July 9, 2008

Ulmer with O'Neal | Calderon Press Release | Ulmer with Calderon | Video: Calderon Presser | Video: O'Neal Presser

TORONTO -- If Jermaine O'Neal has his way, the NBA will boast a new set of Twin Towers next season.

The Toronto Raptors formally introduced the six-time all-star Wednesday after a trade with Indiana that was agreed to in principle before last month's draft. The Raptors also announced that Spanish guard Jose Calderon has signed a multi-year contract.

O'Neal and Chris Bosh give the Raptors one of the most imposing frontcourts in the Eastern Conference. The two forwards have nine all-star appearances between them, and should give opposing big men headaches with their combination of speed, size and skill.

O'Neal went so far as to suggest the Raptors might have themselves a 1-2 frontcourt punch to rival retired San Antonio Spurs centre David Robinson and future Hall-of-Fame forward Tim Duncan, known as the Twin Towers when they played together.

``One of us is going to be on the court all the time,'' said O'Neal. ``It doesn't give a team time to adjust. It's going to be tough to deal with.''

Dressed in a sleek black suit and flanked by his wife Mesha, O'Neal said he viewed his trade to the Raptors as a new start after years of controversy and subpar results in Indiana.

He wasn't the only one.

``My mother started freaking out because she knows I don't show a lot of emotion,'' said O'Neal, who admitted he cried upon learning of the trade. ``It was just like, the suffering (was over) ... and it's unfortunate because I had a lot of great times in Indiana.''

Along with O'Neal, the Raptors also acquired the draft rights to forward Nathan Jawai in exchange for guard T.J. Ford, centre Rasho Nesterovic, forward Maceo Baston and the draft rights to centre Roy Hibbert.

The Raptors will need O'Neal to stay healthy if they plan to make any noise in the East next season. He has missed 84 games over the past three seasons due to a knee injury that O'Neal said left him playing on one leg for nearly 2 1/2 years.

O'Neal insisted his knee is fine, and that he sat out most of last season - 43 games in a row at one point - more as a precautionary measure, after speaking to several doctors.

Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo said O'Neal doesn't present an injury risk.

``We did a thorough medical examination that actually happened about seven days ago,'' said Colangelo. ``Our medical team gave him the green light.''

Despite coming to Toronto with an impressive resume and salary to match - O'Neal will make a whopping US$44 million over the final two years of his contract - the six-foot-11 star isn't about to take the franchise mantle away from Bosh.

``This is Chris's team,'' said O'Neal. ``I'm here to help him lead this team. He's been the centrepiece for quite some time.

``I know I'm gonna hear that question a million other times, but just to set the record straight, this is his team. And we're gonna do this thing together as a team.''

The move to Toronto should provide O'Neal with a clean slate. His Pacers had become known more for their off-the-court antics over the past few years, punctuated by a brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Nov. 19, 2004 that marred their game against the Detroit Pistons. O'Neal was filmed punching a Pistons fan in the jaw during the melee, an infraction that earned him a 25-game suspension.

O'Neal said he was just protecting a teammate.

``I'm hoping that nothing like that ever happens again, and I'm damned sure hoping that nothing like that happens with any team that I'm on,'' said O'Neal. ``But if put in that position again, I would definitely do that again for my teammate.''

By trading Ford, Colangelo and head coach Sam Mitchell made it clear that Calderon was ready to assume the starting point guard role on a full-time basis. The six-foot-three Spaniard was one of the league's most efficient point guards in 2007-08, ranking eighth in assists and leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio.

He also led Toronto in free-throw percentage (90.8) and finished ranked 10th in the NBA in three-point percentage (42.9) and 18th in field-goal percentage (51.9). The shooting totals put Calderon in the upper echelon of NBA point guards - and he still sees plenty of room for improvement.

``I want to improve in every aspect of my game,'' said Calderon. ``I think I can learn every day from everybody, so I can get much better.''

Calderon brushed aside suggestions he and Ford were engaged in a point guard controversy during Ford's two seasons in Toronto, and had nothing bad to say about his former teammate.

``I think he's a great player,'' said Calderon, who is expected to be backed up by 2005 second-round pick Roko Ukic. ``I learned a lot every day in practice. These two years were really good. I say all the time, we were one of the best combos in the NBA.''

While it remains to be seen whether O'Neal and Calderon will complement each other on the court, the two men had plenty of compliments for one another.

``I didn't know that he was so tall,'' joked O'Neal.

``Jose's got that Euro toughness. And he has a real swagger.''

Right back at ya, Jermaine.

``I think he's great,'' said Calderon. ``He's the guy we needed. He's an all-star. With Chris, they're gonna be one of the best (duos) inside in the league.''

The Raptors also made news in the broadcast booth Wednesday, hiring Matt Devlin as their new television play-by-play announcer. Devlin replaces longtime Raptors voice Chuck Swirsky, who joined the Chicago Bulls radio network.

Devlin spent two years doing play-by-play for the Memphis Grizzlies before joining the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004.

``I am honoured to be a part of MLSE and the Raptors organization,'' Devlin said in a statement. ``It is a genuine privilege to have the opportunity to call Raptors games for the great fans in the Toronto area and across the nation.''