Monday December 15 2008 – 1:25pm Eastern
Tough game yesterday; the Raptors played well enough in stretches to win, but, their overall execution on the offensive end was suspect and the Hornets simply proved to be too much. Toronto did what they wanted – took away the paint and forced New Orleans to be them on the outside. And though Peja and CP3 struggled, the Raps were essentially beaten by two role players (not the stars) in Butler and Posey. You’ll take those odds on most nights.
Had Toronto gotten more the wings (Moon, Kapono, Graham, Parker) maybe the end result would have been different. That foursome combined to shoot just 25% in the game yesterday and when you add Bargnani’s 2 for 7 to the mix, the numbers get even worse.
As I mentioned yesterday though – before the tip-off the Hornets and Raptors – Toronto was set to make a roster move … and they did. Just after yesterday’s game ended, the Raps announced the signing of free agent big man Jake Voskuhl.
Why some of you are jumping off the cliff about this signing … is beyond me. The guy isn’t THAT bad. He’s a serviceable player that’ll add some depth to a thin Raptors front court. With Jawai still dealing with his cardiac issues and Humphries sidelined with a bad knee, Bargnani is the only ‘big’ on the bench. Big Jake will give Jay Triano an option – if needed. That’s all. He’s not coming here to be a savior but he’s not a stiff either.
This announcement doesn’t not preclude the Raptors from making other transactions, but my understanding is that it’s not a pre-cursor to other moves either. Toronto still has potential issues at the 2-3 and it remains to be seen if Bryan Colangelo feels there is a necessary upgrade needed at the back-up point.
And don’t fret about the money for Voskuhl. While the Raptors have/had very little wiggle room ’til they hit the luxury tax, keep this very important info in mind:
All BRI (Basketball Related Income) isn’t adjusted until the end of the season when the final books are evaluated. Therefore, you can be in the tax threshold for a portion of the season as long as you clear it by the end of the year. The tricky part is actually doing that (i.e. – waiving a player? Making, a 2 for 1 or 3 for 2 trade? Trading a player for a pick?)
Plus, If the league makes more money than they had anticipated, the tax number goes up and teams that thought they might be over the number might land under it because of the league-wide revenues.
So everyone can just chill about the cash for now … and enjoy Big Jake’s debut against VC and the Nets tonight.
Finally, speaking of VC and the Nets … remember last week when I said “Don’t boo TJ”? Well, Carter may deserve your boos, but, how ’bout letting it rest tonight. Just try it. I mean, he kicks Toronto’s butt more often that not when you DO boo him. It clearly motivates him. So why not take the opposite approach and don’t say a word. Make him think you don’t care. You’re “over him”. Ignore him. Let it go.
Just a thought.
E. Smith
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Interesting way of stating the VC situation…I personally “enjoy” boo-ing Carter when he comes, it just adds more to the game atmosphere (especially during playoffs when the VC Sucks is mixed with the Lets Go Raptors chants). But i do agree (and many of the Nets players agree too) that booing Carter does motivate him a lot whenever he’s in town. So maybe a different approach might turn him into that 0-13 Carter again…”maybe”, but i still will thank him and remember him as the player who brought Basketball into Toronto’s sporting world. His crazy dunks and plays made this Hockey town love Basketball as well and turning us to the best crowd in the league.
- JulianEric sorry but they way Vince desereted his Toronto faithfull, he can never live it down. I hope he is booed till he retires from the league.
- Douglasre: Carter – hear, hear (or don’t, don’t).
Like you said, Eric, booing only motivates him. Let’s say that four years’ worth of booing is enough, and move on.
- Jeff WBOO the loser! He deserves it if anyone ever does!…. ERIC WILLIAM, AARON WILLIAMS AND ALONZO 10MILLION$ MOURNING! Thanks VINCE! BOO HIM!
- NeilJAKE VOSKUHL…..BC has to be kidding with this move….why not give someone from the NBDL a shot…at least they will try harder to stay with an NBA club…Jake V knows his career is done! At least someone from the D-Leaugue has something to play for…
- NeilHey Eric
I just think Vince is always going to be booed and the performance by him the last time as the ACC is the type of thing that gets people fired up again and hating Vince all over again.
He is like the hot girl that dumped you( Not You Eric Just in General ) and you think you are over her. But you go some where and run into her and it all starts up again. This is the feelings that get brought up by Vince.
I just don’t think it ever ends. Even if Vince took a mic and went to center court and said he was sorry and he loves Toronto and regrets his mistakes here. Still would not matter.
So I agree with what your saying but it just is not going to happen.
- James BorbathI HOPE VOSKUHL HAMMERS VINCE AND PUTS HIM ON THE FLOOR TONIGHT
FLAGRANT 2
- MazLike what Neil said Voskuhl shouldn’t be the player the Raptors sign it is better in the D-League maybe there can be a point guard like Alston or a very good SG that’s what BC needs because Kapono is good off the bench and Parker wont be here next year so BC should find some one in the D-League instead of some random guy!!!!
- RAPS FANI think you guys got the spelling wrong, Coangelo signed Jaka Voskuhla not Vesa Toskela…
Agree on the hard foul to VC. And then fall on him…
PS
- GaryBoo him AND beat him. Go Raps
Another coach has been fired…wow…I agree with Maz and Gary, boo, beat, make him cry!!!
Decent signing in Jake the Snake, but like you said…we def. need a two but BC isn;t dealing from a position of strength, its going to be hard to get something back!!
- Mr. TY’all have not learned your lesson. Look what happened when you booed T-Mac and he did everything to you guys all because you booed him by powering him up to blast the Raptors and that is why VC did just that weeks ago to this pathetic hockey town. Y’all want someone to blast why not blast Richard Peddie for not helping out the Raptors.
As far as the Raptor roster goes, I am very sick and tired of seeing international on the ball club. This ain’t euroleague and/or any Canadian varsity team. Have you ever seen the Brock University vs. Florida Gators exhibition game? Well that time that Al Hortford, Corey Brewer & Jakim Noah were on that squad and made Brock look like shame. That is what I see in the Raptors. Soft ‘n’ weak!!!
BC needs to get more better players most likely…the bench. We need guys who are NBA type and not anti-NBA type that can back up the main 3. Calderon, O’Neal & Bosh. Plus we need to get a better NBA experienced coach and who knows what to do. Not this monkey crap hockey rotation subs like Triano is doing. Something has to be done and you @ the main root of the problem is why we ain’t got enough talent. RICHARD PEDDIE HAS GOT TO GO
- StevenIt’s unfortunate (like another poster said, he put T.O. on the basketball map) but, I don’t think we’ll ever see the day that Vince is not booed at the ACC.
That said I had a similar thought to Eric… would it not throw him off more if the whole place went silent (I MEAN SILENT… NOT A SOUND) whenever VC touched the ball. Pro players are accustom to the sounds of an arena, and as we have seen can even feed off of a negative crowd. So take it out of the equation… hell even go to the opposite spectrum and cheer.
But that’s a fantasy world. I am sure nothing will change, just like i fully expect to hear “You screwed Bret” chants for Shawn Michaels at the ACC when I go to see the WWE next week.
- Mat L