Raptors suit against Spanish federation could top $14 million

TheStar.com - Sports

Raptors suit against Spanish federation could top $14 million

LISA HORNAK/REUTERS

Raptors rookie Jorge Garbajosa broke his leg during a game in Boston on March 26, 2007.
March 17, 2008

RICK MATSUMOTO

Sports Reporter

The Toronto Raptors are suing the Spanish basketball federation for what could amount to more than $14 million (Canadian) the team says it is owed on an insurance claim involving injured forward Jorge Garbajosa.

The Raptors' parent company, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., filed a statement of claim against the Federacion Espanola de Baloncesto in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice last Friday.

In the 19-page document, MLSE seeks 6 million Euros ($9,440,000 Canadian) in damages for breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and negligence if Garbajosa has suffered permanent disability or 1.5 million Euros ($2,517,000 Canadian) for temporary disability.

Garbajosa, who earned $3,416,667 (U.S.) last season, is to earn $3,666,667 for the current NBA season and $3,916,666 for 2008-09.

"He was a hard-working player and a solid defender and his absence from the starting lineup is a significant loss to the team," the Raptors stated in their claim.

MLSE is also asking for $5 million (Canadian) in punitive damages.

Garbajosa injured his left leg last March that caused him to miss the final 12 games of the season as well as the playoffs. The Raptors wanted him to concentrate on rehabilitation rather than playing for Spain in last summer's European championships.

But when the Spanish Federation persisted in its request that the Raptors allow him to play, the team agreed only after the Spaniards took out a $1 million (U.S.) insurance policy against further injury to Garbajosa's leg, the claim states.

The suit states that the Federation advised the Raptors it had obtained permanent disability coverage in the amount of 6 million Euros and 1.6 million Euros for temporary disability. While the policy was written in Spanish, the Federation agreed to provide an accurate and certified translation, according to the Raptors' allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law.
While Garbajosa did not seem to re-injure his leg in the tournament, it was apparent he was having difficulty with it as the current NBA season began in November. In December, tests showed the fracture had not completely healed and he was also suffering from avascular necrosis of the left tibia, a potentially career-ending injury, according to doctors.

He underwent further surgery and has not returned to the Raptors' lineup, although he has started to work out with the team in practice.

The Raptors made a claim under the terms of the insurance policy, but it was denied by the insurance company.

In their suit, the Raptors say the translation of the Spanish insurance policy was inaccurate and incomplete and are now without coverage for the disability of Garbajosa.

"The Federation knew or ought to have known that it was of crucial importance that the translation be complete and accurate and that the Raptors would rely on the Federation's representation with respect to the certification exclusively," according to the claim.

"The Raptors have suffered significant damages as a result of the Federation's actions," the document goes on to state. The team is contractually bound to pay Garbajosa's salary, even if he never plays again, which is a distinct possibility.

"The defendant's action ... amounted to wanton and intentional disregard for the interests of the Raptors for its own benefit."

Raptors' general manager Bryan Colangelo is on a European scouting trip and he was expected to meet with Spanish Federation officials to discuss the lawsuit.

Bryan Colangelo Puts a Premium on Shooting

Deep thoughts on how to succeed in the NBA
TheStar.com - Sports
December 05, 2007
Dave Feschuk

Bryan Colangelo, the Raptors general manager, got a phone call the other day. It was from an agent advertising the wares of a player possessed of qualities sorely missing from the Toronto roster this season, athleticism for one.

And though the GM wasn't interested for a list of reasons, the deal sealer, in some ways, was a simple truth: the free agent in question cannot shoot.

"If a guy can't shoot, I generally say ... `I'm not sure he can play with us,'" Colangelo said. "It's just the way the game has evolved."

Speaking of shooting, the league's 30 teams are on pace to take a record number of three-pointers this season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Heading into last night's action, the average NBA game had seen the launch of about 36 three-point shots. That's two additional attempts per game over last season and about five more per game than in 2004-05, the season Steve Nash arrived in Phoenix and the Suns – who face the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre tonight – began popularizing the European-influenced drive-and-kick style that has since been embraced, to various degrees, by many other squads.

There's a good reason why the Suns – who are firing up about 23 three-pointers a game this season, third most in the league – have bred copycats. Shooting a lot of three-pointers appears to be good for the win-loss record.

This season, 12 teams, the Raptors among them, are averaging 20 three-point attempts per game when rounded to the nearest attempt. As of yesterday, those 12 teams had compiled a .603 winning percentage. The 12 teams taking the fewest three-pointers per game, in contrast, were a combined .401.

Maybe those numbers lie. But in a league rife with internationally bred marksmen, short on dominant post players and heavy on swarming help defence since zone coverage was legalized in 2001, perhaps it's not a stretch to suggest that if you don't shoot from deep, you'll be hard-pressed to compete.

Three-point accuracy is important, too. But the volume of three-point attempts seems to be a key factor in winning games. Even if a team shoots the current league average of 35.5 per cent from three-point range, that team would have to shoot 53.3 per cent on two-point attempts to produce the same number of points with the same number of shots. As of yesterday, the league average on two-point field goals was 47.8 per cent. So the three, if you're seeking bang for your chuck, is the more efficient option. The Raptors, who are shooting a league-best 43.3 per cent from behind the arc, would need to shoot 64.5 per cent from two-point range to get as much value per shot.

No team's success can be explained by one factor and you can't have an outside game without an inside game. The Suns and Raptors, like a lot of teams, rely on guard penetration to produce either an easy layup or a kick-out to an open gunner. And Toronto functions best when Chris Bosh becomes, as Colangelo terms it, "a magnet for the defense," drawing double coverage in the post.

"Then when you put three or four shooters (behind the three-point line) at any one time, the defence cannot guard everybody," Colangelo said. "You're going to get an open look."

The Raptors, bent on creating those open looks, don't suffer bricklayers gladly. Which is why Colangelo had some advice for the shooting-impaired client of the agent who called the other day. He suggested the guy go play in Europe so he could learn to play in the NBA.

"I told him, if he goes over to Europe, he can work on his skills," Colangelo said, "and he can come back more in tune with where the game is going."

http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/282647

War Room Video

Thjs is great video of the Toronto Raptors war room during the 2006-07 NBA Draft, led by general manager, Bryan Colangelo.

Maurizio Gherardini Helps Bring Success to the Raptors

Last June, the Toronto Raptors hired Maurizio Gherardini to become their team’s vice president and assistant general manager. Gherardini was hired to work under Raptors president and general manager, Bryan Colangelo.

Why was this a significant hire for the NBA? Gherardini became the first European to hold a senior management position with an NBA team. In 1992, Gherardini joined Euroleague's Benetton Treviso and the club has experienced a great deal of success since then. With his leadership, the club became a training ground in Europe, and NBA personnel flocked there to scout players. He led Benetton to four league championships in 1997, 2002, 2003, and 2006. Benetton also won seven Italian Cups, three Italian Supercups, two Eurocups, and four times reached the Euroleague’s Final Four. Gherardini’s squads included NBA players Nickoloz Tskitishvili, Uros Slokar, Jorge Garbajosa, and Andrea Bargnani among others.

Upon hiring Colangelo, Gherardini said, “We are thrilled to have a globally esteemed basketball executive like Maurizio Gherardini join the Toronto Raptors. This is a ground-breaking move for the league, appropriately with the NBA's only true international franchise.”

Additionally, Gherardini was quoted as saying: “What made Toronto very special was actually the real opportunity to enter in some capacity the brainstorming process of an NBA team.”

With the idea that Toronto is not an attractive market for many NBA free agents, it became obvious that Colangelo and Gherardini wanted to add players from overseas in order to improve their team. Bargnani (drafted with the first pick in 2006), Jose Calderon (Spain), Jorge Garbajosa (Benetton), Rasho Nesterovic (Spurs, Slovenia), Anthony Parker (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bradley), and Uros Slokar (Bennetton) were brought in. This offseason, Toronto traded for Carlos Delfino, who had previously played three seasons with Detroit. Delfino was born in Argentina and had yet to reach his potential with the Pistons.

Colangelo and Gherardini have shown that they properly value the international game and know how to compare values. Players like Garbajosa and Parker are glue guys, and will continue to help the Raptors maintain their playoff stature. Although many of the top players overseas are fans of the NBA, they often do not want to leave a place where they are highly regarded to come to the United States where they are just another player. Gherardini is able to help to sell them on the idea of coming to the league.

Along with helping to attract international talent, Gherardini was also brought in to evaluate the talent here in the states. Colangelo will not be asking him to evaluate the finances of the team and to make decisions based on the league's collective bargaining agreement, but to evaluate the talent that is in the United States and around the globe. This is the aspect of senior management that Gherardini has and will continue to excel at. With Gherardini and Colangelo at the helm, the Raptors will certainly look to improve the Raptors franchise and top last years 47-win seaspm.

The Makings of a Contender

(Originally posted on October 11, 2006)

As the 2006-07 NBA Season begins, the Phoenix Suns led by MVP Steve Nash, are clearly one of the frontrunners to win the NBA title. If you consider that in the 2003-04 season they won only twenty-nine games, it is pretty amazing where they are today. The major reason for this is the January 2004 trade Suns general manager, Bryan Colangelo, made with Isiah Thomas and the New York Knicks. The transaction was:

The Knicks acquired Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski from Phoenix for Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lample, the rights to Milos Vujanic, two first-round draft picks and cash.

On the surface, it seemed like the Knicks were acquiring more talent in the deal and it would propel them into the playoffs. The Knicks did make the playoffs that season but got swept in the first round by the New Jersey Nets. In the long run, this trade did to totally different things for two different organizations: the Suns leaped to greatness and the Knicks dropped to the cellar.

The Salaries

Knicks Received:
*Stephon Marbury
03-04 13.5 million
04-05 14.6 million
05-06 16.0 million
06-07 17.3 million
07-08 20.1 million
08-09 21.9 million

*Penny Hardaway
03-04 13.5 million
04-05 14.6 million
05-06 15.8 million

*Cezary Trybanski
03-04 1.5 million
04-05 1.6 million05-06 1.7

Suns Received:
*Antonio McDyess
03-04 13.5 million - contract expired at the end of season

*Howard Eisley
03-04 5.3 million
04-05 5.8 million
05-06 5.2 million

*Charlie Ward
03-04 5.6 million - contract expired at the end of season

*Maciej Lampe
03-04 865,000
04-05 900,000
05-06 900,000

*Rights to Milos Vujanic

*2004 first round pick

*Conditional first round pick

Analysis
The trade represented a major shakeup for both teams. In exchange for its best player, Phoenix was able to go under the salary cap the next summer. Suns owner Jerry Colangelo also explained that the trade allowed the Suns to save $20 million to $25 million in salary and luxury tax costs through the 2004-05 season. However, the Suns did not just stop there and keep the savings.

It allowed them to turn around and sign two major impact players: Steve Nash (6 years, $65.6 million) and Quentin Richardson (6 years, $43.5 million). Although the trade with the Knicks saved them between $20-25 million, they reinvested that money in these two players for about $18,500,000 in the 2004-05 season. When the dust settled, you can really see how great of a job Jerry and Bryan Colangelo did when you compare the rotation from the 2003-04 season to the 2004-05 season.

2003-04 Rotation:
PG Stephon Marbury
SG Penny Hardaway
SF Shawn Marion
PF Amare Stoudemire
C Scott Williams
6th Jake Voskuhl
7th Bo Outlaw
8th Joe Johnson

2004-05 Rotation:
PG Steve Nash
SG Joe Johnson
SF Quentin Richarson
PF Shawn Marion
C Amare Stoudamire
6th Jim Jackson
7th Leandro Barbosa
8th Walter McCarty

Conclusion
In the end, when you look at the players in the trade who were on the team for more then half a season, the Suns turned Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway, and Cezary Trybanski into two first round picks, Steve Nash, and Quentin Richardson. This one trade completely changed the face and success of two organizations.