"We have arguably a more talented team than last year, we have arguably under-utilized some of that talent to some extent this year at various points throughout the year," the team’s president and general manager said yesterday.
"There’s been some inconsistent performances, but these guys are here for a reason, they know what their roles are, they need to apply those talents and there’s no reason it can’t come together."
But with the NBA post-season starting in 10 days, the GM will wait to see how that unfolds before coming up with his final assessment of the season.
"Are we disappointed? Yes, that’s the safest way to say it," Colangelo said. "We’re going to make the necessary adjustments at the appropriate time, but with four games to go and (preparing) for a playoff, we can speculate all we want on what needs to be done.
"But right now we’d rather focus on what needs to be done to win, beginning (tonight)."
He will be taking a long, hard look when the Raptors are done.
"Before we write off the season, I think you’ve got to play it out, get to the playoffs, see where we are and let’s evaluate," Colangelo said.
"I don’t think anyone’s happy or content with where you find yourself at this stage," Colangelo said. "Especially when you’re a game behind the sixth spot and you look back at a number of games that were given up early, this could be a completely different circumstance, but it’s the circumstance we find ourselves in and you’ve got no choice but to fight through this.
"It’s not an ideal situation to be in, but it’s our situation and we’re fighting through it."
"Last year, we were an inexperienced playoff team … this year, for various reasons, we’ve taken a step backwards with wins and losses, but are we going to be a better playoff team?" Colangelo asked. "Time will tell."
"We’ve got a lot of work to do this summer to continue to grow towards the next step … moving forward as a championship contender," the GM said.
"We have some of the best fans in the league, and you can’t tell me they can’t make noise, because in the playoffs it’s ridiculous," Bosh said Thursday.
He acknowledged it’s a risk calling out the crowd, but said "Me and Toronto, we’ve been through some things, we’ve been around the block a few times. The fans expect it out of me, so I expect it out of them too — it’s only fair."
Bosh knows the Raptors are fortunate to play in a crowded arena every night — Wednesday’s crowd that was just shy of capacity ended a streak of nine straight sellouts. But he’s also noticed a drop in the noise level at the ACC this season.
"They matter," he said of the fans. "It gets the players pumped up, you run the floor harder, you defend harder, and it kind of rattles the other team because they don’t want to take shots. . . they miss a shot, it gets louder, we make stops, it gets louder.
"It’s just a big advantage, and it’s a lot more fun. If you’re loud and rowdy, everybody has fun, from the popcorn man to the starting five."
Colangelo argued that if it wasn’t for some significant injuries to key players — the Raptors went 2-8 when Bosh was out with a knee injury, while T.J. Ford missed 24 games with a neck injury — the regular season could have been a different story.
"When you talk about Chris’s injury, we were playing some of our best basketball right before that happened," Colangelo said. "He gets hurt, then you’re trying to incorporate T.J. back into the lineup. . . . Unfortunately there’s been a lot of things that have been setting us back."
"We’re not only looking at the next several games and the battle for playoff position," Colangelo said in a lengthy and spontaneous exchange with reporters after practice yesterday as the Raptors prepared to play the New Jersey Nets tonight, while head coach Sam Mitchell was sick for the day. "We’re looking at the draft, we’re sizing up possible free agents, possible trade prospects. It’s no different than any other day in the NBA, you’re constantly looking to make adjustments to get better and grow.
His shooting woes aside — Bargnani is shooting just 39 per cent from the field and 36 per cent from behind the three-point line this season — Colangelo remains confident that the seven-footer will realize his considerable potential.
"He had a lot of things that were affecting him early, and there’s stuff that’s even affecting him now," Colangelo said, choosing not to elaborate. "Everyone wants to suddenly make him a bust, and I don’t think that anybody in this organization is looking at him at all that way.
"Has he advanced like you would hope this year? No. I think we understand all the reasons and the things that have affected him, and I know what his mentality is and what his desire is, and we’re still very confident that he’s going to become a very, very valuable piece."
Colangelo hinted that whatever happens over the remainder of this season and the postseason, the summer will be an active one for him and likely a dynamic one for the roster. The Raptors have about $23-million (U.S.) in expiring contracts coming off the books after next season — assets that typically make deals easier to put together.
He’s been on the record as being prepared to match any offer for point guard Jose Calderon, a restricted free agent, and about his desire to bring European point guard prospect Roko Ukic to the NBA. Given T.J. Ford’s stated unwillingness to come off the bench in a platoon situation with Calderon, it would seem the point-guard situation will be different next season. Colangelo also acknowledged the need to add more ruggedness to a largely finesse-oriented roster.
It’s never fun when a honeymoon ends, but it sure beats the hell out of never having a honeymoon to begin with. When Bryan Colangelo first landed in Toronto he was greeted in every corner, including this one, as a saviour. Considering those who had come before – Isiah Thomas, Glen Grunwald, Rob Babcock – it was a reasonable reaction.
Now, with the team having gone backwards from last season’s 47-win miracle, Colangelo is beginning to feel the heat under his high collar. Toronto has lost 15 of its last 22 games, with seven wins over rotten or disinterested teams, and would play the mighty Detroit Pistons if the playoffs started today. And they would lose, badly.
Colangelo is a realist; he knows where this team is, and where it needs to go. Yesterday, he defended his team, too. He pointed to the injuries to Bosh and to starting point guard T.J. Ford, who have missed 15 and 31 games, respectively. He pointed to the season-long absence of Jorge Garbajosa. He defended the long-term potential of Andrea Bargnani. He believes.
"We haven’t changed our opinion on who these players are as individuals," said Colangelo. "We’re confident in the group that we have, and they’re a group that can easily regain that confidence."
"Perhaps we overachieved last year to a certain degree," said Colangelo. "We got to 47 wins, there was a lot of excitement and buzz. This year, for various reasons, we’ve taken a step backward with the record.
Colangelo does not have the thickest skin, and he knows that the mood of some patrons is turning, just a little. He knows one column was written Thursday that declared the season all but over, and this group fatally flawed. In one revealing moment, Colangelo said, "It’s not like we’re planning upstairs how to get worse. We’re planning how to get better." He shouldn’t need to say that, but he feels he does.
In a way, it’s better that Toronto no longer thinks it has a saviour, because a saviour just shows up and waves his hands and the light shines everywhere. That’s not how it works. Colangelo will make this team better by being obsessed with his job, by hiring and listening to good people, by grinding away. The honeymoon may be over, but that doesn’t make the marriage a waste. The Toronto Raptors do not have a savior. They have a general manager.
40. Chase Buddinger, SG/SF, Arizona. He is a fascinating offensive player with underrated passing ability for his position, but he is a Mentally Weak loser who has Zero (think absolute zero, like the Kelvin scale of apathy) desire to play any semblance of defense and chose to go to a college that would accept that instead of challenging himself to be a better player. There may never have been a prospect in any sport that I resent as much as Buddinger because of his appalling lack of character.
Mock Draft:
17. Toronto Raptors- Chase Buddinger, SG/SF, Arizona
Don’t blame the fans for this. Hardcore, noisy fans would love to sit lower bowl and cheer like crazy, but they have no access to seats. Blame MLSE and the players who get paid millions of dollars.
Consider how insane this is!
I just got my bill for the playoffs (which I need to pay in advance) and its $8,108 for two seats through to the NBA Finals. Are you kidding me??? For playoffs??? I can buy a nice little car for that money. Again, that’s not my full season ticket bill. That’s what four rounds of play-off tickets will cost me – over $8,000.
18) Toronto Raptors
Selection: Chris Douglas-Roberts, SG, Memphis
Comments: Swingman, that’s all we decided. Is Clement forcing Russell Westbrook to plummet?
Related posts:
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re: “We have arguably a more talented team than last year, we have arguably under-utilized some of that talent to some extent this year at various points throughout the year,” the team’s president and general manager said yesterday.
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Ominous words for Sam Mitchell to hear, 2 plus years into Bryan Colangelo’s tenure with the Raptors.
khandor’s last blog post..Tic toc, tic toc, tic toc …
Everyone knew that “Coach of the Year” meant absolutely nothing. Jerry Sloan, if he cared for such things, should still be shaking his head.
I’m surprised that Sam is even in the league as a coach. BC made the right move for PRESS reasons, not for TEAM reasons… and that’s going to cost him, MLSE, the Raptors and the fans.
Spudz’s last blog post..Earth Hour | March 29th 8pm