Quote from Toronto Sun Article on Raptors..

[SwiZz]

The Raptors' overall payroll should be down about $5 million after the 2005/06 season. And in two years, when the team's most cumbersome contracts expire, including the $33 million owed to Jalen Rose, Babcock actually might be in the position to sign a high profile free agent.

And is there a higher profile free agent, at least to Toronto fans, than home-grown NBA star Jamaal Magloire? The New Orleans Hornets centre will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2006/07 season and has made noise about wanting to finish his career in his hometown.

And just like Eric Lindros, Jason Allison and Jeff O'Neill, Magloire would probably accept less than maximum money to play in his hometown.

Babcock can't comment on players under contract to other teams, but if Magloire was to come to Toronto and play along side Chris Bosh, imagine the Raptors' frontcourt. On top of that, Villanueva, Calderon and Graham would all have two NBA seasons under their belts.

By then, the Raptors will actually be a good team, possibly a great team.

This may seem sacrileges, but perhaps Babcock is not such a bumbler after all.

Mmmm, i'm willing to suck for the next 2 seasons to be in a great financial position 2 years down the road.

[Headhunter]

Magloire is above average, but he isn't enough to turn around the team. The likely loss of Rose and other veterans won't help either, unless the Raptors draft quality replacements...

[gilboman]

Maglorie is an above average center but not a star. i would hate to see us get financial flexibilty and waste it on an over the hill big man on his last legs just because he's from TO.

Maglorie is not worth spending big money on, especially not 2years down the road when he will be old and skills decline even more than now.

[SwiZz]

Maglorie is an above average center but not a star. i would hate to see us get financial flexibilty and waste it on an over the hill big man on his last legs just because he's from TO.

Maglorie is not worth spending big money on, especially not 2years down the road when he will be old and skills decline even more than now.

oh definitely. I wouldn't agree with giving him a huge-ass salary.....but if its for a rough average, then hey i wouldn't mind. and i dont think he'd be askign toronto for millions, cause there's no way in hell he'd be getting it in the first place.

its true though, when we lost veterans it will hurt......but hopefully with free agency, we could pickup a few good ones to go along with mo pete, and bosh, and by that time villaneuva/grahm/calderon will have 2 years under their belt...

and ukic will be joining them too

[bluetroll]

they'll need to sign bosh to a long extension.

[Mariano_Deals]

they'll need to sign bosh to a long extension.


You are soo right about that Bosh is what you need to build around now and they just have to be smart when it comes to the draft, just keep Babcock away from that!!

The new PG Calderon is going to be Rookie of the year, Mark my words!

[sorceress]

the raps definitely need a better centre, arujo (spelling?) can not get the job done at all..
almost all successful team have a good centre:

spurs: TD
miami: SHAQ
houston: YAO
dallas: DIRT

[rdtx2002]

funny you forget Detroit

[krispy]

Raps will be fine with a mediocre centre. They have problems at all positions other than PF. Phoenix changed things around without a centre. Also Dirk is PF not a centre.

[sorceress]

funny you forget Detroit

oops
yea we have the double walls

[gillianchung]

wait!!! give me the percentage of drafting a magloire-quality center starter in each of the last 3 years.

not very high.

if babcock thinks magloire isn't good enough, then we better get the first overall pick next year. without a true good center, and we all know araujo isn't one....then we're doomed.

if he thinks drafting an Amare in the draft is fairly easy, we can wait forever just like Chicago, Clippers or the Hawks. Or just like Chicago, we'll draft someone like Curry who is good but HATES the team.

Don't sh$t on Magloire. He'll be great with Bosh. And he wants to be here. Just like Lindros is with the Leafs. Bring him home.

[gillianchung]

Raps will be fine with a mediocre centre. They have problems at all positions other than PF. Phoenix changed things around without a centre. Also Dirk is PF not a centre.

do you know a guy named Amare Stoudamire? Not a legit center, but a damn fine one.

[gillianchung]

Magloire is above average, but he isn't enough to turn around the team. The likely loss of Rose and other veterans won't help either, unless the Raptors draft quality replacements...

=( Can you tell me how many points we lose with Rose playing defense.

Do you know when he scores 20, he gives up 30 points? =(

Oh man.

You know how much Rose is being paid and his % towards the cap? He's paid more than VC and plays worse D than VC.

Oh man.

I hope Babcock isn't thinking like you. Losing Rose is a god-send.

In business terms, he's the worst type of player you can have on a team.
Maybe he's exciting and all that (I would be if I was making 14 millions per), but he's not a right fit for us at all.

Veterans like....say Alvin Williams who sadly is crippled (and won't play as well as he did even if he came back). Veterans say Aaron Williams who doesn't really do much crap at all? Veterans like Eric Williams who really don't want to be here (I don't care what he said in the summer about liking it again and crap, it's just media foam)?

Here's what I like: Mo Pete, Bosh, Bonner, Sow, Grambo, CV, Woods (cheap contract, good work ethic, no BS, young, just poor skills., perfect 3rd string)
Here's what I'm not sure about: Calderon, Roko Ukic
Should not resign: Williams all 3, Mike Jones, Araujo
Who should leave immediately for expiring contracts and hopefully get 1st overall pick this year because we'll be such a bad team: Jalen Rose

[krispy]

do you know a guy named Amare Stoudamire? Not a legit center, but a damn fine one.

What I'm saying is that Phoenix didn't go out and get a true centre to fill that position, they changed their style of play. No reason Raps need to look for the next Olajuwon ;) when teams like Dallas and Phoenix can make due.

[Anessa]

Raps will be fine with a mediocre centre. They have problems at all positions other than PF. Phoenix changed things around without a centre. Also Dirk is PF not a centre.

yeah but Phoenix has the ultimate equalizer in the MVP- Steve Nash

[sorceress]

yeah but Phoenix has the ultimate equalizer in the MVP- Steve Nash

MVP got owned by the spurs and duncan tho..