Toronto Raptors Wiretap

Colangelo Says Raptors Want To Be Active In Free Agency

The NBA free agency season is more about selling than buying and Bryan Colangelo and his merry band of cohorts will be in full-on schmooze mode late tonight, the Toronto Star is reporting.

They will have phones at the ready and speeches all prepared, they may have trinkets like personalized highlight videos and books ready to lay on the players they most covet among the 10 or so they've identified as priorities.

"We want to be active, we want to try to move quickly in terms of reaching out to various free agents," Colangelo said of the negotiating period that begins a minute after midnight tonight.

The general manager has narrowed down his list of possible additions to 10 or so, he said. It's no secret that Orlando's Grant Hill is among those high on that list.

Colangelo isn't giving away any secrets on who he covets most except to say he's got his priorities set.

"Sometimes in free agency you have to over-pay and we're willing to over-pay if we feel like we're going to get the right player," he said. "What we keep talking about is consistency at the small forward position, but we want to add the best possible player."

Via Toronto Star


Newest Raptor Will Stay In Greece

Giorgos Printezis sat in the green room at Thursday's NBA draft, waiting patiently to hear his name called.

"I was a little nervous," he said. "I said, 'Why have I worked so much? Why can't I have one chance?"'

A few picks later he got it when the San Antonio Spurs selected him 58th overall and flipped him to the Toronto Raptors for a future second-rounder.

"(The) first moment when I heard that San Antonio selected me, I was so happy," said Printezis. "But when the Raptors ... I can't say that was my dream, but whenever I was travelling through the U.S., I always said that the Toronto Raptors (are) maybe one of my favourite teams in the NBA.

"I like that they believe in the European guys, and I hope that one day I will be there. I would like that so much."

For now, Printezis is going to stay in Greece. The six-foot-nine wing averaged 11.5 points and 3.9 rebounds last year with Greek club Olympia Larissa. He says he's going to spend next season with Euroleague powerhouse Olympiacos.

Via Globe And Mail


Toronto Trying For 11th Pick To Get Belinelli?

Bryan Colangelo and the Toronto Raptors have no picks in this year's draft but they are actively trying to acquire one, floating Jose Calderon for the 11th pick in an attempt to land Italian prospect Marco Belinelli. Belinelli would be paired with countryman Andea Bargnani and would provide a upgrade at the SG position over Anthony Parker.

Belinelli is the player they are targeting in this year's draft, but they are not alone as Detorit is also rumored to be after the Italian star. The Pistons have been linked with Rodney Stuckey for the past few weeks, but sources say that could be a smoke screen and they are looking at selecting Belinelli at 15.

Via Aran Smith/NBADraft.Net


Raptors Jun 2007 Archive

  • Raptors Looking To Move Into Late First Round

    Raptors' sources indicated there is a chance to deal with one of the teams with multiple picks — the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns or Charlotte — the asking price being a future first-round selection.

  • Colangelo: Calderon Rumors Are Nonsense

    There have been various reports that suggest Jose Calderon is being shopped, but GM Bryan Colangelo has cleared the air on the subject.

  • Toronto Has MLE Set Aside For Pietrus?

    Once free agency starts, the Raptors have their mid-level exception set aside for Golden State's Mickael Pietrus, who could start for them next season at small forward, according to Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.

  • Raptors Games Back On CBC

    Sources confirmed that the CBC has reached an agreement in principle to air a package of Raptors games in 2007-08, the first time the National Basketball Association team's telecasts will be on main network television since 2001-02, when CTV carried a few.

  • Kirilenko Almost Dealt To Toronto In February?

    When asked about the Jazz and starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko during a recent online chat, ESPN.

  • Delfino Traded To Toronto

    The Raptors acquired Carlos Delfino from Detroit in exchange for two second round picks.

  • Hill Says Toronto Is On The Radar

    Grant Hill will be a free agent this summer and says the Raptors are a team he will consider.

  • Todd Leaves The Raptors For Milwaukee

    Jim Todd had been an assistant to head coach Sam Mitchell the last three seasons, and the two worked together as assistants in Milwaukee for two seasons before they were hired by Toronto.

  • Mitchell: Bosh Has To Be 'Totally Honest' About Injury

    Chris Bosh, his agent Henry Thomas, and Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo will make the final decision whether Bosh plays for Team USA in Las Vegas.