the NBA's minimum team salary floor requirement. Next season, teams will be required to spend at least 90 percent of the league's salary cap number next year. Although Cleveland's total amount of committed salaries could fall short of that number, Lloyd points out that the Cavs will be allowed to make up for the difference by dispersing the remaining required amount to its players. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- After initial struggles, Jeff Green appears to be looking more like the player the Celtics envisioned when they inked him to a 4-year, $36MM deal this summer, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com
- Brook Lopez's recovery from a sprained right foot hasn't progressed as quickly as the Nets have hoped, writes Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York.
- Count George Karl among those who thinks that Knicks star Carmelo Anthony is primed to eventually win an NBA title (Matt Ehalt of ESPN New York reports).
- Pacers head coach Frank Vogel is considering more playing time for guard Ben Hansbrough and forward Jeff Pendergraph at the expense of those who have been struggling in Indiana's current second unit lately.
- Several of HoopsWorld's analysts weighed in on who they feel are the most surprising teams in the NBA thus far. Out of the Eastern conference, they referenced the Knicks' dominance, the Bobcats' improvement compared to last season, and the Raptors' difficulty in living up to expectations.
- Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times says that the ticket to Bulls forward Jimmy Butler earning playing time has been his defensive versatility.
- John Denton of NBA.com examines the niche that Moe Harkless has found with coach Jacque Vaughn, who likes the progression his rookie has made in the starting rotation. Denton also provides a minor update the current statuses of Hedo Turkoglu and Al Harrington, saying that while Turkoglu still appears to be out indefinitely, Harrington could return in the next two weeks.
- Raptors guard Alan Anderson went through his workout today without any pain and believes that he is one practice away from returning (Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun reports).
Colangelo On Rumors, Young Players, Struggles
The Raptors have completed just over a quarter of their season schedule, finding themselves tied with the Cavaliers for the second worst record in the Eastern Conference. Yesterday, we noted that GM Bryan Colangelo used the words "unacceptable" and "embarrassing" to describe his current thoughts on the team. During the first quarter of their game against the Clippers today, Colangelo followed up on those comments and touched upon other Raptors-related topics (Holly Mackenzie of Sportsnet.ca has the transcript). Here are some of the highlights:
On trade speculation:
"We were talking to a lot of teams, what we always do, and it's a means of pursing avenues to improve your basketball team so if a deal comes along that makes sense, that is right and fits within the plan of this building process that we've been going through, we'll certainly take a look at it. If it can accelerate that process and if it fits then we'll look to address something. But nothing specific about any player right now. There's been a lot of speculation, a lot of rumors. Again, we're continuing to look at opportunities."
On Andrea Bargnani's consistency issues:
"(Last year) it looked like he was putting up all-star numbers obviously for the first 15-18 games. He has not gotten back to that level. It looked that way early in preseason that he was coming back ready to become and perform at that level. But unfortunately we have not seen that consistency."
On rookies Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas:
"(Ross is) a great talent and a number of the people I've talked to around the league think he's a great talent to have…he's been the recipient of some extra minutes because of some injuries. That's a good thing that will help us in the long run."
"(Valanciunas is) learning the nuances of what we're doing from a system standpoint, but also learning the game at the same time…Jonas is only 20 years old and really represents the future of this basketball team."
On second year big man Ed Davis:
"We talked a lot about him getting off to a slow start because he didn't have the kind of development early that he needed early due to an injury and then also due to the lockout, but he had a great summer…But it really with him comes down to a focus on his effort level night in and night out."
On the team's struggles:
" I do not believe that it's a talent issue right now; I do believe that it's about a team coming together. We're very young, we've had some injury issues, we've got the schedule, but we're not making excuses, we know there are some things that are broken and need to be fixed right now, but again, it's a lack of focus and a lack of attention to detail, I think more than anything right now."
Raptors Notes: Bargnani, Colangelo, Gasol
Earlier tonight, I asked Hoops Rumors readers if the Raptors should end the Andrea Bargnani era in Toronto and nearly 85% of you said that he should be traded south of the border. Here’s more on the former No. 1 overall pick and the Raptors..
- General Manager Bryan Colangelo says that he’s as disappointed in the club’s 4-16 start as anyone, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. “This situation is, from all standards, unacceptable,” Colangelo said. “It’s disappointing, it’s embarrassing but this is where we find ourselves.” Colangelo is meeting with members of the team and coaching staff tonight off of the heels of their 131-99 loss to the Jazz.
- Bargnani says that the constant trade talk is having zero effect on him and his mental state, writes Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun. The big man says that he made peace with the reality that he can always be traded from his first day in the league.
- Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun wonders if Colangelo is motivated to make moves to prioritize the short-term over the long-term, like acquiring Pau Gasol, because of his own contract situation. Colangelo’s contract is not guaranteed beyond this year.
Poll: Should The Raptors Trade Andrea Bargnani?
The early word on the 2013 NBA Draft is that it'll be rather thin at the top and likely one of the weakest classes in recent years. The last draft class to elicit such a tepid reaction was 2006, a year in which there was no real consensus number one pick. Many fans saw Texas forward LaMarcus Aldridge as the top choice, but Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo was smitten with Italy's Andrea Bargnani.
It's easy to see why Colangelo and other GMs had Bargnani pegged as the best talent in the draft – his combination of athleticism and outside shooting is wildly impressive for a 7-footer. In recent years, the Raptors have worked to build an offense and a roster around Bargnani and his unusual skill set. At this point, however, the plan isn't working as well as Colangelo would have hoped. Toronto hasn't seen the postseason since 2007/08 and they're not likely to return this year as they sit in the cellar of the Atlantic at 4-16.
Bargnani hasn't been playing up to his ability in the first 20 games of this campaign and his stat line shows it. The big man's numbers are down across the board as he is averaging 17.0 PPG and just 4.6 boards. Bargnani was never confused for Rick Mahorn on the court, but his rebounding ability appears to have regressed even further. His trade value obviously isn't what it once was, but it might be time for the Raptors to cut the cord and start fresh. At the very least, the Raptors know that there's still a fan of Bargnani's in Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni. Bargnani is the perfect forward for D'Antoni's trigger-happy offense and can help detract pressure away from center Dwight Howard. The Raptors might not be as excited about Pau Gasol given his current woes, but they could explore a three-way trade to get the right mix of NBA-ready talent in return.
Should The Raptors Move Bargnani?
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Yes 86% (546)
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No 14% (90)
Total votes: 636
Eastern Rumors: Ilyasova, Dalembert, Bynum
The teams that would occupy the top four playoff seeds in the Eastern Conference are all in action tonight, and all of them are in fairly compelling matchups. The first-place Knicks and would-be No. 4 seed Bulls square off, while the Hawks, the third-best team in the conference, travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies, who sit atop the league. The Heat take on the lowly Hornets, but after Miami's loss to the Wizards this week, nothing's a given. Here's today's news from around the East:
- Ersan Ilyasova signed new a five-year, $40MM deal with the Bucks this summer, but has since been benched, as Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld chronicles. "It is a little bit (tough)," Ilyasova said. "We got a lot of big guys in different spots. It’s hard to find room some times. It doesn’t really matter. Whenever I step out on the floor I just try to be myself and give 100 percent."
- The Bucks also acquired Samuel Dalembert via trade this offseason, and he, too, is on the bench despite a $6.7MM salary in the final season of his contract. Dalembert is questioning the way the team has deployed him, according to Koutroupis. "It is not working," Dalembert said. "It’s not quite, I thought my role would have been a little bit more. But, like I said it’s coaching and everybody is doing their best."
- Tom Moore of Phillyburbs.com cites examples from Sixers coach Doug Collins' comments as he argues that Collins' patience with Andrew Bynum has worn thin, and wonders if the coach has moved on from the idea of having a franchise center around.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld believes any player on the Raptors roster is liable to be traded, and predicts a major move in the near future. Brotherston thinks GM Bryan Colangelo and coach Dwane Casey might not be long for Toronto, either.
- Jan Vesely, the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft, has fallen out of the Wizards rotation, but the team isn't planning to send him to the D-League, sources tell Michael Lee of The Washington Post.
Odds & Ends: Cavs, Bargnani, Green, Wolves
Now is not the right time for the Raptors to trade Andrea Bargnani, but it might be the right move to make anyway, writes Eric Koreen of the Toronto Star. The big man doesn't fit the culture that Dwane Casey is trying to instill in Toronto and moving him could help get the locker room back on track. The Raptors have spent years trying to make the team work around Bargnani and Koreen argues that the relationship should have been working the other way around. Here's more from around the league..
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders if the Cavaliers made the right call in sending Jon Leuer to the D-League. The move should give Leuer plenty of playing time but the 4-16 Cavs can probably afford to give him significant minutes at the NBA level.
- The Celtics need more efficiency from Jeff Green this season, writes Rich Levine of CSNNE.com. The C's re-signed Green to a four-year, $36MM deal this summer, a surprising commitmentgiven his health concerns.
- The Timberwolves got the short end of the stick in last year's three-team Carmelo Anthony trade, tweets Mark Deeks of Sham Sports. The Wolves gave up Corey Brewer and Kosta Koufos and received Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph in return. Minnesota also took on a great deal of salary in the trade.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel doesn't think that the Heat need to make a trade to return to the form of last season.
Odds & Ends: Raptors, Blatche, Rubio, Kings
While the Raptors might not be willing to part with Andrea Bargnani just yet, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com notes that there is plenty of pressure on Bryan Colangelo to win, which might fuel him to pull the trigger on a deal. The Raptors have a lot that makes sense for the Lakers in a Pau Gasol deal beyond the forward too in Jose Calderon and Linas Kleiza. The question is whether Raptors believe Gasol will make them contenders and whether he’s worth taking on $19MM next season. Here’s more Friday night linkage..
- In this week’s mailbag, CSNNE’s Tommy Heinsohn said that Jason Terry knew that he would have a significant role with the Celtics when he signed on this summer.
- Nets forward Andray Blatche is clearly one of the best late offseason signings in the entire league, tweets Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. The athletic big man signed a minimum salary deal with the Nets over the summer and earlier today he said that he would like to re-sign with Brooklyn.
- T’Wolves guard Ricky Rubio said that if he had to rate his happiness in Minnesota on a scale from 1-10, he’d give it a ten, tweets Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press. Rubio will be extension-eligible in 2014 and can become a restricted free agent in 2015.
- Kings assistant coach Bobby Jackson wondered aloud if the club should thinking about breaking up their logjam of guards with Aaron Brooks, Isaiah Thomas, and Jimmer Fredette in the fold, writes Blake Ellington of Bleed Black and Purple