Toronto Raptors

Well, the Raptors really stunk the place out last night in their final home game of 2006. It has been a trying year and it's time to assess the damage and see if there is a future for this group.

Contrary to Bob McGowan's comments the first month of the season, (Fan 590) the Raptors have three players who can form part of the nucleus for a team that hopes to contend by 2008. Chris Bosh is the real deal (although I don't believe he will ever carry a team by himself), Charlie Villanueva will be almost as good as Bosh and Morris Peterson will be a complimentary piece of the puzzle. It would not shock me to see Mo Pete go in a trade for a veteran player. Mike James could also be a contributor if he learns to be more selective of shots and more of a distributor of the ball after penetration. Personally, I don't think he can become the player the Raps need and I'd be somewhat surprised if the Raptors pay big money for an extended contract to keep James. Jose Calderone is a good backup and the jury is still out on Joey Graham, but I prefer Danny Granger at Indiana as well as some of the prospects coming out of college to the robotic Graham. However, he deserves another year to demonstrate his skills, but the fact that he is not the defensive stopper that was expected of him is disheartening.

The Raptors have 1 first round pick (a top 8 at that) and 2 second round picks. provided that they get at least one player who can contribute next year and pick up a decent veteran free agent, the could contend for a playoff spot next year. Remember, they have 2 players in Europe from last year's draft who are expected to play beginning in the fall of 2007, so the team that was blown out yesterday can expect to have at least 4 new contributors when the season begins in 2007. With another free agent signing prior to that season, the Raptors can contend in the East, which is significantly weaker than the West.

I'll deal with Sam Mitchell in a later post.