Opinion | Raptors mailbag: Trading Pascal Siakam, drafting Scoot Henderson and moving on from Diar DeRozan

Far too many questions about Diar DeRozan in Ye Olde Mailbag this week but we’ll deal with some and then be done, OK?

Then we can move on to other sports and roster construction and things around the league in the future, OK?

Have fun with this.

Hey, Doug. So I guess there’s a lighter schedule for you for the upcoming week(s) than if the Raptors had managed to get in the playoffs and done the unthinkable and gotten past the Bucks.

I know you asked no questions about DeMar’s daughter, but forgive me for this: Do you know if she was born here or in the U.S.? Just thinking that if she was born here, and if she will follow in her dad’s footsteps with his talent, it would certainly be something if she were to play for the Canadian national team in a dozen years or so.

I won’t ask you if you think Nick Nurse will be back, but if Masai Ujiri asked for your advice — as we all know he often does — what would be your reply? There isn’t much talk about the assistant coaches, but how have they fared this year?

Do you think that Gary Trent Jr. will exercise his option this year? Am I wrong to think that he did not play as well on either side of the court as he did last year?

Finally, I am confused. I thought that the Raptors did not pick up Jeff Dowtin Jr.’s option and that he was no longer part of the team. However, I noticed that he was on the Raptors’ bench for the end of the season and during the game against the Bulls. Can anyone sit with the team? Does the league have rules as to who can and cannot sit on a team’s bench?

I’m certain that a playoff run would have provided better fodder for your stories, but thank you for another great season of insights.

Appreciated as always.

Phil

I believe Diar was born in the States while DeMar was playing here, but I could be wrong. And I’m really not ready to consider any national team basketball future of a nine-year-old.

I’d probably tell Masai that if he thinks everything has stalled and everyone’s just tired, it’s time to make a change.

Dowtin is still with the Raptors. They have his rights, can match any offer he gets or let him go at the end of the NBA contract season in late June. The same with Ron Harper Jr., who I believe was sitting next to Dowtin at the game. The only thing they didn’t do was convert his two-way deal to a full NBA contract after he’d reached the maximum 50 games. And I need to point out that in 25 of those games, Dowtin was active and did not get off the bench, coach’s decision.

Dear Doug. A boy can dream, right? Picture the Raptors somehow able to get hold of Scoot Henderson in this draft. Doesn’t that turn the Raptors instantly into the Cleveland Cavaliers? Scoot could be the Raptors’ Donovan Mitchell. Adding a swift shotmaker to the current roster (leaving everything else as is) could actually be a really good team, no?

Tony, Albany, N.Y.

Scoot Henderson’s a very promising young player. If his addition doesn’t elevate Toronto to Cleveland status — fourth in the East, non-winner of a playoff series in eons, a rather thin team that faded last year — something’s horribly wrong. But seriously, he’d make them way, way, way better and his addition might allow for other moves to be made.

Several questions:

Eighteen missed free throws? To what extent does this reflect on a) the coach; b) Bobby Webster and Masai Ujiri? Yeah, sure, the players are the ones who missed the shots. But when all the players are missing free throws, something is going on, surely.

The Raptors aren’t a physically tough team. All nice guys. No Oakley; not even a John Salmons. Glad I could still find this on YouTube: Change is coming, right?

Earlier in the season you’d write things like: one bad game is just that — one bad game. It was a mantra the Raptors used when the team played poorly, and when an individual played poorly. (I specifically remember FVV having an awful game where this was the theme that came after.) Can we now safely say that this mantra was false? One bad game wasn’t just one bad game. They happened with frequency. They revealed flaws in our lineup.

Everyone pointed out Scottie Barnes lost his enthusiasm this season. Any reason to think Toronto is where he wants to stay? Who is his closest friend on the team?

Watching Thaddeus Young, he seems very much like a good guy. Even when he wasn’t playing, he was talking to his teammates, trying to support them and smiling. You wrote once that he had a big off-the-court impact. I saw in him a true professional. I’m not seeing what the impact was, though. If he did have impact, can he transition into a coach?

Too many guys the coach wouldn’t put on the floor even for 30 seconds, eh? Not sure he can be blamed for this.

Careless passes. Yet again. Given our poor shooting, they are soul crushing.

Transition defence: Why wasn’t this corrected for the entire season?!?

I guess I always felt this was where we’d end up when we traded for Kawhi Leonard. It’s taken four years to get here. It kind of feels like the end of a chapter, while the next one hasn’t quite started yet.

Jeff

That’s a month worth of questions. So …

NBA players practise free throws every single day of their lives. Sometimes they miss. Rarely do they all miss a lot the same night. Stuff happens — it’s sports — but to suggest it’s somehow an issue of coaching or the front office, or a nine-year-old, is beyond me.

I love Oak. His style of play left the NBA a decade or more ago and is not coming back. So, in that regard, change is not coming.

Yeah, one bad game is one thing. A series of bad games necessitates some kind of change and there will be change.

I don’t think Barnes lost his enthusiasm. I think the game got a lot harder because he drew more attention and really didn’t get any better, and it’ll be interesting to see how he responds. I don’t know who his friends and confidantes are, and I really don’t care.

Thad Young was/is the consummate professional and his impact was in teaching: pointing out tendencies during games, keeping his teammates focused. I think he’d be a good coach, but I think he’s interested more in helping his young sons become better players.

The front office puts the roster together. The coach decides who plays and how much. Responsibility, I’d say, is shared.

The Raptors committed the fewest turnovers of any team in the league. The “careless passing” narrative doesn’t work.

Transition defence was an issue. They did their best to address it in-season, and will do what they can in the summer and training camp.

Hi, Doug. I usually agree with you on everything basketball (and even non-basketball things). However, I have to disagree with you about Diar shrieking at every foul shot. I think it did strongly influence the Raptors’ free-throw results, and I believe the statistics of the evening support me in my belief.

Have you ever been on a flight with a screaming baby and not been affected by it in a negative way? (If so, you are an amazing human being.) I was watching the game on TV and her screaming annoyed the heck out of me. I can’t imagine how freakin’ annoying it must’ve been in the stadium. It really felt like a dirty trick to win at any cost.

So, my first question is this: When does the NBA institute a no-shrieking policy, better known as the Diar DeRozan rule — before the first round of the playoffs or this summer? This new rule will have to go into effect soon, because it makes an utter mockery of the game. And if NBA games devolve into children shrieking at every free throw, millions of people will stop attending games and stop watching the games on TV. I almost turned the TV off halfway through the match since I could hear her loud and clear and it was “nails on a chalkboard” irritating.

My second question: Will DeMar get the Vince Carter treatment next time he’s in town? I’ll bet you a pint of your favourite Pilsner he gets booed (or shrieked at) every time he touches the ball from now on (at least for next season).

Booing is cool. Shrieking is not.

Richard F.

Victoria B.C.

I was at the game and barely noticed it. If the TV mic hadn’t picked it up, it would never have been a story and the world would have been a better place.

Let me get this straight? You want the NBA to ban fans from making noise? Or to determine in real time what’s a shriek or what’s a high-pitched scream? Come on, seriously? Not gonna fly. And you know, if the 36 foul shots including one child shrieking for four seconds each time that’s about, what, 1:12? And half the time it didn’t work.

We have all wasted way, way, way, way too much time on this non-story. If fans boo or scream at DeMar some time next season, it will speak to their failings.

Dear Doug. Wouldn’t it be fun if the winner of each qualifying play-in round got to draft one player from the team they defeated and keep them on their roster for the balance of the playoffs? Wouldn’t it be fun if the Raps beat the Bulls and could, as a result, draft DeRozan for their next playoff game(s)? It might help make things more competitive. At least it’d be interesting.

Tony

Albany, N.Y.

Oh yeah, that’d be a riot. I’d propose it for a fantasy league if I gave a rat’s patoot about any fantasy league.

Hi, Doug. As disappointed as I am in how the Raptors season ended, we knew it was going to be an uphill battle. If you win the play-in, you end up playing the potential winners of the playoffs: the Bucks.

My question is, who do the Raptors try to keep for next season? Personally I would jettison Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl and Gary Trent Jr.

A follow-up question: Why was DeMar’s daughter allowed to keep screaming when the Raptors were shooting free throws? Did it make a difference? It was obvious on the telecast that there was that noise. Are there not rules against that?

Thanks, Gary

It’s all well and good that you’d “jettison” the three free agents, but who would you bring in to fill two key starting roles and be a key bench player? But yeah, they could.

I’m basically done with Diar questions, but there are no rules against fans simply making noise. In fact, it’s encouraged.

You had a much better season than the Raps. My first thought is: blow it up. I get very frustrated watching Pascal Siakam turning the ball over in key situations, missing free throws or not making the last shot. The season always seems to get to the end with him just not being the go-to guy. Great as third option, but No. 1? Bad contract.

Question, finally: Can the Raps trade Pascal and help themselves in a three-year window?

Bernie

Bad contract? With one year left? Nah, it’s not a bad contract. But sure, they can explore trade options and I’m sure they will. Finding a two-time, maybe three-time, all-NBA talent around his prime who averages 24, eight and six with a 51 per cent effective field-goal percentage isn’t going to be easy.

Hi, Doug. Our beloved Raptors were put down. Their suffering (and ours) has ended. Ah well, we had some good times, eh? The post-season continues, but still some questions for you:

1. I respectfully disagree with your evaluation on the impact of Diar. Normally, players hear the united jeers, boos or taunts of thousands of opposing fans. The genius of her strategy was that her piercing shrieks were perfectly timed from courtside (as close as humanly possible for half the game) while the majority of the 19,000-plus fans are virtually silent! In her wisdom, most were timed just before the moment of release. Sure, it’s easy to ignore one trash-talking fan among thousands of countless fans cheering, but one voice in silence? Devin Booker couldn’t ignore one guy in a costume silently taunting in a virtually empty arena! To be fair, she had nothing to do with the turnovers, or the lack of offensive rebounds (and put-backs after those missed free throws), so 15 six-foot-plus men were not completely defeated by a nine-year-old girl.

2. People also brought up the argument that she would have been removed in many other arenas (or at least cautioned by officials). In a recent road game, three young women were seated next to Joe Wieskamp and Dalano Banton for the first half, but by the second half they were replaced by Thad Young and a couple of assistant coaches. (I guess someone saw potential distraction or trouble brewing.) Who is ultimately responsible for moving or ejecting fans from seats?

3. During the Heat-Bulls game, coach Van Gundy pointed out an anomaly; the Miami Heat have retired Michael Jordan’s number and jersey in their rafters as a sign of — respect? Even though he never played for the team! Rightfully so, many current and former Miami players have expressed their opposition to this gesture. Your two cents?

4. A final Dowtin question. Even after his contract wasn’t converted and he had maxed out his appearances with the team, he still sat on the bench with the guys for the play-in and the final three games. Obviously he is still well-liked by at least his teammates and coaches. Was this some sort of a protest/challenge to team management?

Thanks for your insights. Hope a nine-year-old girl isn’t shrieking in your ear as you write!

Bernie M.

Yeah, I am done with Diar questions. Team security along with game officials would be involved in the moving of any fans. I don’t recall the fans with Wieskamp and Banton you talk about. I heard nothing about it, either.

Yes, the Heat have “retired” Jordan’s No. 23 and, yes, it’s ridiculous.

Dowtin and Harper are under contract to the end of the season, which for contractual purposes is late June. The only reason they couldn’t play in the play-in is that their deals weren’t converted, but they are still under contract.

Hi, Doug. Shouldn’t Masai Ujiri take some of the blame for his decisions?

At times, Van Vleet did not pass the ball and took too many shots. Was he selfish in certain situations?

George

Yes, Masai should be, and will be, evaluated by his bosses, as will Bobby Webster and, yes, they take some responsibility.

At times — rare times — VanVleet may have forced a shot, but not nearly as often as some people imagine.

Hi, Doug. I am still trying to digest the shoddy events that led to the Raptors tumbling out of the playoff race. It’s clear that the team, in its present iteration, can’t win consistently. The problems with the team have been discussed ad infinitum, so I won’t go there other than to say that there is an awful lot of dead wood on the bench that will have to be swept away this summer.

For some reason, S. Barnes is turning into a coach killer. His lackadaisical play particularly in the early part of games has got Nick Nurse tearing out what little hair he has left, and he makes turnovers in bunches by passing into traffic — a real source of concern. These are just growing pains, we hope, but it seems to take a lot to motivate him sometimes.

Trent Jr. may be dealing with injuries, but he seems to be looking for a way out of town and will likely get his wish in the near future.

Best personnel move this year: reacquisition of Jakob P.

Worst personnel move this year: shoddy treatment of Dowtin Jr., probably so they can make him a lowball offer in the coming weeks.

Question: Masai has four options this summer: blow up the starting unit, blow up the bench mob, blow up a combination of the two, or stand pat and hope the players magically improve. Since fans have grown accustomed to winning now, I think he needs to make at least two big moves:

1. Acquire a point guard capable of spelling Fred for meaningful minutes (think Tyrese Maxie or a reasonable facsimile);

2. Trade at least three bench players and a starter away to create some cap room.

Agree or disagree?

Question: Are there any pending free agents with adequate shooting skills that you believe would fit into the Raps’ culture and scheme of things?

Now I am sure you have received a lot of comments concerning the screeching exhibition put on by DeMar’s nine-year-old daughter, but nobody seems willing to admit that she and the adult accompanying her were disturbing many of the fans who had shelled out mucho dinero for courtside tickets only to have their eardrums assaulted by a kid who earnestly felt she was helping her dad. This put the stadium personnel in an untenable position: They could not force her to stop behaving like a spoiled little rich kid without causing a huge incident, so they just let it go on and on. I doubt that it made any difference to the players because they are trained to ignore distractions, but it sure as heck irritated Raptors fans — and rightly so. Personally, I would have been mortified if my child behaved in this manner; and because DeMar did not ask her to stop (which he could have done at any time) he lost a ton of respect with his former fans.

Question: Does the NBA have any rule or policy governing the treatment of unruly fans (including children)? In my opinion, the kid should have been escorted out of the building “for her own protection.”

Have a good summer.

Rob Maheux

I’ll just answer the questions, deal?

The Raptors will absolutely make moves in the summer. They will be more tweaks than “blowing things up,” because blowing things up is generally an idea of fans who have little clue about the reality of building or maintaining a roster.

Until all the options are taken care of, it seems a waste of time to look too closely at free agents today. I will point out that the Raptors are most likely only going to have the mid-level exception to spend.

Hi, Doug. Is there such a thing as a shooting guru in pro hoops? Because the Raps sure could use one.

Cheers, Mike (from London)

Michael Prenger is the Raptors’ shooting coach. Been employed all season.

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