色色啦

And enjoy.

I have to admit I knew little about Sandro Mamukelashvili聽(now known to me as Mamu moving forward) before, but he has impressed for Georgia in the EuroBasket tourney, averaging 15.3 points in seven games. He could be a bargain as he signed at two years for $5.5 million (U.S.).

I realize Euro ball is different than NBA ball. Just look at Dennis Schr枚der’s success as a case in point: He thrives over there; here, he struggles to find a steady role/place in the NBA. What are your thoughts on Mamu if given a chance? What do you foresee and what is the “buzz” from the Raptors organization?

I like that he is a power forward, has outside shooting skills, plays strong at the hoop. Another intriguing piece to watch this year, or are expectations too high for him to be a late bloomer to take the next step in the NBA? Also with Brandon Ingram, Jakob Poeltl, etc., minutes might be tough to come by.

And with the success of the聽Golden State Valkyries (now that’s a team nickname with some pizzazz) this year as a WNBA expansion team, solidly making the playoffs, do you feel it puts pressure on 色色啦’s team to step it up?

As recently in hockey, we have seen an expansion team excel. My expectations or belief that an expansion team takes time to find on-court success seems to not be the case anymore.

鈥挤辞耻驳 B.

I鈥檝e been quite intrigued by Mamukelashvili since they signed him for a couple of reasons. He provides, or should be able to provide, a stark contrast to Poeltl (pick-and-pop shooter, as opposed to elbow passer) and that should provide a few minutes of style change each game that coach Darko Rajakovic should be able to exploit. Mamu (and that鈥檚 how I鈥檒l refer to him mostly) is also a big defender at six-foot-nine and heaven knows they need some size. I agree that a handful of EuroBasket games are hardly a legit sample size, but there鈥檚 something there that鈥檚 promising at no major financial investment.

What the Valkyries have done, I hope, is show the Tempo how truly valuable the expansion draft is in stocking an original team. I don鈥檛 think Golden State had a single one of their own draft picks play this year, but the front office aced the veteran part of the draft and I鈥檇 expect 色色啦 to try to do that as well.

And the coming expansion teams聽鈥� 色色啦, Portland and the rest to follow聽鈥� will absolutely be judged against the Valkyries鈥� success, as they should be.

顿辞耻驳,听MLB players generally play a game or two in the minor leagues after returning from a stint on the injured list. As far as I know, baseball is the only major sport where players require tune-up games before returning to the team. NBA players, for example, don’t go play some games in the G League before returning from injury.

What is the difference between baseball and other sports such as basketball, hockey or football?

Thanks.

鈥擩ustin, 色色啦

The biggest difference is that you can approximate game situations in, say, hockey and basketball through live practice. You can鈥檛 see that in, for example, live batting practice. Teams aren鈥檛 going to risk their own arms, so players can get some of their hitting timing back in Triple-A games.

What do you think of Adam Silver鈥檚 comments re: the high cost of all the streaming services needed to watch NBA games? He said it was a 鈥渉ighlights-based sport鈥� and 鈥渢here鈥檚 a huge amount of our content that people can essentially consume for free.鈥� Does this sound like something from someone who is out of touch (let them eat cake) or a truth-teller?

鈥擯aul M.

聽I originally thought he missed the mark by a ton. Then I actually listened to what he said, which was there are a hundred or so games on free, over-the-air outlets this season, there are highlight sites available and consumers are being well served.

Aggregators suck.

Hi, Doug.聽A few weeks away from pre-season NBA and post-season MLB. Not gonna jinx either but 鈥� hopefully!

Some questions:

1. I was gonna ask about all the signing and waiving done by the Raptors, but I think I saw an explanation. If I understand correctly, it gives the Raptors and 905 some claim to the players, so they can’t be signed by a rival team in the G League. And I think the players get a salary bonus as a (temporary) NBA player. Did I miss anything?

2. Is it safe to assume players given a lifetime ban from the NBA or NCAA are free to play overseas (assuming that someone wants them)?

3. Did you get a chance to see the Masai Ujiri documentary series at TIFF? I assume you can attend press/media-only screenings. The premise seems to be that the Basketball Africa League will help develop the game on the African continent, eventually expanding the NBA talent pool. However, investment in the infrastructure of African basketball (building of courts and facilities) is necessary to stimulate interest and participation. Thoughts?

4. Given the rumoured requirements for a Raptors-Paul George post championship trade (Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and four first-rounders?) do you think that would have worked out for us better than what actually happened? Not a big Paul George fan, but George, Kawhi Leonard, Marc Gasol, Kyle Lowry and Danny Green (?) with OG Anunoby, Norm Powell and Serge Ibaka still available might have been able to repeat.

Your hypothetical two cents?

Thanks again for keeping things going until things get real, as they say.

鈥擝ernie M.

The baseball playoffs are going to be electric; the basketball pre-season not so much.

You鈥檙e bang on about the 鈥渟ign and immediately waive鈥� guys for the 905; it鈥檚 just building out the camp roster at no significant cost.

FIBA teams honour NBA suspensions, as the NBA honours FIBA suspensions. It鈥檚 an important reciprocal arrangement.

I did not see the BAL documentary (I presume my invitation got lost on the mail). But Masai has told us forever that building out infrastructure is the biggest task in Africa and that鈥檚 what his Giants of Africa focuses on, rather than the top of the pyramid with the BAL. It鈥檚 important work to put the foundation in place.

I would not have made that 2019 trade at that level. I was not, and am not now, a big fan of Paul George. Good player, yes. Dial-changer, not so much.

Hey, Doug.聽Hope all is well in Casa Doug.

As the Kawhi Leonard saga continues to make headlines, I am wondering about the NBA鈥檚 investigation into the matter. What powers do the investigators have? They obviously do not have subpoena powers, but can they compel not only the Clippers but other teams聽鈥� most notably the Raptors聽鈥� to turn over any documentation or other evidence they may possess? Is the law firm limited to investigating only the Clippers/Aspiration allegations, or are they free to extend the scope to include all Leonard contracts? The controversy definitely sheds a different light on the Raptors’ attempts to re-sign Kawhi. And good on the team to have refused to agree to anything illegal or unethical.

On a completely different topic, did you ever have any interactions with Ken Dryden? Any comments or observations about Dryden you wish to share?

And finally, as September is nearly half done, how many more weeks of Blue Jays do you think we鈥檒l see?

Appreciated as always.

鈥摈丑颈濒

There are pretty wide-ranging ways for the league鈥檚 agent to investigate. They鈥檒l have access to phones, electronic conversations and in-person interviews that are basically conducted under oath. So, yeah, they can compel the information they think they need.

I only spoke with Dryden a handful of times, but found him fascinating and erudite聽鈥� a bit long-winded and hardly an electric orator, though. But he was obviously smart and engaging聽鈥� he asked as many questions as he answered聽鈥� and to go over his career鈥檚 work in sport and out of it makes me think you would never get too far down the list of truly great Canadians before you got to his name.

I don鈥檛 know how long we鈥檒l have of the Jays聽鈥� at least a month, I鈥檇 guess聽鈥� but I also know they鈥檒l bump into the opening of Raptors training camp and I鈥檓 gonna need an afternoon saloon in Calgary to watch the first round.

Hi, Doug. I do hope that all is well with you and that all of us are trying to keep our blood pressure low in spite of Mr. John Schneider’s incompetence. This Jays team as a whole keeps winning exciting games only to have the manager do something insane (i.e. doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result). He keeps putting in Jeff Hoffman, he of the 4.76 ERA and the third-worst save record in the majors.

I am tired of watching the games for three hours only to have Schneider put in Hoffman and bang! 色色啦 run and another lost game.

Seriously, it’s time to nail Hoffman’s butt to the bench, and I’d let Schneider go and finish the season with Don Mattingly. Schneider and Hoffman will take us from first place to a wild-card team if we aren’t careful.

If we fade in the stretch, it won’t be for lack of trying. It will be at the feet of Schneider and Hoffman.

I am excited about the finish run, but I really, really don’t want to see Hoffman for the rest of the season.

Honest question: Would Hoffman still be sent out as our closer if he made only $1.5 million? I can’t see it continuing like this for any longer if the Jays are serious about contending.

Thanks again.

鈥挤辞耻驳

Wow.

I get that Hoffman has struggled every now and then. But really, he鈥檚 been good. Not great, but certainly good; he can鈥檛 go three games in four nights, though. The team is a lock for the playoffs, will get a first-round bye almost assuredly, and it鈥檚 not like the manager has a Mariano Rivera waiting to use instead of Hoffman.

I think a deep breath might be in order.