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Congratulations, you can go back to being a Raptors fan, and start to hold an unreasonable grudge against the Pacers.
What a difference a couple of weeks make. I posted about this in the thread on the four team trade, but here it is in print now.
Raptors' wild ride not over
Return of Nesterovic possible after complex four-team deal leaves GM with money in hand
http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/663861After a franchise-altering move left him with money to spend and backup roles to fill, Raptors boss Bryan Colangelo will be looking for a few good men.
There's an old friend in Slovenia who'd love to be considered.
Rasho Nesterovic, a veteran centre very much on the mind of the Raptors now, would like nothing more than to rejoin the team he reluctantly left a year ago.
"I never wanted to leave, it was just a matter of numbers and business, I understand that," Nesterovic said in a telephone interview from his native Slovenia yesterday.
"To come back would be great, I'd love to. Toronto is always and will always be my favourite city."
The interest, according to league sources, is mutual.
With Hedo Turkoglu on board along with Devean George and Antoine Wright from Dallas after a wild trade that saw Kris Humphries and Nathan Jawai leave the Raptors, Toronto has some frontcourt openings to fill.
Colangelo has spoken glowingly about Nesterovic's presence – on the court in a backup role and as a leader in the locker room – and there is interest in bringing him back as long as the financial terms can be worked out.
And now there is the financial windfall to do it.
The trade, which also included the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic, leaves the Raptors with unexpected money to spend. They are expected to seriously consider Carlos Delfino, who remains a restricted Toronto free agent and can be signed without regard to the salary cap, which would leave the so-called mid-level cap exception of about $5.9 million and the biannual exception of about $1.9 million.
Colangelo said the team has about $12 million left before bumping up against the luxury tax level but cautioned the Raptors may not spend it all after taking into considering longer-term financial predictions.
The money was a huge added bonus to the transaction the Raptors were most excited about, the acquisition of the 6-10 Turkolgu, a free agent from Orlando. The 30-year-old arrived in Toronto yesterday for a glitzy news conference – several dozen kids wearing Turkoglu T-shirts met him at the news conference – and promised a more entertaining team with teammates like Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon.
"Fun to watch, I guarantee that," he said. "I'm just going to be happy to have those guys around me, it's going to make my job easier."
Turkoglu had originally made a verbal commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers but backed out after a last-ditch recruiting effort by the Raptors that included a phone call from Bosh.
"It was really easy for me," Turkoglu said. "I looked at the team, looked at the opportunities for myself and the people I'm going to work with."
The signing of Turkoglu and the acquisition of swingmen Wright and George from the Dallas Mavericks came after a stunning day of talks among the four teams involved.
The original deal had to be tweaked yesterday morning when it was determined Quincy Douby couldn't be traded because of an arcane clause in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. So the Raptors simply switched Jawai for Douby, moved Jawai to Dallas and sent a 2016 second-round draft pick to make the deal happen.
"It was a wild turn of event," said Colangelo of the deal that also saw Shawn Marion leave the Raptors for the Mavericks.
But now Colangelo has some moves to make and said he'll take his time making them. He's off to Las Vegas where the Raptors are taking part in the NBA's summer league and won't be in a rush to fill his remaining roster holes.
"We're going to let the dust settle on this," he said. "There's a lot to be addressed but as of about 7 a.m. (Thursday), I think I was one of the most popular GMs in the league."
One of the biggest holes he has to fill is on a front line that now consists of Bosh, Bargnani, Reggie Evans and unproven Patrick O'Bryant.
Nesterovic, 33, spent last season with the Indiana Pacers (averaging 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game) after being dealt from Toronto in the Jermaine O'Neal-T.J. Ford deal.
He knows a role here would be as a backup and he's fine with that; he also knows there will be no rush to get things done.
"I know the first week (of free agency) is to get the stars done and the big names," he said. "I can wait."
Congratulations, you can go back to being a Raptors fan, and start to hold an unreasonable grudge against the Pacers.
Raptors do look like his most likely destination. I think he still has a place there.
Who gives a ? What, you gonna hate on the Pacers too?
What's worst than a bandwagoner? A goddamn groupie.
I'm curious to know if you even like basketball?
Angel Luv:
" Awww...Sho "
He is getting some good offers from teams in Europe, but I feel certain if he comes back to the NBA, it will be to Toronto. Yeah, he does still own a place there, and his family even stayed in Toronto this past season while he was in Indiana.
No grudge against the Pacers. They treated Rasho fine while he was in Indiana, but he would prefer to be back in Toronto.
As for being a Raptors fan, of course I will be. My two favorites back together on the same team, playing side by side. Plus, they will get to spend time together and their families and kids, too. What more could I ask for them of this off-season.
Last edited by ploto; 07-10-2009 at 12:59 PM.
Who gives a ? What you gonna hate on fans of other players too?
What's worst than a hater? A goddamn asshole.
I'm curious to know if you even like basketball?
It's a trap, angel luv! Stay back!
Look , you obviously don't know about it, but ploto has scorn the spurs and their organization for trading her "precious" player a few years back.
I'm not the only who's gotten on ploto about it, nor will I be the last.
She started by dishing it out, she better expect to take it from other fans.
And by your dumbass defending her, you support what she says and on your own team without realizing it. Props to the world police.
I'm curious to know how clueless you are?
Is that a bat or a bird?It's a trap, angel luv! Stay back!
^^looks like a bird and it's hilarious^^
You assume that I don't know about it, and yet you proceede to insult me.Look , you obviously don't know about it, but ploto has scorn the spurs and their organization for trading her "precious" player a few years back.
I'm not the only who's gotten on ploto about it, nor will I be the last.
She started by dishing it out, she better expect to take it from other fans.
And by your dumbass defending her, you support what she says and on your own team without realizing it. Props to the world police.
I'm curious to know how clueless you are?
I'm curious to know to what level of assholness you can rise to?
Just because I happen to be a Rasho fan too (and hence give some ) doesn't mean I neccessarily agree on other things.
Now everything makes sense.. I was talking to another groupie the whole time!You assume that I don't know about it, and yet you proceede to insult me.
I'm curious to know to what level of assholness you can rise to?
Just because I happen to be a Rasho fan too (and hence give some ) doesn't mean I neccessarily agree on other things.
Come out of hiding "angel" sweety..
But no, seriously, I'm hurt...
XD
Toronto on paper have a nice team.
Calderon/Derozen/Bargiani/Hedo/Bosh
Ukic/Banks/wright/George/Evans and adding Rasho would soldify their backup bigs.
Rasho is the 22nd "best" FA left on Chad Ford's list.
22. Rasho Nesterovic, Pacers (UFA)
Teams interested: Spurs (Ha!), Rockets, Magic
Salary range: $2.5-4 million per year
Nesterovic may have lost a step or two, but he's still a pretty effective post man, especially on the offensive end. For a team that is thin at center, he could be a really nice addition to play 15 to 20 minutes a night.
Guess Bonner was the better player after all... I'd still rather have flame boy over that waste of space.
You can probably add Delfino to that list, as well. They may not have the best starting five but they should have a solid bench.
As to the salary figure for Rasho, he is getting offers above the LLE from Europe so it remains to be seen if he either takes less to come back to the NBA, if Toronto uses part of the MLE on him to approximate what he could earn in Europe, or if he signs in Europe.
As if on cue to support my info:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1214962/Another big man is needed, and former Raptors centre Rasho Nesterovic would be a good fit. But the Raptors will get stiff compe ion from European teams, who have offered the Slovenian big man between $2-million and $4-million.
Old blue lips would go alright in the starting lineup for Toronto, would give them more balance in the frontline.
Hedo/Bosh/Rasho is pretty nice, with a solid set of skills, length, shooting and defense. It's soft, but it would be effective. But you know the Raps have to start Bargnani being the #1 pick and his new big contract...
Rasho knows he'll come off the bench.
The new name also beng bounced aorund Toronto-- Boki Nachbar! Now, my head just might explode if Rasho, Hedo, and Boki all end up on the same team.
I thought you were female.
Rasho as a Raptor again would be so awesome!!!!!!!!!
Wouldn't that be fantastic! I hope it happens!Rasho knows he'll come off the bench.
The new name also beng bounced aorund Toronto-- Boki Nachbar! Now, my head just might explode if Rasho, Hedo, and Boki all end up on the same team.
Do the Raptors still play in the NBA? or are they part of FIBA or Euroleague or something?
I really have no idea how the Spurs organization treated Rasho poorly. He didn't perform up to what they expected after they signed them that huge contract, and proceeded to play him less minutes and then traded him away. The Spurs helped him get a ring in 05.
Some of the fans held an unreasonable grudge against Rasho, and to this day I still couldn't understand, but you had been ignoring those who appreciated Rasho's efforts and gave him his due.
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