Well, the hits just keep on coming. After last week’s monster moves, Colangelo continued working on the weekend, signing Jarrett Jack to an offer sheet. The Raptors also lost one of their all-time good guys when free agent Anthony Parker officially signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Now, the Jarrett Jack “signing” is only an offer sheet - since he is a restricted free agent, Indiana has until next week to match the offer and retain him. However, it’s presumed they won’t because doing so would put them over (or at least near) the tax level. No firm details of the offer have been released, but it’s believed to be in the four years, $20 million range.

I’ve liked Jack since he first came into the league; in fact, I was hoping the Raptors would find a way to draft him in 2005. He’s big for a PG at 6′3″ and 200 pounds, and he can play the two as well. He’s a solid defender, a decent shooter at 45%, he’s shown he’s comfortable starting or coming off the bench, and he’s coming off a career year (highs in points, rebounds, assists and 3-pt FG%). He’s a versatile player who should fit perfectly on this newly-constructed Raptors team.

Nevertheless… one could argue that $20 million over four years is a little much for a sixth- or seventh-man. Especially since, as far as I can tell, there were no bidding wars going on for his services. I can’t help but think a three-year deal for $12 or $14 million might have made a little more sense…

Still, we all know Bryan Colangelo is a guy that simply goes after what he wants. He wants Jack - and he intends to get him.

Unfortunately for us in the blogosphere, we now have to wait for Indiana to either renounce Jack or simply wait for the seven days to pass without matching the offer. They’ll surely do the latter. Which means the Raptors won’t make any other moves in that time frame, including signing Carlos Delfino or Rasho Nesterovic, because they need to know for sure where there finances stand. So it should be an uneventful week.

But one event can’t pass by without some acknowledgement. The Cavaliers officially unveiled their newest acquisition yesterday, free agent Anthony Parker. The multiple-Euroleague-MVP award winner joined the Raptors in Colangelo’s first summer on the job, and was a huge contributor in the Raptors 47-35, Atlantic Champion 2006-2007 season. Over the past three years he hit a number of clutch shots (I remember a falling, lunging banked-in three pointer from the top to seal a win against Detroit late in the 06-07 season, and who could forget the tip-toe-corner three he nailed to tie the game against New Jersey last year - one play before Vince Carter won it on the dunk at the buzzer?) and provided steady, generally mistake-free basketball. He was a deadly three-point shooter from the corners and had a penchant for making that incredibly difficult fade-away jumpers.

Unfortunately, he lost a step in the last year, and it showed; he was our best perimeter defender for two years but last year, was just another pylon in our porous defense. He also had a habit of going 1-2 at the line in clutch FT situations. But he was asked to do more than he should have been for a completely undermanned and underwhelming team last year.

In Cleveland, where he can settle into a role as a shooter and big guard alongside LeBron James, he should have a great year. I expect his role in terms of actual stats will go down, but he’ll play a big role in the overall complexion of that team, in terms of providing relief for James, clutch shooting, steady ball-handling, and as a bigger guard to match up with Orlando and Boston (as opposed to the under-sized West-Williams backcourt).

I wish him luck and look forward to Raptors fans giving him a big round of applause when he returns.

Wow. It’s done. According to Doug Smith, the league has approved the deal, with one small change - Nate Jawai is now going to Dallas, and Memphis gets a second round Raptors pick in 2016. Quincy Douby will stay here for now.

Hedo Turkoglu will officially be announced as a Raptor at 4pm this afternoon, at which time I’m sure BC will deliver the rest of the details. But as it now stands, it looks like the Raps roster fills out like so…

1. Chris Bosh
2. Andrea Bargnani
3. Jose Calderon
4. Hedo Turkoglu
5. DeMar DeRozan
6. Reggie Evans
7. Antoine Wright
8. Devean George
9. Roko Ukic
10. Quincy Douby
11. Patrick O’Bryant
12. Marcus Banks

Still in flux are Joey Graham and Carlos Delfino; as far as I know, they have not been “renounced” and can still be resigned with their bird rights by the Raptors.

Anthony Parker has not been renounced, but appears to be on the verge of signing in Cleveland.

I’m not sure of the status of Pops Mensah-Bonsu, but I think he is renounced, as is Jake Voskuhl.

As you can see, the Raps have a 12-man roster and, thanks to this deal, can re-sign Graham or Delfino, can add a free agent via the mid-level exception, and can add a second free-agent via the bi-annual exception. They can also add as many veterans-minimum deals as they need.

My initial research indicates that this 12-man Raptor squad comprises just over $57 million - in other words, pretty much right in line with the salary cap.

But what that really means is they are $12 million below the tax threshold - and as they’ve shown, they’re not afraid to use that money.

Let’s say they sign Carlos Delfino for $5 million a year over four years. They can use the some or all of mid-level exception ($5.9 million) on a second player (Matt Barnes? Ramon Sessions?) and the rest, or the bi-annual exception, on another (Rasho?). Bingo, you’re up to 15 players. Of course, they may stick with 14, and try and save a little coin for next year. But the flexibility this deal provides is amazing.

It also provides some small flexibility for next year, since Wright and George will be FAs.

Basically, this sets the Raps up in great shape for this upcoming season, provided that Colangelo uses the remaining money on valuable players. If he gets a 2-3 and a backup 5, this might be the best, most balanced Raptors roster ever assembled. I can’t wait to see what further moves come down the pipeline.

More as it happens…

Quick Update: At Hedo’s presser, BC confirmed there were “more roster moves on the horizon.” Can’t wait…

Well well. Looks like the Golden Child might finally be doing something right! A four team trade with Toronto, Dallas, Memphis and Orlando that brings in Hedo Turkoglu, Devean George, Antoine Wright, preserves the MLE and biannual exceptions, and means we don’t have to renounce Carlos Delfino’s rights. And all we give up is Shawn Marion, Kris Humphries and Quincy Douby.

This is apparently the confirmed deal, pending league approval (sometime today). I’m not going to get it into it too much until it’s official - I’m scared shitless Orlando will back out - but if it stands, I’m a happy Raptors fan.

I won’t call it a “masterstroke” as Doug Smith has until I see what, if anything, Colangelo does with the exceptions and Delfino. But at this point - it’s looking like a fantastic move.

Well then. Now that the most hated ex-Raptor is in Orlando and (arguably) Orlando’s MVP of the past two seasons is in Toronto, is it possible Orlando will replace New Jersey is our arch-rival du jour??

We can hope. Though I somehow doubt the Magic fans will have the same disdain for Hedo Turkoglu that Raptors fans have for Vince Carter, since even the most casual of fan can see losing Hedo is strictly a financial decision…

On the other hand, it looks like Hedo and the Raps haven’t made any new fans in Portland…!

But seriously, this is a pretty big coup for the Raptors. Hedo was arguably the biggest unrestricted free agent available this year; he might just be the biggest free agent signing the Raptors have ever made. And, although he isn’t the super-athletic wing we need, he can score from anywhere, he’s not afraid to drive (his 389 attempts last year would put him second on the team, behind Bosh), he can initiate the offense, and most of all, he seems to thrive with the ball in his hands in the clutch, a trait no other Raptor has.

And, you know, he’s got big game experience. Think about it. He was a bit player on those great Sacramento teams. He spent a year in San Antonio. And he made it to playoffs four out of five years in Orlando, including the finals this past season. The Raptors have been desperate for a guy who can take and make big shots for years. There’s no doubt in my mind that Turkoglu can be that guy.

Of course, signing him means we can’t sign anyone else to fill out the bench - not even Parker and Delfino - so we’ll likely be saddled with 2009 versions of Will Solomon and Hassan Adams. So there’s that to look forward to.

Also, he’s 30 years old, and played in 193 games the past two seasons. Last year he also shot below his career averages from the field and from 3pt range. Will he hold up for the length of the contract? And, he’s not a great defender (nowhere near Marion’s level).

Still, as a fan, I appreciate that the Raptors are making a splash and going for it. Even thinking longer-term, I guess the idea is, if Bosh leaves a year from now, they will (should) still have a decent core in Turk, Bargnani, and Calderon (and hopefully DeRozan), and cap space from Bosh’s salary to sign multiple guys.

Well. I do hope Colangelo is not done wheeling and dealing, but I am glad to see he’s not just sitting by while everyone else gets better.

I didn’t think that was true, since I’d seen every game the guy had played against the Raps and almost every game he played with the Raps, and noticed no difference whatsoever. But I decided to check the stats, and thankfully, the stats backed me up. Check it:

So you see, the stats are virtually identical. His numbers were incredibly similar overall, vs. Toronto, and at home and away. In Toronto, where he hears the boos, his shooting percentages are down slightly, but his scoring and rebounding are up slightly, so it’s a wash. His free throw shooting is down across the board which is odd, considering he’s normally a great free throw shooter, but it’s likely just an aberration.

The only thing I really notice is the free throw attempts vs. field goal attempts in Toronto and Jersey. He seemed to take some more contact in Jersey, with 23 more FTs attempted in the same amount of games – and settled for more jump shots in Toronto, with 38 more FGs attempted.

Relevant? Probably not. The Nets won 13 of the 24 games during Carter’s time there, which is the most important thing, including 4 of the six playoff games of course, and that’s not a surprising thing considering they had the better team and coach most years.

In Orlando, I expect Vince’s stats to be down across the board as that team is pretty stacked and doesn’t need him to be the focal point of the offense; plus he’s not as young as he used to be. In the flip side, because they are a good team, he should probably experience his greatest team success there. I look at that roster and, assuming they fill out the bench with a couple decent guys, I have to believe they’re the Eastern Conference favourites – at least as long as Cleveland plans to head into 2009-2010 with the same undersized backcourt and under-athletic frontcourt (I fail to see how adding Shaq addresses the flaws exposed in the Orlando series).

So the question remains – will Vince be booed here in Toronto? Yeah… probably. Maybe not quite as much – New Jersey was a fun team to hate. But I’m sure they’ll still be plenty audible. And I’m OK with that. Most people seem to think it needs to stop… but really, who cares? Everyone loves a villain, and Vince brought it all on himself by quitting on the Raptors five years ago. As you can see above, it has zero impact on his play, so if people enjoy booing… I think they should go ahead and do so.

Quick Free Agency Update: Looks like Ariza’s going to Houston. That means, as far as I can tell, it’s all but a lock Shawn Marion will be back next year, and the Raptors will go into the 09-10 season with at least four of the five starters the same. Hardly a great recipe for improving on a 33-win team…

All right, it’s the offeason, but, as you know, there’s still lots going on with the Raptors. Some quick thoughts as free agency heats up:

The Draft. DeMar DeRozan was the right pick at that spot. He’s raw and he probably won’t contribute much right away, and he might never contribute anything - but he has the potential to be really, really good. And he plays a position (swingman), and has a physical dimension (athleticism, length, leaping ability) that the Raptors currently are lacking. Who was left on the draft board was a better fit? Who on the draft board was going to contribute right away? No one. (Heck, who was in this draft at all, besides Blake Griffin, that is going to contribute to his new team right away? Make no mistake, this is an awful, awful draft).

DeRozan is the right fit in every way. Whether or not he turns into anything remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt he was the right, and only, pick.

Carlos Delfino. I’ve said it about 100 times, Delfino wasn’t used properly his one year here and I am certain he will benefit from consistent minutes and a consistent role. He’s also a much better defender than Anthony Parker at this point in their careers. I also expect Triano will not be afraid to let Delfino initiate the offense, much as he did with Parker last year; for some reason, Sam Mitchell was afraid to put Delfino in that role, even though he’d done it for Argentina, one of the best basketball teams in the world. Does he start? I think so, though that of course still depends somewhat on who is starting at the three (Marion? Someone else?). I have no problem going in to this season with Delfino as the starting two-guard.

Shawn Marion. Very little word at this point on whether the Raps have offered anything, whether Marion’s asked for anything, whether other teams are calling… very quiet on the Marion front. I’m still super-torn on what to do with him. Yes, he fits the team well; he rebounds and defends from the three spot, something very lacking before he got here. He’s also the best on the team at moving without the ball. But, like everyone else on the team, he’s not a guy who can create/initiate his own offense, and the Raptors could really use that from the SF spot. And there’s the question of money… obviously the guy wants to get paid, but do the Raptors have the coin - and is he worth it? Especially at age 31? If he could be had super-cheap $3 million a year? Over 3?) of course he’d be worth it. But there’s no way he takes that deal. So I can’t say I’ll be thrilled if he comes back and is taking a large chunk of the salary cap.

Hedo Turkoglu. Word is he’s interested in the Raptors - and of course the Raps are interested in him - but there’s likely no way to work out the money situation (no, he doesn’t like us THAT much). He earned a big payday with his play this past year, and the Raps don’t have the coin. And frankly, I’m not sure he’s worth it. I’m not sure he can put up the same stats without that particular cast around him - including, obviously, Dwight Howard. He’s a year younger than Marion, and in many ways, Marion’s exact opposite - he can create his own shot and score from anywhere, but he’s a non-factor on defense. I’d be excited to see what the Raps could do with the starting lineup of Bargnani, Bosh, Hedo, Delfino and Calderon (wow, that’s the whitest, most international line-up ever) but I can’t get to used to the idea, because I can’t see it happening.

Trevor Ariza. Financially, a much better fit than Hedo (and maybe better than Marion too). And really, his skill set is right in between the two - not as good a defender as Marion, not as good a scorer as Hedo. And he’s young enough (24) that he has room to improve in both areas. The only question is, is he ready to come in and be a full-time starter and contributor to a winning team? Or will he just ride a solid playoff performance (11 points, 4 boards, 50% from the field, 47% from downtown) to a fat payday?

David Lee. Supposedly the Raptors are interested… really, another power forward who doesn’t play on the blocks? No thanks. Love his game, but not with Bosh and Bargnani already here…

Which brings us to this: Is Bryan Colangelo trying to trade Chris Bosh? I see the argument for it, I really do - Bosh has a chance to walk away next summer, and at this point - given the team’s lack of success - he probably will, and who will blame him? Thus the argument, trade him now so you can get something in return. But I don’t believe Colangelo will do that. For one thing, BC appears confident - and he should, I want a confident upper management - that he can surround Bosh with better players this year. He also seems confident he will be able to replace Bosh, should the time come. I like that in a GM. Also, trading Bosh would be admitting defeat - that he didn’t get the job done - and while I don’t know Bryan, he really doesn’t seem like the type to admit defeat.

And the fact is, even if you get some value for him, you’ll never get fair or equal value. Whether you truly think Bosh is a “franchise player” or not, he is this franchise’s franchise player - we’ve built our team and marketing presence around him, he is the face of the franchise. He may not be a “a” superstar in the broader definition of the term, but he’s “our” superstar. Can we get a superstar back for him? Not likely.

I honestly think it’s better to play it out and either try and re-sign him, or sign someone else, next summer. There’s a good chance the cap space you’d get next year is more valuable than whatever package you can get for him in trade right now. There’s going to be plenty of FAs available, after all…

And if the team does have a great year? If the promise of Bosh, Calderon and Bargnani materializes into a 50-win team? Then I have confidence Bosh’ll stick around, and that we’ll all be better for it.