Dubious Raptor Moment #6

June 2004: Raptors Draft Rafael Araujo
Really do we need to go over this one?

Yes.  Yes, we do.

I really need to exorcise this moment of stupendous dubiosity because it's not just about a colossally bad draft pick.  When you look back at all the decisions made that led up to this night when Raptor fans justifiably booed their heads off, you begin to realize just how dysfunctional this organization is (was? hope hope).

The seeds of the the Araujo pick were sown in the previous year when Lenny Wilkins was fired.  Dick Peddie decided that the Raptors needed a fiery defensive-minded coach and basically over-ruled GM Glen Grunwald to select Kevin O'Neill as the man for the job.  Grunwald ended up taking the fall for the debacle that was the 2003/2004 season and O'Neill went with him.

Given the opportunity to install his own basketball management team Peddie waited.  And waited.  And waited.  In the meantime all the other teams moved forward with their draft analysis and scouting.  Still Peddie wanted to make sure he got the right guy for the GM job and less than 3 weeks before the draft finally selected Rob Babcock...  the very same person that Raptor consultant Jack McCloskey had touted for the job nearly two months earlier.  At the same time, Peddie was not including Vince Carter in the decision-making after promising him to do so, thus alienating the team's star player and noted sucky-baby.

With no time to evaluate players Babcock is left to make a decision based on McCloskey's recommendation.  That recommendation is Utah centre Rafael Araujo, despite the fact that Araujo was rated about 10 to 12 picks below the Raptors spot at #8.  But Araujo was the pick.  The fans showed no mercy.  I should know as I was there on the ACC floor that night and just moments after the pick Chuck Swirsky walked by me and gave me the quote that proved he has a soul.

"That was a biiiiiig reach."

But it wasn't over there.  Babcock was about to make his first ever address to the Raptor public.  Upon taking the stage to a landslide of seething hate, the first word out of Babcock's wincing mouth was "okay."  It was priceless.  Within three weeks of being hired, everyone knew this guy wasn't going to last to the end of his contract.  Babcock then went on to mis-pronounce Araujo's name and attempted to sell his "hockey mentality."  Big mistake, Babcock's exit from the stage resembled the fall of Saigon.

Raptor management's PR campaign began in earnest later that night when it was explained that despite the team's dire need of a point guard (a dire need that began the day Damon Stoudamire was traded), that the market for decent big men was so cost-prohibitive, as evidenced by the ridiculous Adonal Foyle contract,  that it was better to reach for decent big man and spend free agent dollars on a point guard who I guess we should have supposed were a dime a fucking dozen.

Therefore this line of decision-making not only led to the team to draft Araujo but to hand a 5-year contract to Rafer Alston, a passionate player but never the smartest and one who had never been a starter in the NBA.  Within 2 months of becoming Coach Sam Mitchell's whipping boy Alston was openly contemplating retirement.  This in turn led to the Alston trade for Mike James, who used all of last season as a personal showcase for a free agent contract anywhere but in Toronto.  Accordingly, the new Raptor management let him walk away.

Oddly enough, the player who experienced the exact opposite draft night was Jameer Nelson, an expected lottery pick who dropped down to #20.  The Orlando Magic wisely traded for this pick to select him and are now quite set at the point guard position for the next few years.

The best part out of all of this?  Nelson, 6-foot-0, has more career rebounds than Araujo, 6-foot-10.  Everybody, where-ever you may be, please stand and give a nice, long, slow, sarcastic clap for the Raptors for providing the perfect example of how a franchise should not be run.  Mr. Colangelo, I hope you're reading.

Comments

[arsenal]

I feel for the Brazilian Beast, that is until I found out he tested positive for Nandro in 2002...so he's a juice monkey to boot. Having said that, it was heartwrenching to see someone who was living his dream (playing in the NBA) become the focal point for fan frustration. A frustration that really goes beyond that word; despair, hatred, seething anger, disappointement, embarassment-all in one...Personally, I think fan frustration was misdirected, instead of being laid on Hoffa I believe fan frustration should have focused on the only constant throughout all the years of shit, embarassment, and stupidity: Richard Peddie.

[B-Huge]

You'll notice I didn't go too far out of my way to rip Araujo. He was the victim of all of these bad decisions. Had he been the 21st pick of the draft as initially envisioned by the draftniks, nobody would know who he is today. He'd be the Brazilian Michael Bradley.

[arsenal]

I did notice that; you are as just and benign as your are wise and funny. Michael who?

[Scott F]

definitely one of the best "dubious moments" posts!!

I think we can see what a bust he was...his line from Utahs's win over Denver the other night was 10 minutes, 2 points (from freethrows btw), 5 fouls and 4 turnovers...good to know the change of scenery has helped him immensely!!

[B-Huge]

Thanks for the kudos but writing these posts are easier than you think. It's the Raptors that have provided all this "wonderful" material.

[AJ]

1st ... if you watched the RaptorsTV behind the draft coverage, you would know that Babcock spent the next hour trying to trade for a pick to get Nelson.

2nd ... Take a look at the rest of the 1st round. It was a weak draft.

[B-Huge]

AJ, aren't you contradicting yourself? If the draft was so weak then why didn't the Raps just pick Nelson with the 8th pick? If the draft is weak, logic says pick the best guy available.

I had hoped what readers took away from this post was just how one bad decision in upper-management(Peddie choosing O'Neill as coach over Grunwald's protests or Peddie taking his sweet ass time selecting a new GM) can reverberate through a series of the next decisions to make.

[arsenal]

As a HUGE fan of this site I feel I the need to say that absolutely and unequivocally it's not you dearest BB, it's AJ. I would also like to add that your points are as clear as they are exquisitely humorous and poignant. You are as proliferous with your wit and words as daddy Wilt was with his sperm. And I believe that he is smiling down from heaven as he keeps tabs on you; from all his issue his greatest pride.

[B-Huge]

Thanks, and all you other readers please take note of Arsenal's comments for the proper way to kiss ass.

[AJ]

B-Huge ... nobody had Nelson in the top 10. I agree taking Hoffa was a dubious moment, just not nearly #6 bad. AI2 would have been nice, but they needed a point and a center. They thought they took the most ready player.

Personally, I think the worst dubious moment of that summer was not trading carter after it was clear during the weekend of the charity game that he wanted out.

In the summer Carter would have landed a something better, Babcock would not have drafted Hoffa in a desperate attempt to compete and Iggy would have filled the missing wing.

[B-Huge]

AJ, nobody save Jack McCloskey had Araujo ranked in the Top 10 either. And yes, it was a horrific moment for a franchise trying to put forward a new face for the public with all the new management. With this pick Babcock was already so discredited that his reputation never recovered.

Your timing is wrong as well. The draft took place in late June, Carter's charity event was in early August. Vince Carter had nothing to do with the Araujo pick (as much as I'd like to blame him for that too).

[Oratsroow]

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