<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Here are five that would make up my list, counting down from five: # Trading Vince Carter: Yes, he had to go. No, he didn?t have to go then. It was a panic move and panic never works. # Signing Hakeem Olajuwon: Three years was one year too many, and $18 million was about half again too much. Oh, and they forgot to ask him if he hated playing for Lenny Wilkens. He did. # Drafting Rafael Araujo: I know, kicking a dead horse and all. But, really. Come on. They knew Vince had to go and what better insurance than the guy who went No. 9. # Hiring Lenny Wilkens: Another panic hire. Sure, the team had its best success with him coaching, but it was residue of Butch Carter; just check out what happened after. There had to have been a hungry, young, capable coach out there who should have at least had an interview. # Hiring Kevin O?Neill: About the last time this franchise needed was a volatile, inexperienced, former assistant coach. So, what?d they hire? A volatile, inexperienced, former assistant coach. They went cheap and paid the price. It cost Glen Grunwald his job (I still say in a moment of true honesty he?d say Mike Woodson was his guy, but he was over-ruled) and set the team back a year when it could least afford it. That?s No. 1, without a doubt, on my list of do-overs and mistakes. Dishonourable mention from the early years: Firing Brendan Malone (he could get wins from stiffs); hiring Darrell Walker (a waste of a season and a half) and drafting Michael Bradley (field goal percentage in college means nothing).</div> Source
I'd put the Araujo pick down at #4 and move the Olajuwon signing up to #2. Araujo was a horrible pick, but it was a weak draft outside the top 5-6 prospects and we've messed up a lot of picks. Olajuwon was overpaid and was given too many years for no particular reason. He delayed gave no flexibility for a team that had huge injury problems and delayed the rebuilding process. The timing was brutal.
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I'd put the Araujo pick down at #4 and move the Olajuwon signing up to #2. Araujo was a horrible pick, but it was a weak draft outside the top 5-6 prospects and we've messed up a lot of picks. Olajuwon was overpaid and was given too many years for no particular reason. He delayed gave no flexibility for a team that had huge injury problems and delayed the rebuilding process. The timing was brutal.</div> Hoff, really wasn't that huge of a mistake. I mean, of course it turned out to be. But he did play decent in college, he had a huge 6'11 frame, and was reputed as being a banger. If he didn't turn out to be THAT crappy (hell, someone who could stay in the game without fouling out in 5 minutes), we really wouldn't be bashing the pick as much. Of course we could have had iggy, but it wasn't that stupid at the time; as a GM looking in on the situation. Atleast imo, considering Bosh is most effective at PF, and he vocally said that he didn't want to play center, and only would if he had to. And he was fast becoming the franchise player.
I would'nt say that trading Vince was one of the worst moves...I'd say the trade itself was horrible. If we got somethign in return...an actual player or something, it wouldnt have been such a bad move.
I agree that the Hakeem signing was bad, but it wasn't THAT bad. Considering the kind of money teams are throwing around at below-average players, $6mill/yr for 3 years isn't really terrible. Yes he was well past his prime, but he was still one of the greatests to ever play the game and could've provided a ton of playoff experience and added depth to the front court. The only real problem with the contract was that it was one year too long, but I don't think that warrants putting it as #4 on the list. Imo, it was probably only the third worst contract handed out that off season.
Regarding the Araujo draft, it was bad, but I think at that point everyone wanted a center to let Bosh play at PF, and Vince hadn't demanded a trade yet. If Vince was going to stay and we drafted Iggy, it would have been still better than drafting Araujo, but Iggy would have only played some minutes behind Vince at SG and some behind Mo Pete at SF. There would be like 20 mpg available max. But yea that list probably represents the 5 biggest mess ups. I'd say the Vince trade should be #3, Olajuwon #4, Hoffa #5.
My question is: How does signing Alvin Williams, JYD, and AD to long-term mega deals not make that list? I understand that it would have been great had it worked out and i loved it at the time (i was too young to know any better). Those signings crippled our cap for a few years. We did make the playoffs a few times and they did perform well at the start, but those guys were all past their prime by the end of their deals and were liabilities. This wasn't always clear cut b/c they weren't always on our team, but we traded for guys (like Jalen) who basically took the place of those bad contracts on our books. I guess you could say on the flip side that those signings allowed us to keep vince around longer and show him we were serious about winning.
<div class="quote_poster">a13x Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">My question is: How does signing Alvin Williams, JYD, and AD to long-term mega deals not make that list? I understand that it would have been great had it worked out and i loved it at the time (i was too young to know any better). Those signings crippled our cap for a few years. We did make the playoffs a few times and they did perform well at the start, but those guys were all past their prime by the end of their deals and were liabilities. This wasn't always clear cut b/c they weren't always on our team, but we traded for guys (like Jalen) who basically took the place of those bad contracts on our books. I guess you could say on the flip side that those signings allowed us to keep vince around longer and show him we were serious about winning.</div> Yep, that's what I was saying. It's not fair to single out the Hakeem signing when it was all those signings combined during that offseason that caused such turmoil. Had he been signed any other year, I'm sure it wouldn't have been THAT big of a deal.
^^ I guess the difference between the JYD and Alvin Williams signings, is that JYD contributed during his entire stay as a Raptor. Alvin was productive for a while until he had to get knee surgery. (It was unforseen that Alvin was going to be injured) Hakeem was old, even if he played for us he wasn't going to be very productive. And the chances of him retiring is pretty high. He was 38 1/2 when he signed with Toronto and he had missed 24+ games each of his last 4 seasons.
I'm pretty much with a13x. Alvin Williams has not done anything significant in the last few years because of injuries. And even at full potential, he's a bit overpaid. He floats in between point guard/shooting guard position, but being a shooting guard's size and not really being a true point guard in instinct. It almost reeks of overpaying somebody like an old Aaron Mckie who is not that sixth man of the year type player and having him not really that great at shooting guard or point guard. Araujo is a mistake, but in the 2004 draft who else was there? I suppose if Toronto did not focus on getting bigger they could have won something to replace Vinsanity with if they had picked Dorrell Wright/J.R. Smith/or Josh Smith/or Tony Allen. But being a late lotto pick, it's hard to choose that late in the draft because a team is weighing between high ceiling/low floor, high floor/low ceiling. Even if a guy like J.R. Smith seems like a worldbeater in high school, he may not be jack once he reaches the pros. But I can't help but think that maybe if the Raptors tried to pursue an Isiah Thomas type draft pick, they would have found their high flying swingman that could attract more fans outside of Toronto into watchin the Raptors. I mean Vince Carter was very popular outside of Toronto/Canada. I think they could use another player like that in addition to Chris Bosh. They could use it as means to attract better free agents. Like Shaq wanting to join Miami because of D-wade's ability as an inside/outside shooting guard with passing instincts.
^About who was there to pick in the 04 draft other than Rafael..Iguodala was sitting right there really..I'm shocked they didn't pick him.
How about the 1999 Draft? we drafted Bender at 5- missed out on Wally, Rip Hamilton, Andre Miller, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry... Then drafted Radojevic at 12- missed out on Maggette, Artest, and AK47 iknow i know, we got antonio for bender...How about Antonios contract when he was thinking of going to the Bulls...we should have let him go. Not trading Tracy McGrady,very bad....
