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….

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.

Recap: Toronto Raptors defeat New Orleans Hornets 102-89 (2/10/13)

Austin Green — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 02:06:56 +0000

Rudy Gay scored 20 points, and John Lucas III added 19 off the bench, as the Toronto Raptors won their second consecutive game by defeating the New Orleans Hornets 102-89 on Sunday night.

Feb 10, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; New Orleans Hornets forward Ryan Anderson (33) scores a basket as he goes to the hoop against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Starting point guard Kyle Lowry was excellent for Toronto, putting up 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in 29 minutes. However, Lowry spent most of the fourth quarter on the pine because of the stellar play by JL3. The Oklahoma State product hit 7-of-11 from the floor, including all five of his 3-point attempts.

Unlike the first time these two met this season—when the Hornets came back from a late 7-point deficit to force OT—there was no fourth-quarter collapse from the Raptors. Behind Lucas’ efforts, the Raptors outscored New Orleans 33-23 in the fourth quarter to put the game away. They shot well from the free throw line (14-of-18), and out-rebounded New Orleans 39-33.

Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan had an off night, registering more turnovers (4) than made field goals (3) on his way to just 7 points. Luckily for the Raps, their role players filled the void. Jonas Valanciunas recorded his second straight double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds), and Amir Johnson added 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Greivis Vasquez continued his strong season for the young Hornets, as he produced 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists while hitting 7 of his 11 field goal attempts. Unfortunately for New Orleans, Vasquez’s teammates couldn’t match his effort. Robin Lopez was the only other starter to reach double-digit scoring, and No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis shot just 1-of-6 from the floor.

The Raptors will look to extend their winning streak on Tuesday when they face the Denver Nuggets at the Air Canada Centre. Meanwhile, the Hornets will look to rebound Monday against the Detroit Pistons.

Austin Green is the editor of 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.

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

Recap: Toronto Raptors defeat New Orleans Hornets 102-89 (2/10/13)