Welcome Back Antonio Davis!

Hork42

And your crazy-ass wife too.

And your "don't teach us the metric system" kids.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2317958

CoolHandWray

Don't welcome him too soon, he might never play for the purple Jurassic Park aptly named Raptors.

This could be another Alonzo Mourning deal where, the raptors buy Davis out( and his coffee tossin' Babies Momma) and he returns to Chicago.

I'd like to see a productive Davis in Toronto, along side Bosh, it would bring stability to the center position(Bosh is a PF, playing the center position).

westside8

I don't think it will be a Mourning situation, since his contract expires at the end of this season, and he will probably go back to Chicago or retire.

I don't think this will be much of a problem, since Davis will not be here long term, so no more Mrs. I-hate-the-Canadian-education-System-Davis, and he will just be here for a few months. I think what will end up happening is Davis coming off the bench, and off the court he will hopefully help Charlie, Pop, Haffa develop as a player.

A side note, it was nice to see Rose being given a standing ovation at the game today (I was there). He has been a classy professional during his stay here in TO. Despite his over-priced salary and sometimes under-achieving performance, he will be missed (to a certain extent)

TiMSuM

Well if Babcock did his job and picked Iguodala none of this would have happened

CoolHandWray

Rose was a professional, but its sad that has to be even said, it should be a given.
These guys get paid alot of money to play a game, the first thing you agree to, once you sign that fat contract, is to be a professional.

Davis will be a filler, and possibly trade bait for the next couple weeks, if he isnt released.

As for the Iguadola miss draft, he wouldntve been picked regardless of Arujo being drafted. Carter was on the team, same with Peterson, Rose, even Donyell MArshall played the wing position. The team needed a center last year, and Arujo was the most "viable" option. Too bad he was a bust, but this year the raptors learned from their "positional" drafting of last year, and took the BEST player available, in Charle V. Only thing they couldve done was draft Frye, whom the Knicks were dying to get, and trading him for Charlie, and saved some cash. They did it with Carter, for Jamieson, that worked out right....

Hork42

I think there's a good chance he'll report. He risks forfeiting close to $7million for half a season of sitting on the bench. No biggie. Zo was different, he REALLY REALLY wanted to play for Miami, plus I think he had another year on his contract.

Even if the Raptors give Davis what he wants and buys him out, it won't be for nearly as much as they gave Zo. The key to this deal is they get a lot more cap space this summer, so they can try to resign Mike James, and possibly resign Bosh to an extension.

Funny the timing of this though, the day after Bosh said publicly that it would be nice to have some stability within the organization, and by keeping a player like Mike James around, that would get the ball rolling in the right direction...

The first round draft pick they lose is insignificant. Denver's pick, which will likely be somewhere between 20-25 in a fairly thin draft. Anyway, they have enough young players to build on, and they still have their own pick, which is almost certain to be top 10.

westside8

Even if Davis doesn't report, he won't be released or bought out like Zo. He is only on the contract for this season and there is no point for us to waste an extra X million on buying him out even if he doesn't report.

TiMSuM

Even if they picked Iguadola I think they could have traded him and got something. ANYTHING is better than Arujo. The best for him is to sent down to the D-League like Pape and get some more experience. Now with Rose gone, I like Charlie V starting, he has good potential, as well as Joey Graham.

The trade of Vince Carter by Babcock was horrible as well. I actually rather keep him and fire Babcock.

I don't think Davis will report. Didn't he want a trade out of Toronto anyway before?

Raptors still got some hope for playoffs! Gooo Raptors!

stpboy

AD is the president of the players association, he'll report. I don't totally care for him but I think he can help the team so bring him in.

stp

Hork42

TiMSuM wrote:

Raptors still got some hope for playoffs! Gooo Raptors!

Forget the playoffs. Let's finish in the bottom 3 and get a good lottery pick. Anyone beyond the top 5 in the East is a jopke anyway and will get blasted away by Det-riot.

westside8

This year's draft is thin as hell, as I really don't think (from reading reports thus far) there is anyone that can come in and make an immediate impact.

Hork42

Well, there are no Lebrons or Carmelos in the draft, but the top few picks still have a good shot at being solid NBA starters within 1-2 years.

The problem with Araujo is they picked at the time for need, not skill. They needed a center, he was it. Picking Iguadola with already having Carter and Peterson was not the way Babcock wanted to go. In retrospect, they could have picked ANYONE other than Hoffa and they'd be better off. I think they'll go into this draft with the mindset that they should pick the best talent available, and if they have to trade them, they will.

Wolffhound

He'll report, 10 weeks of "work" for 7 million...how do you not show up for that?
No way will another Babcock move be made and pay a guy 10 million to not show up.

Appears that they are getting everything in order so they can entice a real GM, with experience to come in for next year.
Cap room for this year, and only 6million in contracts for 2 years from now. A new GM would have a lot to work with...
no player wise, but, cap wise.

Hork42

My fear is that it will be difficult to entice a premium free agent to come to Toronto. Yes, we'll have cap space, and we will get someone to come... What will probably happen is this:

We'll be under the cap, with a bunch of young talent still within their rookie contracts. We'll be forced to trade away someone like Villanueva (still making rookie dollars) to a team that's way over the cap for an all-star with a bloated contract. I think that's the only way we'll get the talent back in Toronto. And this is IF Bosh resigns with us...

moose

Don't forget AD's wife. With Kendra on board the Raps finally have the team toughness they have lacked since Oakley left.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/wires/02/02/2030.ap.bkn.knicks.davis.wife.0255/

westside8

It has been rumoured that the Raptors are willing to attach the President title to whoever comes in and takes over the GM position to entice a premium GM to come in. We will see how this works out.