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Toronto Raptors Pre-Season Press Conference

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  • Toronto Raptors Pre-Season Press Conference

    (Each link takes you to the video at NBA.com)

    Part 1


    Short contracts, lots of 1 year deals.
    Sticking to plan of flexibility and develop young talent - get as many minutes as possible.
    Guys have to earn minutes.
    Focus is to get better defensively.
    Cheesy 2011-12 marketing campaign: We're not rebuilding, we're building.
    Year of evaluation of guys currently on the roster.
    $10-20M cap flexibility next year.


    Part 2
    http://www.nba.com/raptors/video/pla...ia-availaility

    Kleiza is about 1-2 months out... maybe.
    No backup SF, no third PG, just 4 bigs - another needed, at least.
    Lots of minutes this year due to schedule.
    Not a lot of practice time - unfortunately.
    Can't get in to zone defensive systems until man defense is taught.
    Games may be considered practices, same with shoot arounds.
    Players in good shape, ready to go, excited.


    Part 3


    Casey talks defense.
    BC talks JV fiasco this week.
    Steffi talks JV.


    Part4
    http://www.nba.com/raptors/video/201...ESSER4-1927853

    BC talks expectations... they have none.
    Unlikely to use amnesty.
    BC motto: hit the ground running in 2012-13.
    Deep draft - good picks in the middle.



    Kelly: Raptors set bar as low as it can go

    Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo’s first chance to reintroduce himself to the city on Wednesday was a model of rhetorical economy.

    Somehow, he managed to combine both his ‘Hellos’ and ‘Goodbyes’ to the 2011-12 season in one half-hour presser.

    This is no longer a “rebuilding” team. It’s a “building” team. That clever piece of sophistry was coach Dwane Casey’s idea. It sounds better, but amounts to exactly the same thing.

    The Raptors will view the coming season as an extended training camp and will sit tight until last year’s lottery pick, Jonas Valanciunas, arrives and is joined by a second touted rookie — one as yet to be determined — in 2012-13.

    By that time, Colangelo believes he’ll have $10-20 million in free-agent mad money, which confirms what everybody already knew — that he has no intention of using the amnesty clause in the new CBA to dump salary until next summer.

    The upside to all this?

    The Raptors plan to be tougher minded as a group. Casey spoke of instilling a “pack-it-in, zone-it-up” defensive scheme that amounts to building barricades up the middle. They promise to work harder, which is the sort of thing the last guy you want for the job is always promising.

    Like developers holding waterfront property (which they sort of are), the Raptors are inviting fans to buy in cheap before the crowds start showing up.

    The (rest of the) downside?

    They aren’t holding out little hope of win-loss success. They’re holding out none.

    Someone asked Colangelo to define what a “successful” season would mean to this team.

    “To put ourselves in the position to hit the ground running the following season, that will be deemed a success,” he said in part.

    You hear that sound? That was the sound of a dozen Christmas bonuses evaporating into nothingness at MLSE’s group-sales division.

    Though he was precluded from talking specifically about additions to the thinned roster, Colangelo made it clear that there will be no surprise splashes on the Tyson Chandlers of the world.

    Whatever human gristle is used to pad out this roster will be exactly that.

    “To say that we’re going to race out and sign someone to a significant contract is probably not the case, unless it’s a one-year deal. We have contemplated a few of those scenarios, or acquiring a player in a trade with a one-year scenario,” Colangelo said.

    They’ve only got nine healthy bodies under contract. But it would be wrong to think of the Raptors as buyers. They’re renters. Short-term, with easily breakable leases and no damage deposit.

    “I actually feel kind of sorry for Dwane,” Colangelo said later with a sympathetic smile. Casey, who’s not much of a grinner, didn’t smile back. Colangelo was talking about the grinding schedule, but it worked as a pretty decent blanket apology for the next four months.

    Casey, the former Dallas assistant, was at pains to praise the team’s offensive capability, before getting down to the nub of it — that everything will have to change.

    Like defensive toddlers, the Raptors will first have to be taught Casey’s man-to-man system before they get to that zone set-up he wants.

    That’s problematic, since a full course of learning is nearly impossible given the shortness of training camp, the onerousness of the schedule and the near absence of off-days for full-speed practices.

    “A lot of games, sad to say, are going to be practices,” Casey said.

    You hear that other sound? That was everybody in group sales clicking the “Part Time Jobs” tab at Craigslist.

    Nonetheless, this was all delivered with an upbeat air. Having emerged from the fog of Chris Bosh’s rejection, the Raptors brain trust is ac-cen-tu-ating the many youthful positives. Given the draft and free-agent bonanza beckoning next summer, and given that everybody on the dais Wednesday is contracted through next season, they have every reason to look forward hopefully.

    Fans who must live (and pay) in the present may feel less enthused.

    This is going to be the sort of year enjoyed by monks, masochists and those who believe that pleasure is heightened in the long-term by a good deal of pain up front.
    Source: TheStar.com



    Doug Smith

    What about the Raptors?

    They have a couple of their own free agents to worry about but it looks increasingly unlikely that either Reggie Evans or Julian Wright are remotely in the future plans. But never say never.

    On the flip side, president and general manager Bryan Colangelo said Wednesday he’d like to find a small forward, a third point guard and a fourth big man to fill out a roster that’s now only got 10 players on it.

    But the good news is that almost all 10 are back in town and ready to start — Linas Kleiza’s still on the shelf — after DeMar DeRozan arrived for some pre-camp workouts at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday.
    Source: TheStar.com
    Last edited by mcHAPPY; Thu Dec 8, 2011, 05:38 PM.

  • #2
    are those the full videos?

    Comment


    • #3
      Now that was sorta depressing. No movement at all. Wish he said something about trading for acquisition of a draft choice. Casey should actually use the games for teaching and nevermind the score. eff it. And at the end of it if our pick is 2-3 lower than our finishing position (like this past one) I am going to get very very very angry.

      Comment


      • #4
        Bendit wrote: View Post
        Now that was sorta depressing. No movement at all. Wish he said something about trading for acquisition of a draft choice. Casey should actually use the games for teaching and nevermind the score. eff it. And at the end of it if our pick is 2-3 lower than our finishing position (like this past one) I am going to get very very very angry.
        Short term yes, very depressing in terms of the win/loss record.

        However if the plan goes accordingly, it will be fun to watch the evolution of this team.

        Last year, record wise, was one of the worst in franchise history but I, personally, enjoyed the games more than any season since 2006/2007.

        The naysayers can call it BryCo flavoured Kool-Aid but I truly believe big things will happen for the Raptors prior to the 2012-13 season.

        Comment


        • #5
          Hearing him repeatedly talk about how good the draft is is pretty exciting.
          @sweatpantsjer

          Comment


          • #6
            Bendit wrote: View Post
            Now that was sorta depressing. No movement at all. Wish he said something about trading for acquisition of a draft choice. Casey should actually use the games for teaching and nevermind the score. eff it. And at the end of it if our pick is 2-3 lower than our finishing position (like this past one) I am going to get very very very angry.
            If BC did have plans to trade for draft picks he would not mention it. His preference would be to find some GM at the trade deadline that has to make the playoffs to keep his job, who would suggest a draft pick for one of the Raptors players. Then BC could stammer and hesitate, and say "Well, maybe if you give me that young SF you have sitting on the bench as a throw in."

            Comment


            • #7
              I think that its pretty obvious from that news conference that the raptors will not be signing any big name free agent. Its also obvious they are going to get a SF, a C, and a PG probably to one year deals, all of them cheap. They can go for guys like Magloire, Pryzbilla, Brown, and overpay if the contract is just for one year. We have a lot more free cap space than the heat for example and money does talk. I'm excited, I like the idea of protecting the paint more, rather than being aggressive and going for steals (as was Jay Triano's approach) I think that mightve contributed to people blowing buy calderon so much last year, itll make it so that our PG can keep players in front of him, and the help will be in a better position to collapse as defenders.

              It was just so nice to see interviews of players, can't wait for the season to start!
              "Defense wins championships."

              Comment


              • #8
                Roll out the...

                “The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.” - Martin Luther King

                Comment


                • #9
                  If he lands M'Bah a Moute though, I'll be very happy!!!
                  “The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.” - Martin Luther King

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Best line of the night? Winning games...."it's not it the cards this year". I love it. Can't wait to get my tickets . Btw, as they're hammering out the last parts of the cba, does anyone think they'll raise the draft age just as we're headed for the top pick? Yes, groan, it's the raptors draft conspiracy.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Players I'd like to see us get in free agency:

                      PG- Delonte West, Carlos Arroyo, Mario Chalmers, or even Mike Bibby depending on what his price is.

                      SF- Not too much available here ... Grant hill? Mbah a moute?

                      C- Kwame Brown, Joel Pryzbilla, Jamal Magloire, Jason Collins

                      Guys that can help bring in a defensive mind set, play solid minutes, and bring some experience to the table.
                      "Defense wins championships."

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        balls of steel wrote: View Post
                        roll out the...

                        lol
                        "Defense wins championships."

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Jclaw wrote: View Post
                          Best line of the night? Winning games...."it's not it the cards this year". I love it. Can't wait to get my tickets . Btw, as they're hammering out the last parts of the cba, does anyone think they'll raise the draft age just as we're headed for the top pick? Yes, groan, it's the raptors draft conspiracy.
                          Chad Ford on twitter saying the age will stay at 19 for this year with a committee reviewing if should change in future.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            We all remember how many years the Maple Leafs were bad after they came back? That's because they didn't prepare for the new system, were stuck with overpaid, mediocre veterans, and gave away draft picks instead of scooping up as many lottery picks as possible.

                            The NBA system will ramp up gradually. It's not what happens this year, it's what happens 2,3 years down the line when the cap crushes teams that didn't prepare for the hit. This "building" sucks, but it's a solid strategy.
                            Last edited by blackjitsu; Thu Dec 8, 2011, 03:46 AM.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              National Post: Notable quotes from yesterday press conference

                              Toronto Raptors President and general manager Bryan Colangelo, executive vice-president of basketball operations Ed Stefanski and head coach Dwane Casey addressed the media on Wednesday. Here were some of their thoughts:

                              “I think you’re going to go out and you’re going to see a team that fights every night. And if they don’t fight, they’re probably not going to be playing. It’s going to be a group that we [expect] a lot of.” — Colangelo

                              “We’re going to do everything we can to fight. If we somehow get to the playoffs that will be a great story and we’ll all be talking about that. And you know what? Even if we get to the playoffs and you’re drafting 15 or 16, you’re going to get a good player in this draft. It’s a very deep pool.” — Colangelo, on the draft

                              “The growth of these young players and the opportunity that they’re going to have to play night in and night out against the best talent out there, that’s all positive. To put ourselves in position to hit the ground running in the following season, that will be deemed a success.” — Colangelo, on the goals of this season and the future

                              “I would not say that signing or re-signing any of those individuals has become a key priority.” — Colangelo, on Raptors free agents Reggie Evans, Alexis Ajinca and Julian Wright

                              “The downside is we’re not going to have a lot of practice time. And I think with a young team you need that, to instill a new system and new defensive philosophy. We talk about putting in a zone [defence], we can’t even go to that part until we get our man-to-man down. A lot of the games, sad to say, are going to be practice. We’re going to treat our shoot-arounds as practice sessions to get those in.” — Casey, on the compressed schedule

                              “The difference between last year and this year is we want to have a protect-the-paint mentality more so than getting out and pressuring the passing lanes to where you open up straight line drives to the basket, whether it’s in transition or half-court play. Along those lines too is instilling some zone defence that takes advantage of some of our length, some of our size [in the frontcourt] and also hides some of our weaknesses, too. More of a pack-it-in, zone-it-up type mentality is what we want to do.” — Casey, on defence

                              “To change culture is tough. To get guys who are good offensive players to buy in is tough. To instill that, it’s tough to become a good defensive team. We have a lot of work to do.” — Casey

                              “To have a 7-footer like that with that kind of personality is unusual. Usually 7-footers and big men are reserved. But this kid shows a lot of energy, is a great leader on the court. He plays with a lot of enthusiasm. There are things he’s going to have to improve on. But it’s not the worst thing in the world for him to play [in Lithuania] another year against men.” — Stefanski, on 2011 first-round pick Jonas Valanciunas

                              “He is ready to play basketball. He played in an exhibition game a few weeks back. Reports out of that were fairly good.” — Colangelo, on Amir Johnson coming off of ankle surgery
                              Source: Eric Koreen, National Post

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