04/16/24
September 24, 2003
Is Antonio Davis on his way out?: It's been awhile since an above-average player demanded a trade. Will it be Antonio? Dikembe? KMart maybe? Do Canuckle-heads side with Davis? Or would they rather be rid of him (and his cap heavy $12 Million salary)?
posted by lilnemo to basketball at 03:32 PM - 11 comments
Yes, they still play basketball in Toronto, and seeing as how the Raptors were Top 10 in attendnace last season despite having one of the worst teams, it seems they're here to stay. As for Antonio, here's a transcript of a (fake) conversation between him and Raptors' GM Glen Grunwald. Anybody who knows how highly Davis thinks of himself will know that this is not a far-fetched scenario.
posted by Scott Carefoot at 08:58 AM on September 25, 2003
Grum you ignorant slut. Raptors were 4th in attendance last year. For a 25 win team. This town loves its ball. We also sold out the ACC to see the And 1 mix tape tour - only city to do that I'm told. If it bounces and features dunking, it's appreciated. AD has long outlived his usefulness here - he was overpaid at the time of the signing and now he gets most of his points from 15 feet on the baseline. Plays hard, good pro - but not an inside presence offensvely. Remains a great help defender and weak-side shot blocker.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:06 AM on September 25, 2003
>Do Canadians side with Davis? Many people here have long memories. Not grudges necessarily, but memories. >"Adding fuel to Raptor fans' fire, he mentioned he wasn't keen on his kids going to school in Canada and learning the metric system." >"Canada teaches alot of different things - the metric system... I mean, they go to school every day and they're singing the Canadian national anthem," explained Davis.
posted by Philfromhavelock at 09:22 AM on September 25, 2003
Woah. I just got schooled by the bball fans. My bad. /backs out of room slowly
posted by grum@work at 10:42 AM on September 25, 2003
I get the impression that the good people of Toronto wouldn't exactly shed a tear should Davis make his way back below the border. He hasn't exactly connected with the fans. I'm sure the Raptors would gladly send him and his contract off to another team. I don't think he leaves this season though. I think they want to keep him around to help mentor Bosh. Personally I think if Bosh comes out of the gates running, we've seen the end of Antonio in Toronto.
posted by lilnemo at 11:43 AM on September 25, 2003
i don't think swapping him for Mutumbo is a good move though. Davis seems to have more dimensions than Mutumbo and in the centre-sparse East Davis is a good piece to have on most teams.
posted by gspm at 12:13 PM on September 25, 2003
you'd have to be smoking some of nino brown's finest to even think about taking on mutumbo's contract. at this point in mutumbo's career you're paying 7 figures for every trademark finger wave this guy can still put back in a defender's face. that's some serious chedder. even mutumbo's PR wagon is tired. he's funny until he gets only ten minutes a game......basically.....this would be trading headaches. advantage nets though.
posted by oliver_crunk at 02:55 PM on September 25, 2003
This is the same franchise that rented an all but retired Hakeem Olajuwon. I think Mutombo has a bit more in the tank now, than the Dream had then. Yes, the contract is gargantuan and scary, but it's up by the end of '05. Thats alot of cap space for a team that re-upped some shady free agents; read: Alvin Williams, Jerome Williams, and of course Antonio Davis. All of whom count against the cap through '06.
posted by lilnemo at 03:06 PM on September 25, 2003
Yes - that would be the crux of a Mutumbo deal - Davis contract is so prohibitive in trading that Toronto would have to take on (or would likely have to take on) a similar deal with the idea being to free up cap space next year. On a side note - since they were paying the Dream so much money to sit at home in Houston for two frieaking years I felt he should ave had to come to Toronto and hand out programs, or sell popcorn. Mutherfucker, earn your pay!
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:17 AM on September 26, 2003
you gotta pay someone that is retired? guaranteed contract? grundwald had the magic touch until the team actually started playing the season after losing to Philadelphia in the playoffs.
posted by gspm at 12:13 PM on September 26, 2003
They still play basketball in Toronto? You'd never know from the lack of media attention in the summer. I'm pretty sure the local lacrosse (Toronto Rock) got more off-season press than the Raptors. I think you'd be hard pressed to find 5 out of 100 people in Toronto who could pick Antonio Davis out of a lineup.