Good Bye Garbo, Hello Who?

If you are a regular reader of this blog the news that the Raptors are planning to buy-out the last year of Jorge Garbajosa contract should not have been a shock. I said I felt this would happen as far back as 5 or 6 months ago. When Bryan Colangelo said that Jorge would not play for Spain in the upcoming Olympics if he was on the Raptor roster was a big tip off to anyone paying attention. I picked up on it right away.

The question that will jump to some Raptor fans minds is what will this mean as far as Jose Calderon. Well from the stand point of his contract status it will mean NOTHING. If Jose was completed pissed off with the Raptor Organization for giving Garbo the gate it would not matter. The Restricted free agent Calderon can only sign an offer sheet with another team but if the Raptors match it he is a Raptor. It really is that simple and not to many things in the CBA are that cut and dry. Before Morris Peterson became a Hornet last season he had signed an offer sheet with them when he was a restricted free agent which was matched by Rob Babcock the G.M at that time. Bryan Colangelo is on the record saying he will match any offer for Calderon and based on the number of T.J Ford trade rumours that plan has not changed. You have to think this possibility was made aware to Jose that his friend may not be back with the Raptors. What does he think about it?Only he knows. This may be in part why he made his attention of wanting/demanding to be the starting point guard known in the media. Whatever the case Calderon being back with the Raptors will have nothing to do with Garbajosa not being with them.

Garbo made some bad choices that have left him in this spot. I don’t hold any ill will towards the guy. But the fact remains if he had have listened to the Raptors medical staff he may not be in the spot he is now. If he does decide to play in the Olympics in China it may be an audition for him to save his NBA Career. If he performs well some team may take a chance on him and at least invite him to training camp in the fall. I think as I have said in the past that Garbo was a borderline player as far as athletic ability and his injury has made him to a point that he is now not athletic enough to compete on a NBA level. Hopefully I am wrong and he gets another chance because he is a very nice guy from all I could tell in his time here. But at the end of the day he has to look at himself as the cause of his misfortune.  

If it was only so simple to figure out what the Raptors are doing as relates to the draft I would be a happy man. However no such clues I have found or anyone else that I have seen. I don’t think anyone can even say if the Raptors will remain at the 17 spot in the draft. I think right up to the draft this will be the case as Raptors could move up or out of the Draft altogether if the right deal comes along. There is also the fact they seem to be scouting a lot of players that are pegged for the second round of the draft. Seems odd on the surface considering they do not currently hold a 2nd round pick in the draft.

If the is a front runner based on who we know the Raptors have seen, I guess it is Robin Lopez but I have heard mixed reviews on Lopez and am not that sold on him myself. Chris Douglas-Roberts is the other likely choice based on who the Raptors have publicly acknowledged seeing. But I am thinking there is some private workouts going on. I have no idea with who but I just get the feeling the Raptors are hiding something as far as the draft goes. Bryan Colangelo is a highly skilled G.M and I would not be surprised about anything he would be able to pull off. Only 12 days to wait and see what the Raptors are up too.

If you were a fan of the Colorado 14ers based on their association with the Raptors time to throw away your Jersey. The Idaho Stampede will now be your team in the D-league. The Raptors have been exploring the idea of having their own D-league franchise much like the Lakers and Spurs have done. The home for that team would likely be in Hamilton, Ontario if they eventually do this. Obviously being a native of Hamilton I would welcome that. But for now Idaho will be the place any Raptors who are demoted to D-League will be heading. The Portland Trailblazers also will share the affiliation with the Raptors. Idaho were the D-league Champions this past season.

I am sure short of the D-League we will be talking about all these issues on Monday for the Raptors Off season Hotstove Live Blog. So get your questions ready and between Mark and Myself we will do are best to answer them. Speaking of Mark I am not in the habit of doing shout outs as part of the blog. But I did want to wish Mark a Happy Birthday. He has been a big help to me with a lot of things and the Live Blogs we are starting would be hard to pull off without him. So Happy Birthday Mark.

Tags: Bryan Colangelo, Jorge Garbajosa, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Robin Lopez, Raptors Draft 08, D-League, Colorado 14ers, Idaho Stampede, Portland Trailblazers