For the first time in his three-year tenure as Toronto’s hoops czar, Bryan Colangelo heads to the land of Disney, where his team was ousted in five games by the Magic last month, with every conceivable option on the table.

In Orlando, tires will be kicked, names will get floated, individual workouts will be finalized and the top prospects will be made available to the media on Thursday as the draft countdown continues.

Whether the Raptors go big or small, add to their Euro-centric roster or zero in on an underclassmen, it’s of no significance.

As currently constituted, the last thing the Raptors roster needs is a prospect pegged to go at No. 17.

Barring some blockbuster trade, the Raptors have no use for the 17th slot.

If recent history is any indication, players taken 17th overall have had a marginal impact, in some cases none at all.

The Raptors want to build around their franchise player, but the window to surround Chris Bosh with competent bodies is closing fast.

When the summer of 2010 arrives, Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, each heralded members of the 2003 draft class, will be free agents.

The Knicks are said to be loading up for King James. Wade is in danger of playing for a rebuilding Miami Heat team, while Bosh continues to wait for that legitimate post or wing player who can take some of the burden off of his shoulders.

The Raptors will not accomplish it by holding on to the 17th draft slot.

Activity surrounding the Raptors’ lawsuit with the Spanish basketball federation over injured forward Jorge Garbajosa has been put on hold as the parties involved try to find a mutually agreeable solution.

Colangelo stressed, though, that the lawsuit, reportedly worth more than $14-million US, has not been withdrawn.

The only people who care are the lawyers, who tend to drag out such matters.

In terms of Garbo returning to the court, which is of greater significance, there remains no timetable.

“He’s making progress,” Colangelo said. “We’re being very cautious with respect to his return. A strict protocol has been established with respect to his rehabilitation.”

A healthy Garbo is precisely what the doctor ordered. Not an even a lawyer can dispute that.

- Toronto Sun

Bryan Colangelo has much more to do than just check out potential Raptors as the NBA’s pre-draft camp begins today in Florida.

“For me, it’s a chance to initiate or follow up on some trade discussions as well,” Toronto’s president and general manager said in a telephone interview yesterday.

“It’s like a basketball convention.”

Colangelo, along with coach Sam Mitchell and a raft of front-office and scouting personnel, are descending on the camp with a variety of things to get done. It is no secret Toronto will be trying to set the parameters for a trade involving one of its point guards. There are free agents to talk about and a handful of high-powered agents are also planning to be in Orlando.

“Your basketball staff can mingle with the staffs of other teams and perhaps get some information on what teams might be thinking,” the GM said. “It seems everyone is picking everyone else’s brains.”

“It’s a chance to get an up-close look at somebody,” Colangelo said. “We can observe the testing and the light workouts.

“A lot of the time (during the college season), you can’t get very close to the court or you don’t have a large career baseline to work from, or it’s off video. Scouting is still somewhat of a crap shoot.”

Colangelo is holding his draft cards close to his vest, mainly because he’ll be investigating trade possibilities for the No.17 pick and because there is expected to be a variety of different players available if he retains the selection.

“You have to look at and say we have needs at a couple of different spots, (but) generally, you take the best basketball player that’s available,” the GM said.

“Selecting someone at 17 and think they’ll be actually contributing next year might be a bit far-fetched,” he added.

But whatever decision he makes with that pick will affect some long-term moves. If, for example, he finds a swingman he projects as a starter after one season coming off the bench, it could have an impact on future contract negotiations with free agents this summer or with, for example, Anthony Parker when his contract runs out at the end of the 2008-09 season.

If Colangelo decides to take a big man with the draft pick, he might feel comfortable trying to trade Rasho Nesterovic during the season if he sees the rookie developing.

Everything done around this time of year is tied into some other possible transaction.

Colangelo said he expects to have private workouts with up to 40 potential draft picks, either in Toronto or at neutral sights. Some agents are trying to set up group workouts for their players, inviting a handful of teams to see a player work rather than send the player on an extended road trip for private sessions.

- Toronto Star

Bryan Colangelo’s got another thing to deal with in Florida today.

And it’s something that will have an impact on every team in the league.

Colangelo’s a member of the league’s competition committee and the steering committee that’s part of that group and they’ll be talking about an increase in instant replay this morning in Orlando.

As we’ve seen with a handful of clock mistakes throughout the season and the playoffs, there’s no reason not to expand how replay can be used.

Maybe that takes giving coaches “challenges” or something like that but that’s a slippery slope. Coaches will whine and challenge at the slightest provocation and the last thing we need is a steady parade to the video replay table.

Something has to change, but not too drastically.

- Toronto Star

Robin’s position is much harder to predict, since this Draft is particularly deep throughout the mid-late first round. Depending on his (and others’) workouts, Robin could sneak into the lottery at No. 14 with Golden State, which is likely the earliest he could be selected. More realistically, Robin will be chosen somewhere between picks No. 17 and No. 24.

Toronto picks at No. 17, and the Raptors could use an energetic, defensive-minded big man to pair with Chris Bosh.

- The Stanford Daily

There is the opportunity for the Raptors to toughen up. Rumor is that the Chicago Bulls are ready to unload Andres Nacioni once they have Beasley in the fold. ‘Andy ‘ Nacioni is one tough bull from Pampas. He irritates opponents with his no nonsense defense and rugged offense.

Another Andy . Andy Varejao is reportedly ready to be unloaded by the Cavaliers’ management. Note that in the last 2 games versus the Celtics , Big Ben Wallace was used more often by coach . That means , Varejao is on the way out.

- I Hate The Raptors

As Bryan Colangelo begins evaluating talent at the pre-draft workouts in Orlando, here is a list of potential selections with the 17th pick. While some observers believe the 17th pick is a longshot, there are often picks in that range who work out just fine.
Rob Babcock selected Joey Graham and allowed Danny Granger to go at #17. Granger would look great on the Raptors if not for Babcock’s bumbling. On the other hand, the Raptors selected Michael Bradley with the 17th pick and he proved to be a bust.

- RaptorTalk

17. RAPTORS – Donte Green, PF, Syracuse
He will end up as one of the best players in this draft when we look back in ten years.

- Associated Content

Funny enough, but the best chance to reinvigorate this franchise came in 2003, when Dumars took Darko Milicic No. 2 overall, rather than a guy named Chris Bosh (Carmelo Anthony, picked third by Denver, was almost certainly not Detroit’s second choice). You swing and miss at the top of a draft, and it haunts you for years. Ask anyone. Ask the Toronto Raptors, if Andrea Bargnani flames out.

- National Post

To see fellow Raptors point guard T.J. Ford play defence with his hands glued to his hips somehow tells me that he couldn’t care less. Is this someone who can be an elite point guard in the NBA or the CBA (Cry Baby Association)? For writer Frank Butrym To say Ford is a Lamborghini tells me that he thinks his speed is unmatched, which it is, but to see Ford use it properly is a whole different story.

With his speed he should be able to take charges and get to spots on the floor quicker than most but he doesn’t. Why you ask? Because he is damaged goods both inside and out and I couldn’t care less if the Raptors traded him for a new bag of Spaldings.

- Toronto Sun

Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo–Jerry’s son–decided that he would attempt the same philosophy when he left to take over Toronto.  He traded for a point guard in T.J. Ford who was a threat to paralyze himself every time he stepped on the court.  He signed guys like Jorge Garbajosa, Andrea Bargnani, and Anthony Parker to shoot, run, and score with Ford and Jose Calderon running the show.  But where did that get Toronto?  Two consecutive first round playoff exits.

- Bleacher Report

The Knicks could trade Curry and sixth pick for TJ Ford and the number seventeen pick and next year’s first round pick.

TJ Ford is one of the best point guards in the league, if you believe it or not. He fits perfectly with D’Antoni as he is one of the fastest players in the NBA who can score and pass well.

The Raptors are going to choose Jose Calderon over Ford so they would want to send him out. He is a high value player and the Knicks would not have really any player that D’Antoni would really want at number 6.

At number 17, the Knicks could get a valued player like Nicolas Batum who is similar to Rudy Gay and will shine in New York.

Overall, from what I am saying, the starting lineup next season would be TJ Ford, Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson, Jared Jeffries, and Jermaine O’Neal.

- Bleacher Report

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5. Linkage – June 21