You've worked hard for the last eleven years of your life and served as president of your workplace for seven of them. Your family is happy and has a bright future and your success rate has never been higher. But your workplace is under new ownership and it's time for a change. It is a natural progression to try and improve your situation. So you accept a more challenging, higher paying job in a new city and you move into your new home. But you refuse to enter your new workplace and settle into your new position without trying to put a personal stamp and make your presence known. You move into your new home and you know that it needs upgrading. Perhaps you will add a new stove, a new television and some new walls; after all, you want your new home to be as comfortable and interesting as possible so that guests will be impressed by how much work you have put into it.

This is the mindset that was employed by Bryan Colangelo after his work was done in Phoenix. New ownership had moved in and they wanted to keep him around, but he had made his mark and it was time to move on. Another employer came knocking, check book in hand with an offer that simply could not be refused. So Colangelo moved into his new home and a brand new environment with pieces that needed upgrading and other pieces that looked good enough to keep in place.

His first course of action was to get rid of that bulky furnace that was dwelling in the basement, recently installed by previous owner Rob Babcock that he chose when better furnaces were available and has malfunctioned frequently over the past two years, not living up to its potential and had made him the laughing stock of the neighborhood. Failing to replace this monstrosity would have allowed the local community newspapers the opportunity to mock this oversized waste of space. Said furnace's name is Rafael Araujo, who was replaced by a younger model in Kris Humphries in the first of many home upgrades that Colangelo would undertake.

The bricks that held the house together, Chris Bosh, wanted some stronger foundation that could help hold the house up without him having to endure the wear and tear of trying to do the work himself. Colangelo acquired said foundation upgrade in Rasho Nesterovic and all he had to give up was the home's model red rocket ship, a trusty, quirky and popular mainstay in the home and an old radiator that was taking up space. In other words, the fan favorite shooting big man Matt Bonner, who added character to the home and outdated malcontent Eric Williams who was acquired when the previous home owner traded the home's stove (Vince Carter) for an old toaster oven (Aaron Williams), the outdated radiator (Eric Williams) and some cable television credits (two late first round selections).

Colangelo's acquisition of the new foundation will resonate in the long-term and if it is not as not as sturdy as he hopes, since it is quite expensive and has not always lived up to expectations, the move may end up an overpriced laughing stock in the neighborhood.

The next course of action was to help pay off the house's mortgage by finding a basement tenant who will help make recommendations for future upgrades. Colangelo was able to find an old friend of his from another part of the world to occupy the basement as his right-hand man in Maurizio Gherardini. Since moving in, Gherardini has helped Colangelo find some nice, affordable international home upgrades.

Gherardini was instrumental in helping Colangelo convince the neighbors that his new Italian stove would have more heart than the previous one. It took quite some time for the rest of the neighbors to see what he was talking about, since none of them had ever owned an Italian stove. But when it came down to the day of the kitchen show (the NBA Draft), the rest of the league was not surprised when Colangelo arrived early to secure Andrea Bargnani, who the neighborhood hopes will heat things up quickly and often if Colangelo wants to convince them of its value and make him look like he made the right selection in the long run.

The selection of the new, Italian stove was quite confusing for some of the neighbors, who wondered what Colangelo would do with the year-old stove that the previous home owner had acquired at last year's kitchen show. One of the biggest problems with Colangelo's new home was that his lights had started getting temperamental and doing some crazy things. What good is a home if you are unable to show off and maximize what's in it by making the rest of the house look as bright as possible? Colangelo decided to throw out his old lights, which made their way to a new home in Minnesota and pick up some new lights in exchange for the team's second stove. The stove, Charlie Villanueva, was efficient, sturdy and popular, but there were some days where the stove just would not work, no matter how much you wanted it to. Some neighbors were very disappointed when the powerful stove that was brimming with potential was shipped out of the home for the new lighting system, T.J. Ford. Many argued that great stoves are hard to come by and that you can get an effective lighting system anywhere.

With the strong belief that some International appliances would be more efficient and less expensive than their domestic counterparts, Colangelo went and did some overseas shopping. Colangelo went to Israel and found an older American fridge with a cool head and calm demeanor in Anthony Parker. Parker is tried, tested and true and had a history of providing leadership for a very successful, luxurious overseas home.

To make cooking more efficient, Colangelo and Gherardini also worked together to scout a Spanish toaster oven that made things happen with the utmost of effort in Jorge Garbajosa. Nobody in the neighborhood had any Spanish appliances, aside from Jerry West's home on the other side of town that had a trusty Gasol brand stove.

Another important addition that Colangelo hoped to make was an exciting new television. He wanted to bring some entertainment to his home and purchased a versatile home entertainment system with a wealth of features from Philadelphia for some cash. Unfortunately, the neighbors were mostly unimpressed, as this system was known to have problems with its efficiency in the past. Many felt that Colangelo had overpaid and signed a lengthy financing deal that would eventually become outdated and hold no value.

A few weeks later, Colangelo found out that the entertainment system would be incompatible with the rest of the home and operated more efficiently in a hotter climate. So when John Salmons ended up in Sacramento for more money, very few neighbors were disappointed.

Colangelo decided to go with a more exciting television that had impressed the entire world in 2004 with its dazzling picture quality at a competition in Los Angeles. The television was more cost-effective with fewer years financing than the one that ended up in Sacramento and would fit in perfectly with the guidance of the home's new lighting system that would enhance its performance. Many were quite satisfied that Colangelo ended up with Fred Jones rather than Salmons, who had never really lived up to expectations in the past and wanted too much money for too many years.

Before purchasing the new television, many neighbors were disappointed, but understanding when the previous television with poor picture quality and low functionality over the past two years had its financing paid off and was dumped onto the front lawn. Thankfully, many acknowledged that it was time to move on and Jones was placed into the same role and jersey number as Alvin Williams.

Another addition that Colangelo received was a Slovenian food processor that had been ordered by the previous home owner a year prior to sit in the cupboard for safe keeping and utilized when needed.

Colangelo wisely held onto the home's washer and dryer who may be replaced at the end of the year or re-financed for the future. The always-efficient, hard-working Morris Peterson will remain with the team in a starting role.

The home also kept its Spanish microwave (Jose Calderon), its Senegalese dining room table (Pape Sow), its grandfather clock (Darrick Martin) and Colangelo's young interior designer (Sam Mitchell) to put all of the pieces in place.

With all of the upgrades in tact, Colangelo has built a house that he can be proud of and will be fun for neighbors to check out. When guests come and visit, they will see an entirely different home from last year, retaining its best elements and improving the ones that needed upgrading. The home is certainly far from being the best on the block, but with some more upgrades over time and further experience earned, the Toronto Raptors' home has a very bright future.