Raptor Talk 11-12 Big Changes May be in the Works!

Time to start this up again with the new season set to roll come Christmas.

What are your thoughts on the signing Jamaal Magloire to a 1-year contract?

http://twitter.com/#!/TSN1050Radio/s...18189756710912

The schedule is brutal I predict many injuries due to fatigue from such a ridiculous slate of games.

Why does the NBA do these things? Is it simply a matter of money in someone's pocket?

The quality of basketball will be sorry to watch as a result of this.

But watch I will - I'm not sure why!

Sobering article in today's Toronto Star by Cathal Kelly entitled "Raps Set Bar as low as it can go".

Colangelo was quoted as saying he doesn't expect to sign any free agent to anything other than a one year deal, and that he "feel(s) kind of sorry for Dwane (Casey)". Casey himself said "a lot of games, sad to say, are going to be practices." It sounds like Raptors fans are the ones they should feel sorry for with this approach.

Magloire is a feel good kind of signing, I guess. A good community guy coming home. Had we completed this signing five or six years ago it would have been a lot more significant. His on court contributions have been minimal for several years now.

A guy who they should try to sign is Elijah Millsap who is playing for the LA Defenders. He looks to be someone who could fill Sonny Weems spot -- an athletic three man who can shoot from range and take it to the hoop.

Huge rumours floating just now about Chris Paul to the Lakers for Odom and Gasol or possibly Bynum!

Also Howard to Lakers - CRAZY!!

Because small market owners protested the League nixed the Chris Paul deal.

There's several other rumours out there however!

Even with Magloire's signing, the team looks thin in the frontcourt. Bargs and Amir will have to play a lot of minutes.

It did look like Kleiza was working out yesterday, but I don't think they should count on him right away given the microfracture surgery.

Agreed on the frontcourt being thin. Wondering if Alabi can be an NBA player. Magloire can help but only in a very minor role maybe he's rejuvenated by his return home. He has declined considerably in the last couple of years.

Word is no Kleiza until January. If he recovers he can help the cause!

Looks like a tough year for sure!

Raptors have picked up Mickael Pietrus reportedly giving up a second-round draft pick.

I like it defence and a shot-maker added on the wing. We need help there so he's a good addition imo!

I'm still torn as to what my connection is to this team and the NBA.

The whole Miami thing last year put a bad taste in my mouth.

And then the constant rebuilding of the Raps. That organization surely was quick to take/accept many of thousands of dollars from my pocket and I have nothing to show for it - other than regret and reluctancy.

I will watch... probably from a distance... but certainly not like anything before.
Two things intrigue me about this team... the youth movement and where they will land in the lottery for 2012 draft.

Apparently the Pietrus deal is likely to be rescinded due to concerns about his knee.

The reports are they are adding Anthony Carter, Rasual Butler and Aaron Gray, in addition to Magloire. They've also signed Gary Forbes to an offer sheet. He showed some promise as a perimeter shooter last year with Denver, but he's not really a young player.

I see Butler as a level below Pietrus, who has a resume as a very good defender.

As this team looks ill equipped to make the playoffs it could have been advisable to bring a young guy or two in from the D-League who might develop. Other than Forbes, these are journeymen whose best attribute is their experience at the NBA level, and probably their willingness to accept the veterans minimum.

Agree with you Petro - I can't see myself buying tickets to more than a game or two with this lineup. The team is working the phones right now trying to sell tickets but on the basis of what I've seen so far, I'll watch for a while on the tube.

These moves look a lot like those which assembled the 2002-03 team at the end of the Lenny Wilkens era, which filled out the roster with guys like Greg Foster, Nate Huffman, Jelani McCoy, Voshon Leonard, Jermaine Jackson and Lindsey Hunter. I watched quite a few of those games in person and they were awful (24 and 58 record, despite Vince, Mo Pete, AD, etc).

20 wins would be a major accomplishment, with this group, I'd say.

From Raptor Republic:

Rasual Butler signed with the Raptors, there’s talk of Aaron Gray (backup center from NO) signing as well, and there’s the Forbes offersheet as well. Oh yeah, Anthony Carter too.

-------

These signings would take the training camp roster to 15 players, and in doing so the Raptors haven’t made one fiscally questionable move. All they’ve done is improve their woeful three-point shooting, improved their interior defense (albeit not by much, but still), and added defense at the wings where it was sorely lacking.

Fiscally responsible -- yes. Significant additions to a team in need of talent -- doubtful. They are shopping in the bargain bin. Every once in a while you will find someone useful in there, who other teams have overlooked (Jamario Moon, for example), but not often. Perhaps Jamal will enjoy a bit of a resurgence in his career, coming home, and with more playing time on a team in need of a backup 5. And if he can be a leader in the locker room that would be a plus.

The problem will occur if Bargs, Amir, Calderon or DeRozan are injured for an extended period. With the exception of Forbes, these guys look to me like personnel best equipped to play 10 minutes a game at this point in their careers.

Barbosa should be healthy and raring to go... he's had two seasons of injuries so hopefully he can be a nice spark off the bench.

There are useable parts and tradeable assets... how it's brought all together will be interesting. Perhaps they surprise all of us and themselves.

Bargs is still a pylon on defense and under the boards... hopefully Casey will sit his arse.

My prediction... and this is an optimistic approach... 25 wins... maybe even a couple more if Demar, Baylis and Johnson's individual development improved i.e bigger, faster, stronger... and of course if Casey actually changes the defensive mindset and they actually commit to defending.


In the same breath... I wouldn't be surprised if they only hit 15 w's.

This appears to be one of the least talented Raptors teams dating back to the Darrell Walker era. There is little depth. 20 wins may be possible if everyone stays healthy. Agree that 15 is possible if not. Amir is coming off ankle surgery and Calderon also has past issues with his hamstrings.

This team appears to need to run to be successful. When you run you make turnovers and get into shootouts. And that doesn't fit the defensive approach. They don't appear to have the personnel to play a half court game, with no real back to the basket guy.

Demar is going to need to carry the raptors for them to do anything in my opinion straight up, this kid wants to be great... they need to give him that opportunity