Raptors mailbag: Is it time for both ownership and management changes?

Man, the level of angst and anger in here is palpable and this was all done even before the . If that turned out poorly, I’m going to hide out for a day or so. Otherwise, have lots of fun reading this and please, please, please, have a safe New Year’s Eve. No knuckleheadism. Generally, there are four broadcast crews at every game, radio and TV from both teams.

However — and this is a post COVID development — the Raptors and a few other teams don’t travel radio crews and they are left to do the nearly impossible, which is to broadcast games on radio from watching TV. It’s brutally unfair to them. This is also new and money driven — the price of courtside seats is crazy — but in several arenas both TV and radio broadcasts are done from seats at the top of the arena’s lower bowl, not courtside.

Luckily for viewers here, the Raptors have left all broadcasters courtside and moved reporters to the top of the lower bowl in the corner or in the hockey press box waaaaay up in the rafters. For TV, there is one set of camera operators and a director from each team that decides which shots to use. I did see that and sorry for missing your note on it last week.

I quite enjoyed it and if they’re going to give fans a vote, I have no problem with a guy not taking himself too seriously and vigorously campaigning for it. But someone will have to tell me if he makes it because if they played the Pro Bowl on my front lawn, I’d go sit on the back deck. I can’t see them banning taking a charge because it’s a defensive strategy, but I would certainly be OK with extending the restricted area.

It would cut down on those scary falls we see if the offensive player had to take off earlier. I’d love a Saturday night game like that, but the TV schedule is set in August and it’s always a guess. Shaking it up from a constant diet of the Lakers, Warriors, Bucks and Celtics would be great. I don’t have an issue with Giannis’ free throws, but do think the rule might be applied more diligently.

Shouldn’t every player, star or not, want to be on a title contender every season? Yes. I agree. Not your imagination at all and, yes, it does underscore just how much of a gamble the draft is, and also speaks to the need for patience with some later picks to allow them to develop. I think it’s been an OK start to the process of assessing technical fouls for flopping but, you know, at full speed in real time without benefit of replay, it’s as hard a call as block charge.

What I like that the NBA has done is assess more than a few day after flopping fines ($2,000, same as technical) after every game is reviewed. So I guess I’d say it is enforceable, but it’s going to take some training before it becomes a fully functional part of the way a game is called. Wow, unhappy camper.

Things are not good right now. They weren’t last year, either, and as we’ve been writing for about 17 months, management bears the responsibility for flaws in the roster. That we don’t scream it is part because we know the realities better than most. You’re 1,000,000 per cent wrong about the back nine roster players not deserving of being in the NBA, but I’ll give you the nonsensical hyperbole.

And I won’t quibble with your knowledge of the team, but I’d suggest trading DeMar DeRozan for a guy who won the team a championship and at least getting something for Kyle Lowry, who quite easily could have left for nothing, wasn’t bad management at all. And Norm for Gary Trent Jr.? Six of one, half a dozen of another.

Enjoy the last 50 or so games. If there was a consistent issue at start of games, it could be pinned on game planning, strategy and motivation but, here at least, there have been enough good starts to suggest it’s an issue with the players and their ability to process information and find a way to not “ease” into games.

As for the four new coaches, I think each is about where I thought they’d be to some degree. I didn’t see either the Pistons or Raptors being as bad as they are, didn’t think the Sixers would be that good, but that was a James Harden issue mostly, and Griff’s maybe a bit below where I thought they’d be.

But overall, each is about up to expectations. No, it’s not time. End of story. End of discussion. Appreciate your passion, but that’s about it. It’s a tired, lazy point that isn’t worth debating right now. “1,000 fans in this city who can do nothing for 1/10 what Masai is charging us” might be one of the most ludicrous and silly things I’ve read here, and I’ve read a lot of things here.

I have long been mystified as to why some players every now and then “ease” into games and I put that solely on them. And I know there’s a laser focus here, but it happens in other cities, too. It would depend on how astutely the team’s management spent the saved salary and it’s better for mid roster discussions rather than stars.

But, generally, I would agree. I am a HUGE Lu Dort fan. I wouldn’t trade Chet Holmgren, I’m less certain Jaime Jaquez is sustainably good once teams see him two or three times and can game plan for him. No one is likely to believe me and I really don’t care but I am dead certain Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Dan Tolzman were aware of the depth of talent in the 2024 draft and that could very well have played a very small part in what they gave up.

Yes, I do. And have quite recently, in case you or anyone else missed it. It’s a different era and maybe the “style” of Oak wouldn’t fly today but something akin to that attitude — and locker room respect — is vital to success. I don’t see it in this group and it has to be addressed. Well, this is an excellent note to get to end the calendar year.

It’s much appreciated. And you hit on one key fact that drives me: If anything I write turns even one reading averse person into someone who appreciates stories, then I’ve accomplished something. I hope the young fella enjoys the book. And a lot more books in the future..