Who is the winner of the Oak as the Sixth Man of the Year?

Brian Boake — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:15:21 +0000

Our final award is meant to show some love to the best player off the bench. Which Rap was best at coming in cold to relieve a flagging starter, resuscitate a sputtering offense, throw a blanket over a hot-shooting opponent, or grab some rebounds?

A list of the great Sixth Men of the NBA would include such award-winning luminaries as Manu Ginobli, James Harden (not a Sixth Man anymore!), and this year’s winner, scoring machine J.R. Smith.

Mar 22, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Raptors forward Alan Anderson (6) goes to the basket as New York Knicks center Marcus Camby (23) defends at the Air Canada Centre. The Knicks beat the Raptors 99-94. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

With reluctance, I’ve decided that the winner of the Oak must be on the roster at season’s end. Therefore two of the best candidates, Jose Calderon and Ed Davis, are ineligible. Amir Johnson started 38 of 81 games, which puts him on the bubble as a Sixth Man; I’m going to rule he’s ineligible. In theory, anyone on the bench is a candidate, but players who piled up DNP-CDs [Did Not Play - Coach's Decision] can’t be considered. The Sixth Man must have consistent, positive impact on almost every game. That leaves:

Alan Anderson
John Lucas III

Alan’s season was a roller-coaster. His personal highlight was torching the surprised Knicks for 35 points in New York in March, after burning them for 26 in Toronto the previous month. Averaging over 10 PPG for the season was a career high, and the number would have been even more impressive but for an end of season shooting slump. Alan’s defense was very solid, and he appears to be a well-liked teammate.

Apr 17, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard John Lucas (5) takes the ball bt Boston Celtics shooting guard Terrence Williams (55) during the fourth quarter at the Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Celtics 114-90. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

John Lucas did not have the season he, or we as fans, was hoping for. While the offensive numbers are in the range of his historical norms, he had the opportunity to have a breakout year and it just didn’t happen.

The envelope please…the winner of the Oak for Sixth Man of the Year is….Alan Anderson!

Brian Boake is Senior Editor for Raptors Rapture. “Like” Raptors Rapture on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @RaptorsRapture for all the latest news and updates about the best damn NBA team from Canada.

Should Bryan Colangelo keep his job? Part 1 – the Draft

Brian Boake — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:04:04 +0000

Whether Bryan Colangelo is able to retain his position as President and General Manager of the Toronto Raptors is an open question. To do so, he must positively impress the New Kid On The Block, Tim Lieweke, just appointed as President of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment [MLSE]. Let’s help Tim a little by offering an assessment of Colangelo’s record at the NBA Draft, specifically first-rounders.

YEAR	NAME	SEL #	STATUS How is the selection/ trade performing?	WE SHOULD HAVE SELECTED...players still on the board who have worked out well	GOOD THING WE DIDN'T PICK...players still on the board who have proven to be disappointments, or worse	GRADE A subjective mark, based on whether or not we did the best we could
2006	Andrea Bargnani	1	Oh dear. Outside of Vince Carter, Andrea is the most exasperating Raptor ever. An inspiration to underachievers everywhere.	LaMarcus Aldridge #2 Brandon Roy #6 [career in serious jeopardy due to knee issues, which is why BC passed on him]	Adam Morrison #3 Patrick O'Bryant #9 [He was briefly a Rap, & a dud.]	D This was not a great draft class, but Aldridge, the safer pick, has worked out very well for Portland. AB has worn out his welcome.
2007	no pick	n/a	The selection was passed to Charlotte, via Cleveland, to complete a trade made in 2002.	not applicable	Greg Oden #1 (!) Yi Jianlian #6	not markable, as BC inherited this deal
2008	Roy Hibbert	17	Hibbert was immediately traded to Indiana to complete a trade made by Colangelo to bring in Jermaine O'Neal.	not applicable	not applicable	F Losing the rights to Hibbert looks worse every year, as he's the Centre of record in Indiana. O'Neal was the key component of the deal in which we lost this pick, & he never got on the same page with Chris Bosh.
2009	DeMar DeRozan	9	DeMar signed a 4-year contract extension just before this season started. He seemed to relax after receiving financial security, & enjoyed his best season.	Brandon Jennings #10 Jrue Holiday #17	Austin Daye #15 James Johnson #16 Yes, that JJ	B+ DeMar gets better every year, and showed signs of developing a respectable 3-point shot.
2010	Ed Davis	13	Ed was extended in the summer. He was granted an opportunity to start when Bargnani went out with his elbow injury, & made the most of it. His reward: a trade to Memphis.	Eric Bledsoe #18 Greivis Vasquez #28	Luke Babbitt #16	C+ But with a bullet. Ed gained confidence & skills, at a reasonable rate of pay. We lost him and Jose Calderon for Rudy Gay; the results of this trade may not be clear for another year.
2011	Jonas Valanciunas	5	A broken finger sidelined the big Centre for 29 games, but that was the only disappointing aspect of his rookie season (he stayed in the EuroLeague for a year).	Kemba Walker #9 Kawhi Leonard #15 Nicola Vucevic #16 Kenneth Faried #22	Derrick Williams #2	B+ An excellent choice in a solid draft year; this mark may look low in 2 seasons. A very young player who can shoot the foul line jumper, take the ball to the hole, & rebound.
2012	Terrence Ross	8	This fellow has made a positive impression so far. The most athletic player (he won the Slam Dunk Competition at the All-Star Game!) we've had in ages, & one who can hit from distance. He has a lot to learn, and I think he will.	Andre Drummond #9 Andrew Nicholson #19	Too soon to tell	B It's very early for this draft class. Austin Rivers, who was expected to be called by the Raps, has been a flop. BC took a lot of heat from the pundits, but the Ross pick looks good now.

My conclusion: you can’t throw BC under the bus because of failed first-round draft picks. He doesn’t have any (No, Andrea Bargnani is not a flop, he’s a huge disappointment – BIG difference).

To be continued….

Raptors Rapture » Ed Davis

Who is the winner of the Oak as the Sixth Man of the Year?

Should Bryan Colangelo keep his job? Part 1 – the Draft