HoopsWorld.com: Should the Raptors fire Bryan Colangelo?

[isaacthompson]

He needs to be fired. We've been "rebuilding" for around 5 years. Simple as that.

[Garbo]

Honestly, I would love to see a new GM come in, and I would love to see it happen this upcoming season. With a draft that's looking incredibly strong, and a team that's looking incredibly mediocre, it's definitely time for a change. BC is only going to make "win now" moves at this stage, and we're not a "win now" team.
If we bring in a new guy I'm confident that he will assess the team and flip what he can for some long term assets. Lowry could become a first round pick for a team looking to take a step forward, Amir could be a crucial piece for a would-be contender.. I would love to have a GM who has the balls to admit that we're broken and that we need a drastic overhaul. That guy can't be BC.

[imaginelino]

Pick up the option and let him ride out his plan. After this year his plan would have moved into full circulation and judge him on the moves this summer and the performance next year. No sense in bringing a GM when he would already be hogtied because of committed salary and no wiggle room to make it his own team, without blowing it up completely which makes little sense in my opinion.

[mcHAPPY]

I disagree. I don't think that this article was an endorsement, but it does suggest that there is little reason to fire him. Firing Colangelo now is reactionary and not looking to the future IMO. His ability to swing deals is better than anyone we have had in the past, that those transactions have failed to get us beyond the first round of the playoffs is not his fault. All of his moves have been highly touted at the time. Once the rebuild took place he has done exactly what he needed to do, including this year! He traded the draft pick, t get a high quality PG who helps this team now. Its not like we were going to use that pick on anyone who would approach Lowry's abilities. Like everyone said earlier this year, we HAD to miss the playoffs this year to get that 1st rnd pick out of here on an off-year draft. This is an ideal situation. We have talent, we will have picks again.

The team is in a good position moving forward and now I want a GM who can make a deal to improve this team. BC is that guy.

The last comment really resonates with me; this franchise NEEDS stability. It has to happen. I'm fine with this current group. Leave it alone MLSE.

You should read Brotherston's Raptor chats on Mondays at HoopsWorld.com. It is essentially Matt and Leo/Jack talking pieces rehashed. There is not a single thought or idea that has not already been put out by the Raptors/MLSE. I don't mean to be disrespectful to Stephen Brotherston but whatever the Raptors/MLSE are selling, he is buying hand over fist of late. If the Raptors/MLSE really knew what they were doing, would we really be looking at the 5th consecutive year without a playoff berth and would this really have been the 7th best year in franchise history? This article was meant to be a "here is why Colangelo should stay" piece. Unfortunately, it only rehashes 7 years of errors with minimal successes with an end result of a 5 year playoff drought. In the quest for continuity the answer is not the person responsible for 7 years of upheaval.

There is a part of me that does want BC to stick it out for one more year but for just one reason: I really am curious to see what he does with Bargnani and, if he actually trades him, what will he get in return. After fooling a good portion of the fan base for years - me included! and probably himself - I want to see how BC ends it all.

[sleepz]

I like the comment about BC having no foresight. However, I don't think he just "takes shots in the dark". He obviously plans his moves with all sorts of metrics and complicated team-building philosophy, which dazzles corporate when delivered with all of his psycho-analysis b-ball philosophy speak.

Fact is, BC doesn't have the acumen, or the old-school cojones to make the right call, and wrangle winning deals. He's fluff pimped up as Super-executive.

+1

[c_bcm]

If this article was suppose to be an endorsement, it failed. If anything it might have erased any single doubt remaining on what the Raptors should do.

I disagree. I don't think that this article was an endorsement, but it does suggest that there is little reason to fire him. Firing Colangelo now is reactionary and not looking to the future IMO. His ability to swing deals is better than anyone we have had in the past, that those transactions have failed to get us beyond the first round of the playoffs is not his fault. All of his moves have been highly touted at the time. Once the rebuild took place he has done exactly what he needed to do, including this year! He traded the draft pick, t get a high quality PG who helps this team now. Its not like we were going to use that pick on anyone who would approach Lowry's abilities. Like everyone said earlier this year, we HAD to miss the playoffs this year to get that 1st rnd pick out of here on an off-year draft. This is an ideal situation. We have talent, we will have picks again.

The team is in a good position moving forward and now I want a GM who can make a deal to improve this team. BC is that guy.

The last comment really resonates with me; this franchise NEEDS stability. It has to happen. I'm fine with this current group. Leave it alone MLSE.

[white men can't jump]

All I want to know is how can someone who chooses such good suits be such an idiot?

Maybe he has a stylist?

[hotfuzz]

All I want to know is how can someone who chooses such good suits be such an idiot?

[white men can't jump]

I like the comment about BC having no foresight. However, I don't think he just "takes shots in the dark". He obviously plans his moves with all sorts of metrics and complicated team-building philosophy, which dazzles corporate when delivered with all of his psycho-analysis b-ball philosophy speak.

Fact is, BC doesn't have the acumen, or the old-school cojones to make the right call, and wrangle winning deals. He's fluff pimped up as Super-executive.

I don't know..his moves seem to have a "plan" or "purpose"...but they are clumsy and obvious....

-Team needs a C, makes a stupid trade sending Rasho and a 1st rd pick for JO. So traded a veteran starting C and a pick that turned into a young starting C (I know they wouldn't have taken Hibbert probably, but just saying), for a former all-star with a bad injury history.
-Team needs a shooter (or at least that's the thought), he goes out and overpays for Jason Kapono.
-Team needs a SF, he goes out and overpays for Turkoglu, who I don't know why any GM would think is a good fit next to Bosh and Bargnani. The team didn't need another pick and roll player who can't finish at the rim, they needed a defender and someone who could either shoot or slash very well.
-Team needs a PG, his fallback option ends up being far better in many ways than his primary option, which was to go sign a near-to-retirement former MVP to a 3 year, 30 + million contract...I love Nash and think we probably would have had a better team this year with him, but it would not have been a very smart move for the franchise in terms of building a team going forward. Every summer there'd be questions about whether he would/should retire and is being paid too much. Again, though it wouldn't be as cancerous, it's a lot like the Turkoglu signing, in the sense that Nash doesn't fit with the identity Casey was building or what the team really needs (barely an upgrade over Jose at this point, with the same strengths/weaknesses). Lowry, while his season has been frustrating, was always a more sensible choice with the coach/roster, a better choice for financial flexibility and has a higher chance of being a move that contributes to a long-term core.

*So I guess shots in the dark isn't the best analogy....It's more like he has horrible myopia and can only see the biggest, flashiest, most obvious thing to do, and that he just prays it works out. And if that fails, he goes to the next obvious move..

[Pele]

This is something that is at the core of why BC is an idiot. He screwed up the situation, just like Mitchell, who he should have just let walk, but he was too afraid of the impact on the franchise's image (I think). Just like he didn't seem sold on Mitchell as a coach, he didn't seem sold on Bosh as a franchise player. Yet not onlly did he keep him, he never even maximized his trade value when he had the chance, and again, it seemed to be mostly out of a fear of perception. BC simply has no foresight, which has to be a key quality in a good GM. He just takes shots in the dark and hopes to hit the bullseye, while also being afraid to make shakeups that come with PR risk.

I like the comment about BC having no foresight. However, I don't think he just "takes shots in the dark". He obviously plans his moves with all sorts of metrics and complicated team-building philosophy, which dazzles corporate when delivered with all of his psycho-analysis b-ball philosophy speak.

Fact is, BC doesn't have the acumen, or the old-school cojones to make the right call, and wrangle winning deals. He's fluff pimped up as Super-executive.

[white men can't jump]

I get what you're saying and agree but the author is campaining for stability in the office and coaching staff. I was pointing out we've had stability in the office we just cant have it anywhere else because he'll blame everyone else. its 2013 and its still Chris Bosh's Fault we're struggling. He never stopped to think that having a roster that relyied on one player was probably why he left in the first place.

This is something that is at the core of why BC is an idiot. He screwed up the situation, just like Mitchell, who he should have just let walk, but he was too afraid of the impact on the franchise's image (I think). Just like he didn't seem sold on Mitchell as a coach, he didn't seem sold on Bosh as a franchise player. Yet not onlly did he keep him, he never even maximized his trade value when he had the chance, and again, it seemed to be mostly out of a fear of perception. BC simply has no foresight, which has to be a key quality in a good GM. He just takes shots in the dark and hopes to hit the bullseye, while also being afraid to make shakeups that come with PR risk.

[Dino4life]

I just meant that stability starts with the roster. If a GM can't put together a roster he thinks can compete for more than one season, he shouldn't be a GM. BC has never stuck to any plan or core of players...except Bargnani, who he has defended and stuck with for far too long. Sigh...what a travesty of a situation....

I get what you're saying and agree but the author is campaining for stability in the office and coaching staff. I was pointing out we've had stability in the office we just cant have it anywhere else because he'll blame everyone else. its 2013 and its still Chris Bosh's Fault we're struggling. He never stopped to think that having a roster that relyied on one player was probably why he left in the first place.

[special1]

I dont get the Conclusion, "This team has enjoyed little continuity over its 18 year history; it’s time for some stability in both the executive and coaching ranks" Because 7 years is not stability ? He's been the GM for 40% of the franchise's history ? which other GM can say that ?and we have been stable, steadily mediocre, the whole point is we dont want to be that anymore.

When have we been mediocre? We've missed the playoffs for 5 straight years....we're a a lottery team under collangelo OR a first round exit......we dont wanna suck anymore! Mediocre is a step up from where we are IMO!

[white men can't jump]

And who chooses the core ? the same guy that's been there for 7 years, so if you keep him for another 7 what do you think we're gonna get, the same thing, steadily mediocre, if they pick up his option but dont extend him, what do you think is gonna happen between july 1st and the trade deadline ?

I just meant that stability starts with the roster. If a GM can't put together a roster he thinks can compete for more than one season, he shouldn't be a GM. BC has never stuck to any plan or core of players...except Bargnani, who he has defended and stuck with for far too long. Sigh...what a travesty of a situation....

[octothorp]

It's tough to want him fired, because my gut tells me no GM with half a brain takes that job this offseason.

That said, if ownership is willing to only fire him (as in, retain the rest of the management structure), and then put Stefanski at the top even in the interim for a year or two until it's more attractive to look for a new guy, I'd be ok with that.

As much as I don't think BC has any clue what he's doing building a team...He makes moves all the time because he builds a team with no real strategy....I do think he has improved the general makeup of the organization. I don't want all that to fall apart just because they want to fire him.

Yeah, I like that: give Stefanski the reigns now, but I'd give him the directive of letting the current core the opportunity to succeed as assembled, and if they don't look like a solid playoff team by mid-season, then blow up the roster, move guys for expirings and picks/prospects, and aim for a high draft pick. This team should either be in the playoffs next (and not just sneaking in but a solid six seed or better), or a team drafting in the top 8. Barely missing or barely making the playoffs are the unacceptable outcomes.