Raptors News

Turkoglu headed to Toronto
Comment
July 4
ESPN.com
 
"Free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu changed his mind Friday, deciding not to join the Portland Trail Blazers, opting instead to accept an offer from the Toronto Raptors, sources told ESPN.com. The Raptors last-minute bid will give Turkoglu all of the salary-cap space they will get by renouncing their rights to Shawn Marion, Anthony Parker and Carlos Delfino. The Raptors expect to have about $10.1 million in cap space to give to Turkoglu for his first-year salary; he would get an eight percent annual raise over the next four seasons of the deal, a source told ESPN.com. The Raptors have until July 7 to renounce Marion, Delfino and Parker, so it remains a possibility and that a sign-and-trade ..."
Calderon healthy and hungry
Comment
July 3
Toronto Star
 
"The whispers reverberate in the dark recesses of Jose Calderon's mind, the frustration still pulses through his brain as he recalls the barbs. "Can't defend." "Can't create." "No lateral movement." "No good." "Not T.J. Ford." His leg was bad, his finger was bad, his game was bad and his team was bad as the 2008-09 NBA season got away from the Raptors, the 27-year-old point guard a lightning rod for criticism."
Raps setting their sights on Knicks' big man Lee
Comment
July 2
Toronto Star
 
"The Raptors are widening their NBA free-agent search that now includes one of the more intriguing players on the market. Capping a whirlwind 24 hours to open the negotiating period, league sources say Toronto is trying to obtain David Lee, an energetic rebounder who is a New York Knicks restricted free agent. The sources couldn't say whether the move on Lee would be a straight offer or whether it would be a sign-and-trade transaction with any of Toronto's current free agents. Lee's name is added to a list that began with Charlie Villanueva – who ultimately signed a five-year, $40 million deal with the Detroit Pistons – and Denver's Linas Kleiza, a solid if unspectacular part not in the ..."
Raptors facing free-agent quandary
Comment
June 30
Toronto Star
 
"With one move made and another that wasn't, the Raptors sent a couple of messages yesterday as they get ready to enter the NBA free agency waters. The team extended a qualifying offer to Pops Mensah-Bonsu that was little more than a bookkeeping move to give themselves some frontcourt protection but did not offer the same to Joey Graham, which makes it almost certain he won't be back with the team. For Mensah-Bonsu, the qualifying offer is for slightly more than $1 million (all figures U.S.) with absolutely no guarantees, making it highly unlikely he'll sign it. But because they made the offer, the Raptors retain the right to match any offer he gets as a restricted free agent, protecting ..."
DeRozan driven to improve mother's health
Comment
June 27
Toronto Star
 
"It kills a kid to see a parent wracked with pain, to see suffering and know there's nothing he or she can do. Trying to alleviate that is what's driven DeMar DeRozan for years, made him spend those countless hours in the gym honing his skills to get him where he is today. And now the newest Raptor, flush with a multi-million dollar contract and the hopes of untold more riches to come, can do something tangible to help, far more than sitting by and offering only love and support. DeRozan's mom, Diane, suffers from lupus, a disease in which the immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues by mistake, causing damage to joints, skin, blood vessels and organs. She has her good days and bad, ..."
Next for Raptors: Marion
Comment
June 27
Toronto Sun
 
"All that is known about Shawn Marion is that he won't be making the roughly $17 million US he earned last season in the final year of his contract. No one can say with any certainty what the future holds for Marion because there are too many variables and too few teams with cap space this summer. On paper, his presence on a Raptors roster that has addressed toughness with the addition of Reggie Evans and athleticism in the form of rookie DeMar DeRozan is a perfect fit. The Raptors have made nice strides this off-season, but the next step could very well turn into the most important move the team makes, barring a trade involving one of the team's core group of Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani ..."
NBA Draft: Raptors' pick 'reminiscent' of Carter
Comment
June 26
Vancouver Province
 
"It is not a name one brings up lightly in this city. Yet, eight minutes in to his nes conference after making the ninth selection in last night's NBA Draft, Toronto Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo threw it out there. "He's got the physical tools reminiscent of the player that everybody likes to say he kind of reminds them of -- and that's Vince Carter," Colangelo said of the newest Toronto Raptor, swingman DeMar DeRozan. "He's got that kind of raw, physical talent that hopefully can be honed and brought together." And with that, a comparison to the most polarizing player in franchise history, the 19-year-old is on his way to Toronto. "I think its very valid," DeRozan ..."
Visions of Vince
Comment
June 26
Toronto Sun
 
"As he expected, Bryan Colangelo pretty much had the pick of the litter when it came to players he expected to be around when the Raptors' first-round selection came up at last night's NBA draft. And, as he did with the same pick seven years ago when he selected Amare Stoudemire for Phoenix, Colangelo used the No. 9 pick to go for raw athleticism when he selected USC shooting guard DeMar DeRozan. The DeRozan pick, pegged early by prognosticators as the Raptors' first choice, was one of the few the draft boards actually had right from the beginning. As expected the Clippers stuck to their guns and made Blake Griffin out of Oklahoma the first overall pick. After that it got interesting. ..."
Raptors opt for 'raw physical talent' in DeMar DeRozan
Comment
June 26
Toronto Star
 
"DeMar DeRozan isn't worried about living up to expectations, no matter how unrealistic they may be for a 19-year-old who has spent all of one season playing major college basketball. The minute the Raptors took the California teen with the ninth selection in last night's NBA draft, the comparisons were made between the raw but athletically gifted 6-foot-7 DeRozan and Vince Carter."
Raptors get athletic guard in DeRozan
Comment
June 25
Toronto Star
 
"The Raptors got their man in tonight's NBA draft, an athletic freak who may breathe some athleticism back into the franchise. DeMar DeRozan, a 19-year-old freshman from the University of Southern California, was chosen ninth overall in the draft by the Raptors and will be given every opportunity to earn a starting spot next fall. The 6-7 guard-forward blossomed in the final month of his lone college season and was seen as one of the most promising players, raw but with unlimited potential, available in the draft. In choosing DeRozan, the Raptors passed on two other players they were seriously considering: 6-3 UCLA guard Jrue Holiday and 6-8 Wake Forest forward James Johnson. At 19 years ..."
Raptors may have wish list down to trio
Comment
June 25
Toronto Star
 
"The NBA draft remains as clear as mud but the Raptors appear to reaching some clarity in their search for an appropriate pick at No. 9. According to league sources, the Raptors are now concentrating more on three players – 6-foot-4 UCLA guard Jrue Holiday, 6-foot-7 USC guard DeMar DeRozan and 6-foot-8 Wake Forest forward James Johnson – with Syracuse guard Jonny Flynn and Duke forward Gerald Henderson dropping further out of favour but not entirely out of the picture. And with no one certain who might get chosen where in the eight picks ahead of Toronto's, there's a chance two of them will be on the board, giving the Raptors a choice of their top three hopes. Johnson, who played power ..."
No. 9 could be fine for Raps
Comment
June 25
Toronto Sun
 
"It's a long way from No. 1 but the ninth overall pick has served many an NBA team well in the annual draft. General manager Bryan Colangelo and his Raptors front office will attempt to be one of those teams that turns nine into gold tonight. Now gold might be overdoing it quite a bit, given this draft is considered a one-superstar show -- Blake Griffin. But Colangelo has some experience at No. 9, drafting Shawn Marion in 1999 and then getting Amare Stoudemire at the same spot three years later. Those two are near the head of the class when it comes to the ninth selection of the past 29 years in the draft. Joining them is Tracy McGrady, picked by the Raptors in 1997. A year later, ..."
Wade and Bosh have two cities in a tizzy
Comment
June 25
Toronto Sun
 
"Their situations are identical, their circumstances similar and their future with their current employer just as cloudy. The only difference between Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, outside from a playing perspective, involves perception and paranoia. Everyone seems to be writing Bosh off in Toronto. Everyone seems to be caught up in this imaginary world that would see Bosh join Wade in Miami. In Toronto, Bosh's every word gets taken out of context or it gets twisted to serve some agenda. The Raptors have been in existence since 1995, but the media in this market, in all forms, continues to be uneducated and easily swayed by the most baseless gossip. The bottom line with Bosh and Wade is ..."
The Raps' chosen five
Comment
June 24
Toronto Sun
 
"Sounding thoroughly confident, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo approached the podium yesterday and in his final public statement regarding the draft until the picks actually are made, announced that "unless something crazy happens or a trade happens" the Raptors will be selecting one of five players tomorrow night with their No. 9 selection. Just don't ask Colangelo which one. He admitted yesterday that even if all five were still on the board when the Raptors make their selection, they still haven't decided on a selection. "It may be right down to the last minute," Colangelo said. "There could be a raging debate in the conference room about all sorts of things." In no particular order, the ..."
Raptors rolling the dice at draft
Comment
June 23
Toronto Star
 
"Every day, they meet and sit and chat and digest the vagaries of this week's NBA draft, Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo and his braintrust trying to get a grip on something as elusive as the thoughts of others. It is impossible to get any true read on what might happen Thursday night and they know it. But still they try, working the different scenarios they're hearing and reading about, trying to figure out what teams like Golden State or Minnesota or New York might do, playing out trades and surprise selections and weighing this option and that one."
High-flying DeRozan struts hops for Raps
Comment
June 18
Toronto Sun
 
"Demar DeRozan was drenched in sweat and his feet were dragging by the time he took his last shot yesterday, the price he pays for having all eyes on him. The Raptors put DeRozan through his paces at the Air Canada Centre as one of the players they're interested in with their No. 9 pick in next Thursday's draft. The 19-year-old forward from the USC Trojans, a projected top-10 pick, is one of several top prospects that have opted to go it alone during pre-draft auditions. "I felt like coaches get the chance to see everything I've improved on without paying attention to other players, their whole focus is on me," DeRozan said on his decision to go solo. DeRozan is an athletic player who's ..."
DeRozan's athleticism could be hard to resist
Comment
June 18
Toronto Star
 
"Like a metronome he went through the paces all by himself: Shoot, rebound, run; shoot, rebound, run. A monotonous 40 minutes under the watchful eyes of an NBA staff. DeMar DeRozan, one of the most intriguing possibilities for the Raptors with the No. 9 pick in next week's NBA draft, put himself out there for the team at the Air Canada Centre yesterday in a workout devoid of competition. It was a calculated move by the 6-foot-7 swingman under the advice of his agents, giving the Raptors no clue on how he'd react to be guarded or having to guard but giving them an opportunity to dissect parts of his game without any distractions."
Raps' muscle arrives
Comment
June 17
Toronto Star
 
"Reggie Evans is a man of no pretense. He is entirely comfortable with who and what he is on the basketball court – a tough guy, a grinder, the kind of guy who may not get glory, but the kind good teams cannot do without. And Raptors fans, starved for someone to mimic the role played by Charles Oakley back in the good old days, are sure to love the 6-foot-8, 245-pound power forward obtained last week in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers."
Raptors extend offer to RFA Delfino
Comment
June 17
Sportsnet.ca
 
"The Toronto Raptors announced they have extended a qualifying offer to restricted free agent guard-forward Carlos Delfino. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed. In accordance with the league's collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its rights of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent it must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal in favour of the NBA team for which the player last played. Delfino played last season in Russia with BC Khimky Moscow in the Russia-A Superleague. He averaged 10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds ..."
Evans simply refreshing
Comment
June 17
Toronto Sun
 
"Nothing has come easy for Reggie Evans, which is why it's so hard to dislike the newest Raptor. Evans was introduced to the local media yesterday and even the most cynical scribe couldn't help but not notice how genuine the guy came across. There is nothing false about Evans because everything he has done has been accomplished through life's most basic principle -- hard work. In today's me-first generation of ballers, Evans represents a throwback to the days when nothing was given and everything had to be earned. His tenacity, work ethic and commitment to improve were ingrained by Evans' mother, who raised four children. As Evans points out: "By four different dads. "My mom always ..."
Raptors keeping options open ahead of weak draft
Comment
June 16
Toronto Star
 
"The only thing anybody knows for sure about the NBA draft is that nobody knows anything for sure. Outside of presumptive No.1 pick Blake Griffin going to the Los Angeles Clippers, the remainder of the lottery portion of the first round is a crapshoot, with a handful of players many think could be good NBAers but few that many expect to be great vying for a spot in the top 14 selections. Which makes it virtually impossible to handicap the order of selection, a fact not lost on talent evaluators around the league. "That's the problem," said one Eastern Conference team official. "They are all the same after the top three." Following Griffin, the 6-foot-10 Oklahoma forward, the next three or ..."
Gamble will workout for Toronto
Comment
June 15
Buffalo News
 
"Jonny Flynn and Paul Harris aren't the only former Niagara Falls High players receiving workouts in the NBA. Greg Gamble, a four-year starter at UB, will workout with the Toronto Raptors tomorrow, according to both Bulls coach Reggie Witherspoon and Falls assistant Sal Constantino."
Toronto Raptors' Chris Bosh interested in playing for Miami Heat
Comment
June 14
Miami Herald
 
"The Heat's interest in Chris Bosh apparently is mutual. A friend of the Toronto power forward said Bosh has interest in playing for Miami, which would love to add him via trade this summer or free agency in 2010. Bosh assuredly will dismiss any report linking him to another team because he doesn't want to upset the Raptors and doesn't need to decide his future for 13 months. But the friend said playing in Miami appeals to him. With Bosh announcing he will test free agency in 2010, a competing executive who spoke to Raptors president Bryan Colangelo said Toronto appears open to considering offers for Bosh and likely would consider a package that includes Michael Beasley -- if the Heat ..."
Raptors' Williams likes look of Lawson
Comment
June 11
Toronto Star
 
"Bryan Colangelo made no secret of the fact he wanted to find a way to improve the depth at point guard for the Raptors back when the NBA's regular season ended. He's got one guy on the staff now who can help bring about that improvement and a potential draft pick worked out yesterday who might be the answer as well. With the addition of Alvin Williams to the coaching staff now a mere formality – he's in town and working full-time even before he signs his contract as a basketball development coach with Toronto – the Raptors had 6-foot North Carolina guard Ty Lawson in for a look."
Raptors bulk up
Comment
June 10
Toronto Sun
 
"The Raptors are tougher, more defensive-minded and a little older today than they were yesterday by acquiring Reggie Evans from the Philadelphia 76ers. The veteran forward isn't going to win games with his offence and he isn't going to get fans out of their seats by playing above the rim, but he addresses so many of the Raptors' needs that general manager Bryan Colangelo had no choice but to pull the trigger. The price to secure Evans' services was Jason Kapono, a good guy and a very good shooter when he's playing in the proper system. By moving Kapono to Philadelphia for Evans, Colangelo gets added financial flexibility, which is very important in a shrinking economy. By no means is ..."
Raptors deal Kapono for tough guy Reggie Evans
Comment
June 10
Toronto Star
 
"The Raptors were known as a soft, nice team that didn't rebound well or pay particular attention to defence last season. With his first two summer moves, Bryan Colangelo has made strides to change that. After adding a defensive-minded assistant coach in Marc Iavaroni, Colangelo made a move to add some grit and muscle yesterday when he picked up Reggie Evans from the Philadelphia 76ers in a one-for-one deal for Jason Kapono. "This obviously addresses a few areas of need," the Raptors president and general manager said. "Toughness, rebounding, defence: Reggie certainly is capable of filling some of those concerns.""
76ers get shooter Kapono for Evans
Comment
June 10
Camden Courier-Post
 
"Remember Kyle Korver, the 3-point shooting specialist who played for the Sixers for 4 1/2 seasons? The Sixers didn't bring him back. But they did trade for a shooting specialist who's even more prolific and more accurate in Jason Kapono, acquiring him from the Toronto Raptors Tuesday in exchange for Reggie Evans. Kapono, a 6-foot-8 small forward, is tied with Steve Kerr for the highest 3-point shooting percentage in NBA history at 45.4 percent. It's no secret that the Sixers desperately need 3-point shooting. They finished last in the NBA in 3-point accuracy the last two seasons, a weakness that was exposed in the postseason when they were eliminated in the first round each time. Kapono ..."
Sixers boost long-range game in trade for Kapono
Comment
June 10
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"JASON KAPONO has won two NBA All-Star Weekend three-point contests, flashing in shots from all the designated areas with impressive regularity.But given the choice, he'd much rather take those shots in games.And now, acquired from the Toronto Raptors for power forward Reggie Evans, he'll be taking them for the 76ers."Shooting them off a rack isn't something you practice," the newest Sixer said last night. "In a game, it's easier coming off a screen or getting a pass out of penetration. I'd rather do that than take them off a rack."I'm excited, because it's a young, athletic team and I really like the way they play, especially when they go small with Thaddeus [Young] at the '4' [power ..."
Kapono trade gives Sixers a better shot
Comment
June 10
Philadelphia Daily News
 columnist John Smallwood
"Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski just turned the proverbial lemons into lemonade with the trade of forward Reggie Evans to the Toronto Raptors for sharpshooting forward Jason Kapono.Not to degrade Evans; in his two seasons with the Sixers, he was a high-energy player who provided grit and hard work off the bench.But skill-wise, Evans didn't bring much to the table.Averaging 3.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 79 games last season, Evans wasn't exceptional at anything in particular.He was just a nice guy to have in your rotation - if you are the type of team that can afford the luxury of having a player like that in the rotation.The Sixers are not that type of team.They need to ..."
Raptors acquire forward Reggie Evans from 76ers for Jason Kapono
Comment
June 9
Toronto Sun
 
"The Toronto Raptors traded guard-forward Jason Kapono to the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday for forward Reggie Evans. "Reggie Evans will certainly add an element of toughness to our team," Raptors president Bryan Colangelo said in a release. "He has very good rebounding and defensive instincts, addressing two areas where we have underperformed." Evans, a seven-year veteran, has averaged better than 6.5 rebounds in five of his NBA campaigns, with a career best of 9.3 per game (12th in the NBA) in 2004-05 with Seattle. He also averaged 7.9 rebounds during a four-year span from 2004-08. Evans has ranked in the top-10 in the NBA in Rebounds Per 48 Minutes in each of the past six ..."
Chris Bosh starts waiting game. Will Dwyane Wade, LeBron James follow?
Comment
June 7
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 columnist Ira Winderman
"A weekly look at five talking points that have the league buzzing: 1. Bosh: Let's talk in 2010. Good for Chris Bosh. He took a stand. There will be no extension this summer, the Raptors power forward declared last week. Instead, his next contract move will come at the July 1, 2010 start of free agency. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have not been nearly as definitive, even though it is unlikely either would entertain an extension when they become eligible this summer, with July 12 the first day Wade could close such a Heat deal and July 18 the first day a Cavaliers extension agreement could be reached with James. The reality, though, is Bosh's preemptive statement preempts nothing. If ..."
Iavaroni joins Raptors
Comment
June 6
Toronto Sun
 
"Jay Triano and Marc Iavaroni first met seven years ago in Treviso, Italy. As fate would have it, Triano was about to board a plane for Treviso yesterday just hours after announcing that Iavaroni had joined his coaching staff as an assistant. Neither could have envisioned a reunion with the Raptors, but Iavaroni will provide Triano with a unique perspective. While many had expected Iavaroni would somehow surface in Toronto, his appointment represents an important step for a franchise that simply required a new voice and direction. Iavaroni has been associated with some of the NBA's brightest minds and is highly regarded in basketball circles. His tenure as head coach in Memphis was ..."
Defensively challenged Raptors get new guru
Comment
June 6
Toronto Star
 
"Over the course of almost two decades in the NBA, Marc Iavaroni has prided himself on his ability to make players better and develop systems that allow them to succeed, and he sees no reason why that won't continue on his latest stop in the league. Iavaroni signed on as an assistant coach with the Raptors yesterday, hoping to give head coach Jay Triano another brain to pick and a hand in restoring the team to something better than mediocrity. "My background has been player development and that's what we need here," the 52-year-old said in a telephone interview after working out a handful of draft prospects at the Air Canada Centre yesterday. Iavaroni's been an assistant or head coach for ..."
Next season starts for Raptors tonight
Comment
June 5
Globe and Mail
 
"It's just the beginning, but for the Toronto Raptors and the rest of the NBA, it's as good a place to start as any. Tonight, the first big event of the off-season gets under way with the draft lottery held at the NBA's television studios in Secaucus, N.J. The 14 teams who failed to qualify for the playoffs will have their draft order finalized as they try to upgrade their talent by picking over the best eligible players on June 25 in New York. The Toronto Raptors will be represented in New Jersey by president Bryan Colangelo who will no doubt be hoping lightning will strike twice. In his first draft lottery since coming over from the Phoenix Suns in 2006, the Raptors had the fifth-best ..."
Despite poor economy, NBA will not eliminate luxury tax
Comment
June 5
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Although several teams have taken a hit financially, NBA Commissioner David Stern said Thursday the league has no plans to eliminate the luxury tax until the economy recovers. With his team's player payroll projected to exceed $76 million, Hornets owner George Shinn could have to pay a luxury tax bill of more than $5 million next summer. The Hornets were one of the 12 teams that received loans from the league this spring. Since 2003, 17 of the league's 30 teams have borrowed $2 billion since the league began establishing a line of credit for loans used by teams. "There's a difference between choosing to and having a need to," Stern said at state of his league address before Thursday's ..."
Raptors' Bosh suggests he'll opt for free agency
Comment
June 5
Toronto Star
 
"Chris Bosh, the Toronto Raptors all-star, suggested strongly today that he will forgo signing a contract extension this summer, setting himself up to be among a historically stacked NBA free agent class next year. "(When) I signed a three-year (extension in 2006)... I had a goal in mind, and that was to put myself in the best position (in 2010) ... I'm thinking I just want to stick to my goal, stick to what I was doing," said Bosh. "That's a part of the plan ... I just want to address things (after) next season. There's a reason why I did things the way I did them back then.""
Busy Bosh preparing for free agency
Comment
June 5
Toronto Star
 
"Chris Bosh spent part of yesterday as the celebrity drawmaster of a noted thoroughbred race. It got him thinking about NBA horses and how he'd like to be one. "Pau Gasol, 260 (pounds); Dwight (Howard), 2 billion pounds; Andrew Bynum, 2 million pounds," said Bosh, listing off the approximate loads of key heavyweights in the NBA's ongoing championship series. The rail-thin Raptors all-star is listed at a generous 230 pounds and yesterday he told reporters that he'll be spending part of his off-season trying to get bigger and stronger. Not that he has time. So far this spring, Bosh has announced his hand in a CD-DVD deal and an iPhone-iTouch application. He is Twittering and Facebooking and ..."
Bosh masters more media
Comment
June 2
Toronto Star
 
"Chris Bosh made a commitment to Canada yesterday, only not quite the type of commitment Raptor fans would love to hear. The all-star forward, who can opt out of his NBA contract next year, entered into an agreement with Warner Music Canada to produce a DVD and CD with a fall 2009 release date, and also announced his own application for iPhone and iPod Touch."
Alvin Williams jacked up to rejoin Raptors
Comment
June 2
Toronto Star
 
"Alvin Williams played an integral part in the greatest success the Raptors have known and he wants the chance to help return the franchise to that level. The iconic point guard – whose clutch deciding-game jumpshot clinched the only playoff series Toronto has ever won, a five-game set against the New York Knicks in 2000 – is in line to join Jay Triano's staff as an assistant coach for skills development, bridging the Raptors' past and future. "It's just a great opportunity," the 34-year-old Williams said in a telephone interview yesterday. "I just feel like I've been away from the game so long and I want to get back involved in NBA basketball.""
Just dance to your iBosh
Comment
June 2
Toronto Sun
 
"It will, no doubt, be music to the ears of Raptors fans if Chris Bosh decides to stay with the team. As the face of the franchise, Bosh has faced the music with a grace and dignity that separates him from many of his hardwood peers. Now, he has embraced the music. Yesterday, it was announced that Bosh entered into an agreement with Warner Music Canada to produce a unique DVD and CD to be released this fall. In addition, Bosh has become the first athlete to launch his own application for iPhone and iPod touch on the Apple App Store. Basketball-wise, Bosh's latest foray into the business world and his ground-breaking initiative will have no impact on his decision to stay in Toronto, ..."
Common agent, common bond for Wade, Bosh?
Comment
May 31
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 columnist Ira Winderman
"A weekly look at five talking points that have the league buzzing: 1. Not doubting Thomas. It is no coincidence that Heat guard Dwyane Wade and Raptors forward Chris Bosh, to the dollar, hold similar contracts. Wade will earn $14,410,581 in 2009-10. So will Bosh. Both can opt out after the coming season. Or both could earn $17,149,243 in 2010-11. Such is the measure of having the same agent, in this case Chicago-based Henry Thomas. While an amiable sort, Thomas also tends to remain low key to the point of reticence. When it comes to the two following a similar free-agent path, he leaves the talking to others. So Dwyane, for all the renewed speculation about a Wade-LeBron free-agent pairing ..."
Preparing for NBA draft a dizzying process
Comment
May 28
Toronto Sun
 
"Determining who from a draft class of a few hundred players best fits a team's needs, both immediate and in the future, is a tough job. Jim Kelly, the Raptors senior director of player personnel, will have a large say in identifying that player the Raptorsat the NBA draft June 25 from the No. 9 position they hold. But right now, dwarfing that assignment is the one that has Kelly wondering if the actual selection might be the easier job of the two. Kelly is in the midst of scheduling, rescheduling, and re-rescheduling his next few weeks as he tries to ensure the Raptors get an up-close-and personal look at as many players of interest as possible. The problem is that quite often his ..."
Triano lands plum job with top U.S. team
Comment
May 21
Toronto Star
 
"Jay Triano's summer just got a little busier thanks to the folks running one of the most successful international basketball programs in the world. USA Basketball will announce today that Triano will be the lead coach for USAB's summer national senior team program in July, a precursor to the preparations for the 2010 world championships and the 2012 London Olympics."
Raptors' Triano closing in on lead assistant
Comment
May 21
Toronto Star
 
"As Jay Triano tries to piece together his first Raptors coaching staff, he's finding the most important thing is striking a balance – strong voices but not dominant ones, strong personalities but ones that won't lose sight of the overall message. "You can't have too many voices," Triano said yesterday. "We need to challenge each other, yes; but we all have to have the same basic philosophies or it won't work." With NBA-wide speculation rampant that Triano will eventually hire former Memphis head coach Marc Iavaroni as his lead assistant, no one connected with the Raptors would confirm even that contact between the sides had been made. Iavaroni, who spent a week in Toronto near the end of ..."
Raps' Colangelo has no complaints after lottery
Comment
May 20
Toronto Star
 
"They didn't win but they didn't lose and Bryan Colangelo left last night's NBA draft lottery knowing he's got a lot of work ahead. Sticking at the No.9 slot for the June 25 draft, the Raptors saw a distinct shift westward in the top three picks, an event that pleased Toronto's president and general manager. "I can't imagine a situation where the circumstances worked out more favourably for us, other than us moving up to one of the top three spots," Colangelo said on a conference call."
Selecting at No. 9 just fine for Raptors GM
Comment
May 20
Toronto Sun
 
"Secaucus, New Jersey has been good to Bryan Colangelo before, but at first glance, one would say not last night. Colangelo went into last night's NBA draft lottery with the ninth pick overall based on his team's 33-49 record and came away with the same slot in the draft. Colangelo, though, looked at the broader picture and came away enthused with what transpired. "I have been in this situation before where I was sitting at the table and ended up not moving back or away from the No. 9 selection and ended up with some success there," Colangelo said on a conference call from Secaucus. "First with Shawn Marion and the second time with Amare Stoudamire. The fact that no team behind us jumped ..."