The Season That Wasn’t – What the Raptors Have to do to Move Forward this Offseason

Now that the curtain has officially come down on another disappointing season for a Toronto sports team, the offseason speculation will begin. So I am going to get in on the action early and suggest one obvious, and perhaps unpopular, step that has to be taken: coaching change. I like Jay Triano and I think when the team bought into his schemes in the middle of the season we saw what type of season this could have been - but wasn’t.

Firing a head coach at the end of the season seems like an easy way to move forward from the let down by pinning it on an obvious scapegoat, but this is one case where it is a very justifiable step. There are two main reasons why this would be the right step for the Raptors – and to be more specific – two players and their play which make this necessary. First of all, the big offseason signing from last summer: Hedo Turkoglu.

I have one word for you: Ball.



In his now infamous post game comment to Raptors sportscaster Jack Armstrong after actually having a good game - Hedo said the difference was that he had the ball. And as uncomfortable and odd as that moment was for the audience and poor Jack – Hedo was and is right. Bryan Colangelo brought Hedo in to be the legitimate number 2 option on the team to Chris Bosh, the Scottie Pippen to CB4’s Jordan.

Hedo needs the ball. Hedo needed the ball to go through him to Bosh for the Raptors to be a legitimate threat play after play. If opposing teams collapse on Hedo – Bosh is either open or left in one-on-one coverage. X’s and O’s aside – the bottom line is that the coaching staff didn’t seem to want to adapt a system to the tool they now had. Yes there are times when a player has to adapt his game to a team system – but this was a time when a team had to adapt to the big offseason move they made – and build a system around that.

Secondly – the development of Andrea Bargnani requires a coach who can get him to play the way he can – but won’t. Bargnani can play in the paint – and doesn’t have to fall back on his jump shot every time – and has shown that this season. But he is a young 7 footer, only 24 years old, who needs a coaching staff to get him to realize the overall player he can be.

Essentially, Colangelo has said numerous times that the team has the skill and talent to compete – and I agree with him. So either Triano has to show that he can adjust as a coach to get more out of Turkoglu and Bargnani or he has to go. But it also seemed at times that the team chose not to buy in to the coaching staff’s defensive scheme which leads one to believe that perhaps the coach doesn’t have the confidence of his players. If that’s the case, no amount of adaptability on Triano’s part will change the fortunes of the Raps next year.

Now all of this could end up being a moot point if CB4 leaves – because then the Raptors do not have the talent to be truly competitive regardless of coaching. Let’s be honest, there are probably less than ten consistent double/double, 20-10 guys in the league and Bosh is one of them.

If Bosh already has one foot out the door than Colangelo has to make some magic happen to ensure the Raptors are not in rebuilding mode. So let me leave you with one of those ridiculous – but maybe possible – trades that could salvage next season if CB4 leaves: Turkoglu for Arenas. Why not – one big contract for another and fresh starts all around. And regardless, the gun laws in Canada will ensure that Gilbert keeps his head in check.