If you were already itching for another big Raptors-related trade rumour now that Rudy Gay is firmly in place and Pau Gasol is out for a while, ESPN’s Marc Stein dropped this on us Thursday evening…
Archive for the ‘Andrea Bargnani’ Category
Thoughts On the Game: Celtics 99, Raptors 95
Posted by Joseph Casciaro under Alan Anderson, Amir Johnson, Andrea Bargnani, Boston Celtics, DeMar DeRozan, John Lucas III, Jonas Valanciunas, Kyle Lowry, Recap, Rudy Gay, Terrence Ross on Feb 06, 2013
If it wasn’t obvious coming into the game, it should be painfully obvious after this game. The Celtics are a veteran playoff team and the Raptors are an inexperienced, surefire lottery team…albeit without an actual lottery pick.
Now let’s get to some thoughts on the game…
UPDATE: Bargnani Will Play Tonight
Posted by Joseph Casciaro under Andrea Bargnani on Feb 06, 2013
After a couple of games where he was ruled out at the last minute, Andrea Bargnani will finally return to the lineup against the Celtics tonight after missing the last eight weeks with an elbow injury.
Andrea Bargnani makes first reserve appearance since December 29, 2008, ending a streak of 245 consecutive starts. #Raptors
— RaptorsMR (@RaptorsMR) February 6, 2013
Is Pau Gasol Colangelo’s Next Target?
Posted by Joseph Casciaro under Andrea Bargnani, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade rumours on Feb 02, 2013
If you go all the way back to the summer, the two names that have continued to pop up in trade rumours involving the Raptors are Rudy Gay and Pau Gasol. Gay was rumoured to be coveted by the Raptors before Draft night, was once again linked to the team in minor rumours and suggestions in the early parts of this season, and then eventually was acquired by Toronto after rumours became full fledged reports earlier this week. In other words, when it came to Rudy Gay and Toronto, where there was smoke, there was fire.
As RaptorBlog readers are well aware by now, Gasol’s name became a talking point in Raptors-related trade rumours at the beginning of this season, especially when the Lakers hired Mike D’Antoni, who seems to have a need for a floor stretching big man to play his style of offence. Of course, the Raptors have a floor stretching big man who just happens to be near ready to return from injury, while Gasol and D’Antoni appear to be at odds with each other.
Whether the Lakers actually want any part of Andrea “Enigma Of All Enigmas” Bargnani is certainly worth a discussion on its own, but it appears as though the smoke has begun to fill the room again with respect to Gasol to Toronto rumours.
Valanciunas and Gay In, Bargnani Out
Posted by Joseph Casciaro under Andrea Bargnani, Jonas Valanciunas, Rudy Gay on Feb 01, 2013
UPDATE: Jonas Valanciunas will play tonight, Andrea Bargnani will not. Also, Valanciunas and Rudy Gay will most likely come off the bench.
***
While we all await word on whether Rudy Gay will make his debut tonight against the Clippers, some surprising news has emerged from Raptors shootaround, where it sounds like Andrea Bargnani and Jonas Valanciunas could return to the lineup tonight.
Both players are considered game-time decisions.
I was hoping Valanciunas would be back in time for Sunday’s home game against the Heat, so the fact he’s a game-time decision tonight is certainly encouraging. With respect to Bargnani, whether you want him traded ASAP or are still a believer in him for some God forsaken reason, him returning to full health and returning to the court is good for both parties.
With Gay, the Clippers and Heat in town, this weekend just got a hell of a lot more interesting…
