What's More Important...

[ABM]

...making the all-star game......or something more team-related?

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/basketball/2009/08/08/10398621-sun.html

Hedo Turkoglu, who was acquired by the Raptors on July 9 in a sign-and- trade deal involving four teams, told the Turkish newspaper Zaman recently that his primary goal for this 2009-10 NBA season is to make the all-star team.

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/51966232.html?cmpid=15585797

(Andre Miller)"....I went into that (Philly) situation and pretty much proved the critics wrong. I helped the team get to the playoffs and definitely could have helped the team get to the second round - we were close to getting to the second round for 2 years.

"So, I can't worry about what's going on off the court as far as critics, or whether it was a good or bad move. I think people will see that I'm a hard worker and I definitely make people better, I make people around me better."

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I think making the all-star game would mean a lot more to the Toronto Turkish community.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

Well, until the All-Star game isn't just a giant popularity contest, then it won't mean shit.

I really think they should make the all-star game mean something, somehow. Problem is, I dunno how they'd do it, really. I liked MLB's idea, but I just don't think it would for the NBA. Suggestions?

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm so much happier to have Dre on the team than Hedo ... the fact that KP pursued them in what I consider an ass-backward order baffles me, but I'm glad he didn't get what he wanted.

 

[ironcrotch]

Granted its nice to read into what Dre said versus Hedo. I think it's too hard to compare these two guys and their current situations. Hedo is 30 and is at his peak of his career coming from his best season of his career and Dre is 33 going toward the later years of his career going to a team to provide vet exp. Two different perspectives on where they are.

 

[Minstrel]

Hedo is 30 and is at his peak of his career coming from his best season of his career and Dre is 33 going toward the later years of his career going to a team to provide vet exp.

Actually, despite their ages, Miller was coming off two of his best seasons while Turkoglu wasn't. Turkoglu had some great games in the playoffs, but his overall season was very average.

 

[Idog1976]

I'm so much happier to have Dre on the team than Hedo ... the fact that KP pursued them in what I consider an ass-backward order baffles me, but I'm glad he didn't get what he wanted.

I know the Hedo thing utterly baffled me as well. Thank god it fell through and we picked up Miller. Miller was so much better then Hedo last year (PER and running his team) it's ridiculous. Hedo had an amazing playoff run in a contract year but put up a below average PER, Miller put up an above average PER and had a fantastic season and playoffs. The difference was D-Ho wasn't suspended in Orlando at the moment of the incident and Miller's team folded on him in a must win game.

 

[Tyler_Hansbrough]

I am SO glad we didn't get Hedon't

 

[Sug]

That depends, did I already sign my max deal with a terrible team?

 

[SheedSoNasty]

Getting Hedo for the contract we offered him would have been bad news, IMHO. Having him bail on us will be a blessing down the road when he's still shooting 41% and not playing defense.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Granted its nice to read into what Dre said versus Hedo. I think it's too hard to compare these two guys and their current situations. Hedo is 30 and is at his peak of his career coming from his best season of his career and Dre is 33 going toward the later years of his career going to a team to provide vet exp. Two different perspectives on where they are.

I suppose that is one way to look at the two players, but frankly I think Hedo hit his peak at about 28 or 29 and showed considerable dropoff from his high-water mark two years ago. Miller on the other hand had one of his best seasons as a pro (the past two years in fact) and if you look at career minutes played Miller might not be quite as "old" as his age suggests, 29K minutes and ten NBA seasons isn't exactly young, but because he started rather late at 23 years old and has had such great durability throughout his career I'm not as worried about a sudden and precipitous decline as some might be. Time -- as always -- will tell.

In any case 5 years 50+ million for Hedo vs. 2 years 14 million (3 years 22 million unguaranteed) for Miller sure looks a helluva lot more in Miller's favor; at least in terms of being able to live up to his contract.

 

[anonymous gambler]

I think turkeyglue is very overrated. The point guard position was much more of a need for us than small forward since we have at least three young guys with serious upside at small forward- Batum, Webster, Outlaw and maybe Rudy.

At point, Miller turns the position into a strength by moving Blake to a backup.

 

[Idog1976]

I think turkeyglue is very overrated. The point guard position was much more of a need for us than small forward since we have at least three young guys with serious upside at small forward- Batum, Webster, Outlaw and maybe Rudy.

At point, Miller turns the position into a strength by moving Blake to a backup.

Absolutely, this isn't brought up enough about Miller. He makes Blake a backup PG which is exactly what Blake is. I am horrified at the thought of Blake as a starter playing starter minutes. I am however, downright gleeful to have him as a backup PG.

Turkoglu would have just taken minutes from future starters like Batum. I would much rather see Batum play 30 to see if he continues his thus far amazing development considering age and experience then watch Hedo star sink yet further into the blackness of the horizon.

Unfortunately for us, Miller isn't taking minutes away from an exciting PG prospect. I used to think Bayless might be the answer, but now I would rather see him moved for a true PG prospect. We will see how Brandon and Miller mesh. If they work well together then someone in the mold of Flynn or Sessions might be in order. I still have a fantasy about us getting Conley, please don't ruin that fantasy for me...

 

[Natebishop3]

Minstrel and I have been campaigning for Miller all season. I was psyched when we picked him up. I was hoping to also sign a decent backup power forward too, but I can live with what we've got. I'd like to see how Pender and Cunningham do in the preseason.

 

[andalusian]

The "all-star team" is the name of the new Turkish Restaurant in Toronto.

 

[BBert]

Minstrel and I have been campaigning for Miller all season. I was psyched when we picked him up. I was hoping to also sign a decent backup power forward too, but I can live with what we've got. I'd like to see how Pender and Cunningham do in the preseason.

I have another friend who has been arguing for Miller for two years. I wasn't sold before because he wasn't that high on my list. Now, I've come around to the idea that he's probably the best we could do and I think Miller is a great pickup for us at a great price. It definitely fills our greatest need and fills it with an experience distributor. I'm ecstatic we didn't get Hedon't, especially for that money. Now our biggest need is backup PF. It's wait and see time to determine if we will have coverage or not.

 

[STOMP]

I'm so much happier to have Dre on the team than Hedo ... the fact that KP pursued them in what I consider an ass-backward order baffles me, but I'm glad he didn't get what he wanted.

I was off camping around the 4th of July weekend when Hedo was offered by Portland. When I learned what they'd done my immediate reaction was & We had a poll on this that found my disappointment in the decided minority. Now somehow everyone seems to be claiming they were against the move all along I know that you were another Miller proponent early on, it just seems curious.

I'm sticking to my WAG that Miller's camp was asking for a lot more $$$ & years at the start of the FA period and that their demands deflated when the other teams with capspace made their choices.

STOMP

 

[Nikolokolus]

I was off camping around the 4th of July weekend when Hedo was offered by Portland. When I learned what they'd done my immediate reaction was & We had a poll on this that found my disappointment in the decided minority. Now somehow everyone seems to be claiming they were against the move all along I know that you were another Miller proponent early on, it just seems curious.

I'm sticking to my WAG that Miller's camp was asking for a lot more $$$ & years at the start of the FA period and that their demands deflated when the other teams with capspace made their choices.

STOMP

I remember when I heard the news that we were going after Hedo, my first reaction was to go "Hmmmm" ... but I figured with his ability to run the side pick and roll, he'd make Greg better, so I was able to get on board, even though I figured we'd probably be lucky to get 3 good productive years out of him with him becoming a deadweight contract in his 4th year and a large expiring contract in his fifth -- something I chalked up to the cost of doing business.

Miller on the other hand I wanted way back when during the regular season, but once July rolled around and it looked like the team braintrust had zero interest in him I figured there was no chance we'd make a move for him unless it was a sign and trade after the cap-space had been exhausted on Hedo or somebody else.

Frankly I never thought we'd be able to get Miller so cheaply and for such a reasonable contract length; this is a huge component of my happiness with his acquisition ... the fact that he's really talented is a bonus too I suppose

 

[MARIS61]

Team first, last and always.