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Jerry Colangelo Willing to Wait on Stars

Chris Tomasson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:25:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Heat, Raptors, FIBA, USA Basketball

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh might want to wait. Jerry Colangelo is willing to let them do so.

James, Wade and Bosh all can become free agents next summer, which has clouded their chances of playing for Team USA in the World Championships in Turkey, Aug. 28-Sept. 12. But Colangelo, chairman of USA Basketball, sees a scenario in which the three still could play even if they might not be available for the team's minicamp in Las Vegas during the third week of July.

"There is a gap between the minicamp and when they have to be back [for a training camp beginning in Las Vegas around Aug. 10],'' Colangelo said in an interview Monday with FanHouse. "That's about three weeks. I could see them getting all their business done by then.''

Colangelo said, if necessary, he would be willing to wait on any of the three who can opt out of their contracts next summer and become free agents. After all, Cleveland's James, Miami's Wade and Toronto's Bosh could prove pivotal to Team USA trying to win the Worlds for the first time since 1994.

While James and Wade were the top two scorers on the 2008 Olympic team, Colangelo said he has received a firm commitment about playing from Lakers star Kobe Bryant, the No. 3 scorer. Bryant could opt out of his contract and become a free agent next summer, but few see a scenario in which Bryant leaves the Lakers.

Others off the 2008 Olympic team who have said they want to return for the World Championships include Orlando's Dwight Howard, Denver's Carmelo Anthony, and Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer of Utah. However, Boozer is no lock to again make the team, with Colangelo having said Boozer, Detroit's Tayshaun Prince and Milwaukee's Michael Redd could face competition to make Team USA's roster.

Colangelo said Dallas' Jason Kidd, who is retiring from international basketball, is the only holdover from 2008 who looks now to be out of the mix.

Colangelo said he plans to assemble a roster of about 25 players in about a month, but there figure to be additions and deletions over the next half year. Excluding Kidd, Colangelo said it's likely all 11 players from the 2008 Olympic team will be on the 25-man roster unless any don't want to play.

Colangelo plans to spend the next month talking to Olympic holdovers and to other prospects. Colangelo already has said Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant all but has a spot reserved for Turkey.

"[Portland's] Brandon Roy is a player that has not participated with us because he's had injuries and contractual issues,'' Colangelo said. "But he's publicly stated he wants to play. And we have not spoken [recently] ... And [Indiana's Danny] Granger is a player who hasn't been able to play, but supposedly he's very interested. I need to find out just how interested.''

Colangelo said he's also planning to keep an eye on Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings, who has taken the NBA by storm as a rookie. And he said he's monitoring the progress of the Clippers' Blake Griffin and Minnesota's Kevin Love, who are injured, and Minnesota's Al Jefferson, who has been hurt.

Colangelo said if a player is injured and not on the initial 25-man roster, it's not out of the question he could be added later after becoming healthy. The plan has been to invite from 14 to 16 players out of the 25 to the July minicamp.

By then, the waiting game for James, Wade and Bosh might have started.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com and on Twitter @christomasson.

Jerry Colangelo Willing to Wait on Stars originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA MVP Rankings: Can LBJ Repeat?

Tom Ziller — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Hawks, Heat, Lakers, Mavericks, Raptors, NBA Awards

Every few weeks, FanHouse will offer a writer's opinion on the current NBA MVP Rankings. This time, Tom Ziller gives his top 20 through the season's first four weeks, as well as an assessment of the multitude of rookie point guards.

1. LeBron James, Cleveland. The Chosen One won his fairy tale Podoloff last season before embarking on the Summer of 'Bron, but missed out on the real prize, the O'Brien. This season, with the Finals on his mind and free agency taking up slot No. 2, LeBron doesn't exactly seem to be gunning for a repeat MVP coronation. But who cares? The offseason shooting work worked: James is matching his '08-09 scoring average (28 points a game) on two fewer FGAs, owing to a much improved jumper. Thirty-six percent from long range? Be afraid, America.

2. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas. My brosef Bethlehem Shoals has handed Dirk the early season lead, and with good reason: the Mavericks are smoking, and Nowitzki's the ringleader. Dirk can and will shoot more efficiently, but don't forget that because he primarily shoots jumpers he rarely coughs up turnovers (just 18 through 12 games). He's also rebounding like a champ, and forcing flashbacks to his '06-07 MVP season.

3. Chris Bosh, Toronto. The Raptors can't quite put it together as a team, though there are signs of a pending breakthrough. But Bosh has it together individually, and he's shattering the old definition of Bosh. Playing two fewer minutes a game in the high-octane Toronto attack, Bosh is averaging an extra four points (with just one extra FGA) and almost four more rebounds a night. Call this the Chris Paul Memorial "Outshone by Ridiculousness" Third-Place Award, for now.

4. Josh Smith, Atlanta. Speaking of putting it altogether, a la Bosh. Smith abandoned the three (for the most part) and took over the paint. His field goal percentage is outrageous (56 percent, compared with 45 percent career), his rebounding has been stellar and he has regained the indefatigable blocking spirit missing from the soulless but successful '08-09 campaign. It's like the exclamatory Smith from Atlanta's lean years has found a way to exist within the framework of team success. And it is GLORIOUS.

5. Dwyane Wade, Miami. Wade will probably never win a Podoloff -- he's already 28, LeBron has gone into full-on Madman mode, and the next wave is ready to rise up -- and he has definitely relaxed a bit from that psychotic '08-09 bit. Of course, this is because he has more, better help, especially on defense (Jermaine O'Neal is downright spry). Still, 27/5/5? Not sane.

6. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles. This ranking is too low for the extraordinary Bryant, but that's owed more to the excellence above than anything Kobe has done. The Mamba is shooting more frequently than anyone in the league (excluding Antawn Jamison's night of infamy), and he's making plenty of his attempts. The surprising thing in the pre-Gasol games has been Kobe's lack of assists. He's at 2.9 per game right now, the lowest level since he was 19 years old. And even then he averaged 2.5 per game ... in 13 fewer minutes a night. With Kobe's scoring where it is, it's not a huge problem. But it bears monitoring. So, you know, we can call him selfish the next time there's a two-game losing streak.

7. Brandon Roy, Portland. Like Dirk, Roy's shooting looks a bit off in the ledger right now, but that's owed to a slow start amid the Blake-Miller media malaise. Now that 'Dre is in charge, Roy is back, with the Blazers on his back. Like Dirk Part II, Roy is sure as Brevin Knight (slight exaggeration) with the rock, only giving up two turnovers a night despite 15 shots, seven free throws and five assists. That is some ridiculous ball efficiency. Naismith weeps in joy.

8. Carmelo Anthony, Denver. 'Melo has made a mockery of his rep, coalescing last season's defense/periphery-focused approach with his original Murderous Scorer persona to create some jacked-up Megatron of Impending Doom. It's all come out to the most effortless 30-point per game average in recent memory, a razor-like focus I can't see fading over the long march. All these cats on the list should matter in the postseason, assuming everyone makes it. (Looking at you, CB4.) But you can really foresee 'Melo taking May by its haunches, can't you?

9. Chris Paul, New Orleans. Paul is injured badly, and will fall from this perch as his absence rolls on. Because -- not in spite of, because -- of that, what he did in 10 games deserves mention: 24/9 on a True Shooting percentage of (ahem) .706. Paul shot better from three than almost the entire league shoots in the paint. All birds touch Earth some day, and it's unlikely CP3 would have kept up the clip. But doing it for 10 games is a triumph in itself.

10. Dwight Howard, Orlando. Even though the early going has been a disappointment for Howard and the Magic, the young Superman has still dominated the paint with regularity, and with ease. It's the "ease" that bothers -- there's a sense that, based on previous exploits, Howard could be doing more. On defense, especially. But he leads the league in defensive rebound rates and is currently second in total rebound rate. He leads the league in field goal percentage. He's fine.

11. Steve Nash, Phoenix. The Suns have been amazing, and refreshing, but it's amazing and not refreshing to see Nash mentioned as an early MVP candidate. His offensive contribution remains exemplary (hence this fairly lofty rank above some deserving friends), but -- here's this old canard -- his defense can't be hidden, not now and not in April. Phoenix is a bottom tier defensive squad, and while the frontline is less than optimal, Nash is a huge, glaring reason as to why opponents score at near-will. It's not Nash's fault -- his flaw is a physical one, and he knows (as well as Alvin Gentry and thankgoodnessnow Steve Kerr) to play and prepare to his strength. But it's there, it's readily apparent, and it's non-negotiable.

12. Joe Johnson, Atlanta. That Johnson's best pro season has coincided with Atlanta's leap up the leaderboard is not coincidence. J.J. has basically been a more gunner-y, less stopper-ish Roy. One could argue he belongs way up this list (like, say, alongside Roy), but Atlanta's backcourt is giving up as many open looks as the frontcourt (anchored by Smith and stout Al Horford), and while Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford are leading suspects, J.J. is not immune from rotating late.

13. Rajon Rondo / 14. Kevin Garnett, Boston. Rondo and Garnett don't drop jaws in the stat lines (OK, Rondo's numbers at least leaves jaws aloof on occasion), but there's a reason Boston again has the league's best defense, and I'm willing to credit the continued physical psychosis of Rondo and the return of a not-quite-healthy-but-still-incredible Big Ticket. Rondo is like the defensive version of Nash. I could read a story about Rondo working with a physicist on finding the most anatomically efficient method of swiping at a live dribble without batting an eye. As for Garnett, he still has the mental capacity to stop any scorer, and the physical capacity hasn't left him yet. For basketball's sake, I hope it's not over for at least a couple more years.

15. Joakim Noah, Chicago. Laugh (at me and him), but Noah's superlative defense and energetic flavor have kept the Bulls afloat despite struggles for Derrick Rose and John Salmons, and injuries (one emotional, one physical) to Tyrus Thomas. If not for Noah and Luol Deng (playing as well as he ever has after recovering from a leg fracture last spring), the Bulls might be sitting on one or two wins. What a steal at No. 9 in the 2007 draft.

16. Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles. I said you could laugh at the Noah pick, but hold your fire here. Q(uick): how does one score 20 points on 14 shots in the NBA? Ask Andrew Bynum, who's gone 20/12, basically, and might actually improve considering he's been more efficient in the past. The Lakers have missed Pau Gasol -- that's undeniable. But Bynum has helped Bryant keep the Lakers elite during that absence. Bynum showed in the past how well he works with Pau, and I expect that while the center's raw numbers will fall to make room for the star Spaniard, his effectiveness will continue to shine through.

17. Danny Granger, Indiana. Granger continues to build his invisible brand. The Pacers look better (excepting the loss to the Knicks), and Granger is outpacing his own standard, averaging roughly 25/7. His shooting efficiency is grand, owing to an underhyped propensity to get to the stripe and a killer three-point stroke (which is a bit behind in the early going). The defense is also coming along. That's wasted in Indiana, of course, but it's still nice to have in your back pocket. (Shockingly, Indiana is currently in the top 10.)

18. Greg Oden, Portland. Did someone say defense? The Blazers improbably boast the league's No. 2 defense, and Oden -- all 24 minutes per game -- is the biggest reason. Oden leads the league in rebound rate (grabbing 20.9 percent of all rebound opportunities) and block rate (swatting 7.6 percent of all opponent FGAs while on the court). While Oden's on the court, opponents shoot 43 percent from the field, which is, my friend, ridiculous. At the other end, while Oden turns the ball over way too much (about three for every 36 minutes played), he doesn't take shots he can't make, and his free throw rate is shockingly good for a defensive specialist big man. So, yay Greg Oden. You're doing it.

19. Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee. The triumphs heaped upon the wonderfully joying Jennings may not last -- forget the rookie wall, there's an inkling Jennings might be on a serious hot streak before accounting for the schedule-based struggles first-year players often see. In that case, let's pile on now. Not even Jennings, confident as he's been, could have expected this much success so early. Heck, it was a minor upset than Jennings won over coach Scott Skiles enough to get the starting job over Luke Ridnour (a victory, you'll remember, Ramon Sessions couldn't quite reach most of last year). Jennings has been a scoring wizard, a legit playmaker and a mascot for a team in desperate need of spirit. Well done, sir. Well done.

20. Amar'e Stoudemire, Phoenix. Stoudemire has seen a decline in his numbers despite the Gentry reversion, but he has seemingly gotten his head on straight and his defense (while still not exactly excellent) has improved. In the interest of promoting this type of behavior, let's give Stoudemire as much credit as we would if he were still averaging 25 points and 10 blown defensive rebounds a game.

Five more: Tim Duncan, Andrew Bogut, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, Ben Gordon.

Etc.: Top Rookie Point Guards

1. Jennings.

2. Tyreke Evans, Sacramento. Evans has scored 20 points in each of his past five games, and is putting up numbers which could be defined as Roy-ish/R.O.Y.-ish. During the course of a game, you can actually see him learning NBA defense. It's pretty striking how receptive to real-world lessons Evans has been -- it's like he learns through basketball osmosis, giving new meaning to "trial by fire." Kudos as well for spending so much time with assistant coach/basketball Yoda Pete Carril, who has turned this fellow into a really good free throw shooter. (How often does an average college FT shooter fail to improve in the pros? Evans has been in the lig four weeks.)

3. Jonny Flynn, Minnesota. Ramon Sessions has now been displaced by two rookie point guards -- first Jennings, now Flynn, who isn't getting too many assists (just 3.2 per game) but has been a bright spot in an otherwise dispiriting situation.

4. Ty Lawson, Denver. I have no idea why anybody would be surprised that Lawson, as efficient a college point guard as he was, is just as successful as a blur off the bench for a team like the Nuggets.

5. Rodrigue Beaubois, Dallas. Beaubois, on the other hand, I can understand. The young Maverick is now featured with Jason Kidd in a double-PG starting line-up, shattering all early expectations. Beaubois hasn't quite been the Caribbean Westbrook we'd expected, but no one will care if he keeps shooting like a Dwarven rifleman.

6. Stephen Curry, Golden State.

7. Darren Collison, New Orleans. Collison has plenty to learn about defending the Steve Nash pick-and-roll, but don't we all? Collison missed a ton of shots against Phoenix Thursday, but stuck with it and sealed the game with a ballsy drive to the rim in the final moments. Bully for you, sir.

8. Eric Maynor, Utah.

9. Jeff Teague, Atlanta.

Nowhere to be found in North America: Ricky Rubio, Minnesota.

NBA MVP Rankings: Can LBJ Repeat? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bosh Will Consider Joining Wade

Chris Tomasson — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Heat, Raptors, FanHouse Exclusive

DENVER -- LeBron James is the first choice. But Chris Bosh certainly would be a solid backup for the Miami Heat next summer in free agency.

And he's willing to consider it.

The Heat, which figures to have more than $15 million of salary-cap room, is looking for a superstar to pair with Dwyane Wade. And Wade, who talked last week about possibly luring James to South Florida while also mentioning Bosh, is positioning himself as a recruiter.

"Anything is possible, I guess,'' Bosh, the Toronto star who can become a free agent next summer, told FanHouse in an interview before Tuesday's game at Denver about the possibility of going to Miami. "I guess that seems to be an attractive place, you know, playing with Dwyane and playing in Miami and everything. I guess if they had the right chemistry, the right guys, that they could persuade guys to get there. But we'll see.''

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Bosh will hear plenty of pitches from teams if he opts out of his contract next summer and becomes a free agent. But that's still not a certainty.

Bosh said he doesn't plan to make any decisions until after the season. Feeling fine about that is Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, who said the decision has been made to not offer Bosh an extension during the season because there's no need to put any extra pressure on him.

The forward, averaging career highs of 26.4 points and 11.8 rebounds, has a number of options. He could not opt out of his contract, putting off free agency until the summer of 2011. Or he could sign by June 30 an extension for up to three years.

"Much like those other teams that have discussed it with their respective free agents or potential free agents, all three of the players in question (Cleveland's James, Wade and Bosh) negotiated for flexibility for a reason to exercise that,'' Colangelo said in an interview with FanHouse. "The contract (extension to Bosh) has not been offered, it has not been discussed. It's been a point of the discussion from a standpoint of one of the options that is there.

"We're bringing new pieces to try to create a better team, a more competitive team around Chris. Why would he make a decision before he knows what the end of the result is? And why would I try to sell a story before the last chapter is written? So maybe he wants to see what we have before he makes a decision. And that could pertain to an extension. It could pertain to a new contract. ... There's been no conversation. There's been obvious consternation by the general public and the media. But Chris and I had sat down along time ago and talked about the various options that are out there.''

Colangelo let it be known Bosh's best option would be doing business with the Raptors, which would enable him to earn the biggest possible salary. Even a sign-and-trade would fulfill that.

"We're still the best partner for him to get the deal whether it's staying with us or getting it somewhere else or playing it out somewhere else,'' Colangelo said. "So we're the conduit. We're the best partner. We're not going to put the pressure on him to make a decision right now. It's really not the right time even for us. He's playing at an all-time level. ... I'm happy for him. I'm happy for us because we're in a better position to win basketball games.''

Bosh agrees with Colangelo that it's best to worry about his future after the season.

"I'm just playing basketball,'' he said. "It was the plan when I signed the contract (to have flexibility). When I signed the contract (some) people out there don't understand I had a plan going into this. So I'm closer to that goal. I'm just putting myself in the best position to make a decision for the future.''

While Bosh won't a sign a contract extension during the season, he was asked about the chances of signing one just before the June 30 deadline. Colangelo, pointing to Washington's Antawn Jamison doing that at "the 11th hour'' in 2008, doesn't rule that out as a possibility.

"I just will discuss those things when they get closer,'' Bosh said. "I'm just trying to concentrate on winning basketball games and playing good so that people will actually want to sign me.''

One thinks there will be interest in the five-time All-Star. Other teams with major cap room expected to go hard after Bosh include New York and New Jersey.

"I'm ready for it all the time,'' Bosh said when asked if he's prepared for the media onslaught when he heads to those areas this season, with Miami on Dec. 15 the first such stop.

"I'm just trying to concentrate on winning basketball games and playing good so that people will actually want to sign me."
-- Chris Bosh With Bosh's desire to win soon, Miami can't be overlooked at perhaps the strongest candidate if Bosh were to leave Toronto. There's talk the Heat might try to go after both James and Bosh, especially in light of James' recent comments that he won't necessarily require a maximum contract.

"Over the course of years, we've had conversations, myself, LeBron, Chris Bosh. We all understand the dynamics. Joe Johnson,'' Wade told reporters last week about his recruiting, also mentioning Johnson, an Atlanta guard who will be a free agent next summer. "We all have played on the Olympic team together, so we've all had the conversation of the possibility, 'We can play together one day.'

"Especially when (Kevin) Garnett and Ray Allen and Paul Pierce all got together (with Boston), we were like, 'Wow, it can happen.' You never know. When the summer comes, we'll all sit down over a nice meal, and we'll know what city it'll be in and we'll talk and see what everybody's deciding. I would love for everybody to want to focus their way down here, to this beautiful city of Miami.''

Wade will see Bosh on Friday when the Heat plays at Toronto. Perhaps he will mention the projected high that day in Miami is 82 degrees.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com and on Twitter @christomasson.

Bosh Will Consider Joining Wade originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raptors Bring Pops Mensah-Bonsu Back

Chris Tomasson — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, FanHouse Exclusive

DENVER -- The Toronto Raptors have claimed forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu off waivers, his agent confirmed Tuesday to FanHouse immediately after the waiver period ended.

Mensah-Bonsu was let go by the Houston Rockets last Friday, and placed on waivers until 6 ET Tuesday, which is when Mensah-Bonsu's agent, John Greig, said he was awarded to Toronto.

Anticipating he would be picked up the Raptors, Mensah-Bonsu flew Tuesday to Denver, and was active for the evening game against the Nuggets.
The 6-foot-9 Mensah-Bonsu finished last season with the Raptors, averaging 5.1 points in 19 games. He has a minimum contract that doesn't become fully guaranteed Dec. 20 so the Raptors could evaluate Mensah-Bonsu for a month before making a decision. But Greig is confident he will remain with Toronto for a while.

The Raptors last week waived guard Quincy Douby, whose contract wasn't fully guaranteed for this season, in order to gain some flexibility.

"By God's grace, I'm back in a Raptors uniform,'' said Mensah-Bonsu. "I'm glad it worked out.''

Greig said some other NBA teams, which he wouldn't name, had interest in making a claim on Mensah-Bonsu. And some of those teams would have gotten him due to having a worse record than Toronto.

But Greig said discussions were made with those teams about not making a claim because Mensah-Bonsu really wanted to play in Toronto, and he possibly could have gone to Europe had he not ended up with the Raptors.

Mensah-Bonsu confirmed one of the other teams considering a claim on him was New Jersey.

"I had a good offer (from a Russian team),'' said Mensah-Bonsu. "But I'm not saying I would have turned down (the Nets or any other team besides Toronto getting him). It was just something to consider.''

Mensah-Bonsu said he felt pretty good he would end up with the Raptors when he got on Tuesday's flight to Denver, several hours before he officially was awarded to Toronto.

"There was a chance,'' Mensah-Bonsu said of a team with a worse record than Toronto coming in with a late claim. "But at that time nobody's going to step forward and say, 'We want you.'''

Mensah-Bonsu has played three NBA seasons, including this one. While also having played for Dallas and San Antonio, he's averaged 3.8 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com and on Twitter @christomasson.

Raptors Bring Pops Mensah-Bonsu Back originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doing Lines: Tyreke Evans Busts Out

Brett Pollakoff — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:25:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Hawks, Jazz, Kings, Mavericks, Nuggets, Raptors, NBA Last Night

Every night there are some stupendous, silly, stupid, or downright outlandish individual lines from around the lig. Doing Lines lets you know which one tops the list.

If you're not a close follower of the NBA, then just six games or so into the season, we can't necessarily hold it against you if the name Tyreke Evans doesn't ring a bell. Besides being a rookie, Evans plays for the Sacramento Kings, a team that won just 17 games a season ago, and figured to be about as bad this year with stud scorer Kevin Martin sidelined indefinitely with an injury.

But after what Evans did to Deron Williams in leading his undermanned team to a road win in Utah on Saturday, he won't remain anonymous to basketball fans for much longer.

Evans was the game's high scorer, finishing with a career high (obviously) 32 points, on 7-for-15 shooting, with seven assists and three rebounds. He fearlessly attacked the basket all night long, which is the reason for his 19 free throw attempts -- 16 of which the kid made.

This performance from Evans is a bit of a surprise, considering the fact that when the Kings dropped 127 points on Memphis earlier in the week, the rookie scored just three. But that was with Martin in the lineup, who has the ball in his hands quite a bit -- and with a scoring average of over 30 points per game, shoots it a lot, too. With Martin out, Evans had no problem taking over the leadership role, which is pretty impressive for a rookie playing in just his sixth game as a pro.

Deron Williams had a pretty great game himself in the losing effort, pouring in 29 points and dishing out 15 assists. But since Evans was the one who ended up on the winning end of things, you'd think the least that ESPN could do for him would be to actually get his photo into their game recap.

Down in Atlanta, the Hawks rose up and handed the Nuggets their second straight loss. Denver was playing without the injured Kenyon Martin, and Josh Smith made the most of his absence.

Smith was dominant on both ends of the floor, putting up a ridiculous line of 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists ... and six blocked shots! When you add in the continued strong play of Jamal Crawford off the bench (25, four, and four), and Carmelo Anthony's struggle to get 30 points on 21 shots, it's easy to see how the Hawks ran away with this one.

Other notable numbers from Saturday's action:

Joakim Noah put up 21 points, on 10-of-12 shooting, and grabbed 16 rebounds in the Bulls' win over Charlotte. He's quietly becoming one of the most reliable centers in the game.

Josh Howard made his season debut for an already solid Mavericks team, and he looked good doing it. Howard was in the starting lineup, and in just 24 minutes, he had 16 points, four rebounds, two assists, and three steals.

Chris Bosh continued his early-season reminder that he too is one of 2010 free agency's top prizes, by putting up another super-solid line of 26 and 12, on 50 percent shooting from the field.

Doing Lines: Tyreke Evans Busts Out originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doing Lines: Kobe, 'Melo, Mayo Drop 40

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Hawks, Lakers, Magic, Nuggets, Raptors, Suns, NBA Last Night

Every night there are some stupendous, silly, stupid, or downright outlandish individual lines from around the lig. Doing Lines lets you know which one tops the list.

It's not every day that we get to see a player hit for 40 points or more in an NBA game. So on Sunday, when we had three different players meet or surpass the mark, it's definitely something worth discussing.

Especially when two of them did it in the same game.

Anytime the Grizzlies take the court, you can just throw defense right on out the window, because no matter what you do, Memphis is going to light it up with their dizzying array of deadly scorers.

Okay, not usually. But the Grizz had no trouble keeping pace with the Nuggets for most of the night, led by a career-high 40 points from O.J. Mayo. Mayo got there by going 17-25 from the field, and also grabbed five rebounds and handed out four assists.

On any other night, Memphis probably leaves with a win. But not when Carmelo Anthony is on the opposing team, and puts up 42 points of his own, on 15-26 shooting, with seven boards and five assists. It was the first time in his career that Anthony has posted consecutive 40-point games, after going for 41 in his team's Thursday night victory at the Rose Garden over the Blazers.

One more 40-point performance to mention, and that was Kobe Bryant going for 41 against a plucky Atlanta Hawks team. Bryant also had eight rebounds, five steals, and three assists -- all to make sure that the defending champion Lakers didn't dip below .500 after the team's first three games.

Other notable numbers from Sunday's action:

Joe Johnson had 18 points in the first quarter for the Hawks, but finished with just 27.

Chris Bosh had 35 points and 16 rebounds in a losing effort to the Orlando Magic. Dwight Howard had 24 and 11, but most importantly, he hit 14 of his 16 free throw attempts.

Channing Frye had 25 points and five rebounds, but that's not the interesting part: he made six three-pointers for the second straight game (this time on 10 attempts), and now has 13 threes on the season. This is a season career-high for him in made threes, after only three games as a Phoenix Sun.

Doing Lines: Kobe, 'Melo, Mayo Drop 40 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's What's Jumping Out of (NBA) Box

Matt Steinmetz — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Bulls, Kings, Raptors, Wizards, NBA Last Night, Thunder

Couldn't help but notice some interesting box score lines from a busy Friday night of NBA games. Among them ...

Gerald Wallace, Charlotte: 4-for-20 from the field, 0 assists in 53 minutes. You almost have to try not to get an assist in that many minutes. And for what it's worth, five of Wallace's misses were actually blocked. To be fair, we'll mention Wallace's 15 rebounds, but even they come with a caveat. New York, the Bobcats' opponent, shot 38 percent from the field and the game went into double OT. In other words, there were plenty of misses.

Gilbert Arenas, Washington: 23 points on 9-for-22 from the field, 7 turnovers and 4 assists. Arenas made it look easy the other night when he had 29 points and nine assists in a win over Dallas. So ... maybe there are going to be some ups and downs for him.

Nick Young, Washington: 0-for-8 from the field in 12-plus minutes. It's not the eight misses we're focusing on, it's that he got up eight shots in little more than a quarter's worth of work.

John Salmons, Chicago: 2-for-14 from the field. To say Salmons is off to a terrible start shooting the ball is an understatement. He's now 5-for-29 from the floor through two games.

James Harden, Oklahoma City: 8 assists in 16-plus minutes. That's not bad for a two guard, especially when you're talking about a rookie.

Jose Calderon, Toronto: 3 assists and 3 turnovers in 34 minutes. Hey, it's just one game, but we're talking about a player here who had a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season and a 5-to-1 turnover-to-assist ratio two seasons ago. Is the fact the ball isn't going to be in Calderon's hands as much -- with Hedo Turkoglu on board -- going to be a factor?

Kevin Martin, Sacramento: 9-for-29 from the field. No excuse for taking that many shots ... unless you're knocking down more than half of them.

Jason Thompson, Sacramento: 4-for-16 from the field in 39 minutes. That kind of shooting really mitigates those six offensive rebounds.

Here's What's Jumping Out of (NBA) Box originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cavs Fall to Raptors to Remain Winless

Matt Moore — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:20:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Raptors

Rome was not built in a day. But in two days, the NBA's version of Camelot sure has looked like the barbarians are at the gate.

OK, I'll try not to lob anymore historical metaphors at you. But you might want to get ready for a whole lot of consternation from the great state of Ohio, because the team with the best record in the league last year has started out 0-2. The Cavaliers fell to the Raptors in Toronto 101-91 to remain winless, and the same problems that surfaced Tuesday night in their loss to the Celtics reared their head again.

You don't touch the button with the P-word on it yet. It's only the second game, of course. But in an Eastern Conference where both of their opponents seem to be ready right off the bat, the Cavs look like they may have a steeper learning curve.

Stop me if you've heard this one, but LeBron James was brilliant in the loss. The reigning MVP earned his 25th triple-double tonight with 23 points, 12 assists, 11 rebounds and 2 steals in another exhibition to strike fear in the hearts of Cavs fans. The most disturbing trend from the first two games of the season is the regression to pre-2008 (or if you prefer, Eastern-Conference-Finals-esque) offense from the Cavs. The Cavs starters shot 33.9%, which is only slightly worse than the entire team's 34.9% mark.

Worse, they looked flat-out slow for the second night in a row, as the Raptors consistently got penetration on pump fakes and created open looks with effective ball rotation. Andrea Bargnani started his first year after the monster extension he received this summer, going 11-15 for 28 points and 5 rebounds. Bargnani murdered the Cavs, driving to draw fouls, kicking out to start rotations, and working both inside and out with his remarkable range. Chris Bosh was his usual All-Star self with 21 points and 16 rebounds, while Hedo Turkoglu had 12 points in his Raptors debut while proving to be instrumental in calming the Raptors during a furious third-quarter comeback bid for the Cavs.

The Raptors led 57-39 at the half before the Cavs staged a furious barrage of three-pointers in the third quarter, outscoring the Raps 32-21. But to start the fourth, instead of capitalizing on the momentum, Mike Brown elected to sit LeBron James until the 8:40 mark, resulting in a 9-3 run by Toronto to start the fourth. From there the Raptors offense awoke from its third quarter slumber and put the game away.

It was a great start for the new-look Raptors, and a bad-to-worse development for the Cavs, who are only getting marginal production from Shaquille O'Neal so far (12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 fouls). Brown has used the lineup of both Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Shaq on the floor at once in both of their games and thus far it has exposed the Cavs' vulnerability to the fast break.

It's better to struggle now than later on in the season, but to shrug off both of the Cavs losses as flukes is to ignore the vulnerabilities that a squad that was expected to contend for a title must resolve if it wants to rediscover the dominant team from last season. Because it sure doesn't look like Orlando or Boston are having identity crises.

Cavs Fall to Raptors to Remain Winless originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Draft Class of 2006 Not Cashing In

Chris Tomasson — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Celtics, Grizzlies, Jazz, Lakers, Raptors, Trail Blazers, Thunder

Saturday is Halloween, but don't expect many NBA owners and general managers in this shaky economy to dress up as Bill Gates and throw money around.

Oct. 31 is the annual deadline for one-time first-round picks entering their fourth seasons to be eligible to sign extensions that would kick in for their fifth seasons. For stars, it's a chance to land their first really big contract.

But much is silent as the deadline approaches, meaning the overwhelming number of eligible players from the 2006 first round will become restricted free agents next summer. Three players from that draft -- Andrea Bargnani of Toronto and LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy of Portland -- have inked extensions, but not a lot more activity is expected.

An agent who represents a 2006 first-round pick told FanHouse on Monday it's his understanding only three other players from that draft -- Memphis' Rudy Gay, Utah's Ronnie Brewer and Boston's Rajon Rando -- are even still involved in serious negotiations to reach a deal by Saturday.

Even if all three signed extensions by Saturday, that would make the total of six an all-time low since this format started with the 1998 draft (draftees from 1995-97 became unrestricted free agents after three seasons so there was much more urgency). The 2005 class got just seven extensions before Oct. 31, 2008.

Two agents confirmed to FanHouse on Monday their former lottery picks won't sign extensions by Saturday and will become restricted free agents next summer. While it's pretty much confirming the obvious, Mark Bartelstein said Adam Morrison, the No. 3 pick in 2006, won't reach a deal with the Lakers. Guy Zucker said the same is true with his client, Oklahoma City's Thebo Sefolosha, taken No. 13 in that draft.

Indications are Tyrus Thomas, who went No. 4 in 2006 to Chicago, won't sign an extension with the Bulls. Thomas' agent, Brian Elfus, wouldn't offer a confirmation of anything that will happen to his client. But he said he wouldn't consider it a setback if no agreement reached by Saturday.

"I wouldn't be considering it a huge deal (if Thomas doesn't sign by Saturday),'' Elfus said.

With Nos. 1 and 2 selections Bargnani and Aldridge locked up, the highest pick from 2006 bound to be a restricted free agent is Morrison. While there never has been any serious discussion about an extension, Bartelstein said he and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak decided early this offseason that the team would continue to evaluate Morrison into this season.

"We want to give him this year to get his feet back under him,'' Bartelstein said of Morrison, who was traded by Charlotte to the Lakers last February and then played sparingly, not getting into a single playoff game during their title run. "(The Lakers) have a good feeling about him (for the future).''

Three of the 14 lottery picks from 2006 aren't even eligible for extensions due to having previously not had options on their original contracts picked up. Those busts are No. 5 Shelden Williams, No. 9 Patrick O'Bryant and No. 10 Mouhamed Sene.

Thabo Sefolosha, like Morrison, has been dealt, but a trade doesn't change anything when it comes to eligibility for an extension if the rookie contract third- and fourth-year options get picked up. Zucker said there were talks about the Thunder possibly extending Seflosaha, who started 22 of 23 games after being acquired last February from Chicago while averaging 8.5 points.

Update: Sefolosha Signs Extension with Thunder

"We had some discussions, but it didn't result in any conclusions,'' Zucker said. "But (team officials) like (Seflosha) for the future even though we weren't able to reach any financial arrangements.''

With teams wary about costs due to the economy, that has cut down on the number of extensions. So has fears about the salary cap going down significantly next summer and teams losing flexibility.

"Teams know that a player will be restricted next summer and they can still match an offer on him,'' Bartelstein said of the lack of extensions being handed out. "Each team has a unique set of circumstances and some are trying to create cap room and have flexibility. I would say those factors, cap room, the player becoming restricted, and the economy.''

Also, 2006 won't exactly go down as a landmark draft in NBA history. Roy, a two-time participant, is the only player picked that night who has made an All-Star Game, although Aldridge is knocking hard on the door. Bargnani, No. 7 pick Randy Foye, No. 8 Gay, No. 14 Brewer and No. 21 Rondo are also all very much on the rise, but after that the first-round list drops off at the pace of an Acapulco cliff diver.

Here's a look at the 14 lottery picks and No. 21 Rondo and how they stand as Saturday's extension deadline approaches:

No. 1 Andrea Bargnani, Toronto: Has signed a five-year, $50 million extension.

No. 2 LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland: Has signed five-year, $65 million extension.

No. 3 Adam Morrison, Lakers: It remains to be seen if there's any chance of a Lakers return after he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.

No. 4 Tyrus Thomas, Chicago: Unlikely to receive extension after averaging 7.7 points in three seasons. He will have ample chance this season to continue to prove himself.

No. 5 Shelden Williams, Boston: Originally chosen by Atlanta and then traded to Sacramento, but his third-year option for 2009-10 wasn't picked up the Kings last year. So he's not a candidate for an extension.

No. 6 Brandon Roy, Portland: Has signed a five-year maximum extension that could be worth more than $80 million.

No. 7 Randy Foye, Washington: Unlikely to sign extension, with a so-so preseason not helping. The Wizards will continue to evaluate Foye, acquired last June from Minnesota, in his first season with the team.

No. 8 Rudy Gay, Memphis: After averaging 16.7 points in three seasons, he's definitely in the Grizzlies' future. The sides are talking, and it's 50-50 a deal can be reached.

No. 9 Patrick O'Bryant, Toronto: Originally chosen by Golden State, such a colossal mistake that his third-year option for 2008-09 wasn't picked up before the Oct. 31, 2007 deadline. So he's not a candidate for an extension.

No. 10 Mouhamed Sene, out of NBA: Originally chosen by Seattle, which moved to Oklahoma City, but his option for 2009-10 wasn't picked up and he was waived last February. He's now playing in France.

No. 11 J.J. Redick, Orlando: Unlikely to sign extension. Might be looking for a new home next summer.

No. 12 Hilton Armstrong, New Orleans: Unlikely to sign extension. Might want to change his name to Red Roof Armstrong after he's averaged 3.6 points in three seasons and put his long-term future with the Hornets very much in doubt.

No. 13 Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City: While he won't be extended, he could be another young piece Thunder officials might want to hold on to after he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.

No. 14 Ronnie Brewer, Utah: An intriguing athletic player on a team that always has been short on athleticism. It wouldn't be a surprise if an 11th-hour agreement were to be reached on an extension.

No. 21 Rajon Rondo, Boston: The steal of the 2006 draft, having developed into an upper-echelon point guard. The sides are talking, and it's not out of the question a deal could be hammered out by Saturday.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

NBA Draft Class of 2006 Not Cashing In originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spain's Jose Calderon Says Americans Need to Send Top Players to Worlds

Chris Tomasson — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:10:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, Raptors, FIBA, USA Basketball

DENVER -- Defending champion Spain is planning to have its best players for next year's World Championships in Turkey. The nation's top point guard is recommending that the Americans do the same.

"I think they've got to do that,'' Jose Calderon of the Toronto Raptors told FanHouse. "You cannot just play for the Olympics. I think that, if you want to be on the team, you've got to be in all the good tournaments, and that is a good tournament.''

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how many members of America's 2008 gold-medal Olympic team will return for the World Championships. Several top players, namely Cleveland's LeBron James, Miami's Dwyane Wade and Toronto's Chris Bosh, are wavering about committing.

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo is on a quest to convince Olympic holdovers the importance of the World Championships, an event Americans long have given little attention. Many top basketball-playing nations consider it more important than the Olympics.

But James, Wade and Bosh all can opt out of their contracts next summer and become free agents. For that reason, they might be unwilling to give Colangelo an advance commitment.

"It's important (for Team USA to have its best players), but they've got to take care of what they've got to take care of,'' Denver forward Carmelo Anthony, who already has committed to the Worlds, said about James, Wade and Bosh. "You don't really know what's going to happen with their free agency, and you've got to take care of your own first.''

The Americans haven't won the Worlds since Dream Team II clobbered foes in Canada in 1994. Following the original Dream Team's win in the 1992 Olympics, that was the second major international competition featuring NBA players.

NBA players didn't appear in the World Championships in 1998 in Greece due to the NBA lockout and a watered-down Team USA finished an embarrassing sixth in 2002 in Indianapolis. A solid American team managed just the bronze medal in Japan in 2006, which is why Anthony hopes all the top players from the Olympics eventually will return.

"We lost in the last Worlds, so it's good to go back and defend ourselves,'' said Anthony, a starting forward in both the 2006 Worlds and 2008 Olympics who can't become a free agent until 2011 at the earliest. "But I understand if everybody can't make it.''

Spain won the 2006 Worlds and took the silver medal in the 2008 Olympics after falling to Team USA in an epic finale. Calderon, who missed the gold-medal game due to a groin injury, wants another shot at a top American team.

"You want everybody to be there,'' said Calderon, who did not play for Spain when it won the European Championships last month but will be back for the World Championships. "You want to play against the best players. That's what you want. So hopefully everybody will come back (for the Americans). ... I think they have a great team. But now you can't just go out (anyway) and win every game. ... You've got to be ready to play every night. There's no easy game anymore.''

Calderon has yet to talk to Bosh, his Raptors teammate, about the Worlds. But Bosh agrees with Calderon that the Americans likely have to send a top team to win.

"We have to,'' Bosh said. "You have to send your best players.''

Bosh is one of the best, and he hopes to play. But he said it could be too dicey if his contract situation is unsettled.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Spain's Jose Calderon Says Americans Need to Send Top Players to Worlds originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Player to Watch: Jose Calderon

Tom Ziller — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors

FanHouse previews a player to watch from each NBA team in advance of the 2009-10 season.

The great thing about innately efficient players is that even in a down year, they can contribute. Raptors point guard Jose Calderon -- the man who vanquished T.J. Ford from the weirdest platoon ever -- dealt with nagging injuries and an unkempt coaching situation in 2008-09 ... but still provided value to the Raptors through excellent shooting and mistake-free playmaking.

While Calderon's gaudless production of 13 points and nine assists per game hasn't brought much acclaim, Toronto knows the value of the efficient manner in which Calderon gets those numbers. Specifically, 13 points on only 10 shots and nine assists with only two turnovers. If Calderon makes a play, there's a better chance than usual it will produce points. That's such a boon.

Only two guards who played at least 1,200 minutes last season turned out to be more efficient than the gimpy, discombobulated Calderon. They happen to be two of the brightest stars in the galaxy (Chris Paul and Brandon Roy). That says something. Something that will have to wait two paragraphs ...

Dean Oliver's Individual Offensive Rating measures a player's efficiency, incorporating shooting, assists and turnovers to build a sort of individualized points per possession metric. The idea is that for every 100 offensive possessions a player is involved in (most often as the shooter, but also as the passer), his team will score x points, with x being the player's Offensive Rating.

Offensive Rating is only part of the equation in measuring a player's offensive impact: there's also the matter of how many possessions he uses. Fred Hoiberg famously led the league in Offensive Rating earlier this decade, albeit taking only a few spot-up threes a game. If you're the most efficient player alive but only touch the ball five times a game, you're not much use to your team's offense. There's also an inverse relationship between usage and efficiency: when players expand their roles (adding to their usage rate), their efficiency typically decreases. In other words, a player is more likely to get five easy, efficient scoring opportunities than 30. So at some point, taking extra shots means taking inefficient -- or "bad" -- shots.

Back to Jose: by NBA guard standards, Calderon is rather low-usage. Guards tend to have higher usage rates than big men, and point guards usually go even higher. Calderon trotted out a usage rate of 16.9 percent last season, which means that when Calderon was on the court, he "used" (by FGA, FTAs or turnover) 16.9 percent of the Raptors' offensive possessions. For guards who played 1,200 minutes or more on the season, the average usage rate was 20.4 percent. So clearly, Calderon deferred more often than the typical guard. Part of that could be found in his assist numbers (nine per game is a ton) but mostly it's that Calderon is not nearly as trigger-happy as most of the league. Unlike some point guards, Calderon is happy to dump it into Chris Bosh or play off the ball a good portion of the time.

The efficiency-usage relationship always helps me sort out who is really helping their team the most on offense, so I graphed usage vs. efficiency (Offensive Rating in this case) for the aforementioned 100 NBA guards who played at least 1,200 minutes last season. This is basically made up of all NBA starting point guards and shooting guards, and all "third guards," whether those fellows are of the combo variety or not. The average usage rate for this group is 20.4 percent, and the average Offensive Rating is 109.6.

The most efficient guards can be found toward the right side of the graph. The top six are your Hyperefficient Playmaking Task Force: Paul, Roy, Calderon, Ray Allen, Chauncey Billups and (somewhat surprisingly) Jameer Nelson. Of those, Calderon has the lowest usage rate by far. In other words, Paul and Roy are even more efficient than the ultraclean Calderon while being responsible for quite a few more possessions. But that's elite company, and Toronto knows that with Calderon at the point, it's getting a substantial dose of scoring at oustanding efficiency.

The rest remains in question. Calderon's defense is not considered good. It's not clear whether Chris Bosh, Hedo Turkoglu and Andrea Bargnani complement Calderon well enough to turn this outfit into an elite offensive force (which it will need to be in order to become a contender, given the defensive problems of Calderon, Bargnani and Bosh). But at the very least, the Raptors know what to expect from Calderon at the offensive end, and that's a good place to start.

Player to Watch: Jose Calderon originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Raptors

Matt Steinmetz — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Preseason, NBA Previews

FanHouse previews all 30 NBA teams in advance of the 2009-10 season.

The Raptors made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason by signing free agent Hedo Turkoglu. That move alone upgrades the Raptors' talent level and should make them better.

But perhaps as important are the lesser, more-under-the-radar acquisitions Toronto made since the end of its 33-49 season. On their own, these moves didn't register very high on the impact meter. But when taken collectively, they should dramatically improve the team's depth, which was a problem area a year ago.

We already know Turkoglu, Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani form an interesting frontcourt trio, heavy on skill and finesse and short on physicality and muscle. That's a different kind of front line, and one that will likely be a challenge for opponents to match up against.

What hasn't gotten as much attention is how the additions of Marco Belinelli, Jarrett Jack and Reggie Evans are going to make the Raptors more well-rounded than they were in 2008-09.

The Raptors got Belinelli from the Warriors for Devean George, a player who looks to be on the brink of retirement. While he hasn't proven yet he's got NBA starter's pedigree, Belinelli has shown he can be a rotation player.

Jack gives the Raptors some point guard insurance, something they could have used a year ago because Jose Calderon missed time with injury. Among Jack, who can play both guard positions, Belinelli and rookie DeMar DeRozan the Raptors at least have the two guard spot covered.

As for Evans, while you don't want to overestimate what he can do, it's also plain as day that he's one of the few Raptors who has toughness and an edge. So his uniqueness alone will likely get him onto the court.

There are two main objectives for the Raptors. First and foremost, it's to get back into the playoffs, and that certainly seems plausible considering their undeniable improvement in talent.

Objective No. 2 is to re-sign Bosh, a free agent at season's end. That might prove more difficult for Toronto than making the postseason. Then again, making the postseason would likely go a long way toward Bosh wanting to stay.

Last Season By the Numbers

Record: 33-49 (8-9 under Sam Mitchell, 25-40 under Jay Triano). Finished 4th in the Atlantic Division, 13th in the Eastern Conference.

Offense: 107.0 points per 100 possessions, 22nd in the NBA. 20th in shooting, 11th in turnover rate, 29th in offensive rebounding, 20th in free throw rate.

Defense: 110.0 points per 100 possessions, 22nd in the NBA. 22nd in shooting defender, 23rd in opponent turnover rate, 14th in defensive rebounding, 3rd in opponent free throw rate.

Top Performers: Chris Bosh led the team in scoring and rebounding with 22.7 points and 10 rebounds per game. Jose Calderon averaged 8.9 assists and 2.1 turnovers per game. Jermaine O'Neal, who was traded at midseason, led the team with 2 blocks per game; Andrea Bargnani averaged 1.2 blocks per game.

All statistics via Basketball-Reference.com.

Player to Watch

FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller preview one player to watch from each team. Here's a snippet of Ziller's post on Raptors point guard Jose Calderon.

While Calderon's gaudless production of 13 points and nine assists per game hasn't brought much acclaim, Toronto knows the value of the efficient manner in which Calderon gets those numbers. Specifically, 13 points on only 10 shots and nine assists with only two turnovers. If Calderon makes a play, there's a better chance than usual it will produce points. That's such a boon.

See Ziller's full post on Calderon.

Offseason Tracker

IN: Hedo Turkoglu (sign-and-trade), Antoine Wright (trade), Marco Belinelli (trade), DeMar DeRozan (draft), Jarrett Jack (free agency), Reggie Evans (trade), Amir Johnson (trade).

OUT: Kris Humphries (trade), Shawn Marion (trade), Nathan Jawai (trade), Jason Kapono (trade), Roko Ukic (trade).

FanHouse Preview: Raptors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip-Off Timer: 14 Teams Without a Title

Matt Watson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Hornets, Jazz, Magic, Mavericks, Nets, Nuggets, Pacers, Raptors, Suns, Timberwolves

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Tuesday, there are 14 days remaining.

For everything the NBA has done to level the playing field -- the draft lottery, the salary cap, the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax -- only a select handful of teams have a legitimate chance to win the championship in any given year.

I know optimism is supposed to reign supreme in October, but here's a harsh dose of reality: in the past 26 years, only seven different organizations have hoisted the Larry O'Brien, and six of those teams have won more than once. In fact, in a league where fluke success is rare and dynasties are the norm, there are 14 teams that have yet to win a title.

Will any of these perennial losers buck their unfortunate losing streaks in the near future? While the Lakers, Spurs and Celtics (winners of nine of the last 11 titles) would disagree, it's a very real possibility.

While many expect the Lakers to repeat -- and at least one Celtic has predicted Boston will win 72 games -- the Magic and Cavaliers have re-tooled through trades and free agency after finishing last season as the two strongest teams in the East.

In fact, this might be Cleveland's last chance in a long time -- if LeBron James can't close the deal this year, he might bolt via free agency (surely you've heard, right?), adding a sense of desperation to their usual motivation. If the Cavs can't separate from the pack early, don't be surprised to see Danny Ferry make wholesale changes by the trade deadline.

The Magic are somewhat better positioned for long-term success, although they mortgaged their future by swapping the promising Courtney Lee in a package for the aging Vince Carter. It also remains to be seen how they perform with the expectations of being an elite team now that they're no longer able to play the underdog role, although you can never accuse a Stan Van Gundy team of being unprepared.

But if Cleveland and Orlando fall short, are we destined to watch yet another dynasty stamp their name in the NBA record book? The Denver Nuggets, who took the eventual champion Lakers to six games in the Western Conference finals last year, beg to differ, as do fellow non-champions like the Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz and New Orleans Hornets.

As for the Clippers, Grizzlies and Timberwolves? They all fall into the never-were and never-will-be categories (or at least not-anytime-soon). Same goes for the Suns, who don't seem to know if they're building for the future or playing for today, as well as the Nets and Pacers, who have some interesting building blocks but not much else.

The Raptors and Bobcats hope their rebuilding process is nearing completion, but they'll be considered a success if they simply reach the playoffs, let alone win a game or two in the first round. And if there's anything we can learn from past champions, it's that the real winners are built to last and are never content to simply be there.

Tip-Off Timer: 14 Teams Without a Title originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bosh Not Ready to Commit to Team USA

Chris Tomasson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:37:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, USA Basketball

MINNEAPOLIS -- Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams all have publicly committed.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are on the fence.

Now, add Chris Bosh to the latter group as 2008 Olympians are deciding if they want to play for Team USA in next year's World Championships.

The Toronto star forward said he isn't ready to commit to going to Turkey for the event. He might not want to play next summer if his contract situation is unsettled.

"I don't know, with the possibility of becoming a free agent next year,'' Bosh said in an interview with FanHouse prior to Friday night's preseason game at Minnesota. "It's a whole bunch of things that haven't been addressed yet. ... It was fun playing in the Olympics, but it's going to take some time, though. I'm sure I'll be better able to assess the situation after the season. ... But I'm definitely considering it.''

Bosh didn't foresee any scenario other than his contract situation keeping him from going to Turkey. Bosh can opt out of his contract next summer and become a free agent.

"For the national team, (contracts are) always an issue going into competition,'' said Bosh, expected to make his preseason debut against the Timberwolves after missing the first two games with a strained left hamstring. "I know Jose (Calderon, the Raptors point guard in the summer of 2008) didn't even start practicing with the (Spanish) national team until he signed his contract. It's all about priorities and USA Basketball is right up there. But I've got to have a job.''

If Bosh opts out next summer, there will be time to sign a new deal with whichever team he chooses. Free agents can sign in the second week of July, and USA Basketball will hold training camp in the latter part of that month.

Bosh, with the salary cap likely going down and with the possibly of having to take a pay cut, might decide to not opt out of his contract, putting free agency off until 2011. Or he could sign a contract extension by June 30.

"I'm not sure,'' said Bosh, who at one point said he wouldn't consider a contract extension but now hasn't ruled it out after Toronto's strong summer. "Bryan (Colangelo, Toronto's general manager) and me haven't talked about it. We haven't even addressed it. ... We'll see how everything plays out.''

At least Bosh likes how everything played out during the offseason. The Raptors were one of the NBA's most active teams, their top moves being acquiring forward Hedo Turkoglu in a sign-and-trade, picking up free-agent guard Jarrett Jack and signing forward Andrea Bargnani to a five-year contract extension.

"(I was happy) with the aggressive nature Bryan showed with the moves,'' said Bosh, a four-time All-Star making $15.78 million this season. "Instead of saving money for next year, we locked down some guys who have a lot of potential and we got some good guys like Hedo and Jarrett Jack and a lot of good role players that can help us. It looks a little more promising, but we got to do some work.''

It will all come down to whether the Raptors, after two trips to the playoffs, can bounce back from last season's 33-49 disaster. Coach Jay Triano is optimistic they will do enough to retain Bosh.

"Our biggest goal is we want to win,'' Triano said. "And, if we win, it creates an environment in which he wants to stay. We have five of our top six guys (the others being Turkoglu, Calderon, Bargnani, Jack and rookie guard DeMar DeRozan) locked in for four or five years straight. We're hoping he's a part of it, and that's a good group to perform with.''

In the meantime, Bosh will continue to be bombarded with questions about his future. But he doesn't believe it will be a distraction.

"No, I'm used to it,'' he said. "It's been a part of my life for a year now. ... It's not really a distraction. It's only what you make it. So I'm taking everything in a positive matter, and focusing in on this season, and not focusing in on next year.''

One thing positive for Bosh is returning to good health after he tweaked his hamstring just before the start of training camp.

"My hamstring is awesome,'' said Bosh, anxious to hit the court for his preseason debut.

As for deciding whether to return to Team USA, Bosh will take his time.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Bosh Not Ready to Commit to Team USA originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Bosh Opens Training Camp Injured

Matt Moore — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Injuries

The Raptors have undergone a minor makeover this summer in an attempt to convince Chris Bosh to stick around up north and not take off for greener, less tundra-like pastures.

They've added Hedo Turkoglu and beefed up their frontcourt with bigger bodies. Needless to say, the Raptors need to produce to prove that the investments were worthwhile.

Unfortunately, they're off to a rocky start, as training camp will begin with the franchise on the sideline.

The National Post reported Friday that Bosh tweaked his hamstring in an offseason workout in Dallas, and re-aggravated it in Toronto this week. He's expected to miss the start of training camp, along with Hedo Turkoglu, who is resting after a busy summer with the Turkish national team.

So the franchise All-Star and the newly inked big-name free agent small forward won't be around. No big deal. But it's just an element that bodes poorly for the Raptors, who are trying to get a fresh start, one with consistent success.

The other question that has to be asked, following injuries sustained by members of the San Antonio Spurs and others during international play (along with freak accidents like last year's Monta Ellis moped debacle), do NBA players really need to do anything over the summer? And I mean, anything. The crazy, frustrating minor injuries that can occasionally plague a team throughout the year seem unnecessary, when in reality, they're just the consequences of life, and of the game specifically.

The lesson here? If you play professional basketball, you should stay in your house and play video games all year, occasionally stretching or lightly jogging on a safety-reinforced treadmill.

Chris Bosh Opens Training Camp Injured originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teams Might Remain Stingy in Handing Out Guaranteed Contracts

Chris Tomasson — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:20:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, Raptors

DENVER -- In this faltering economy, there are have been lots of good deals. Low-interest car loans. Double frequent-flyer miles. A cheaper menu at Quiznos.

Many good deals won't last. But some in the NBA might.

Everybody knows about NBA salaries having spiraled out of control the past few decades. Owners are determined to reel them in, which is why there's a decent chance there will be a lockout after the 2010-11 season.

For now, there's already been a very noticeable league trend. And perhaps it's something that will having staying power.

In the old days, average five points and you'd be almost assured of being handed a guaranteed contract. Maybe a multi-year one.

But no longer. Consider all the decent NBA free agents who couldn't get even a guaranteed minimum contract this summer.

Rashad McCants settled for a make-good deal in Houston. So did Desmond Mason in Sacramento and Joey Graham in Denver. Ime Udoka couldn't get a fully guaranteed deal with Portland.

Perhaps this is a trend that will remain in the NBA. While obviously top players are going to continue to get guaranteed contracts, perhaps the NBA will become more in line with the NFL when it comes to rank-and-file players, with management not just routinely doling out guaranteed deals.

"I think the subconscious celebration of the NBA is when everybody plays hard, and I think guaranteed contracts stop players from playing hard all the time,'' said Nuggets coach George Karl. "As a coach, we care (most about) playing hard.

"I've actually yelled at players, 'Why are you so worried about guaranteed money. You're good enough to play without guaranteed money.' Guaranteed money is kind of a security blanket that our players have been given over the last 20 to 30 years. But I'm not necessarily thinking it's been good for the game. It might have gotten to the pont where every team has 13 guaranteed contracts. I don't think that's good for the game.''

One thing Karl likes about his training camp, which got underway Saturday, is Denver having just 12 players with guaranteed deals. While the Nuggets still could swing a deal or comb the waiver wire, their 13th spot likely will come down to a battle between swingmen Graham and James White, who also has a non-guaranteed deal.

Wonder if those guys will be playing hard?

"That's because of the recession and because a lot of teams are bankrupt,'' Graham said about not being able to get any guaranteed money after averaging a career-best 7.7 points last season for Toronto. "There's a lot of guys (available) and teams that don't have a lot of money. But I'm going to take advantage of the opportunity. I'm going to turn that non-guaranteed into a guaranteed.''

Graham figured the Raptors would at least give him a qualifying offer earlier this summer to keep him a restricted free agent. But they let him go with little hesitation.

"I was a little shocked, coming off the type of season I had,'' said Graham, whose twin brother, Stephen, had to settle for a non-guaranteed deal from Charlotte after averaging a career-best 5.4 points with Indiana. "I thought I did enough to continue with them in the organization. The fans there and everybody loved me.''

At least Graham has maintained a positive attitude. After he didn't get any guaranteed offers, he heard from the Nuggets on Friday morning that he had a camp invitation. He jumped on a plane in his hometown of Tampa, Fla., changed planes in Washington (hey, this is a non-guaranteed guy we're talking about), got to Denver at midnight, went to bed at 2 a.m., and was up at 6 a.m. Saturday to take his physical.

Meanwhile, there are free agents who are continuing to hold out for guaranteed money. Guard Bobby Jackson, 36, turned down invitations by Detroit and Miami to go to camp on a make-good deal.

Forward Wally Szczerbiak, 32, claims he has gotten a guaranteed contract offer, although he wouldn't reveal the team or the amount. But if Szczerbiak, who is likely for looking something more than a minimum deal, continues to not budge, he might end up going the way of Latrell Sprewell.

The average roster size this season figures to be closer to the minimum of 13 than to the maximum of 15. Jobs could be hard to find for players who have an overinflated opinion of their value in this economy.

"Whatever the number of jobs we had last year, there are going to be 20 or 30 less,'' Karl said. "From the people I've talked to in personnel, there's probably going to be less 14-to-15-man rosters and more 13-to-13 ½-man rosters. And so, if 20 teams do that, you'll see a reduction of 20 to 30 jobs.''

If you're wondering what Karl means by a 13 1/2-man roster, he's not talking about 5-foot-5 Earl Boykins. He's talking about teams having 13 players for half the season and 14 for the other half.

Whenever the economy improves, things could loosen up again in the NBA. But perhaps executives will learn during this time there's no reason to continue to hand out guaranteed contracts like S&H Green Stamps to players who aren't vital.

Actually, Green Stamps are no longer very popular.

Precisely.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com

Teams Might Remain Stingy in Handing Out Guaranteed Contracts originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Debate in the Paint: Fear the Raptors

Tom Ziller — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raptors

Every Tuesday this offseason, two of our NBA experts will go at it with a Debate in the Paint. This week, the topic is the Toronto Raptors, and whether they are moving toward being contenders in the East.

The Raptors have been the summer's most active team, with Bryan Colangelo moving from high-profile moves like Jason Kapono-for-Reggie Evans to trade-Tourette's yawners like Marcus Banks-for-Matt Carroll. (That last one is still a rumor.) As of today, Toronto will begin 2009-10 with exactly three players who began last season on the roster (Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon).

But not all change is good change. Is this change good change? In my opinion, yes ... and it will vault Toronto toward the East's upper strata.

Povtak: Raptors Can't Escape Mediocrity

Toronto had myriad problems in 2008-09, not the least of which was rebounding and interior defense. For those reasons, the acquisitions of Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson matter as much as the Hedo Turkoglu signing. Hedo will positively augment a Raptors attack that suffered from predictability and inconsistency (a rare but devastating combo), but Evans -- one of the best rebounding monsters of this era of basketball -- and A.J. should do heaps of good near the rim.

Bosh is actually a stellar rebounder at the power forward spot. But Bargnani ... he's awful. Bargnani's three seasons each show up in among the eight worst offensive rebounding seasons for 7-foot players in basketball history. Sure, Dirk Nowitzki shows up there frequently too ... but Dirk can hit the defensive glass. But Bargnani repeatedly shows up among the worst 7-foot defensive rebounders, too. Last season, the only 7-footers with worst defensive rebounding rates than Bargs were Pacer teammates Rasho Nesterovic and Roy Hibbert, who happened to play with rebound-soaking Jeff Foster and Troy Murphy.

That's why Evans and Johnson are so important. Reggie eternally finishes among the top 20 defensive rebounders in the league, and even higher in offensive rebounding. Amir isn't quite so good on the defensive boards, but he excels on the offensive glass. Between Evans and Johnson, the Raps suddenly have a wealth of frontline options to help in rebounding. They both happen to be solid defenders as well, and you can see either fitting alongside either Bosh or Bargnani inasmuch that neither requires touches on offense.

The other major issue for the Raptors last season, one which I touched on briefly above, is the lack of offensive options. Jose Calderon is the primary creator here, and should remain so. But Hedo provides another avenue into the offense. When a forward can initiate the offense from behind the arc, the floor will spread and Bosh will find his cushion extended. Things were not easy for Bosh last season ... and Hedo, while perhaps wasting a few too many possessions on iffy shots and turnovers, will be a boon. Bosh needed another creator to be most effective, and Colangelo got him one. Bargnani has a deadly trigger, but he needs to be fed to thrive. Hedo will feed him.

There's also the issue of DeMar DeRozan, one of the 2009-10 rookies most likely to face a daunting learning curve. Toronto will miss Anthony Parker most on the defensive end, where DeRozan doesn't project to be good for a while (if ever). But given that the Raps have a number of high-usage players in place, DeMar can take it easy on offense and use his unbelievable athleticism to get buckets in transition or during the bedlam of broken plays. (Think early Andre Iguodala.) Jay Triano will give DeRozan and the Raps every opportunity to run, and I think that can help DeMar get through the season in tact.

The Raps aren't worthy of challenging the East's top three until we see how Triano puts the squad together. But if we're picking potential usurpers in the East, I'd like to peg myself to Toronto early on. There's a long way up the mountain to go, but I think the Raptors can make the haul.

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Big NBA Names on the Move

Shawn Marion is now a Dallas Maverick. The four-time NBA All-Star was traded from the Toronto Raptors to Dallas as part of a complex four-team deal. Click through see which other NBA stars will be playing in different uniforms next season.

Gary Dineen, NBAE / Getty Images

Big NBA Names on the Move

Gary Dineen, NBAE / Getty Images

Shaquille O'Neal
New Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Previous Team: Phoenix Suns

Jennifer Pottheiser, NBAE / Getty Images

Ron Artest
New Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Previous Team: Houston Rockets

Philip Scott Andrews, AP

Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon
New Team: Detroit Pistons
Previous Teams: Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls

Carlos Osorio, AP

Vince Carter
New Team: Orlando Magic
Previous Team: New Jersey Nets

Fernando Medina, NBAE / Getty Images

Hedo Turkoglu
New Team: Toronto Raptors
Previous Team: Orlando Magic

Ron Turenne, NBAE / Getty Images

Zach Randolph
New Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Previous Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Joe Murphy, NBAE / Getty Images

Richard Jefferson
New Team: San Antonio Spurs
Previous Team: Milwaukee Bucks

Eric Gay, AP

Trevor Ariza
New Team: Houston Rockets
Previous Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Bill Baptist, NBAE / Getty Images

Jamal Crawford
New Team: Atlanta Hawks
Previous Team: Golden State Warriors

Scott Cunningham, NBAE / Getty Images

Debate in the Paint: Fear the Raptors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Debate in the Paint: Raptors Just Can't Escape Mediocrity

Tim Povtak — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Magic, Pacers, Raptors

Every Tuesday this offseason, two of our NBA experts will go at it with a Debate in the Paint. This week, the topic is the Toronto Raptors, and whether they are moving toward being contenders in the East.

The Toronto Raptors never have won more than 47 games in a season, and they probably never will, which makes this whole debate kind of sad. It's a wonderful city with a lively international flair, but it has a franchise that is destined for a life of basketball mediocrity.

They should have stuck to hockey.

Ziller: Fear the Raptors

Yes, the basketball fans are a little excited now because the Raptors wheeled and dealed all summer, thinking they were growing stronger when mostly they were just spinning their wheels, making noise and going nowhere.

The Raptors won 33 games last season and they'll probably win another five now, letting them contend for the eighth and final playoff spot before the inevitable happens next summer.

Chris Bosh is going to break their heart again, just like Tracy McGrady did in 2000 and then Vince Carter did in 2004.

American-born players love to visit Toronto. They just don't like to stay too long, which is a fight the franchise has waged since its inception in 1995. When Bosh becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, the lure of Miami, New York or even Cleveland will take him away.

The Raptors signed unrestricted free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu of Orlando to a five-year, $53 million deal. They signed restricted free agent Jarrett Jack of Indiana to a $20 million contract. Both were nice additions, but guess what? Their current teams didn't try to hard to keep them. That should tell you something.

The Magic figured they already had seen the best of Turkoglu, 30, and they weren't interested in watching him start the downside of his career with a fat, new contract. The Pacers could have kept Jack as easily as matching the offer, but they declined, deciding their future was elsewhere.

They Raptors gave their own Andrea Bargnani, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 Draft, a $50 million extension, still hoping he lives up to his potential. None of the three has been, or will be, an NBA All-Star, which means they spent a lot of money trying to compile a supporting cast for a player that may not stick around very long.

Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo knows that it's the international players who will enjoy Toronto the most. Turkoglu is a good fit culturally. Yet he won't be able to repeat his performance of the last two years when he had Dwight Howard clearing his path.

Bosh is outstanding, but he doesn't always make teammates better like Howard does now, or like Shaquille O'Neal used to do with his presence.

Toronto will improve, but so will almost everyone else in the East, leaving the Raptors no room to go. Rookie DeMar DeRozan might have been the most athletic player in the draft, but it will take him a couple years. They got Amir Johnson in that multi-team trade of Carlos Delfino, and they snagged Rasho Nesterovic again, but both are there just to provide depth.

The Magic, Cavaliers and Celtics all made major moves to improve and they have left the rest of the East behind. Atlanta will retain it's spot as the fourth best team in the East just by keeping it's team intact. Philly, Chicago, Miami and now Washington will slug it out for the last few playoff spots. Maybe the Raptors can jump into that mix.

If a .500 team gets the blood pumping, then the Raptors might get you excited. It's a great city, but building a great team there is an impossible task.

Debate in the Paint: Raptors Just Can't Escape Mediocrity originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bouncin' Around: How Much Scouting Do You Really Need?

Matt Steinmetz — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:04:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Raptors, Warriors

Bouncin' Around is NBA FanHouse's weekly insider notebook.

A little while back, the Memphis Grizzlies took a lot of heat when word got out that five of their scouts had either left or been let go.

At the time, general manager Chris Wallace downplayed the departures, calling it nothing more than a "restructuring," and adding that he prefers working with "a smaller group."

The Grizzlies, of course, were one of the worst teams in the league last season, which made it very easy to ridicule the move. But the fact of the matter is that the Grizzlies don't appear to be the only team trimming their scouting staffs.

Or restructuring or consolidating or cutting back or whatever you want to call it. The Warriors, Nets and Bobcats all have tinkered with their staffs. Streamlining operations, if you will.

More teams have done it, too. The bottom line is that most teams have full-time scouts, part-time scouts and scouts who work on a contract basis. Lopping off a few scouts here and there won't necessarily show up in the NBA transactions.

The reality of the situation seems to be that with virtually every college and international game available on television or the internet or via DVD, do you really need to flood the world with an expanded scouting staff?

NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry certainly doesn't think so. He recently gave an interview to Warriorsworld.net, where he pretty much derided the way NBA teams go about the scouting business.

Barry was asked about the Warriors' Anthony Randolph and admitted he hadn't seen him much. Not that Barry couldn't figure it out in a hurry.

"I don't really know his game at all," Barry said. "It wouldn't take me long to figure out what he can or can't do on the court. All I need is to see him play one game to figure it out. That's why I'm always astonished by the amount of scouting because if you can't go watch a player one time and figure out if he's worth watching again, then why are you a scout? How long does it take to figure out a guy is a player? It shouldn't take more than one game to figure out if he can play or not and the reason to see him again would be to see his heart, character and things of that nature."

Certainly there's a financial aspect to all this that must be acknowledged, with many teams looking to save money in this economic climate. But there also seems to be a growing belief out there that bigger doesn't necessarily mean better when it comes to scouting and the NBA draft.

What about Watson?

Restricted free agent C.J. Watson is still sitting with that same three-year, $4.5 million offer from the Warriors he was three weeks ago.

The question is: Why isn't he signing it?

Well, Watson doesn't want to take the offer until and unless he knows it's to start a sign-and-trade with another team, ideally the Orlando Magic. Watson has made it clear he'd rather play for the Magic than the Warriors.

But all indications are that the Magic and Warriors haven't been able to work out a deal ... yet. And there remains some uncertainty about whether or not the Warriors want to keep Watson, despite his wishes.

So, the wait continues.

The Toronto Overhaul

Nobody can say Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo isn't trying. On the heels of a 33-win season, Colangelo has been this offseason's busiest executive, without a doubt.

On Monday, Colangelo completed a four-player trade with the Bucks, sending to Milwaukee Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukic and getting back Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems.

If you're scoring at home, all that's left from last season's Raptors are Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Bouncin' Around: How Much Scouting Do You Really Need? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raptors Trade Carlos Delfino, Roko Ukic to Bucks for Amir Johnson

Matt Moore — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:13:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Raptors, NBA Rumors, NBA Transactions

Follow the logic train on this one.

Toronto needs defense and rebounding, since Andrea Bargnani, as talented as he is, lacks the toughness of say, an ostrich. They also need to clear 2010 space since The Big Twittermental, Chris Bosh, is going to have his share of offers. The Bucks have Amir Johnson, with $3.6 million expiring contract.

Milwaukee needs some flexibility at the wing, since Michael Redd spends more time on the shelf than Gigli. They also need some cheap backup point options, in case this whole Ramon Sessions thing doesn't go down. Toronto has Carlos Delfino (in a sign-and-trade possibility), and Roko Ukic.

Let's make a deal! Eventually!

The Toronto Star's Doug Smith first grabbed hold of the finalizing discussions between the two teams, verifying the sign-and-trade, but had not confirmed the other player in a 2-for-2 swap coming from Milwaukee. ESPN is now reporting that the other player is cap fodder and former Nugget Sonny Weems. In an interesting sidenote, the Sun also mentions that Johnson cannot be traded in a package until August 23, and Ukic cannot be traded in a package until November, which means the two teams will either wait, or process two individual trades, Johnson for Delfino and Weems for Ukic.

For the Raptors, this is a win-win. They didn't want to foot the bill for the 26-year-old Delfino, and Ukic is a little too much of a long-term project for the Colangelo "Win Now, Win At All Costs" initiative. Johnson, on the other hand, provides exactly what they want: cheap, dirty work with an expiring that they can use as a rebounding and defensive augmentation to the scoring combo of Bosh and Bargnani.

It's a bit more complicated for the Bucks, who seem to not be closing the door on Sessions's return, but putting a hand on the door and tensing their collective arm for a shove. Ukic is one of those players who no one can decide if he'll bust out or turn out nicely, which makes life for Luke Ridnour Fan Club President Scott Skiles' decision much easier than if Sessions returns. Apparently, the Bucks also feel that newly signed free agent Hakim Warrick can play the "tough rebound and defense guy" for them. No word yet on if the Bucks' management has fallen through some sort of space-time continuum vortex into an alternate reality and where they come from Warrick does those things.

Perhaps most interesting about this move is that the Bucks now have three guys who are set in their positions (Redd, Andrew Bogut, and Ridnour), and about 10 guys who can play four positions on the floor. The Bucks could very well trot out a lineup of Ridnour-Jennings-Delfino-Mbah a Moute-Bogut. Similarly, try and wrap your brains around Calderon-DeRozan-Johnson-Bosh-Bargnani. Versatility's the name of the game, people.

Raptors Trade Carlos Delfino, Roko Ukic to Bucks for Amir Johnson originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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