May 11 - 4:40pm Eastern
Am I the only one that wasn’t all that surprised by Jose Calderon’s blog?
I found it funny how many folks - including the FAN - got so ‘excited’ about Calderon’s statement in his blog that he “wanted to be a starter”.
Is that not what you’d WANT to hear from him?
Anybody that truly ‘believed’ Jose during locker clean-out day - when he said he didn’t care if he started or came off the bench - was fooling themselves.
Of course Calderon wants to start. A player entering the prime of this career is not going to want to come off the bench. A player that played at an All Star level for 2+ months this season is not going to be happy with getting 18-22 minutes each night.
Calderon was being ‘politically correct’. He was simply not ‘rocking the boat’. Why leave town on that kind of note? Why add to the supposed ‘controversy’? Take the high road.
When Jose made those comments in Toronto - about not caring if he came off the bench or started - I didn’t believe him word-for-word. And I’m not calling the guy a “liar” by any means. I’m saying … I UNDERSTOOD where he was coming from and why he was choosing to not air-out his situation or his feelings in the media.
But I’m not sure why Calderon would write what he did in his May 1st blog. Why now?
Unless Calderon or his agent felt that his unselfish approach wasn’t helping his stock - or wouldn’t help in future negotiations - I don’t see why he had to do or say what he did. If anything … perhaps Calderon ‘hurt’ the Raptors in some senses by doing this. Teams now KNOW that Toronto has to do SOMETHING with their point guard situation.
When Calderon first stated - legit or not - that he didn’t care about starting … Bryan Colangelo could have gone into trade talks with any other GM in the league saying (hypothetically) … “I don’t NEED to make a trade; both me and my point guards are comfortable with going into another season together.”
Now, that’s clearly not the case. TJ Ford wants to start. He said he didn’t see himself coming off the bench for 82 games. And now Calderon has basically said the same thing. Plus, he’s even gone so far as to say he’d take less money to start for a quality team that was moving towards a championship.
The Raptors are that kind of team.
The Raptors are an organization Jose would like to play for.
The Raptors hold the right to match any offer that another team might make for Jose.
The Raptors look to be his future employer for many years to come.
But other GM’s will now try to low-ball Colangelo with their trade offers. I know I would if I were running another team in the NBA. I mean, why would I give up an “A” package in a deal for Ford (or Calderon) if I know that you’re desperately trying to make a trade to rid yourself of the ‘controversy’ you’d have on your hands if you started next season with two guards that both want to start?
In the end, Calderon’s quote may mean nothing. It might not haunt the Raptors or Colangelo’s trade attempts. But it might have been better for all of those involved if Jose had just bit his lip and not wrote what he did in his blog.
I appreciate his honesty and the fact that he’s so accessible to his fans through his website, but it sure looks like he has inadvertently put T.O. in a tough spot.
E. Smith
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Who are we kidding, Every NBA player wants to start, I think we all understand that. I have no problem with Jose saying that he wants to start even though I preferred his comments before saying “I want to win” and “it doesn’t matter if I start or not”.
I like Jose (in fact he is quickly becoming my favorite Raptor), but the fact of the matter is he is just confusing a situation that he has no control over. As Eric eluded to the Raptors hold all the cards, mainly because they hold the right to match any offer that another team might make and they have said they intend too.
- KamalI agree!He needed to make this crystal clear to Brian Colangelo and let him decide from there. It’s really out of Jose’s hands for the most part. The raptors have the final say because they have the option to match. They hold the cards. He should have told them where he stands and allow them to make the decision.
- jeffColangelo also does not need to trade Jose right away (if he decides that Jose should be the one to go). He can match the highest offer and make Jose play whatever minutes until the right deal comes along.
- D12I would much rather prefer to trade Ford, but Jose’s value is much higher. if the Raps can get an all-star sg or sf for him they should seriously consider it. However, Jose does have a very bright future here if he stays, which is likely. Hopefully, he can consistently put up the numbers he did in Dec.,Jan., and Feb. for a full year.
- aviJose was too nice to be great!
Jose has to want the ball. All the great ones do.
- MilesColderon without Ford would be an huge upgrade.Look at Bosh and Parker’s numbers in January. Just need a good backup.
Eric don’t you know we are all supose to just bow to St. Jose. I mean he is the one everyone loves. I agree with you though. I think this is more agent driven than Jose driven. In the end he can say whatever he wants like you said Rapotrs can Match so he can say he is King of Spain or whatever the fact remains he can only Control his $$$ and his term that is it. T.J comes back from being injured and wants his Job and he is a Bad Guy. Jose says basically the same thing and he gets praise. I admit I am out of touch with some Raps Fans cause I don’t get it. I don’t mind what Jose said and I didn’t mind what T.J said. This is going to be a long summer with all this T.J vs Jose nonsense.
- James BorbathJames,
You do not get it. If you are married to a witch you think that is the way it is. When Jose took over and the decisions were made based on WE not ME a whole new world opened up for Raptor fans. TJ wants to score because that is where the short term glory is. Jose wants to win because he knows where greatness lives.
- MilesJose is a better fit for pg with the raps because his first option is pass second is look for his own shot.
However, the raps are in need for a player who can create his own shot and go to the basket. T.J. was and is that guy!
The raps need to make a deal with one of them and pick up a high energy 3 that can simply drive to the basket. Sorry Jamario Moon, I think hes a great player but he is way too soft when it comes to taking the ball to the hole.
Bosh needs help with scoring, driving and getting to the line, rebounding. Get rid of what we have a great abundance of and get what we are in dire need of.
Also, any ideas on who will take over with play by play duties. I think Eric and Paul would be a great fit on TV. Love listening to their radio broadcasts. Why not have a team of 3? Eric, Paul and Jack like the hoops show. Now that would be great television!
- Jaz G.Yo Eric, it may be a case of “agent” speak. If I were Jose agent I would advised him it would be to his benifit{Jose} if the Raptors did not think he was real happy w/ the current situation. TJ or Jose is it positive situation 4 a G.M to know the lenight & cost of contract {T.J.or Jose restricted free agent? It’s gonna be along summer at least it will not all be Leaf talk. Raptorized John
- John ArtisTalk about double standards. The media was thrashing TJ Ford for wanting to be a starter and not coming off the bench. “TJ is a me first player.” Now that Jose Calderon states that he wants to start, they see him as the saviour. This is the NBA, everyone wants to start.
I think the Raptors should keep TJ Ford. His attitude and killer instinct is needed on this soft Raptors team. If TJ Ford played starter’s minutes, we would forget about Jose Calderon.
TJ Ford has a higher cieling, Calderon has higher stock. And to get that 20ppg scorer, the Raptors will have to trade Jose.
- RodneyI don’t think it is that big a deal. Jose would probably be fine coming off the bench if TJ was still better than him. He remains much more tradeable than TJ is at this point.
- KevinWhat I don’t get is how I typoed R A P T O R S. I have to type that word 100 times a day at least. Eric is one of the few people in the media that has been balanced on this T.J/Jose issue that is one of the reasons I value his views. Fans and Media like to raise Jose up and kick Dirt in Ford’s face. It is what it is. W
- James BorbathRondo/Ford
Rondo was poison for Boston Monday night. He just took his shots. The great point guards go beyond getting their team into it. They pick the right players at the right time. Rondo picked himself much like TJ. Poison. Pure poison.
Jose is loved because he made Bosh and Parker and the whole team better. Jose was shooting as high as 70% but still Jose took his shots without taking away from the others. He errs on the side of keeping his team mates involved. TJ often looks like he is playing in the schoolyard playing his own game with his team as a backgrund. Even Kolbe found out that does not work. If it does not work for Kolbe, how dumb is it for TJ.
- MilesI’m assuming you mean “Kobe”
- E. SmithThanks Eric I meant Kobe.
Eric,
I would love for you to compare the Raptors offense and defense to Detroit, San Antonio, Utah. Look at our structure or lack and structure. Look at our personal and how they are used or could be used.
I always felt we had no structure or plan on either side of the ball. I felt there was not player development. TJ a potential all star passer got worse. Andrea is a lost 2 guard for 2 years. Moon would not dunk. Bosh was more than happy to mostly shoot jumpers when he is a brilliant driver and foul shooter. I felt Calderon needed more arrogance because him shooting a little more could have opened the middle for Bosh. Delfino showed he could be a great play maker but he preferred to take mindless long jumpshots. Garbhossa was brilliant on defense last year but on offense I remember him shooting like crazy from behind or just inside the three on the wing. Do you think we short changed Kapono all season?
- MilesOne thing everyone seems to forget is that Jose was the starting poing guard for the World Champions, a competition where the USA sent their best. TJ would never even be considered for such a team. After coming to Toronto he had to sit behind Mike James and TJ while they shot the ball and forgot about the rest of the team. He didn’t just get better he was always this good.
- Coach RushLet us also remember the game against CP3 in New Orleans where he outplayed Paul down the stretch and the Raps won.
If Jose is traded and lets say he goes to Portland he could very well be in the MVP running next year. Jose is the one player the Raps can not afford to lose and this includes Bosh.
Coach Rush