Raptors deal bust Araujo to Utah

[Slinkyman]

TORONTO -- The Toronto Raptors traded former first-round draft pick Rafael Araujo to the Utah Jazz on Thursday for forward Kris Humphries and center Robert Whaley.

Toronto drafted Araujo with the eighth overall pick in the 2004 draft, but he ended up a bust -- averaging just 2.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 111 career games.

Former general manager Rob Bab was fired in part because of Araujo's struggles. Fans often booed the 6-foot-10 center.

"We wish Rafael well and feel this will be a positive move for both teams," new general manager Bryan Colangelo said.

Humphries averaged 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 129 career games with Utah. The 6-foot-9 Humphries was the 14th overall pick in the 2004 draft.

Whaley averaged 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 23 games with Utah this past season.

Araujo played two seasons at BYU in Provo, Utah -- 40 miles down the road from where the Jazz play.

In his last season with the Cougars, the Brazilian center was the Mountain West Conference's co-player of the year. He led BYU in scoring and rebounding with an average of 18.4 points and 10.1 rebounds. He shot 57 percent from the field and made 72 percent of his free throws.

Good trade for the raptors, humphries is still young at only 21 and will probably help them alot more then that stiff

[Kori Ellis]

Weird.

I didn't know teams could trade until draft day. I think we were still in the no trading period.

[timvp]

That is a horrible trade for the Jazz. WTF were they thinking? Rafael Araujo is the worst player in the league. Humphries is actually a good talent and I was impressed with the little I saw of Whaley.

This is just another case of the Jazz getting a player to make their fan bse happy.

Colangelo is off to a good start.

[Kori Ellis]

Okay I found out how it works. I never knew that before. I always thought after the trade deadline then teams couldn't trade again until draft day. Interesting.

When the trading deadline has passed. Teams are free to make trades again once their season has ended, but cannot trade players whose contracts are ending or could end due to an option

[JMarkJohns]

Colangelo wants to run. Obviously Araujo can't.

However, it's WAY too early to call Hoffa a bust. He's only two years into the League and in his rookie year, when in a slowed style and with consistant 20-minutes, he averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds. At least that what I recall from previous analysis.

I think it's a solid trade either way.

[strangeweather]

That is a horrible trade for the Jazz. WTF were they thinking? Rafael Araujo is the worst player in the league. Humphries is actually a good talent and I was impressed with the little I saw of Whaley.

This is just another case of the Jazz getting a player to make their fan bse happy.

Ostertag is retiring and they need another slow center?

[JMarkJohns]

However, it's WAY too early to call Hoffa a bust. He's only two years into the League and in his rookie year, when in a slowed style and with consistant 20-minutes, he averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds. At least that what I recall from previous analysis.

OK, remembering he was hurt throughout much of his rookie year, in the 13 games Araujo played 18 minutes or more, he averaged 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds.

Take it for what it's worth.

[Darrin]

Okay I found out how it works. I never knew that before. I always thought after the trade deadline then teams couldn't trade again until draft day. Interesting.

Is that a recent change? I thought teams couldn't deal until all teams had been eliminated from playoff contention, the reasoning being that it gave Utah and Toronto the advantage to make this deal. For instance, what if Miami had interest in Kris Humphries?

I'm almost certain this has to be a change in the new CBA.

[ChumpDumper]

Araujo does work his slow ass off, which may be all Sloan cares about anymore. Humphries has been a pouty disappointment and didn't Whaley get suspended before he even made the team? And again for lying to police?

[TDMVPDPOY]

i wonder what can we get in return for rasho??

if arouju could get u 2 quality players........this was the same as last season when scrub bigmen ostertag got traded for 3 scrubs.

[Darrin]

i wonder what can we get in return for rasho??

if arouju could get u 2 quality players........this was the same as last season when scrub bigmen ostertag got traded for 3 scrubs.

P-O-T-E-N-T-I-A-L.

[Slinkyman]

Colangelo wants to run. Obviously Araujo can't.

However, it's WAY too early to call Hoffa a bust. He's only two years into the League and in his rookie year, when in a slowed style and with consistant 20-minutes, he averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds. At least that what I recall from previous analysis.

I think it's a solid trade either way.

Araujo is a bust, bob drafted him that's all i need to say. Charlie V was dumb luck.

[RaptorsFan]

OK, remembering he was hurt throughout much of his rookie year, in the 13 games Araujo played 18 minutes or more, he averaged 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds.

Take it for what it's worth.

I'd like to know where you're pulling this information from, because Araujo was garbage from the minute he first stepped on the floor in Toronto. He's been laughably inept on the offensive end, and a poor rebounder for a man of his size and build. Also, Araujo was NOT hurt throughout much of his rookie year. He couldn't play 18 minutes or more a game because he had already fouled out or was nailed to the bench after taking stupid fouls. The man's basketball IQ is non-existent. Araujo is a flat out bust. No other way to put it. He's 26 years old, and enterring the "prime" of his career. He's so unathletic and uncoordinated, he once lost a jump ball to Nate Robinson. Uncoordinated, unathletic and unintelligent is not a good combination to possess in the NBA.

[Trainwreck2100]

^^Are you Canadian?

[JMarkJohns]

I'd like to know where you're pulling this information from

Anyone who's anyone knows the sites you can pull boxscores from. I know of many and did the math.

because Araujo was garbage from the minute he first stepped on the floor in Toronto.

In your opinion...

He's been laughably inept on the offensive end, and a poor rebounder for a man of his size and build.

I'm not going to argue this for this season. He was very, very poor.

Also, Araujo was NOT hurt throughout much of his rookie year.

Wrong. I know of twice he was sat for stretches of 10 games or more and he played in just 59 that year.

He couldn't play 18 minutes or more a game because he had already fouled out or was nailed to the bench after taking stupid fouls.

So the NBA official statisticians are lieing and just for the of it put that Araujo played 17 minutes or more 13 times in his rookie season?

The man's basketball IQ is non-existent.

Wrong. He's actually very smart and knows how to play a high-low offense. Not the kind he was thrust in to in Toronto in either season, let alone this past season where James pushed the ball constantly.

Araujo is a flat out bust. No other way to put it.

Maybe for your team. He shouldn't have been taken that high. That's not his fault. He's worked his ass of for your crappy team and all he's gotten is grief.

He's 26 years old, and enterring the "prime" of his career.

He needs a system. I think Sloan will get the most out of him and will not be surprised to see him average around 10 points and 6 rebounds for him.

he once lost a jump ball to Nate Robinson.

I once saw Nate Robinson catch an oop and dunk on Channing Frye's head. Does that prove Frye shouldn't be in the NBA?

Uncoordinated

For your style of play...

unathletic

Can't argue here...

and unintelligent

Wrong. Can't show his smarts by sitting on the bench or being run ragged up and down the court by his pushy PG.

not a good combination to possess

Neither is ignorant and passionate.

Please. I covered him while at AWC and am a statistician by trade. I know how to break down stats, as if finding said games and adding point and rebounding totals up to find a per-game average is hard.

He's obviously a flawed player. He's not athletic at all and will struggle against up-tempo teams. However, he's got a very good 14/18-foot jumper, can pass and with minutes, can rebound.

I wouldn't expect you to know of his ability after he was illused and benched in Toronto.

Remember Jake Tsakalidis? How he was a hoorible fit in Phoenix because he was slow? Did you see his 20+ minute stats this season?

Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery and a coach that can utilize your skill set.

I think Sloan is that coach and Utah is that team.

[JMarkJohns]

EDIT: Though I do have a correction to make. It wasn't games of 18 minutes or more. It was games of 17 minutes or more.

It was a typo in my second post. The one Raptors fan quoted and took exception to.

[RaptorsFan]

Wrong. I know of twice he was sat for stretches of 10 games or more and he played in just 59 that year.

This is a blatant lie. His only time missed due to legitimate injury, was during a 7 game stretch in December. The rest were either single games missed due to flu-like symptoms or DNP-CDs scattered about the season. It is well known that Araujo's playing time was directly correlated with Bab 's tenure. As soon as Bab got the axe, Araujo's minutes dwindled to the point that he was nailed to the bench in street clothes due to an "injury" that had healed long before.

So the NBA official statisticians are lieing and just for the of it put that Araujo played 17 minutes or more 13 times in his rookie season?

I didn't say that the stats you presented were false. That's not what I meant. I meant that it's not as if it's the Raptors fault that Hoffa can't keep himself in the game for longer than a few minutes at a time. I went through his game log and counted 22 games in which he played 15 minutes or less and racked up 3 or more personal fouls. This includes games of 4 fouls in 5 minutes vs Orlando, 4 fouls in 9 minutes vs Phoenix, 4 fouls in 7 minutes vs Cleveland and mind-boggling performances with 4 fouls in 3 minutes vs Atlanta and 5 fouls in 8 minutes vs Memphis.

Wrong. He's actually very smart and knows how to play a high-low offense. Not the kind he was thrust in to in Toronto in either season, let alone this past season where James pushed the ball constantly.

Nobody should be running an offense through Rafael Araujo, and nobody will. He often can't make a post move without throwing an elbow and getting hit with an offensive foul. This is stuff he got away with in JuCo and the MWC, but NBA refs are going to call it. I don't need somebody to tell me with stats something that I saw with my own eyes. For a bruiser like him, a high volume offense like the Raptors with plenty of putback opportunities and offensive rebounds, should also complement his apparent skill set, but obviously that wasn't the case.

Maybe for your team. He shouldn't have been taken that high. That's not his fault. He's worked his ass of for your crappy team and all he's gotten is grief.

That doesn't change the fact that he's a bust. It doesn't matter where he should have been taken, because the fact is that he was taken there and has not panned out.

He needs a system. I think Sloan will get the most out of him and will not be surprised to see him average around 10 points and 6 rebounds for him.

I won't argue that Araujo is capable of being a solid 10-6 contributor, but you seem to be missing my argument that his basketball IQ and his constantly racking up stupid fouls, hinders him and continues to hinder him. Personally, I think Sloan is going to be fed up with the stuff Araujo does on the court very fast.

I once saw Nate Robinson catch an oop and dunk on Channing Frye's head. Does that prove Frye shouldn't be in the NBA?

Did you watch the video? Looked to me, it was more due to Araujo's lack of quickness, reaction and vertical that contributed to that more than Robinson's athleticism. (Although, Robinson's athleticism does help).

Wrong. Can't show his smarts by sitting on the bench or being run ragged up and down the court by his pushy PG.

He can show his smarts by being a smart player and not taking so many fouls that force Sam Mitc to nail him to the pine.

Neither is ignorant and passionate.

Completely unnecessary and uncalled for.

Please. I covered him while at AWC and am a statistician by trade. I know how to break down stats, as if finding said games and adding point and rebounding totals up to find a per-game average is hard.

Great, I don't see What's so difficult about crunching his foul per game average and contributing that in your analysis? I also don't think it's wise to consider his accomplishments at a Junior College against players younger than him and presumably nowhere near his behemoth size. JuCo is not the NBA. Araujo was a man amongst boys at both AWC and in the MWC with BYU. He's amongst men in the NBA. He simply does not know how to use his size at the NBA level. He can't get away with the stuff he got away with at the lower levels anymore.

He's obviously a flawed player. He's not athletic at all and will struggle against up-tempo teams. However, he's got a very good 14/18-foot jumper, can pass and with minutes, can rebound.

I wouldn't expect you to know of his ability after he was illused and benched in Toronto.

He certainly has the ability to become a solid contributor, but like I have reiterated time and time again, you can't contribute on the floor when you're taking stupid fouls.

Remember Jake Tsakalidis? How he was a hoorible fit in Phoenix because he was slow? Did you see his 20+ minute stats this season?

Tskalidis had nowhere near the astronomical fouls per 48 minutes rate of Araujo. It doesn't matter where you play, you're not going to be on the floor when you're racking up fouls and forcing the coach to put you on the bench.

Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery and a coach that can utilize your skill set.

I think Sloan is that coach and Utah is that team.

Can't argue with that, I don't agree with you, but the true answer remains to be seen.

[JMarkJohns]

The paper I work for covered him throughout his rookie season. I recall several instances where he was unable to play due to injury, many of which were for long stretches. Maybe the injury was a crock of BS like you are claiming, but Araujo always was getting nicked up at AWC and BYU, except he was able to play through it there, for the reasons you've already put forth; size, experience...

A lot of those fouls come from him trying to get weakside blocks or make baseline rotations. That's a bad defensive scheme for Araujo since he can't jump at all and is slow. He needs to just body up opposing centers on defense. Little more. On Utah, with Kirilenko, Okur and Boozer, he won't need to block shots. Just body up and box-out.

As for his offense. I do think you should run a few high-low plays through him. He has a very good jumper. I've seen it over 100 times. I know he can pass. I've seen it over 100 times. You are right. He's not very good on the block. He's OK, but he isn't quick, so if he can't shoot over, he struggles to blow past or create any seperation for a shot. So, on offense, his best bet for contribution is a high-low scheme maybe a dozen times a game.

We both seem to agree he didn't work out in Toronto. He was pretty bad, save for the few games he was able to keep himself on the floor. We both seem to agree he has potential to become a solid 10-6 backup within the right system. One that understands how to utilize a perimeter skilled, but unathletic, slow beast with a short wingspan who can't get blocks.

I'm not saying he hasn't been a bust up to this point. I'm saying to flat-out label a two-year player a bust is wrong. There are a great many players in this League who couldn't succeed in their first couple of season due to situation or lack of ability. Araujo is a combination of both.