I know, its still early to preview the East, since many free agents still remain unsigned and there is still talk of some teams looking to make some major moves (ie/ McGrady to Detroit etc).  However, with the start of summer league action underway, all of the major unrestricted free agents signed, and the Raps all capped-out, its time to look forward to the fall - to get a sense of where this team fits (as it is constructed right now). Continue Reading

You see, the problem with this years free agent crop is just that….everyone is…restricted.

A couple of days a go it looked like only Arenas would be the only real FA of any value, but then the crazy Elton Brand and Baron Davis opt outs happened and the result has been even more craziness. Continue Reading

Man, Anthony Parker was good. Really good. Over four seasons at Bradley, Parker averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per night while kicking in close to a steal and a half and two thirds of a block per contest, too. He shot the ball in a fairly efficient manner, had 3-point range, and got to the line at a rate of over 5 times per game, a great number for the college basketball world. He also won the 1995 MVP award for the Missouri Valley Conference. The only real knock against Parker when he entered the NBA Draft in 1997 was that he might have been better served coming out the year before, when he put up college-career highs of 18.9-6.5-3.5 on 47.2% shooting and 42.2% from long range. His junior year was his best, but his staggering numbers and consistency across four seasons was what made him a reliable draft pick, either as a late lottery pick or a late-1st round steal. Continue Reading

This is the consistency, or lack thereof, that I have been pining/talking about all season. How is it that you walk onto the Spurs home court, a place so hostile I don’t think we have ever won in, and take a game from the defending champs; then casually stroll onto the less hostile Rockets home court, where they are missing their best (arguably) player in McGrady, and lose a game to a team you already beat this season? Continue Reading

I must admit, that for the first time years, I am not up to date with college players, aside from the big names, going into the draft. I have no opinion on who the Raptors should draft, nor am I going to venture one. This post is strictly an a hindsight look at what we have done in drafts past. I have been meaning to go back, and look at all the draft picks that the Raptors had over the years. My findings are surprisingly very positive. This organization, for the most part, has been very successful at picking talent. Continue Reading