2010/11 Toronto Raptors Payroll: $46.4 million
2010/11 NBA Salary Cap: $56.1 million
Roughly: $9.7 million under cap
The Good: Andrea Bargnani is slowly becoming a pretty good player in the NBA and a key performer for the Raptors. Is he worth the five years and $50 million left on his contract? Well, consider that he has improved every year he has been in the league and set numerous career highs this season, including points (17.2), rebounds, (6.2), blocks (1.4), and shooting (47%). He is dependable, having played in at least 78 games each of the past three seasons. He is a seven footer who hits 37% of his three pointers. And he is only 25 years old so his prime years are still ahead of him. During his first two seasons, Bargnani was a terrible rebounder for his size and not much of a shot blocker. But he has improved in those areas quite well and if he continues his baby steps of improvement, there is no reason why Bargnani cannot earn his expensive deal.
One of the better bargains on the team is guard Jarrett Jack. He was the sixth highest paid player on the team but their third leading scorer at 11.4 per game. He shot the ball very well, hitting 41% of his threes and 48% of his shots overall. He also averaged 5.0 assists per game, nearly as many as the much higher paid and more renowned Jose Calderon. Jack has three years and $15.5 million left on his contract. If he can put up numbers like this every year, Jack will be giving the team high value for quite a while.
The Bad: The Raptors’ big free agent signing last summer, Hedo Turkoglu, was supposed to be the difference maker that pushed the team into the upper echelon of the conference. Based on his clutch play for the Magic in the playoffs, Turkoglu received a 5 year, $53 million dollar contract. Let’s just say his performance this season was rather underwhelming. Turkoglu struggled to find his place on his new team. His shots were down, his scoring dropped to just 11.3 per game, and his field goal percentage was a poor 41%. This is from a guy who, two years ago, poured in 19.5 points a game. To make matters worse, his failure to elevate the team in Toronto doesn’t make it any easier to convince free agent Chris Bosh to stay. Turkoglu is 31 years old and still has four years left to go on his contract. If he can’t turn his game around in a hurry, the Raptors are stuck with a huge mistake.
Last year, Jose Calderon looked to be emerging as one of the best point guards in the game. He was fourth in the league in assists at 8.9 and shot incredibly well from the field and the three point line, not to mention his league-leading free throw percentage. The Raptors thought they had a great player locked up for many years. But like a few other players on the roster, Calderon took a step back this season and wasn’t as effective as he should have been. He didn’t distribute the ball quite as well, averaging just 5.9 assists, his lowest in three years. That’s not a terrible number, and Calderon still shot the ball well, but when you have $29.2 million coming your way over the next 3 seasons, you should do a little better, especially with that 10.3 scoring average.
Reggie Evans and Marcus Banks each have just one more year left on their contracts. That is pretty much the only good thing about them. Evans will make $5 million next year even though he only played in 28 games this season, and got about 11 minutes a game when he did get in. That’s more time than Marcus Banks saw as he only appeared in 22 games. Banks is due $4.7 million. Both players have miniscule stat lines that do not warrant their paychecks.
The Future: Everyone knows that the immediate future of this franchise lies in the hands of Chris Bosh. The team was built around him and now he will opt out of his contract and listen to offers as a free agent. He still lists Toronto as a possible destination, but in all likelyhood, his career as a Raptor is done. Why would he come back? The current top four, Bosh, Turkoglu, Bargnani, and Calderon, only won 40 games together. Will they suddenly win 55 next year and become a contender? Probably not. And with the three players besides Bosh under contract for at least three more seasons, that group would be together for a while. If Bosh stayed, he would have to hope that Toronto could swing a big trade or two in order to improve the team.
The most obvious choice for Bosh is to follow either LeBron or Wade wherever they go. Those guys can be the best player on a championship team and Bosh cannot. If he wants to win a title, his best shot is to play second fiddle to one of those superstars. Unfortunately for Raptor fans, Toronto is a last resort.
The best case scenario for this team would be to have Bosh agree to a sign and trade deal. At least then, the Raptors would get some usable assets in return rather than having their best player leave them empty handed. Without Bosh, this team won’t be terrible, but they won’t be great either. How do you proceed when you have no idea what state your team will be in once your star player decides his fate? Toronto is stuck playing a waiting game for now and will have to try to make the best of their situation.
Grade: C+
Be with LBJ
sign and trade to cleveland for Jamison and others.
the cavs would love this deal
the cavs would love this deal for jamison and others no matter who “others” are…
Bosh should go to Miami for
Bosh should go to Miami for Beasley and Picks
Turkoglu should go to New Jersey for Josh Boone or Yi and the 27th or 31st pick
Calderon should go to New York for Curry or David Lee (maybe throw in Wright an amazing wing defender)
Sign Gortat and Dorell Wright or Shannon Brown maybe even a veteran PG like Watson
Its not so bad Raptors fans we might even win more games without Bosh if the roster was
Something along the lines of this team would be competing for a play off spot and well under the cap
30-45 wins for a team like this depending on how long it takes for team chemistry and depending on how well certain players develop.
PG-Jack, Collins(MIA#48)
SG-Derozan, Bellinelli, Bradley(MIA#18)
SF-Weems, Wright/Brown, Robinson(NJ#27/31)
PFBargnani, Beasley, Johnson
C-Gortat, Lee/Curry, Whiteside(TOR#13)
Wouldn’t the best case
Wouldn’t the best case scenario be Bosh re-signing? How could the best case scenario be the best player leaving? What a stupid article.
Calderon
Good article.
Calderon is still a good player.. he had a “bad year” which was 90% the result of splitting minutes with Jarret Jack because the raptors have the worst D in the league (and calderon just makes it worse). Also, Turkoglu dominated the ball more, with Calderon playing off the ball… that created a chemistry issue which reduced Jose’s effectiveness. Overall I still think Calderon is worth 10M. He just needs to be surrounded by the right players.
Turkoglu is the real problem. He was a horrible signing last year. Nothing has really changed. The franchise is screwed for the next 4 years unless it can get rid of him
calderon
If you think he is worth 10 mil a year, you might be Billy King.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors franchise all rides on the decision of whether Bosh wants to re-sign which is probably unlikely. On the other hand, Bosh’s decision rides on LeBron and Wade’s decision. Like many say, LeBron is definitely the factor in the Summer of 2010 which will initiate the “domino” effect of the other free agents. Thus, this might be the reason why there’s a ‘summit’ scheduled between Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Johnson and Stoudemire
The Raptors have a promising player in Bargnani who was late bloomer, but he has been steadily improving over the seasons. The Turkgolu signing was a head scratcher. 5 yrs + 53 Million. Based on how he performed, he struggled throughout the season and he was not the Turkgolu he was when he was in Orlando. Now he wants out. Raptors have another huge obstacle, to find a way to get rid of his contract.
However, there were a few instances of hope in Jack who did good as a backup for Jose Calderon who was having a ‘bad year’. In conclusion, re-signing Bosh is highly unlikely because he has already given cues of him wanting to test free agency. When he leaves, its back to rebuilding for Raptors.
Bosh to the Bulls
This is what I see happening.
#1.)
To Bulls: Jeff Foster, Solomon Jones and #10 pick in the NBA Draft
To Pacers: Kirk Hinrich and the #17 pick in the NBA Draft
#2.)
To Bulls: Chris Bosh
To Raptors: Taj Gibson, Jeff Foster, Omer Asik and Charlotte’s #1 Pick
The Bulls will then have enough money to go after either DWADE (my choice) or LBJ.
PG – Rose
SG – Wade?
SF – Deng
PF – Bosh?
C – Noah
I don’t see another team out there that can offer Byran Colangelo a better deal. Miami only has Beasley and he isn’t Bryan Colangelo’s type of player. He doesn’t play defense, he’s immature and he has a checkered past. Los Angeles only has Bynum and he is too oftened injured to take that kind of a risk. Just look at Greg Oden and all the injuries he has had. The league is getting smaller, not bigger. New York would like to get Chris Bosh, but with their best trading chip, David Lee, also a free-agent I can’t see that happening.
When it’s all said and done, look for Chris Bosh and either Dwyane Wade or LeBron James playing for the Chicago Bulls come next season.
The DYNASTY will be re-born in Chi-Town!!!
CTW
The fact that Bynum hs been injured has to be a concern, however Bynum would create many mismatches for the Raptors while the Chicago deal offered none. Taj is complimentary as a player…. but that doesn’t get Bosh.
Bosh
The Best case scenario as I see it (If it’s not possible to re-sign Bosh) is to the Lakers For Bynum. I’d hate to see LA stronger but at least Bynum is a real player in return. Jamison gets hurt to often and is getting to far up there in age to deal with the Cavs. One thing for certain if they screw this thing up Toronto is going to be even colder than normal w/their bad contracts and general lack of difference makers on their roster.
Bosh
The Wolves could make it a nice 3 team trade by offering Al Jefferson to Toronto for Bynum.
This would give Toronto the post player they would be lacking and allow Andre B. to play CTR….and it would absolutely help the Wolves.
what happened?
just over a year ago, this was the up and coming team of the NBA, there was talks of wade maybe coming to Toronto to join a “made team” now it is a mess. looking to start over again.
Best Case Scenario…for Bargnani
As much as I would love to see Bosh stay it probably won’t happen. This could be a good thing for Bargnani.
Bosh and Andrea play a similar game with the obvious differences being Bosh’s Rebounding and Bargnani’s shooting range. Bargnani is a 4. That’s where he would be most productive and that’s where he would develop quicker. Let Bargnani be the offensive center piece and earn that contract.
If the Raps could parlay Bosh into a natural center and/or a pick in the 20-30 range we could accomplish this. Hoping we get some value for Bosh, we could then take a defensive big like Daniel Orton or Hassan Whiteside with the 13th pick.
Then we dump Hedo for whatever we could get before he poisons the locker room. Terrible signing and even worse season.
Line-up
PG Calderon/Jack
SG Belinelli/DeRozan
SF Turkoglu(I hope not)/Weems/extra pick(Damion James from Texas)
PF Bargnani
C Bynum(?)/Orton or Whiteside
Tweaked with spare parts from Bosh/Hedo trades
bynum for jefferson
why would the raptors trade a true center for an undersized one? the only way this happens is if they also throw in the rights to ricky rubio or take turkoglu of theyr hands.
DAGUY
maybe one of the players has fewer years left on their contract…. maybe the forward has better post offense…. perhaps someone in Toronto’s front office took liking to the PF with better health and track record. It could be just about anything.