<div class="quote_poster">Quoting NBADraft.net:</div><div class="quote_post"> 2006/07 Toronto Raptors Payroll: $38 million 2006/07 Estimated NBA Salary Cap: $52 million Roughly: $14 million under cap Chris Bosh The Good: I can still hear the cries of contempt coming from the announcers at last year's NBA draft when the Raptors selected Charlie Villanueva as the 7th overall pick. Apparently, Charlie has been hearing them the entire season. The young forward had an excellent rookie year, easily solidifying himself as one of the top three players from that draft class. Charlie averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and shot a respectable 46% from the field. He also achieved the best performance by a rookie this season when he exploded for 48 points in a loss to the Bucks. People wondered why the Raptors would pick another forward since they already have Chris Bosh, but now we know why. Villanueva's outside game will be a great compliment to Bosh in the post. Toronto can watch Villanueva grow as a player the next three seasons at an average of $2.7 million per year. Before missing the rest of the season to a thumb injury towards the end of the year, Chris Bosh was continuing to improve his already stellar play. With averages of 22.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 50% shooting, there is no doubt that Bosh will be a perennial All-Star. He will also be well paid very soon; Chris is entering the final year of his rookie contract that will pay him $4.2 million. The Raptors will certainly have the capability to offer him a max contract. At this time, they have only $6.8 million in contracts for the 2007/08 season. Antonio Davis and Lamond Murray are coming off the books this summer, saving the Raptors $20 million dollars in cap room. They could use that space to sign another good player to improve the team and convince Bosh to stay. Mike James' play at point guard was solid this season. Mike never averaged more than 12 points a game in any previous season, but he broke out this year to average 20 a game and shoot 44% from the three-point line. His 6 dimes a game are also a career high. James can become a free agent this summer, and he will most likely entertain offers, but the Raptors could look to keep this guy around for a while, at the right price. Finally, Bryan Colangelo, their recently hired GM is regarded by many as a top 5 executive in the NBA and gives the team excellent hope for the future. The Bad: With all of that good news, what could be bad? Well, as far as player contracts go, not much. The worst deal currently on the roster is Alvin Williams, who is still going to receive $6.8 million dollars each of the next two seasons, despite playing in one game this year. Williams might not be able to resume his career because of injury. Besides Williams, the only bad news for this team is that, last I checked, Toronto was still located in Canada. The team hasn't had a good history of convincing free agents to come to Toronto or stay in their Raptors uniform. With plenty of cap room available and some good, young players to build around, can Toronto change their fortunes? The Future: After trading Jalen Rose to the Knicks, the Raptors are in a very comfortable position. Their cap situation is superb and if they can get Chris Bosh to stay then the sky is the limit. The Raptors will likely have a top five pick in the draft and they'll be able to add a nice shooting guard prospect, or point guard if the team isn't sure whether Mike James will stay. At this point, Toronto needs to send a message that they are committed to building a winning franchise, either by signing a good free agent this summer or making a trade that benefits the team. One trade that could work is with Milwaukee for center Jamaal Magloire. The Bucks are stacked at the center position and after next season, they will probably lose Magloire for nothing since they can't afford to give him a big deal like he expects. Jamaal actually wanted to be traded to the Raptors when he was on the Hornets since he is a Toronto native. The Raptors could get him cheap in a trade and would be the kind of inside presence they need. Magloire has flaws, but the team would benefit from his strength and rebounding in the post. Bonus Points… for trading Jalen Rose. I'm sure the Raptors were as surprised as anyone when they found a team who would actually take the grossly overpaid scorer. However, since it's the Knicks we're talking about, it wasn't all that surprising. Grade: A </div> http://nbadraft.net/2006stateofthecaptoronto001.asp Check it out, gives us an A for the future of our franchise. the big reason? Chris Bosh + Charlie V + only having 6 million worth of contracts in the 06/07 season...Bosh's first big contract season.
read about it over a week ago, although i think majority of that money would be used to sign bosh therefore technically there isn't much room left to sign others
bosh is playing for 4 million next year and that money is included in the projected team salary...so we still have 14 million to sign free agents regardless of whether or not Bosh signs an extension. As for the first year Bosh does get his new big contract we only have 6 million allocated in salary at this point. Bosh will take up an extra 14mil(not sure what max is these days) but that'll still leave us 35 million for the rest of the team....not bad in my opinion we're the best off.....charlotte doesnt have a Bosh and Orlando doesnt have as good as a salary cap situation.
Yeh our situation is good, i just hope we don't overpay for a weak 06 FA class. lets go with what we got, and if we find the right player to fall in are laps than so be it but lets not battle to overpay the Peja, Bonzi Wells and Tim Thomas's of the world. I also think the Bulls are in a great situation as well, although they over paid Chandler a little bit.
only stojakovic is likely to end up with another team tim thomas and bonzi both like playing for their teams now and i don't think signing stojakovic would help toronto he is too soft, one dimentional game and too expensive
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">and i don't think signing stojakovic would help toronto he is too soft, one dimentional game and too expensive</div> I agree, especially when you say he's too soft.
I know Raptors fans might not like this but I would rather wait next offseason to spend all our money, when the FA class is much, much stronger. We should sign someone to a one year contract, maybe someone who's had some injuries or a bad season and wants to prove himself next season. I'd rather wait one more season than to be overzealous and sign a borderline player to a long-term contract. We've waited all these years, what's one more?
i would say use the space to trade and sign some veteran role players (not super old guys though) and tough bench guys like reggie evans the ballgrabber he grabs balls just as efficient as he grabs rebounds (just ask kaman)
I agree that there are no great free agents this year, but i think its a perfect class for the Raps to make a move. Most teams are waiting for '07 to make there big free agent move, and unlike what you hear there are some very good free agents who fit the Raptors needs very well. I think the Raps will target Nene and Joel Przybilla as there number 1 target, and another very intriguing possibility in my opinon is Bonzi Wells, who would no doubt help the Raptors where they need it most (on defense) and can also put up a lot of points as he showed. I think the can conceivably get two of those three players, paying each about 7-8 mil a year, a price not to steep. Don't forget that just because there are great free agents in '07, it doesn't mean Toronto will get one of them. If the Raps where to add Bonzi/Nene/Przybilla and have a strong draft (hopefully Rudy Gay) we will be a playoff team next year
I think a lot of people are high on Bonzi right now just because of what he did in the playoffs. There's something suspicious about him showing up the last couple of games of a contract year, when he hasn't played (and has been injured) this season. He's also going to be 30 in September. I don't think he's someone that we can build around or take us to the next level. There are no guarantees that we're going to get someone in '07, but chances are we're going to get someone decent with so many good free agents that season. There's not going to be enough money to go around with the elite players getting most of the offers from teams. There will not be many teams that will have more money than we do (assuming we don't spend it all this offseason).
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 02civic:</div><div class="quote_post">bosh is playing for 4 million next year and that money is included in the projected team salary...so we still have 14 million to sign free agents regardless of whether or not Bosh signs an extension. </div> I'm not sure if this is right but ... if he re-signs with Toronto i think he starts making max money next year. I think that's why all the big FA's are re-signing with their original teams because they can make the extra cash right away as opposed to playing for the rookie sallary in their last year and potentially having to re-sign something small the year after if they want to leave (because the club still has the right to match any offer).
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TORaptors bb4:</div><div class="quote_post">I agree that there are no great free agents this year, but i think its a perfect class for the Raps to make a move. Most teams are waiting for '07 to make there big free agent move, and unlike what you hear there are some very good free agents who fit the Raptors needs very well. I think the Raps will target Nene and Joel Przybilla as there number 1 target, and another very intriguing possibility in my opinon is Bonzi Wells, who would no doubt help the Raptors where they need it most (on defense) and can also put up a lot of points as he showed. I think the can conceivably get two of those three players, paying each about 7-8 mil a year, a price not to steep. Don't forget that just because there are great free agents in '07, it doesn't mean Toronto will get one of them. If the Raps where to add Bonzi/Nene/Przybilla and have a strong draft (hopefully Rudy Gay) we will be a playoff team next year</div> bonzi is staying especially after what TruWarrier said "i will play for kings for free next season if bonzi and adelman stay" Przybilla wants out of portland (who wouldn't?) but he likely will ask for a steep price and long term not sure if you want that? Nene is injury prone and asking in 7-8 million range...no thanks --------------------------------------------------------------- Like i said, this year's free agent, use it to deepen the bench and strengthen front court with solid role players with experience (reggie evans, ronald murray, ely, wilcox, earl watson, speedy claxton, knight etc) personally i think priority would be murray if he's willing to be 6th man reggie evans and wilcox to strengthen frontcourt strength...i would get both if just got one of the two then get Ely as consolation speedy is more likely to land than knight therefore having speedy will certainly be a decent addition off bench all of those players won't cost more than 5 million a year unless the market gets super bloated that's a very good core i would say and good enough to make playoff run the following year
Go Raps ! I hope that they will draft a fine guard and get a good FA to their team, Raps going to be the champs someday !
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hohoyoyoyo:</div><div class="quote_post">bonzi is staying especially after what TruWarrier said "i will play for kings for free next season if bonzi and adelman stay" Przybilla wants out of portland (who wouldn't?) but he likely will ask for a steep price and long term not sure if you want that? Nene is injury prone and asking in 7-8 million range...no thanks --------------------------------------------------------------- Like i said, this year's free agent, use it to deepen the bench and strengthen front court with solid role players with experience (reggie evans, ronald murray, ely, wilcox, earl watson, speedy claxton, knight etc) personally i think priority would be murray if he's willing to be 6th man reggie evans and wilcox to strengthen frontcourt strength...i would get both if just got one of the two then get Ely as consolation speedy is more likely to land than knight therefore having speedy will certainly be a decent addition off bench all of those players won't cost more than 5 million a year unless the market gets super bloated that's a very good core i would say and good enough to make playoff run the following year</div> i'll pass on speedy far to injury prone as well..and not that young. Knight i'd like becuase he's such a pure pass first point, he'd do until Ukic came over. Evans i'd like but not if he's asking to much..he's a solid rebounder but if he's to expensive i think Sow can do the same thing for cheaper. Wilcox i'd like to have for sure. Ely is average....no biggie if we get him or not...dont overpay. Flip Murray....nah..we have bigger needs than another wing player.
