<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have signed free agent guard-forward Anthony Parker to a multi-year contract. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed. ... Parker, 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, returns to the NBA after six impressive seasons overseas, including five with Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv. He was named Euroleague MVP and first-team All-Euroleague in 2005 and 2006. He was also named 2004 Euroleague Final Four MVP.</div> http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/pressrelease_071306.html
http://www.tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=171173&hubname= Here's another story on Parker...how can anyone not be sold on this signing? I think it'll be another one of BC's moves that is classed on the good GM side of things!
Looks like Uros Slokar is coming over to fill in for Sow. Calderon/Bargnani/Nesterovic/Parker/Garbajosa/Slokar and possibly Ukic. That's 6, possibly 7 players out of 12 that are players from the Euroleagues!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Eclipse:</div><div class="quote_post">Looks like Uros Slokar is coming over to fill in for Sow. Calderon/Bargnani/Nesterovic/Parker/Garbajosa/Slokar and possibly Ukic. That's 6, possibly 7 players out of 12 that are players from the Euroleagues! </div> So? Until Colangelo's plan blows up, I have faith in these European players.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">So? Until Colangelo's plan blows up, I have faith in these European players.</div> A lot of question marks on the team right now. Other than Calderon and Rasho, we really don't even know how everyone is going to adapt/play in the NBA. How can you have faith when you know little to nothing about most of these players? That's called blind faith to me.
ah blind faith thank you for mentioning it eclipse i felt like i was fighting alone here and being called the lone "pessimist" to me...i am more like a realist
No matter what happens, it's still going to take all these Eupropean players some time to adapt to the NBA (players, rules, etc). Even the best European players (Parker, Notwitzki, Ginobili) took a while to adapt before they made any kind of a contribution. So basically write off the first 20-30 (at least) games of next season. So much for next season. This team is a huge project right now. I don't know about everyone else, but I don't want to wait for another 2 seasons before we can even contend for a playoff spot. But that looks like the direction we're heading.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Eclipse:</div><div class="quote_post">Looks like Uros Slokar is coming over to fill in for Sow. Calderon/Bargnani/Nesterovic/Parker/Garbajosa/Slokar and possibly Ukic. That's 6, possibly 7 players out of 12 that are players from the Euroleagues! </div> Where'd you read this from? Before the Sow incident happened I was under the impression he wasn't ready (physically, and in the position he is in with his current team) to come over to the NBA. In my opinion with the addition of Rasho and Garbojosa we don't really need anyone to 'replace' Sow. I'm not saying Pape doesn't have an impact but his minutes can merely be spread around to the newcomers, how many mins did he avg last year anyways? I definitely like his hustle though. ----------- As for Anthony Parker, SOMEBODY has gotta post that buzzer beater he had against the Raptors... it looks impressive.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dball:</div><div class="quote_post">Where'd you read this from? Before the Sow incident happened I was under the impression he wasn't ready (physically, and in the position he is in with his current team) to come over to the NBA. </div> It's in the article from Tsn.ca talking about the Parker signing.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Eclipse:</div><div class="quote_post">A lot of question marks on the team right now. Other than Calderon and Rasho, we really don't even know how everyone is going to adapt/play in the NBA. How can you have faith when you know little to nothing about most of these players? That's called blind faith to me.</div> a baller is baller whether in euroop it's still takin it to the hoop....if they can play they can play. You either believe in Colangelo's competance as a better evaluator of talent what will work and what won't or you believe you are more knowledgable than he. And really with everyone picking us last in the L last year, how could you realistically think that we could go from pretenders to contenders in one year...Colangelo knows his stuff but he can only do so much at a time, it's a process.... on what basis can you even say that it will take two years to make the playoffs and the team is a project???? Esp. considering we play in the east which is pretty weak. I'll stick with the Raps through thick and thin cuz I'm a real fan..i don't put terms on my loyalty. Correct me if I'm wrong but last time I checked Gasol was voted rookie of the year it definately took him half the season to become accustomed to the NBA. How can you be so pessimistic with such little knowledge of these players and think you know more than the whole raps front office? That's called egomaniacal to me
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jones:</div><div class="quote_post">I'll stick with the Raps through thick and thin cuz I'm a real fan..i don't put terms on my loyalty.</div> So just because I question some of these moves, I'm not a "real fan" according to you. That's all I need to read, I don't need to respond to any of your other statements.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Eclipse:</div><div class="quote_post">So just because I question some of these moves, I'm not a "real fan" according to you. That's all I need to read, I don't need to respond to any of your other statements.</div> no it was your comment...i don't know about anyone else but i don't want to wait another two years.. that made me question things...plus you can't see any positives at all. Why harsh on everything. And which move Haven't you questioned? at this rate you'll go off about BC only signing CB for 3 years....
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> No matter what happens, it's still going to take all these Eupropean players some time to adapt to the NBA (players, rules, etc). Even the best European players (Parker, Notwitzki, Ginobili) took a while to adapt before they made any kind of a contribution. So basically write off the first 20-30 (at least) games of next season. So much for next season. This team is a huge project right now. I don't know about everyone else, but I don't want to wait for another 2 seasons before we can even contend for a playoff spot. But that looks like the direction we're heading. </div> If you're a fan of a team that hasn't made the post-season since 2002, I don't think waiting a year while some of the players develop is that much of a drag if it means most likely that they will make the post season. Furthermore, compared to the other basement dwellers in the Eastern conference, we have taken HUGE STRIDES in improving. We have added a bunch of role players and i nthe process only lost one gem, and that is CV, but in return we have Andrea, TJ, Parker and now John Salmons to compensate for his lost values. Furthermore, we got rid of Mike James which I think has to be the greatest news for me as a Raptor fan because I simply dislike shoot-first point guards (which is why I have no respect for Stephon Marbury or Steve Francis) with big egoes. Furthermore, I REALLY think you're not giving enough credit to European players. You realize they play against more competitive opponents then the ones that the NCAA offers. And if you don't think a Euro player such as Parker will not be able to adjust in the NBA, just look at his performance against the Raptors themselves. Yes, the rules and the culture and the lifestyle might take some time to get accustommed to, but in the end it is about skill and nothing else.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting spawn:</div><div class="quote_post"> Furthermore, I REALLY think you're not giving enough credit to European players. You realize they play against more competitive opponents then the ones that the NCAA offers. And if you don't think a Euro player such as Parker will not be able to adjust in the NBA, just look at his performance against the Raptors themselves. Yes, the rules and the culture and the lifestyle might take some time to get accustommed to, but in the end it is about skill and nothing else.</div> I don't have a problem with the Parker signing. In fact, I said it was a good move. He should be able contribute to our team next season. Neither do I have a problem with European players. However, I am somewhat leery of Colangelo bringing them all over at once and putting so much dependence on them (using the #1 pick and using up all our cap money).
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> However, I am somewhat leery of Colangelo bringing them all over at once and putting so much dependence on them (using the #1 pick and using up all our cap money). </div> Well, we did accquire TJ Ford and John Salmons as well. Noteable free-agents (such as Ben Wallace) were out of our range to begin with, other free agents signed back with thier teams and other free agents we wish we had (Bonzi and Al) are either likely to sign back (in the case of Bonzi) with thier original team or are being shown interest and substantially higher offers then the ones the Raptors could post up. You either go for nothing or you go for somehting and atleast BC is moving towards an objective. Furthermore, I have no doubt in my mind that he is not done wheeling and dealing yet so let's wait until the end of the season to see how this team really shapes up. He is our GM and I have complete faith in him because honestly, if we can put up with Babcock for all these years, you guys get frightened when a GM with a great track record starts making moves? No team in this league is guaranteed a winning season (except maybe the Spurs, Dallas, and the Heat) because a season can become lopsided and teams we didn't expect to win can start winning. Just look at the Sonics who won 50 games in 2005. The NBA is not a win-win situation and after all that the Raptors have been through, including a 1-15 start when our year looked "promising" (as always), I refuse to stay pessismistic about our team now. Not only does it look complete but BC is taking gambles on LEGITIMATE PLAYERS that can contribute given the chance. Would you rather have someone like Andrea or pay Nene 60 million for 5 years or whatever the hell Denver paid him? If the gamble does not seem to pay off in a year or 2 then ok, fans have the right to complain but you guys have been complaining since he made his first move. Look, as a realist, I know we as Raptors fans are so accustomed to losing that we don't see the brighter side of things. First of all, how can we already presume that the Raptors are not going to be good given that they haven't even played a single game? For all we know this team could win the championship in the next season (they wont obviously, CONTRARY TO WHAT Mike James has said )...it's always a toss up and you can either be pessimistic about it now or you can look up and figure that the GM is smart and knows what he's doing. And looking at BC's experience, track record and the fact that he has yet to make a stupid move (I don't consider the TJ-CV trade a stupid one because he was fulfilling a need and in return we got money), I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. And I know in my head, winning changes everything so if we win, the same pessimistic views that seem to haunt this forum will disappear. But if we lose, the same comments that we made about Babcock will come back against BC. If you can give players like HOFFA, players like Pape Sow and coaches like Kevin O'Neil and Gm's like Babcock a chance, I am sure you can give players like Parker, Andrea, Salmons and Ford a chance as well. The only concern for me is Sam Mitchell. I stopped having faith in him after 2 losing season and came to the conclusion that he doesn't know how to coach following a particular January game against the Lakers wherin some dude scored 81 points on us while we watched and did not double team him until it wasn't even necessary.
DraftExpress has a very thorough analysis of Anthony Parker and Jorge Garbajosa: http://draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=1394
