Should Bryan Colangelo keep his job? Part 1 – the Draft
By Brian Boake
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.