With yesterday’s news that Joey Graham wasn’t extended a qualifiying offer, the experiment with the athletic forward from OK State is most likely over:
Graham all but gone.
The Toronto Star reports the Raptors extended a qualifying offer to Pops Mensah-Bonsu, making him a restricted free agent.
The team did not offer one to Joey Graham and he is now an unrestricted free agent.
- Raptors Forum
There were a few brief moments when we thought Graham might have finally tapped into potential that he showed at OK State. But every time that Joey ever showed glimpses of improvement, he would quickly fall back into his old habits. During his four seasons in Toronto Joey started in a total of 58 games of the 275 he played in, far from what was expected of the player drafted to replace Vince Carter in the Raps lineup. What makes matters worse is Joey was drafted ahead of superstar, and current Indiana Pacer, Danny Granger.
In 2005, it was rumored that the Raptors were debating between Charlie Villanueva, the hairless mongul looking fellow from UConn, and Danny Granger for the first of their two round 1 selections. When it came time for the Raptors to select they opted for Charlie V, who in his first season with the Raptors scored franchise rookie records for points (48) and rebounds (18). However, when it came time for us to pick again at 16 Danny Granger was still available, easy pick right? I guess not. We decided to go with the athleticly gifted forward Joey Graham instead.
Four years later Joey Graham is on his way out of Toronto because the front office doesn’t think he is worth the 3.5 million, and Danny Granger? Well he only won the Most Improved Player of the Year award last season after averaging 25.8 points and is the corner stone of the Pacers franchise.
Wow. Looks like we fucked up big time eh?
Joey Graham is the perfect example of why it is so hard to evaluate long, physical, athletic forwards in the NBA Draft. The reason is because their athleticism allows them to dominate in college against less talented competition even if their technical basketball skills aren’t developed. There are some, like Granger, who transition to the NBA because they have the technique as well as the athleticism. However, it is hard to see that in college because players usually just rely on their athletic gifts since it is easier and just as efficient. That is why I would hate to be a GM when evaluating player like Williams, Johnson, and Clark from this years draft who can easily be booms or busts. But that’s why GM’s get paid millions of dollars, so I reserve the right to heckle the shit out of them when they screw up.
Well, at least Joey Graham was the last major blunder of the Rob Babcock era. Remember Rafael Araujo? Yeah Graham and Araujo will be the legacy of the man considered one of the worst GM’s in NBA history. At least now all of the players acquired by Babock are no longer on the squad.
So now it is up to Bryan Colangelo, a former winner of the NBA executive of the year, to rebuild this team. Bosh, the only player on the team not aquired by Colangelo, is likely gone after this season. With the departure of Bosh, the success of the team falls squarely on the shoulders of Colangelo. Only time will tell if he can live up to his billing as one of the best young executives in the league.
- KC Roberts
FanSided
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