Tag Archives: Joey Graham

by | November 8, 2010 · 11:11 pm

Not Enough Home Cooking for the Raptors

After a rough Western Road trip, where the Raptors found every which way to lose, they returned home to once again come up just short.  I am encouraged by the fight in this team.  Most young teams give up down the stretch allowing their opponent to finish off with a flurry, but the Raptors kept fighting.  There is something to be said for a team that goes down swinging.  If you’re gonna lose, don’t make it easy.  Then again this is something Raptor fans will probably be saying a lot this year.

The Raptors fell behind early to Golden State and just couldn’t claw their way back.  The Raptors are going to have to stop allowing their opponents explosive starts.  Toronto has found themselves down early a lot recently and cannot seem to get themselves back into it.  This is not a good habit to get into.

Some decent play from the bench, minus Jose Calderon, inspired the team with new life in the second half, but once again, it wasn’t enough to overcome their early deficit.  Jay Triano has got to find a way to get all cylinders firing.  This team could win games if everyone gets on the same page at the same time.

Zan For Three

Dynamic Duo

The NBA has made a really big deal about the Big Three is Miami and the Big Three in Boston.  People talk about the young stars on the Thunder and Hawks.  Why is nobody talking about the talent on the Golden State Warriors? Curry and Ellis are as dynamic a duo as you’ll find in the NBA.  If this team can use the talents of Biedrins and Dorell Wright to their fullest extent, I think this team might be playoff contenders and a tough match up for any playoff opponent.  The talent is there, no doubt, they, like the Raptors, just have to find a way to deliver the goods.

Monta Ellis wasnt letting Leandro Barbosa or anyone, for that matter, get to the rim.

Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry are absolute beasts.  They both have the potential to win games all by themselves.  The fact they play on the same team is down right scary.  Coach Smart has got to get more use out of the rest of his team to maximize the potential power the Warriors have.

This team is a solid inside presence away from contending in the Western Conference.   Playing Monta and Curry is a tough assignment for any defender in the league and tonight the Raptors couldn’t either of them.

Good Sonny, Bad Sonny

Dave Feschuk suggested today in the Star that Sonny Weems was shooting a bit too much.  He is welcome to take shots, especially mid range ones, but only within the flow of the offense.  Weems has been a bit of a “chucker” early on in the season. Tonight he showed restraint at times and at others he took his chances.   Five of Nine from the field isn’t a bad night t the office.

Weems was a strong presence last season and if the Raptors are to have any kind of success this year they need him to be solid and efficient on both ends of the floor.  That doesn’t mean throwing up bricks in the hopes of padding your stats.  Weems needs to be much more confident and smart out there on the offensive end.  If he doesn’t fix his issues out there, he will wind up being more Joey Graham than Morris Peterson.

I like Sonny, but he needs to find his role within the flow of the game.

Resigning Thyself

Look, I’m a Raptor fan.  I’m almost 100% sure that if you cut me open I would bleed red, white and black and occasionally purple for nostalgia sake.  I love this team and will watch no matter the outcome, but let’s get serious here, we are going to lose a lot of games.  The Raptors had a rough road trip, the kind a playoff team doesn’t have and cannot have, if it wants to be taken seriously.  Hell, the Raptors found ways of losing out West that I didn’t even know were possible.

Do they fight it out?  Absolutely.  Is there some talent on this roster that Toronto fans can get excited about? For sure.  But are we going to lose a hell of a lot of games?  Damn Straight.  In the long run that might be the best thing for us.  The again, Golden State have been losing for a long time and they haven’t got much better over the years. So losing doesn’t always lead to winning down the road.

The Raptors are going to lose a lot of games.  Heartbreakers, overtime losses, hard-fought losses, blow outs, games they should have one, games they had no right to win.  This team is going to be a roller coaster of disappointment this season.  I no longer feel like this is in question.  The first step in admittance.

What Raptor fans have to learn to do is see the positive.  Today Kleiza and Weems showed some life.  Jack was a leader in the truest sense of the word tonight and Amir looks like he can blossom into something more. More importantly, with every loss the Raptors get closer to something they are going to need very badly:  a top flight draft pick.  Golden State has sucked for years and with Ellis and Curry they look to be potentially changing their fortunes.

Our turn is next.

Zan of the Night

Monta Ellis

Easily could have been Stephen Curry.  Lord knows I love that kid’s game, but Monta had the heart of a warrior tonight.  he played smart, took smart shots and was able to walk away from his nasty spill late in the game.  This is the kind of player a team and coach can look to for leadership and guidance.  Monta Ellis is a great player and showed all facets fo his game tonight.

Not Zan of the Night

Jose Calderon

Every Raptor out there showed guts and heart even in the face of defeat.  Jose looked lost and was rendered completely useless.  Jack played most of the game and was responsible for the Raps late run in the game.  If the Raptors are going to have any success this guy needs to step up.  The Marcus Banks bandwagon is getting revved up. 

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald
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by | May 2, 2010 · 10:45 pm

Ex-Raptors Making Names for Themselves in the Playoffs

As a Raptor fan, nothing gets my blood boiling more than seeing a former member of the team perform really well with another uniform on.  Now don’t get me wrong there are certain players that I enjoy seeing do well.  Players who left on positive terms and who have found success with other squads I can cheer with.  But those that we traded away or foolishly let go leave me throwing the remote at the Flat screen.

This year there have been numerous former Raptors playing large roles for their teams in the playoffs.  Some are still in it, fighting to win the ultimate prize.

Let’s look at some of the hottest playoff performers,that happen to be former Raptors.

Carlos Delfino – Milwaukee Bucks

This one is tough.  He played fairly inconsistently for us while he was in Toronto and he was also part of a trade that brought Sonny Weems and Amir Johnson to the Dinos.  I like both Amir and Sonny and cannot fault Colangelo for that deal.

Delfino has been a key playoff performer for the Bucks, making fans of opposing teams legitimately 'Fear the Deer".

On the other hand, he would have looked really good in the backcourt with Calderon and Jack.

Delfino was a major reason teams began to “Fear the Deer” .  He hit triples with ease, averaged 11.2 points and helped the Bucks push the Hawks to game 7.

We miss him scale – 7/10

Marcus Camby - Portland Trailblazers

He is a beast.  An absolute monster that can rebound the ball.  When you play against him, everyone out there is afraid because the ball seems to belong to him.  He averaged 10 blocks during the series with the Suns, but wasn’t really a factor for Portland.

Still he’d look great in a Raptor uniform.  He could teach Bargnani how to grab a board or two.

We miss him scale –  7/10

Anthony Parker – Cleveland Cavaliers

He deserves a chance at the championship, doesn’t he? One of my favourite all-time Raptors.  He is playing a key role with the Cavs in this playoff run.  He is a veteran who has played very meaningful games with Toronto and Maccabi Tel-Aviv.  He is no stranger to a big shot and is not afraid to take it.  Most importantly he is a strong defensive presence out there.  Exactly what you need come playoff time.

Toronto could have used him in almost every possession this year.  Defence wins championships and it gets you to the playoffs.  We needed a little AP out there this season.

We miss him scale  7.5/10

John Salmons – Milwaukee Bucks

He was never really  a Raptor, but almost was in Bryan Colangelo’s first off-season.  The Raptors had agreed to a contract in principle until “God” told him to sign with Sacramento.  He has been a solid contributor everywhere he has gone and is averaging 17.2 points for the Bucks in the playoffs.  He was a major reason the Bucks were able to finish the year so strong despite the loss of Andrew Bogut.  He became a go-to player late in games for the Bucks.

Wouldn’t he looks great in a Raptor uniform? I’ve been saying that for 3 seasons now.  So much better than Fred Jones.

We Miss him scale 7.5/10

Chauncy Billups – Denver Nuggets

This is the guy I would want taking a big shot for my team.  He hits big shots with such ease it has become his trademark over the years.  He is tough to defend and scary as hell to play against on the defensive side.  Billups is tough off the dribble and he always seems to find a way to make a tough shot.

He could have been a franchise player for us.  What hurts more is that we gave him away for peanuts.

We miss him scale – 8/10

Vince is looking like his old-self as Orlando took care of Charlotte with ease. Carter has been a consistent threat for the Magic as he seeks his first championship.

Vince Carter - Orlando Magic

Yup, he had to be last on the list.  I know, I know.  Part of us hates his guts, but the other part of us misses him so much it hurts.  This is the definition of a go-to guy.  Especially in the playoffs.  He hits big shots, plays tough and doesn’t let a bad game deter him from ending a game in the dying seconds.  He was a great compliment to the Orlando offence at times against the Bobcats and he was the focal point at others.  He could be the key to this team making a championship appearance or winning it all, for that matter.

He would be the perfect complement to Chris Bosh in Toronto.  He would solidify our backcourt and give us a deadly second weapon.  He  would do what Turkoglu could not this past year.

We miss him scale –  9/10

Those who hate most fervently must have once loved deeply
- Kurt Tucholsky

Honorable Mentions

Shawn Marion –  Dallas Mavericks A complete non-factor in the playoffs.  Missed his speed and leadership during the season though.  6/10

Matt Bonner –  San Antonio Spurs The Red Rocket is playing key minutes for the Spurs.  He isn’t a huge game changer but he is a steady presence for this team  5/10 (6/10 if you include the emotional connection Toronto fans have to him)

Jermaine O’neal –  A lot better than most Raptor fans give him credit for.  We do not miss him playing with Chris Bosh or Bargnani because it didn’t work, but we do miss his leadership, fire and the capspace his contract will create.  He has played well in Miami and deserves some love. 6/10

Jamario Moon –  Getting more burn than I thought he would in these playoffs.  Not playing a key role, but strong play in limited minutes.  He is an exciting player that would have probably only seen limited minutes in Toronto as well.  5/10

Joey Graham –  21 points the other night in a losing cause.  Wow! But as Doug Smith put it – we’ve been wondering five years whether he can do that consistently.  Probably a fringe NBA player next season.  2/10

So the playoffs have a number of ex-Raptors left.  Although I am still cheering for the young Hawks and Captain Canada’s Suns, I am cheering for Anthony Parker to do well in these playoffs as well.  His Cavs have a very good shot to win it all.  It would be a great moment for Parker and I will cheer him if he gets there.  I just can’t help but like the guy.

I’m also torn on the Vince issue.  It will be both wonderful and tragic to see him win.  Especially in a uniform that doesn’t have a dinosaur on it.  He is a gifted player, no one can deny that, but one that conjures up so much emotion.  In the end, it would be fitting for him to win one.  Orlando is a fine Basketball team.

So which ex-Raptor are you cheering for?

Let us know!

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | February 2, 2010 · 11:32 pm

Raptors Miss an Opportunity

With the eyes of the city focused on Dion Phaneuf and Jean-Sebastien Giguere , the Raptors decided it was good time to take a night off. As a result the team missed an opportunity to extend their winning streak to six games against an inferior opponent.

Missing DeRozan and Turkoglu the Raptors played terrible defense for the better part of three quarters and then ran out of gas. Maybe it was a short bench, maybe it was looking past the Pacers.  In any case it was a game that they should have, and could have had, especially with the numbers Bosh and Bargnani put up.

If that wasn’t bad enough it looks as though Jose Calderon may be added to the long list of injuries after rolling his ankle.  All in all it was a bad night for the good guys.

The Zan for Three

It was that kind of night for Jarrett Jack and the Raptors as they got spanked in Indianapolis.

Shallow Bench

The Raptors have lived and died by their bench this season.  The depth of the team has been a major reason for victories on many nights.  Tonight the bench wasn’t effective as it has been.  Only three players on the team were able to reach double digits. While Antoine Wright, Amir Johnson and Jose Calderon were not effective on offense or defense. Big nights from Bosh, Bargnani and Belinelli were wasted by an overall lethargic effort by the rest of team.  Let’s hope Calderon is back healthy soon as the bench is most successful when he is on his game.

Inside Presence

The Pacers abused the inside tonight.  Hibbert, Dunleavy and Murphy all had big nights and the Raptors were unable to stop them.  Bargnani, Bosh, Rasho, Belinelli…it really didn’t matter.  Get a hand up in the faces of these guys.  There is no reason the Pacers should ever be allowed to shoot 76% for any quarter ever.  72pts in the second half?  Are you kidding me?  These are the Pacers.  Granger over Bargnani I can handle.  But Watson over Bargnani?  Should never happen.

There’s Always Tomorrow

A poorly played game is tough to take but there were some positives.  Belinelli played well on the offensive end as a starter.  And you have to like what Bosh and Bargnani were able to put up on the offensive end.  The best medicine for a tough loss?  Knowing that the next game is against the New Jersey Nets.

Zan of the Game

Danny Granger.  My writing partner wants to punch  him and so do I after the way he played tonight.  He had a rough first half but he made adjustments, quit shooting the three and took it to the rim.  The results were a 23 point night and a W.  He recognized that he wasn’t shooting the ball well and decided to draw fouls instead.  Smart moves by a smart player.  I still can’t believe we took Joey Graham in the 2005 draft instead of this guy.

Not Zan of the Game

The Refs.  Don’t get me wrong the Raptors were architects of their own misfortune but these guys could not possibly have made more incorrect charging calls against the Raptors.  The number of times the Pacers used flopping to get calls was ridiculous.  Sometimes I wonder aloud whether the referees hate Bargnani.  He didn’t help himself at all tonight but he is victim of some of the worst calls out there.

Bring on the Nets!  Please

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Kristoffer Pedlar
The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | January 11, 2010 · 11:20 pm

Raptors throw up an air ball in Indiana

This was a statement game for the Raptors tonight.  An opportunity to take out their frustration of losing a tough one to the Celtics a night earlier and just hammer an unsuspecting Indiana club, that has been playing some pretty bad basketball this season.  The game ended up being a bitter pill for Raptor fans to swallow as they blew a 23 point lead and allowed a brutal Indiana squad to take advantage of lethargic play and a poorly executed offense.  It was a humbling defeat but for every big win against a San Antonio or an Orlando there is bound to be a loss or two to the Memphis’s and Pacers of the NBA as well.  It still stings though.

The Zan for Three

Yes, Coach

Hedo Turkoglu consider yourself called out.  You have been quite off this last stretch of games and although you saved yourself in the dying minutes of yesterdays tough loss, you could not save yourself today.  On that note I’m not liking your “Laissez Faire” attitude out there either.  You scored more points tonight, but the air ball and clanker you threw up in the fourth were just awful shots.  The only thing worse than watching you play right now is watching those awful Sprite commercials that play 7000 times during the game.  You make more money than most of the Raptors team; you need to start bringing it.  When will we see the clutch Hedo of last season?  The time to get off the couch is now, my friend.  The Zan will be watching.

Hedo Turkoglu has a lot to think about after the Raptors blew a 23 point lead to the Indiana Pacers Monday night.

Making a Statement

The Elite teams of the NBA use the Pacers of the world to pick on.  Like a bully on the playground you take out your angst and hurt feelings about other situations (losing to the Celtics) on the little guy that doesn’t deserve it.  The Raptors were far too nice tonight.  If they won’t do it against the Pacers of the world, how will any other team fear them? The Refs helped out a little when Indy was down but that is no excuse to squander a 23 point lead against a bottom feeder the night after you got spanked.  The Raps cannot use the “back-to-back” excuse anymore either.  Elite teams, bullies, don’t admit weakness.  They blame it on a cramp or a bad day or the sun being in their eyes.  This is a key time for the team as they drive to the playoffs.  Man up and work through it or our playoff aspirations are just that.

Who is Protecting Home Base?

The defense on the perimeter tonight was once again shameful.  Jack, Calderon, Hedo, it really didn’t seem to matter did it?  Earl Watson is in the NBA because of the way he plays against Toronto.  There is no excuse for allowing a team to drive the net with that much ease.  The coaching staff and the players need to figure it out.  Defence cannot be something you play hard one possession and then take a vactation from the next.  If/When the Raptors are in a playoff series in a couple of months these blunders will be far more devastating.  Defense wins championships.  Remember that boys!

Zan of the Night

Danny Granger.  Everytime I see him play I cannot help but think: “Rob Babcock thought Joey Graham was a better selection”.  I will never stop scratching my head at that one.  He would look so good in a Raptor Uniform.   Just one more reason to curse the name Babcock.

Not Zan of the Night

Hedo Turkoglu. He has not been as good as advertised and his play has seriously affected the team the last two games.  It is nothing that can’t be forgiven with a strong finish to the season and a strong playoff effort but c’mon man!  Jarrett Jack:  you’re next.

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Kristoffer Pedlar

The Zan Tabak Herald

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by | October 3, 2009 · 9:29 am

The Small Forward – According to Zan

The Players

Hedo Tukoglu

turkoglu joins the Raptors this season as the most talented small forward since Vince Carter

Turkoglu joins the Raptors this season as the most talented small forward since Vince Carter.

Antoine Wright

Demar Derozan

Sonny Weems

The Story

The biggest free agent acquisition of the off-season arrives in Toronto with the hopes and dreams of Raptor fans pinned to his #26 jersey.  Hedo Turkoglu will be the starting small forward on opening night and after that the picture is a little less clear.  Gone are Jamario Moon, Anthony Parker, Joey Graham, Jason Kapono and Shawn Marion who all occupied this position at various points during  last season.

Turkoglu comes in as the most talented player to ever play the small forward position for the Raptors since the days of #15 and finally provides some stability at the wing.  He brings consistency to a position that hasn’t had any for a long time.  Turkoglu also adds clutch shooting and a veteran presence in the dressing room.  He has done something in his career that other Raptors at camp have not done and that is win.  He brings a resume that includes numerous playoff appearances including last years run to the Finals with Orlando and hopes to propel this team back to the playoffs.

Antoine Wright should serve as the primary back up at the Small forward and comes in with a wealth of experience from his busy season last year backing up the injured Jason Terry in Dallas.  He is a defensive specialist and will provide the team with needed defensive help off the bench.  Don’t be surprised to see Derozan occupy this position off the bench at times as well when the Raptors go to a smaller lineup.

The little known Sonny Weems will clean up the mess in garbage time when he isn’t sporting a suit on the bench.

The Best Case Scenario

Turkoglu plays like an all-star and raises the levels of the other players on the court.  His playmaking ability opens up Derozan, Belinelli and Calderon for more wide open shots and he leads the team back to the playoffs. Team Chemistry takes shape early on and the Raps create match-up problems for their opponents all season long. His leadership brings out the best in Chris Bosh and Turkoglu’s involvement with the team inspires #4 to stick around for a few more years after this one.

The Worst Case Scenario

The team takes a while to gel and there are all kinds of issues with ball distribution.  Turkoglu is a little slower than he was last season and does not provide the Raptors with enough of a presence on defense especially against some of the league’s more elite wing players.  The Raps score tonnes of points but so do their opponents.  Hedo and the rest of the team do not mesh and the Raps play a variety of styles all season long hoping something will stick on their way to missing the playoffs once again.

The Prediction

Turkoglu and the Raptors will take some time to get used to each other but in the end they will gel.  The team will score lots of points but will look foolish at times on the defensive end.  Turkoglu won’t have an all-star season but he will be an effective leader on and off the court and his style of play will elevate the perimeter game of Calderon and Belinelli and turn them into deadly weapons on offense.  Hedo will hit a couple of game winning shots during the year and the Raps will head back to the playoffs somewhere between the 4 and 7 seed.  His defense will be steady but unspectacular and will receive his fair share of criticism from the Raptor faithful.

Antoine Wright will be a fan favourite and a fixture off the bench for Jay Triano.  His defense helps the team win some close games and he becomes known as the teams defensive stopper, being asked to guard some of the tougher wing players in the league.

Sonny Weems doesn’t play much but provides the most hardcore of Raptor fans the odd treat in garbage time, much the way the sight of Nathan Jawaii did last season.

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by | September 7, 2009 · 11:02 am

The Garbajosa Factor

When Brian Colangelo began his first year with the Raptors in 2006 he overhauled the roster with players that weren’t household names.  Guys like TJ Ford, Anthony Parker, Kris Humphries and Rasho Nesterovic came aboard and changed the culture of the struggling NBA team.  The Raptors took on the mentality of winners and with a developing Chirs Bosh were able to capture the Atlantic Division title.

The most important player that year , the one who contributed most to whether they one or lost, was not Chris Bosh or Jose Calderon who now continue to make up the core of the Raptors franchise.  The one player that gave the Raptors the chance to win every game, that tipped the scales in their favour each night was Jorge Garbajosa.

No player in Raptors history (with the exception of maybe Charles Oakley) was able to do the little things so well that he a key component to whether the Raptors won or lost.  Garbajosa rebounded, fought for loose balls, made open shots when he had them, played consistent team and help defense and was the on court and off court leader for most of that season.  For much of the year you could be excused if you did not notice Garbajosa that much as he was hardly flashy and went about his business quietly.  But make no mistake it was his grit and versatility that helped propel the Raptors to the Atlantic division crown.

Garbajosa’s contribution became all the more evident when he went down with a season ending leg injury against Boston that left him questioning his career.  Without Garbajosa the Raptors were not the same team.  They did not defend the small forward position well, their team and help defense fell apart, they had a hard time corralling rebounds and there was a question of leadership.  As a result the team finished the season in unimpressive fashion and eventually were eliminated by The New Jersey Nets.  One could argue that if Garbajosa was on the floor the team would have been able to defeat the Nets.

The following season the Raptors continued grasping for a Garbajosa replacement.  Jamario Moon came in and faired well but wasn’t the same player.  Joey Graham was given opportunities but he could not re-capture the energy, hussle and gritty play of Garbojosa either.  The Raptors made the playoffs but were once again eliminated in the first round by Orlando.  They played well but something was missing from the year before.

Garbajosa never returned to full time duty and was not the same player after returning from his leg injury. The Raptors were never the same team as when they had Garbajosa on the floor and won the Atlantic division. Colangelo has tried many different players in the last two years trying to find that missing element.  Jamario Moon, Joey Graham, Carlos Delfino, Jermaine O’Neal and Shawn Marion all had varying amounts of success with the team but none had that missing element that Garbajosa brought.

Garbajosa, once a key to victories, has been a difficult player for the Raptors to replace.

Garbajosa, once a key to victories, has been a difficult player for the Raptors to replace.

Last year Colangelo said in an interview with NBA.com “The Garbo piece is still missing.  He was a glue player for us.  He provided a lot of the grit and intangibles that you just don’t measure in a box score…”. The Raptors were a team without grit last season and missed the playoffs for the first time in Colangelo’s time with the team.  It was apparent that grit and leadership were key focuses this off-season.

This summer Colangelo finally found a player that could defend, rebound, shoot, play-make and lead on and off the court.  A player that is built in the same mold as Jorge Garbajosa and has what it takes to win in the league.  Hedo Turkoglu possesses the intangibles that Colangelo referred to.  Judging by the success, or lack thereof, of the team following Grbajosa’s injury it is clear that it is these intangibles that play a major role in winning basketball games.  With the addition of Hedo Turkoglu the Raptors have hopefully found the right recipe for success.

Turkoglu has had success throughout his career.  He has been a major part of playoff drives with Sacramento, San Antonio and Orlando.  He is a player that is looked to for veteran leadership, clutch baskets and the “intangibles” that do not show up on a boxscore.  He has been a Garbajosa type player on many of the teams he has played on.  One only needs to look at Orlando’s drive to the Finals this year to see how integral Turkoglu was to the success of that team.  His numbers were decent but his play was better.

Ladies and Gentleman the new Jorge Garbajosa:  Hedo Turkoglu.

If all goes according to plan Turkoglu will help lead this team back to the playoffs and maybe even, something the Raptors have not seen since 2001: a playoff victory and a berth in the second round of the playoffs.

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by | August 18, 2009 · 5:23 pm

New Additions Improve Raptors Attack

Colangelo continues to put the pieces in place for Toronto

Colangelo continues to put the pieces in place for Toronto

Like a chessmaster , focused and determined on his goal of defeating his opponent, Brian Colangelo is slowly putting all the pieces of his plan together.  The latest pieces in his arsenal are Marco Belinelli and Amir Johnson.

The two aquisitons create financial flexibility and address major areas of concern for the team.  Belinelli, acquired from Golden State for Deaven George and a roll of toonies, will be relied on to fill the role of shooter vacated by Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker while Johnson will add much needed athleticism to the power forward spot.

Under coach Nelson in Golden State Belinelli was mearly a pawn.  He received inconsistent playing time, was benched for long stretches that didn’t seem to make sense.  He showed flashes of brilliance and then not and eventually became victim to the numbers game.  He was the Golden State equivalent of Joey Graham.  A player who just never seemed to put it all together.  Whether that was because of his own shortcomings as a player or because of the lack of confidence that was shown in him is up for debate.  The bottom line is he never became the player that many envision him to be.

Brian Colangelo sees something else in him.  He has been openly trying to trade for Belinelli for the better part of three years and wanted him very badly during the 2007  draft.  Colangelo believes that Belinelli will become a “Manu Ginobli” type player.  A player with a killer instinct, with a great shooting percentage and who will go out on the court and bust his butt for his team.  He is also banking on the influence of Raptor superstar and Colangelo favourite Andrea Bargnani to ease him into the city and the atmosphere in the locker room.  It doesn’t hurt that they are good friends and Italian national teammates. That relationship will come in handy this coming season for a team that will be adding twelve new players.  A little familiarity doesn’t hurt anyone.Belinelli with a sweet stroke

Belinelli seems to fit into exactly what Jay Triano is hoping to do.  His offence will hopefully spread out the floor and open up jump shots for shooters on the team.  Bellinelli will be relied on to hit clutch shots off the bench and may even see some time starting at the shooting gaurd.  Triano recently admitted his desire for more shooters on a  interview with the Fan590 morning show  “The one thing I always like to have on my team is shooters…..you can never have too many shooters…”  In Belinelli Triano will have a solid shooter, one that averaged 44% this past year and 39% from the 3pt line.  Those are not earth-shattering numbers but with more consistent playing time he may be able to increase that percentage.  When starting for Golden State last year he averaged 15.4 pts per game and shot 42.6% from the 3pt line.  That is a deadly weapon to have on your team.

Johnson, acquired for two players that were not going to play in Toronto: Roko Ukic and Carlos Delfino, joins his third NBA team having earned a reputation for having a lot of “upside”.  He was the last player ever drafted out of high school and showed glimpses of putting it together in Detroit.  He bounced around between the NBA and the Developmental league with an inconsistent amount of success.  He is very athletic and could become a solid rotation player behind Bosh and Bargnani if he plays the aggressive style he has become known for.   Many Bucks fans felt he may go into training camp as the starting power forward until Hakim Warrick was acquired from Memphis.  There is a lot to like about Johnson’s game and he is hoping to get a chance from the Raptors this season.  His defensive presence under the basket, blocking shots, is something Toronto has sorely lacked over the last couple of seasons.

Amir adds toughness and athleticism to the Raptors frontcourt

Amir adds toughness and athleticism to the Raptors frontcourt

Colangelo has done his homework this summer and with his moves for Belinelli and Johnson he has acquired players that possess a great deal of potential and upside without giving up much in return.  Both players may have been misused or forgotten by their former teams and Colangelo is banking on Jay Triano helping them realize their potential in Toronto.  These players, pawns on other teams, may turn out to become knights at the ACC.

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