Jonas Valanciunas lay on the court early in the second half
and stared at the ceiling of the Basketball Arena in London, a trail of sweat
marking his slide along the baseline, his hands clutching his throat as if he
were choking.
It was the end of the seven-footer’s night, the victim of a
simultaneous –though inadvertent – elbow to the neck and knee to the groin by
Kobe Bryant, another setback in a much-scrutinized Olympic debut for the Raptor
prospect.
Rather than saying his prize rookie ‘choked’ in London,
Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo sees Valanciunas’ impact on the Games
as an indication of what to expect early on, another example of the
‘wait-and-see’ approach Toronto is taking with the 20-year-old though he’s now
finally ready to take the court.
“I had a chance to see him play multiple games and he did
pick up some quick fouls which put him in a tough situation as far as being
able to get back on the court,” said Colangelo at training camp in Halifax.
“The coach would insert a veteran player and feel a little bit more
comfortable.”
“The bottom line is, you saw what he was capable of doing in
spurts [he played the tenth most minutes on the team]… it was energy, it was
hustle, it was making plays when he needed to, it was knocking down free throws
– a very good trait for a big man of his capabilities – but you can’t look at
that one little bit and say that’s who he is as a player.”
Olympic averages of 4.2 points and 4 rebounds, three total blocks,
not a single assist, and 13 fouls in 69 minutes of play aren’t numbers that
will jump off the stat sheet, but Colangelo reinforces the patient approach.
“I look at the whole body of work and I know that as a
20-year-old to have the kind of energy, the kind of enthusiasm and personality
as a seven-footer, it’s a tough package to find, but we found it and we think
some good things are going to come of it.”
Fellow countryman and Raptor teammate Linas Kleiza notched a
team-high 25 points in that unexpectedly close 99-94 loss to a stacked American
squad. He’ll play the role of mentor this season as Valanciunas adjusts to life
in the NBA.
“He had a great summer this summer, but this summer was a
little different for him because everybody put very high expectations on him
and everybody expected him to be that guy right away and he just wasn’t 100 per
cent ready to do that,” Kleiza said at Raptors media day at the ACC.
“But the sky is the limit for him. He has everything he
needs and I think he’ll be one of the top centres in the NBA in three or four
years… He’s got the tools, the physical ability, the offensive talent, it’s
just going to take some time.”
The Raptor rookie comes from a basketball-crazed country,
whose 1992 bronze medal is still a source of national pride.
Valanciunas has experienced Lithuania’s love of the game
first-hand though he doesn’t remember the 1992 games – he was just
two-and-a-half months old.
Due to the lockout-shortened season, the fifth overall pick
in 2011 was stashed overseas for a year in his comfort zone, playing for his
hometown Lietuvos Rytas, the team he grew up rooting for as the tallest kid in
his class who chose basketball over dance.
Impatient Toronto fans have already waited a year now for
the seven-footer’s post presence, and after he suffered a calf strain working
out with the team prior to training camp, they’ve had to wait a little longer.
“Obviously we’re still not putting any timetable on anything
here, but I think we’ve witnessed here this week that he’s progressed,” said
Alex McKechnie, the Raptors director of sports science, while in Halifax.
“You see him progressing, today for example he did a lot of
reactive drills and it’s about getting endurance back and getting back in shape
so that we can get him back into the mix.”
“No timetable, we’re not going to rush him back. Whenever
he’s ready, they’ll let us know,” added head coach Dwane Casey.
When Valanciunas finally hits the court, the wait won’t be
over necessarily as hype exceeds ability for the time being.
As McKechnie said, it will likely take three or four years
before the young Lithuanian is comfortable enough to excel in the NBA and
begins to meet his considerable potential.
“I’m working to get back as soon as possible [this week] I
hope so,” an anxious Valanciunas said in Halifax.
“This year is my first year in the NBA and I’m really
excited to be here and see what I can do in this league.”
NBA training camps open today for all teams, and there are a collection of talented players who have yet to sign a contract or crack a roster.
Limbo-ing freely, these players could change title hopes for some teams, and playoff dreams for others.
Let's look at the most intriguing pieces still on the market,
10. Greg Oden
He's said he plans to take the 2012-13 season
off to continue rebahilitation of his knees, and if the former first
overall pick can find any of the luck that recently un-retired Brandon
Roy, a Blazers teammate, found in his comeback there are certainly some
teams that would give him a chance. He'd make a decent backup in Indiana
or Miami depending on what he's looking for in a team.
9. Baron Davis
Boom Dizzle is still recovering from a nasty
knee injury suffered against Miami in the first round of the 2012
playoffs. The Knicks seem to like Sheed and have loaded up on point
guards with Pablo Prigioni, Ray Felton, and Jason Kidd. Davis seems to
be staying with the Knicks in a "multifaceted" role, hoping to make a comeback.
8. Mickael Pietrus
The 6-6 wing spent last season with the
Celtics and didn't leave much of a mark. He'll contribute to a team that
needs an athletic defender to match up with other teams' scorers. He
won't be back in Boston and he says he's narrowed his search down to two
teams and will sign soon.
7. Gilbert Arenas
Hibachi hasn't been the same
player since returning from suspension. He doesn't take the same shots
and same risks in clutch situations, and really isn't given the chance
either. He averaged just 4.2 points in 17 games with the Grizzlies last
season and has since been working out at the Lakers facilities, but
there may be no room for him in LA. China seems like an option for the
30-year-old.
Gilbert Arenas leads a sour crew of guys still searching for an NBA club to suit up for in 2012-13
6. Josh Howard
The 32-year-old still has some upside in
limited minutes off the bench and he could be looking at New York if
Ronnie Brewer has to miss any extended amount of time, but most likely
he'll end up as Corey Magette's replacement on the Charlotte Bobcats
where he worked out most recently. He'll have more of a chance to make
an impact there, in Philly, or if he returns to Utah than he would in
NY, and he could provide the most depth and experience as a 'Cat.
5. Michael Redd
The 33-year-old former team USA
gold medallist made a nice comeback last season in the land of the
setting Suns, averaging 8.2 points per game. He could stay in Phoenix
but the team is transitioning and he may as well. He was reportedly
close to signing in Minnesota, but changed his mind at the last minute
before training camp began. He was also talking to the Wizards and
Grizzlies.
4. Tracy McGrady
Last year in 52 games off the Atlanta bench, T-Mac scored 5.3 points, grabbed 3.0 rebounds and handed out 2.1 assists
per game as a reserve. He looks like a ninth or tenth man at this
point, but if he chose to go to, say, Charlotte he'd be about the eighth
or even seventh man. If he wants to go to the Celtics or the Spurs,
he'll play about eight minutes a game. It'll be interesting to see which
direction the still-32-year-old goes this season.
3. Derek Fisher
Fish isn't exactly an NBA starting point guard at this point of his career, unable to keep up with the speed and quickness of
the new PG generation, but there's still plenty the vet can provide. The
38-year-old stepped onto the Thunder last season in time for a solid
playoff run as a backup guard, clutch three-point shooter, and
coach-like presence. He's been working out in LA during the offseason,
so expect him to be a Laker if he doesn't return to OKC.
2. Kenyon Martin
Not a starter any more without the raw
athleticism that made him so amazing in the early-2000s, K-Mart has made
his own signing difficult by insisting he be paid more than the minimum
salary while trying to select only a handful of teams he'd like to play
for. He's turned down overseas offers, and the Knicks are bringing in
Sheed instead of him. His options are limited but the Nets would make
nostalgic sense as the team he began his career with and took to the
Finals.
1. Leandro Barbosa
Steve Nash tried to lure the Brazilian
blur to LA with him, but after the Lakers signed Jodie Meeks there's not
much room for scoring shooting guards off the bench. A return to
Phoenix would be intriguing to join a back court of Goran Gragic,
Shannon Brown and Kendall Marshall, but he may end up signing for a year
somewhere in Brazil. He's the best available talent.
How freakin awesome is it that a whole season stretches out before us, a championship hanging in the balance, and the one man who can really tip the scales is Metta World Peace?
... before I continue...
Yeah, he's not the best player.
And no, I'm not saying that he's the guy to take over big playoff games.
BUT, if he's consistently good, the Lakers could be bringing Larry O'Brien back to LA.
Why? because at his best World Peace is a hype man; somebody that always gets the team up and going for the big games,
He's the biggest wild card in the NBA right now; hard to prepare for.
Who can predict if he'll come up with a crucial rebound or hang around the perimeter? If he'll hit the open three when it's given to him or just chuck it up? If he'll masterfully get inside the head of whoever he wants, OR just distract himself in the process?
Sure he looks blockier each year as his career drags on (this'll be his 14th season) and he moves more and more like he's straight out of NBA Live 2003 on the original Playstation, but he still finds a way to be effective. We know what we're getting from
the Spurs, the Thunder will be the same or just a little bit better, and
the Heat added Ray Allen but we know what he brings. The Lakers have
the most questions of any title contender, and if World Peace can
contribute consistently he will boost LA tremendously.
Last season World Peace averaged 7.7 points, just fewer than the number of jerseys you'd have if you collected one of each of his constantly-changing uniforms (another example of his unpredictability). That 7.7 was a career-low, and far below his career average of 14.2, and he was below his career average in almost every statistical category.
This year, however, World Peace will be playing alongside Lakers' all-star additions Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, and Antawn Jamison, and that could either motivate him or see him get lost in the shuffle; an eighth man with no plays run for him on the offensive end and lengthy pine rides.
That being said, I would bet on a World Peace who believes. When he says he thinks the Lakers could win 73 games to surpass the all-time record he's exaggerating, but it shows how high he is on this team, and a championship-minded Metta could turn the tides of a game at any moment. ‘I think people still have to go through the Lake Show. I think everything goes through the Lake Show," he explained. "With the way the Lakers are looking this year, I don’t see anybody getting past us this year at all." You can believe him, or you can say he's just talking. And I wouldn't blame you. After all, he went on to say: "I saw Jamison today and people forget that he is one
of the best offensive rebounders in the game, he has the best touch out
of everybody in the NBA, he has the best touch out of all the big men in
the game." So maybe Metta has a penchant for extra extrapolation, but that's what makes the game so fun for him and for us as he rides out the bucking rhino of his career.
The marquee entrant to this years' Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame class was Reggie Miller, who last night made his speech in front of his peers and former rivals. It was short but sweet, and well-said. The most genuine moment was after Reggie said the top three players all time were Jordan, Magic and his sister Cheryl, and he almost lost it thanking his sister who "grew up across the hallway." One of the most clutch players in NBA history he once scored eight points in nine seconds, held his own in the Jordan-era Central division and led the NBA in career three-pointers made until he was surpassed by Ray Allen. Though he never even made the second team All-NBA, Reggie's a Hall-of-Famer, a testament to his legacy.
While watching team USA trounce undefeated through the international competition once again this summer at the London 2012 Olympics, I couldn't help but ask questions about parity and the growth of the global game. It seemed like the USA was unmatchable even though they were missing many of their key players from 2008 in Beijing and the 2010 World Championships in Turkey. It has been sufficient time since the USA basketball recruits fell in Athens in 2004 and while the rest of the world seemed to be catching up, maybe the USA has once again sprinted ahead. Let's take a look at the 2012 roster and some notable missing players to comprise a first and second team.
The London 2012 Gold-Medal Winning USA Men's Team
London 2012 Team USA
C - Tyson Chandler
F - LeBron James
F - Kevin Durant
G - Kobe Bryant
G - Chris Paul
6 - Carmelo Anthony
B - Deron Williams
B - Russell Westbrook
B - Kevin Love
B - James Harden
B - Andre Iguodala
B - Anthony Davis
Second Team All-USA
C - Dwight Howard (back surgery)
F - Blake Griffin (knee surgery)
F - Chris Bosh (abdominal strain)
G - Dwyane Wade (knee surgery)
G - Derrick Rose (knee surgery)
6 - Rudy Gay
B - Eric Gordon
B - LaMarcus Aldridge (hip surgery)
B - Danny Granger
B - Joe Johnson
B - Paul Pierce
B - Rajon Rondo
That All-Injured starting five would have surely made the 2012 Olympic roster had they been healthy, and the rest of the players listed could surely form a gold-medal supporting cast to either this second team or first team. In fact, if any of the second team's bigs were able to go it's unlikely Anthony Davis would have made the Olympic team and may be tough for him to crack the second team too, not to take anything away from what he brought to the team. Rudy Gay and Eric Gordon were the final cuts for the London squad in favour of Harden and Iguodala and they could have easily slotted into the gold-medal team. Pierce and Rondo are underrated picks while Johnson and Granger are perennial all-stars. It seems safe to say that Team USA could have sent an entirely different squad (if healthy) to London and still come away with gold, but what about a podium sweep? If team USA and the other participating nations were allowed to send however many teams they wanted as long as they qualified, could the USA "C-Team" still hold off the likes of Spain, France, Brazil, Russia and Argentina to capture a medal? Let's look at who they could field,
USA 2012 C-Team
C - Andrew Bynum
F - Al Jefferson/Amare Stoudemire/Tim Duncan/Kevin Garnett/Zach Randolph/DeMarcus Cousins
F - Josh Smith
G - Monta Ellis
G - Kyrie Irving
6 - Ray Allen
B - Tyreke Evans
B - Stephen Curry
B - John Wall
B - Mike Conley
The plethora of power forwards that remain unattached to the first two teams is staggering. Team USA-C could pick any three of the aforementioned PFs and field a strong front-court with Andrew Bynum and the versatile Josh Smith. And there are still names like Millsap, Boozer, and West who you could also make a case for. Greg Monroe could have also provided some size and depth in the front-court. Ray Allen is deadly as ever, and should he not be able to go, Jason Terry seems primed to fill his spot. The point guard spot is very strong with reigning rookie-of-the-year Kyrie Irving, and backed up by Curry, Wall and Conley the C-Team would likely play two of them at one time. Ty Lawson, Brandon Jennings, Kyle Lowry and Jeremy Lin could also garner consideration here. And Shane Battier could hold this team together if a spot opened up. It seems unlikely, but with the collection of talent assembled here, a team USA-C team could conceivably win bronze while USA sweeps the podium. What do you think? Did I leave anybody out? Am I crazy and severely underestimating international talent and moxie? In any case, the argument could be made...
Last night I finally watched White Men Can't Jump, the 1992 film starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes as streetball hustlers. Great movie, lots of swearing obviously, but touching on social issues with flair and humor, often surprisingly. And all the while I was just waiting, waiting for somebody to speak the titular line in the movie until it seemed like Harrelson's character Billy really couldn't throw it down. If you've seen the movie then you know how it ends, and I ask this question of you- if you could throw a lob to any white dude in the NBA, (and no, Blake Griffin doesn't count) who would it be?
Here's my short-list,
Chase Budinger: The clear favourite. Made this tribute dunk at this years' Dunk Contest.
Rudy Fernandez: Overseas now after signing a 3-year deal with Real Madrid, Rudy can jam.
Chris Andersen: The Birdman can fly and he's able to catch plenty of lobs at 6'10"
Manu Ginobili: Sure, he's 35 but if anybody is going to Euro-step slam it's Ginobs
Tom Chambers: Bonus pick. The GOAT
Extras
Josh McRoberts...Jon Brockman...Chandler Parsons...Jonas Jerebko...Tyler Hansbrough...Jan Vesely...Spencer Hawes...David Lee...
