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wyliepoon
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I'm not a big basketball fan, but I am following this news closely. Choosing the right player not only has implications on how the Raptors will do in the future, but also on how much exposure Toronto will get worldwide for basketball fans.
Toronto Star
Link to article
Lottery ball gives Raptors No.1 pick
Jump four spots to win first choice
No clear-cut favourite at top of list
May 24, 2006. 06:26 AM
DOUG SMITH
SPORTS REPORTER
Bryan Colangelo clapped his hands and pumped his fists as four Raptor seasons of losses, firings, feuds and futility took a decided turn for the better last night thanks to a random drawing in the back rooms of the NBA's television studio.
He had every reason to be overjoyed.
For the first time in franchise history, the team will have the first overall pick in the NBA draft after winning the lottery, giving the president and general manager everything he could possibly want to remake a team that's had nothing but hard times in recent years.
Combined with more than $10 million (all figures U.S.) salary cap room, a solid core anchored by all-star Chris Bosh and promising forward Charlie Villanueva, the addition of the No.1 pick — even in a year where there is no consensus top pick — gives Colangelo flexibility never before enjoyed by a Raptor boss.
"I think we're playing with an absolute full deck," he said in a conference call from Secaucus, N.J. "It's a very good hand going through the process. This certainly has the makings of an exciting month ahead."
A wild ride it should be.
While there is no glaring No.1 pick, myriad possibilities exist for Colangelo.
Texas centre LaMarcus Aldridge, Italian forward Andrea Bargnani and LSU forward Tyrus Thomas are the top three players available according to most observers, but Colangelo has many other options.
He could use the salary cap money he has available to trade the pick for an established player, he could swap No.1 to move back a few notches and pick up a decent player already in the league, or he could determine that one of the players fits Toronto's needs so well in the next few years that he makes the selection.
Whatever happens, Colangelo is sure to become immensely popular among his peers.
"I don't know that there's going to be an inundation (of phone calls and offers) but I will say there are a lot ... of players people like at No.1," he said.
The likes of Aldridge and Thomas, as well as American collegians Rudy Gay of Connecticut and Adam Morrison of Gonzaga, are well known to most casual fans but the one name that keeps being linked to Toronto is Bargnani, a 7-footer with excellent shooting skills some have likened to Dallas Maverick all-star Dirk Nowitzki.
And with Colangelo about to add Maurizio Gherardini as his chief assistant — Gherardini is currently the general manager of perennial Italian powerhouse Benetton Treviso — talk of a package deal is sure to heat up.
"We are currently in the process of discussing the possibility of (Gherardini) coming to Toronto ... that should talk about the direction I want this (franchise) to go," said Colangelo. "There is no package deal right now but I can't rule out anything as we move forward."
Armed with No.1, Colangelo can now concentrate on far fewer players before the June 28 draft than he would have had Toronto remained at No.5 in the draft order. The general manager said he hadn't spoken personally to any of the likely top picks.
Yet.
"There are some players that I can tell you would be good fits (with Toronto), but we have a lot more work to do to try to figure out specifically who would be the best for us long term and short term," he said.
The Raptors, who finished the 2005-06 season with a 27-55 record — fifth-worst in the 30-team league — had only an 8.8 per cent chance of grabbing the top pick in the lottery among the 14 non-playoff teams.
Portland, which had the worst record in the league and a 25 per cent chance at keeping the No.1 selection, fell to No.4, while Chicago retained its second selection and Charlotte remained third. Atlanta moved back one slot to fifth.
Toronto also won the lottery in 1996, but because of their expansion agreement with the league they were not allowed to get the No.1 selection.
Toronto Star
Link to article
Lottery ball gives Raptors No.1 pick
Jump four spots to win first choice
No clear-cut favourite at top of list
May 24, 2006. 06:26 AM
DOUG SMITH
SPORTS REPORTER
Bryan Colangelo clapped his hands and pumped his fists as four Raptor seasons of losses, firings, feuds and futility took a decided turn for the better last night thanks to a random drawing in the back rooms of the NBA's television studio.
He had every reason to be overjoyed.
For the first time in franchise history, the team will have the first overall pick in the NBA draft after winning the lottery, giving the president and general manager everything he could possibly want to remake a team that's had nothing but hard times in recent years.
Combined with more than $10 million (all figures U.S.) salary cap room, a solid core anchored by all-star Chris Bosh and promising forward Charlie Villanueva, the addition of the No.1 pick — even in a year where there is no consensus top pick — gives Colangelo flexibility never before enjoyed by a Raptor boss.
"I think we're playing with an absolute full deck," he said in a conference call from Secaucus, N.J. "It's a very good hand going through the process. This certainly has the makings of an exciting month ahead."
A wild ride it should be.
While there is no glaring No.1 pick, myriad possibilities exist for Colangelo.
Texas centre LaMarcus Aldridge, Italian forward Andrea Bargnani and LSU forward Tyrus Thomas are the top three players available according to most observers, but Colangelo has many other options.
He could use the salary cap money he has available to trade the pick for an established player, he could swap No.1 to move back a few notches and pick up a decent player already in the league, or he could determine that one of the players fits Toronto's needs so well in the next few years that he makes the selection.
Whatever happens, Colangelo is sure to become immensely popular among his peers.
"I don't know that there's going to be an inundation (of phone calls and offers) but I will say there are a lot ... of players people like at No.1," he said.
The likes of Aldridge and Thomas, as well as American collegians Rudy Gay of Connecticut and Adam Morrison of Gonzaga, are well known to most casual fans but the one name that keeps being linked to Toronto is Bargnani, a 7-footer with excellent shooting skills some have likened to Dallas Maverick all-star Dirk Nowitzki.
And with Colangelo about to add Maurizio Gherardini as his chief assistant — Gherardini is currently the general manager of perennial Italian powerhouse Benetton Treviso — talk of a package deal is sure to heat up.
"We are currently in the process of discussing the possibility of (Gherardini) coming to Toronto ... that should talk about the direction I want this (franchise) to go," said Colangelo. "There is no package deal right now but I can't rule out anything as we move forward."
Armed with No.1, Colangelo can now concentrate on far fewer players before the June 28 draft than he would have had Toronto remained at No.5 in the draft order. The general manager said he hadn't spoken personally to any of the likely top picks.
Yet.
"There are some players that I can tell you would be good fits (with Toronto), but we have a lot more work to do to try to figure out specifically who would be the best for us long term and short term," he said.
The Raptors, who finished the 2005-06 season with a 27-55 record — fifth-worst in the 30-team league — had only an 8.8 per cent chance of grabbing the top pick in the lottery among the 14 non-playoff teams.
Portland, which had the worst record in the league and a 25 per cent chance at keeping the No.1 selection, fell to No.4, while Chicago retained its second selection and Charlotte remained third. Atlanta moved back one slot to fifth.
Toronto also won the lottery in 1996, but because of their expansion agreement with the league they were not allowed to get the No.1 selection.