Comments on: When the lockout ends, the Raptors need to… http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/01/when-the-lockout-ends-the-raptors-need-to/ Basketball - NBC Sports Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:53:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: borderline1988 http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/01/when-the-lockout-ends-the-raptors-need-to/comment-page-1/#comment-54009 Fri, 07 Oct 2011 02:03:33 +0000 http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=32232#comment-54009 Amir Johnson is not a starting power forward on a contending team (rather, a good backup). He is a decent fit and hardworking, but anchoring him to the starting 4 spot would simply be resigning yourself to mediocrity for years to come.

It’s similiar to the Reggie Evans situation in a way. Evans is a fantastic rebounder, one of the best in the NBA. Raptors fans, including myself, love him for that, but honestly, he is not starting talent.

I think the writer here is dead on. Bargnani is what he is, and he could be a good fit in the right situation. But you have to be able to cover for his defensive and rebounding deficiencies, and need attacking guards who will open up the perimeter for him, because he’s at his best when he catches the ball at the 3 point line (either shoots the 3, or pump fakes and drives). In the current situation, Bargnani’s weaknesses are glaring.

The team has some good young pieces in Derozan, Davis, Valanciunas, and Bayless. The potential in those players is very real, although their success at an NBA level remains an unknown. Everyone else on the team are bench players, good parts but no real NBA starting talent (except for Barngani of course).

]]> By: johngalt613 http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/01/when-the-lockout-ends-the-raptors-need-to/comment-page-1/#comment-53825 Sun, 02 Oct 2011 04:28:20 +0000 http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=32232#comment-53825 Don’t agree with your assessment of Amir Johnson.

If you watched the Raptors games last season you will have noticed that he was the Raptors best player.

The (APBRmetric) Top 593 Players of 2012 ranks Amir #48 in the NBA.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog/?p=9780

Writers like you focus too much on PPG and RPG while remaining ignorant of other factors that come into play in rating a player

For example of all players who started at least 50 games last season he had the second highest Offensive Rating in the NBA. See Basketball-Reference.com

He achieved this despite playing injured on one good ankle for the last 6 weeks of the season. The ankle was subsequently operated on in June

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