Welcome Jarrett

Indiana Pacers won't match Jarrett Jack's offer to play in Toronto, which means we can officially welcome Jack as a new Raptor. It's not a huge signing, like with Hedo Turkoglu, but it's definitely great news. If you look at the previous season what happened when Jose Calderon got injured and we had no legit NBA point guard to back him up, you will see what I mean.

Wonder how much time it takes for people to start bitching about another 'point guard controversy'. We used to have 2 good point guards with TJ Ford and Jose Calderon, but it didn't make people happy at all. If you read all the rumors, you would have found out, that Jose and TJ were in a constant war about the starting job for the Raptors. Surprisingly, trading TJ to Indiana, created another 'war' between TJ and Jarrett. Even more surprisingly, that move didn't make us a better team. Wait, it didn't even keep us on the same level. Figure that.

About year ago, before we traded for Jermaine O'Neal I had a discussion with my husband about the Raptors roster. Although he is mostly a hockey fan, he's been watching sports on regular bases for longer time than me, so I felt he will be more of an expert on this subject. We still hadn't signed Jose Calderon and I was getting anxious if he was going to be a Raptor for the following season. My hubby suggested that we should sign and trade El Calderon or get rid of TJ, because you don't keep two good point guards in the same team. This statement made me completely perplexed - why do you fix something that ain't broke? I always took the 'point guard controversy' with a grain of salt and I didn't see the logic of keeping only one good point guard and filling the backup position with an unproven player. What happened later, unfortunately proved me right. Sometimes your heart gives you a better hint than 'expert advice'.

So I let myself be led by my heart in this season. I loved the Hedo deal from the beginning, and, although I was a little concerned about our bench, I believed it will somehow get sorted out. I didn't really care that much, about other blogs screaming that the signing would certainly be a doom for the Raptors. And it got sorted out.

Jarrett Jack is another signing that makes some people shake their heads looking at the price tag. I don't care. If this is the price, we had to pay, to secure him, I'm fine with it. If the news create another controversy, I won't care either. Believe me, I don't really give a fuck, if Jarrett Jack sleeps with Mrs Calderon. We have two good point guards in our roster, and what they do in their spare time is none of my business as long as it doesn't interfere with their actions on the court.

Also, I can sleep easier now, knowing that Jamario Moon will be shooting ill-advised treys for the Cavaliers, not for the Raptors. I was slightly worried about the possibility of bringing Moon back, but luckily he will be signing with Cleveland if Miami don't match the offer. Yes, he is athletic, he can dunk and rebound, but I can live easier without that goofy smile after a missed trey in the crunch time with 18 seconds on the shot clock. Good luck in Cleveland, Jamario. Let's see how much of the ball you'll get with LeBron James and Mo Williams on your team.

I'm looking forward to the next season.

The offseason blows

The off-season blows big time and it's rather difficult to open Twitter, when there is nothing even remotely connected to the basketball in the trending topics. It must be even more difficult for players like Big Baby Davis, Andre Miller and David Lee, who are looking at their phones and waiting for any call.

Celtics load their team like there was no tomorrow. Their new target is Marquis Daniels, who will come in a Sign & Trade with Scalabrine or take the biannual exception. Trail Blazers don't have that much luck. Although, they have money to spend, they continue to fail to sign any player at all. After Hedo Turkoglu made his decision in favor of snowy Toronto winters, the Blazers signed Paul Millsap for an offer sheet, only to be kicked in the nuts again, this time by Utah Jazz, who decided to match the offer.

Mark Cuban's lawsuit have been dismissed, Antoine Walker didn't have luck with gambling and Richard Jefferson left his bride at the altar. That's the kind of news we are being fed lately. It's dry bread and water for those of us, who are hungry for any NBA news. I would prefer rainbow trout and Chianti, but that will have to do, unfortunately.

Dwyane Wade jumped out on Twitter lately with a promise of some news. Of course news were crappy, he changed Converse for Nike, which doesn't make any difference, if you're not interested in yet another puppet commercial. He didn't say anything about Lamar Odom, although the rumors make us believe, that Wade is trying to convince the Heat team and Odom to remarry again.

Yao Ming bought himself a team, and it might be the only basketball related activity, that will be left for him. He just cannot catch a break with his injuries, which is such a pity, for he is one of the best centers in the game and has a heart of a warrior.

Josh Childress is going back to Greece, and there is a remote possibility that he will take Nate Robinson with him.

Magic spoiled Marcin Gortat's hopes to be a starting center for the Mavericks. Marcin wasn't happy at all, especially when the Magic signed also Brandon Bass, pushing the Polish Hammer even further on the bench.

The OK City Thunder waived guard Earl Watson, who might be joining the Pacers, hence giving us the hope, that Jarrett Jack will wear Raptors uniform next season. There is no logical reason for Pacers to pay 20 mln just to get another point guard. They have time till Tuesday to make their decision. Hope we won't get the treatment Blazers are getting. Although we have Douby to backup both guard position and he had a major impact in the Summer League games, I still don't feel him as a first guard from the bench. He hogs the ball way to much, and while it may work in the Summer League games, where all the players try to steal the show, it won't be working in the team concept. Roko didn't improve and Marcus Banks... You just hope that he can somehow disappear and take his contract with him. There is no reason for him to be in the NBA.

Post draft thoughts

Moving to a new place is always a pain in the ass. If you add the fact, that our movers didn't come when they were supposed to come and we had to do it on our own. New building didn't let us transfer our Rogers account, and Look TV (which they recommended) didn't take new customers. We finally ordered internet from Bell (no TV, because we have no balcony) and the appointment was yesterday morning, so I felt myself lucky enough to not miss the draft and draft discussion on Twitter. The technician came early in the morning, but then we found out that our building management has some bitch-slap war with Bell also, so the technician left us without internet. What was our surprise another technician came in the evening and made it work. Thirty minutes before draft I finally connected!

Draft night wasn't half as eventful. Not much trades, some pick swaps. And not much to talk about Raptors selection. We got (Vince Carter) Demar DeRozan, as we expected. We didn't buy a pick. We didn't do a blockbuster trade. My favorites were Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, Demar DeRozan, as I stated before. Both Evans and Flynn went earlier (BC didn't even bother his head with Evans, but I hoped we could somehow trade for Flynn). DeRozan was an obvious choice. And his reaction was cute.

Other thoughts:

- Number 1 pick wasn't a surprise. Blake Griffin was supposed to go to the Clippers and here he goes.

- Lots of people expect Hasheem Thabeet to be a bust (#2 to Memphis).

- Ricky Rubio, who was projected to go at number 2, but slipped to number 5. We're all kinda not that trusting the European players. And after being drafted his agent said he'd play in Europe for next 2 years. I know, Minnesota sucks, but where is this "I'll play for free, just to be in NBA" attitude?

- Tyreke went to Sacramento with #4, Jonny to Minnesota with #6.

- Minnesota Timberwolves drafted a bunch of guards - Ricky Rubio with #5, Jonny Flynn with #6, Ty Lawson with #18 (traded to Denver), Wayne Ellington at #28. 4 first round picks = 4 guards.

- Golden State Warriors pissed off NY Knicks fans grabbing Stephen Curry at #7.

- New Jersey Nets drafted Terrence Williams at #11. Wait, it only gets cuter. They traded Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to Magic for Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie. Backcourt with Devin Harris and Courtney Lee? It rarely gets more entertaining (and HOT!!!). I already feel bad having a crash on division rivals.



- Brandon Jennings drafted at #10 by Milwaukee Bucks looks like Jamario Moon.

- Indiana Pacers went Caucasian, drafting Tyler Hansbrough at #13. Jared (Both Teams Played Hard) wasn't happy at all.

- DeJuan Blair slipped to second round. Suspicions were getting really thick (he raped somebody before draft, knocked out all the GM's daughters, brought a bag of cocaine and a hooker to the practice). There is no way, his knees are that bad! Finally Spurs took him at #37, making Spurs fans happy (me too), and giving another reason for conspiracy theories about SAS. I, myself, feel, that he'll become a huge piece of another championship team.

- Suns got Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, second-rounder and dollars from Cleveland for Shaq, who will have the opportunity to play with yet another great player in LeBron. That's a life story (he played with Penny, Kobe & Wade already).

- Warriors got Acie Law and Speedy Claxton from Hotlanta for Jamal Crawford.

- A part of Portland's Spanish Armada, Sergio Rodriguez is moving to Sacramento.

- Bucks get Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Amir Johnson, Pistons get Fabricio Oberto, Spurs got Richard Jefferson. I rambled a little about that trade here, but check Project Spurs here.


Raptors Republic got it together pretty nice, telling us about winners and losers in the draft.


Update: I don't believe I forgot about the biggest trade! Darko got traded! For Q-Rich!