07.06
Jose Calderon … Raptors … Raptors … 5 years, $40 million … Marca.com
However, since the weekend might not see the kind of viewship here that weekdays normally have, I’m going to post the lower seeds today and tomorrow to get them out of the way. Today, the focus will be on the two lowest seeds, the Toronto Raptors (#28) and the Memphis Grizzlies (the lowest seed at #29). Since these teams have been in existence for only a decade, their lineups are fairly recent. Therefore, I’ll keep the rundown pretty brief. Let’s start with Toronto:
On paper the talent looks pretty solid with three potential all-stars running the show. The bench is no Pistons’ crew from the 80’s, but if players like Andrea Bargnani, Jamario Kris Humphries and Jason Kapono (if he’s not starting) step it up, there is a nice mix of skills. So can this club top both the 2000-01 and 2006-07 editions of the Raptors that won 47 games? And regardless of wins, can this team get past the first round for the first time in over seven years?
I think a healthy Toronto team will be a top 3 seed.
Is anyone else concerned that bringing Roko over now is a huge risk?
There have been no financial details concerning his contract but I’m guessing he’s not coming to Toronto for less than $500,000. Even if it’s a bit under a million, considering the Raptors’ current state of affairs, couldn’t that money be put to better use, by bringing in an experienced backup for Jose Calderon?
I mean, Roko has yet to play a minute at the point guard position in the NBA, perhaps the toughest position to learn in the league. Even point guard luminaries such Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups took a few years to hone their craft. Can we expect Ukic to be able to seamlessly run the show when Jose sits?
Roko Leni Ukic confirmed to the Croatian media that all terms with Raptors are agreed. He will sign 3-years contract and it is expected to be officially announced on July 9th. At the same day, Raptors will extend Jose Calderon and ink Hassan Adams. Ukic will start season as a replacement of Spanish point guard. Raptors will probably sign another experienced PG who will compete with Ukic for a spot.
Ukic stated that he would be very satisfied if he succeeds to get 15 minutes per game in his rookie season in NBA.
‘I am 23 years old and I am moving forward step by step. When Calderon started his NBA career he was at the same situation as me’ – said Ukic.
While I liked the Raptors deal, they really should have gone with the Gerald Wallace for TJ Ford deal. Wallace would be the perfect SF to team with Bargnani and could salvage Andrea’s career while the Raptors also could have held onto their pick and perhaps grabbed someone like Roy Hibbert, Donte Green, or Nicolas Batum.
Toronto Raptors
The Good: Nathan Jawai comes over to be the new backup big man for Toronto.
The Bad: Jawai never comes over and Jermaine O’Neal gets injured. Chris Bosh gets more and more frustrated.
My Guess: I’m not holding my breath on Jawai and while I like Jermaine O’Neal in Toronto, I just don’t think he’s going to be good enough to really make much of a difference. They still are a notch below the cream of the crop.
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