March 26, 2007 - Toronto Raptors President and GM Bryan Colangelo, recognized as one of the brightest young executives in the NBA, has wasted little time in building the Raptors into a playoff contender in less than a year since joining the organization.
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Colangelo
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Q. With the recent slew of injuries that the Raptors have suffered, including
the loss of Andrea Bargnani, how much does it help to have readily available
options nearby in the D-League?
Colangelo: "We were looking for a way to reinforce our group
of shooters. We have a couple of situations brewing now: Bargnani is out after
his appendectomy, Anthony Parker has been nursing a sore ankle and has missed
multiple games, and it’s nice to have some options to turn to when you’re
looking for a player to fill a void. The need that we had was for a shooter,
and we were looking for someone with experience, which Luke has. He has used
the D-League to work his way back from a series of injuries which made him ineffective
early in his career, but he’s taking advantage of the D-League opportunity
to get back to the NBA level.”
Q. What role do you see the D-League playing for NBA teams?
Colangelo: “For Luke and several others who have been called
up, the D-League is a perfect opportunity to be seen by NBA scouts. There is
good coaching there and it’s a high level of competition, so if you are
consistently performing well at the D-League level with the NBA rules and NBA
equipment, it’s a nice way for us to bring someone in who you know won’t
miss a beat. All in all, you’re very comfortable knowing there’s this
affiliation with the NBA, because it’s a natural destination for young
NBA players to work on their game or for NBA teams to secure players when necessary.”
Q. Luke is the Raptors’ third call-up all-time, and the second since
you’ve been in Toronto… you brought up Andre Barrett last year. Do
you scout players in the D-League often?
Colangelo: “Yes, quite a bit, actually. This year, we utilized
the D-League in sending down P.J. Tucker, who, unfortunately, we had to waive
as a part of this transaction to free up a roster spot. We have a scout based
in Denver who gets up to see the 14ers play regularly. We’ve also sent
scouts out to make sure we’re aware of what’s there and how players
are performing. Others within the D-League in various capacities have also been
good sources of information when needed. So it’s helpful to have trustworthy
and reliable people affiliated with the NBA who are there to help us out.”
Q. What do you think of the talent level and quality of play in the D-League.
Do you feel that the player pool has gotten deeper and improved over the past
few years?
Colangelo: “Simply by analyzing what has occurred over the
last several years – the number of call-ups increasing, the level of scouting
that now takes place, the level of talent both objectively and subjectively
– you’d have to say that the D-League is a very valid tool for the
NBA and developing young players. NBA teams are clearly utilizing it as a resource
to either send young talent down to develop their skills or to call up young
players when they’re needed. In Luke Jackson’s situation, we felt
like we needed to add something to our team and Luke happened to be the right
player at the right time.”
Q. What specifically impressed you about Luke Jackson? Is it more his experience
at the NBA level or the fact that you think he’ll fit in well with the
team’s dynamic?
Colangelo: “Both. He has NBA experience, he’s a known
shooter and playmaker and he has a good feel for the game. He was a lottery
pick in the NBA Draft who hasn’t really lived up to what’s expected
of the 10th pick, primarily due to injury, who found himself on the short end
of a roster situation following a trade to Boston.
“When he realized that his injury was a part of his perceived failures, he decided to get it surgically taken care of. So what better way to come back and get yourself NBA-ready than to go to the highest level of competition outside of the NBA? For the purpose of returning and getting his confidence back after the injury, getting a feel back for the game after a serious operation, this was an ideal situation for him. And it’s obviously worked to his benefit: We’re aware of what he’s been doing in the D-League and we’ve watched his progression from the start. He wasn’t quite prepared when he first came up with the Clippers earlier in the season, and again, it was a good gauge to see where he was in the recovery process. Now, based on our evaluation to date, it appears that he’s ready to make the jump back to the NBA.”
NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad
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