Catching Up With Coach Treloar

Of all the conversations I had during BayHawks media day, the quote that stood out the most came from BayHawks coach John Treloar, who said, "I believe this team can become the premiere D-League franchise."

It's a lofty goal, but one I was glad to here coming from the head coach. He's on board with the organization in Erie and wants to see it succeed on and off the court. He made a point to say that the basketball following in Erie is great, especially the support of the local Division II colleges. "We're not in direct competition with them," Treloar said, and the BayHawks don't want to be. Instead, they offer local fans something different. "Fans who come to our games are going to see more size, more athleticism, just a higher level of basketball," Treloar said.

That high level of basketball comes thanks to the hard work of Treloar and assistant coach Ben McDonald, who helped lead Erie to the playoffs last season as an expansion franchise. After a busy offseason, they're back and ready to try to build upon their first year success.

While Treloar says that every season is a new beginning, he does have four returning players in training camp that should ease the transition from season one to season two. Nonetheless, there are several holes to fill in the roster, most notably the spots of Erik Daniels and Maureece Rice, Erie's top two scorers from a season ago. Treloar spoke highly of both players, but feels good about the players Erie has in camp.

Some of Daniels' experience will be replaced by Donell Taylor, Erie's number one draft pick in the D-League draft, who has played two seasons in the NBA. As for Daniels' position on the floor, Treloar is hoping to find a more traditional low-post center this season. "We wanted to be able to have five or six big guys in camp," he said. Between returning Jarvis Gunter, allocating Kyle Goldcamp, trading for Alade Aminu, and drafting John Bryant and Jeff Skemp, the BayHawks accomplished that goal and brought six players listed at 6'10" or taller into camp.

There's no telling just yet how many of those big men will make the final cut, but one thing is clear. As the BayHawks enter their second season, coach Treloar is very satisfied with the relationship he and the organization has with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Danny Ferry and Mike Brown have been great putting this together," Treloar said. "Their vision of the relationship between the Cavs and Erie has developed into a great situation." Treloar has taken part in the Cavaliers' mini-camp and training camp and even sat in on meetings leading up to the draft.

But Cleveland is only one of two NBA affiliates for Erie. After a one-year partnership with the Philadelphia 76ers that involved very little interaction, the BayHawks are excited about their new affiliate, the Toronto Raptors. Despite being in a foreign country, Toronto is actually closer than interstate city Philadelphia, and the BayHawks believe the manageable travel distance will encourage more work between the two organizations. "The situation with the Raptors is new but has the potential to develop. Bryan Colangelo has really welcomed us in," Treloar said.

Treloar has some very difficult decisions to make over the next 10 days as he trims the roster from 17 down to 10 by the start of the season. But having been through this process once with success, Treloar is confident heading into the season. And he's not the only one, as the first D-League power rankings have Erie projected as the fourth best team in the league.

BayHawks Set Toronto Free Agent Tryouts

The Erie BayHawks, NBA Development League affiliates of the Toronto Raptors, have set Toronto free agent tryouts for October 31 and November 1, at the Kerr Hall Gymnasium on the campus of Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto.

Players interested in participating in the free agent tryout can get registration forms online at ErieBayhawks.com.

“We are excited about our new affiliation with the Raptors,” said BayHawks head coach John Treloar. “With this being the only NBA Development League tryout held in Canada this season, we expect a strong turnout.”

Space for the tryouts is limited, interested participants should register early to guarantee their place. Hopefuls should arrive prepared to participate in team drills, individual skills work and scrimmages. BayHawks coaches and staffers will be on hand for player evaluations.

The BayHawks' Cleveland free agent tryouts will be held later this week, October 17-18 at the Cavaliers' practice facility at Quicken Loans Arena. The BayHawks also held free agent tryouts in Erie back in September.

Looking at Erie's NBA Affiliates (Cavs, Raptors) 2009-10 Schedules

The NBA schedule is out for next season. No word yet on when to expect the D-League schedule, but I'll pass it along if and when I hear anything. In the meantime, here's a quick perusal of interesting dates on the calendar for the NBA affiliates of the Erie BayHawks, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors.

OCTOBER

27th, Boston at Cleveland (TNT): The two teams that most people had pegged as the Eastern Conference's representative in the 2009 Finals are back in that same role this year (along with defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando). Add Shaq to the Cavs and Rasheed Wallace to the Celtics and the teams get, well, older. Maybe better too. In any case, it's an intriguing matchup worthy of opening night status.

28th, Cleveland at Toronto: The BayHawks affiliates meet for the first time on the second night of the season. For Toronto, it's the season opener. For Cleveland, it's the second night of a back-to-back. LeBron and company will no doubt look forward to tangling with Hedo Turkoglu's new crew (and relish the lack of a Dwight Howard north of the border).

NOVEMBER

1st, Orlando at Toronto: Toronto welcomes back one of its least favorite former players, Vince Carter with his new Magic teammates. Will Carter's presence be enough to make Orlando forget about Turkoglu's key role getting Orlando to the Finals last season?

6th, Cleveland at New York (ESPN): LeBron's last game at MSG in a visitor's uniform? That's what some will say, but after playing against the Knicks, LeBron may not see much temptation on that roster.

7th, Toronto at Dallas: This game is the second game in a November stretch where the Raptors will play 7 out of 8 games on the road. It's also a chance for the Raptors to reacquaint themselves with Shawn Marion, and for free-agent-to-be Chris Bosh to visit his hometown team.

11th, Cleveland at Orlando (ESPN): The Cavs get their first small chance at revenge for last year's Eastern Conference Finals, though the Magic won't look quite the same with new faces like Carter, Ryan Anderson, and Brandon Bass, as well as the departures of Turkoglu, Courtney Lee, and Rafer Alston.

DECEMBER

25th, Cleveland at Los Angeles Lakers (ABC): Was there any doubt that this was going to be the Christmas Day feature? Shaq-Kobe, LeBron-Kobe, defending NBA champs versus the team on the verge trying to get over the hump. Oh, and don't forget about Ron Artest spreading holiday cheer either. This one is must see TV, and it should be a good basketball game, too. Not to mention David Stern's dream NBA Finals matchup.

9th, Toronto at Milwaukee: Raptors rookie DeMar DeRozan, the 9th overall pick, squares off against Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings, the 10th overall pick. Both players are young athletic players who were in high school just two years ago.

JANUARY

8th, Cleveland at Denver (ESPN): In another of Cleveland's 29 nationally televised games, LeBron faces fellow 2003 draftee Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets in a battle of the two teams that fell just short of a championship appearance last season.

15th, Toronto at New York (ESPN): Unlike the Cavs, the Raptors are not a media darling. This midseason visit to the Big Apple is the only national telecast for Toronto.

19th, Toronto at Cleveland: The second meeting of the BayHawks' affiliates occurs in the new decade. Welcome basketball 2010.

FEBRUARY

4th, Miami at Cleveland (TNT): Another 2003 star pays a visit to King James. This time its the one with the bragging rights of a championship ring, Dwyane Wade. There's also the subplot of Shaq versus (another) former team.

24th, Portland at Toronto: The Raptors play host to the Blazers, a team that features two players taken behind top pick Andrea Bargnani in the 2006 NBA Draft: LaMarcus Aldridge (2nd overall) and Brandon Roy (6th overall).

26th, Cleveland at Toronto: Let's not forget who else was part of that famous 2003 NBA Draft along with LeBron, Carmelo, and DWade. No, I'm not talking about Darko Milicic. I'm referring to the 4th overall selection, the Raptors' Chris Bosh.

MARCH

8th, San Antonio at Cleveland: In a rematch of the 2007 NBA Finals, the Cavs play host to Tim Duncan and the Spurs. It's also a battle of the best big men of the previous decade between Duncan and Shaq.

9th, Toronto at Los Angeles Lakers: The Raptors begin a season-tying-long four-game roadtrip against the defending champions, a team Turkoglu may hold a bit of a grudge against.

APRIL

6th, Toronto at Cleveland: The final meeting between Erie's affiliates happens in April in the final weeks of the regular season, and this matchup could have potential playoff implications.

11th, Orlando at Cleveland (ABC): The final Sunday of the regular season could be a pivotal matchup for the Cavs. This game could determine playoff seeding and give one team the upper hand heading into the postseason.

14th, New York at Toronto: The Raptors finish the season against the Knicks. Will this be a game with playoff implications or simply a look ahead to the future for rookies taken one after the other this summer, New York's 8th pick Jordan Hill and the Raptors' 9th pick, DeMar DeRozan?

Summer League Teams in Review: Toronto Raptors

The final piece of my week-long review of the Las Vegas Summer League shines the light north of the border on the Toronto Raptors, the new affiliate of the Erie BayHawks for the 2009-10 NBA season.

The Raptors won their last three Summer League games (by a combined 7 points) to finish the week 3-2 in Vegas. Their were plenty of impressive performances for this young squad.

Team MVP: DeMar DeRozan
A very honorable mention goes out to the team's leading scorer and former BayHawk Quincy Douby, but Raptors fans and scouts alike had their eyes on the team's top pick all week long, and DeRozan was, for the most part, very impressive. He averaged 17 points on just under 50 percent shooting while also grabbing 4.8 rebounds per game from the guard position. While his 1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio leaves some room for improvement, it's also not a terrible number for a rookie making his debut.

The biggest question mark in DeRozan's game right now is outside shooting and free throw shooting. He was only 50 percent from the line (10-20) and made just one 3-pointer in 5 attempts. Those areas need improvement, but DeRozan exhibited a lot of the potential that made him a lottery selection, and the Raptors organization has to be encouraged by his overall performance. I think he'll find playing time with Toronto this season and would be surprised to see him sent on assignment to Erie.

Other Notables
Roko Ukic played well. He shot 51.5 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range while averaging 11.8 points per game. As seems to be the Summer League trend, though, he averaged more turnovers than assists.

Patrick O'Bryant rebounded the ball well, leading the team with 6.4 boards per game. He also scored in double figures on efficient 55.8 percent shooting. Perhaps there's a chance he can remove the "bust" label before the final chapter is closed on his career.

Brent Petway is never going to get turned due to lack of athleticsm. In addition to his highlight reel dunks, Petway played well on the defensive end, where he easily led the team in blocks per minute.

Smush Parker didn't do much to help his cause to get back in the NBA, at least not in Toronto, where the backcourt is already loaded. He did manage to score 8 points per game, but he shot just 36.4 percent from the field and had more turnovers than assists.

Final Thoughts
I can't praise Douby's performance enough. He's a talented individual, and I think he's a more mature player at this stage of his career than he was coming out of Rutgers. It also didn't help being stuck in Sacramento where the revolving door of coaches through off any chance for consistency. I like his chances of sticking in Toronto this season or else catching on with another NBA club.

As for the others, it'll be interesting to see how the Raptors utilize the relationship with the BayHawks this season. Hopefully they'll follow more in the mold of the Cavs and be open to development assignments and less like the 76ers who seemed very unconcerned with their Erie affiliation last season. In any case, welcome aboard Toronto. Summer League is fun, and hopefully the rest of the year will follow suit.

Summer League Players in Review: Quincy Douby

In his short stint with the Erie BayHawks last season, Quincy Douby showed enough to earn a roster spot with the Toronto Raptors for the end of the of 2008-09 season.

In five Summer League games with the Raptors, Douby may very well have assured himself that the D-League will not be necessary this year. Aside from—maybe—Raptors top pick DeMar DeRozan, Douby was the best performer for the Raptors squad in Las Vegas.

He averaged a team-high 18 points per game in just over 27 minutes per game. He also led the team in assists (3.8 per game), free throws attempted and made, and was first in free throw percentage (71.4 percent) among players who had at least 10 free throw attempts. Additionally, he averaged 4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and just 1.8 turnovers per game.

Douby's performance earned him a mention on the All-Vets & Journeymen Team from ESPN TrueHoop's Vegas Summer League Halfway Home Awards.

The current situation in Toronto's backcourt is a bit crowded, and the recent addition of former Indiana Pacer Jarrett Jack makes it even more loaded. Jose Calderon, Marcus Banks, Roko Ukic are all names Douby must battle with to find a roster spot—let alone playing time—in Toronto.

Whether Douby catches on with the Raptors this season remains to be seen, but his strong performance in Las Vegas bodes well for the former Rutgers star's hopes of playing in the NBA next season whether it's north of the border or elsewhere.

Summer League Game Recaps, Two For the Price of One

I didn't delay this post on purpose. I've just been busy with freelance writing that I actually get paid for as opposed to this, which I simply do for the love of the game. But enough about me, there are two Raptors Summer League game reviews to do.

First, from Wednesday: Raptors 74, Suns 73

I didn't see the action, but it sounded like one of the better endings from Las Vegas this week. Here's the description taken from the official Summer League recap:

The Toronto Raptors (2-2) rallied from nine down in the fourth quarter to claim a 74-73 victory over the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night in the 2009 NBA Summer League presented by EA SPORTS from the COX Pavilion in Las Vegas. The Raptors got game-ending heroics from DeMar DeRozen and Ekene Ibekwe, who nailed the game-winning basket and blocked a last second shot, respectively.

The Raptors rallied in the final 7:28 and got the game-winning basket via alley-oop from DeRozen with 46 seconds remaining in the game. The Suns’ Goran Dragic went coast-to-coast with seven seconds remaining and put up a running jumper that was swatted away by Ibekwe. Unfortunately, Ibekwe landed awkwardly and had to be taken off the court via stretcher.

Ibekwe sustained two sprained wrists and received six stitches in his chin.

Then, earlier tonight, the Raptors won yet another one-point contest, edging Milwaukee 84-83.

Blog Talk BayHawk is proud to report that Quincy Douby, late of the Erie BayHawks, drained the game winner against the Bucks with 1.3 seconds left. The late-game heroics helped the former Rutgers star overcome two consecutive subpar shooting performances. However, Douby did convert 14 of 17 free throws in the games against Phoenix and Milwaukee while also dishing out a team high 9 assists over the same span.

DeMar DeRozan had back-to-back impressive performances, scoring 20 points apiece versus the Suns and Bucks on a combined 17-29 shooting along with 9 rebounds, 5 assists and just 2 turnovers.

Ibekwe played a very solid game against Phoenix before sustaining the injury. He finished the game with 7 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, including the one that saved the game.

And finally, after another sluggish performance against the Suns, Smush Parker did bounce back with some productive minutes against the Bucks by getting to the free throw line, though he still shot just 3-13 from the field.

Summer League Game Recap: Raptors 92, Blazers 87

In a game that featured 22 lead changes and 12 ties, the Toronto Raptors' Summer League team came away with their first victory in three tries yesterday, outlasting Portland 92-87.

Former BayHawk Quincy Douby continued to impress, leading the team with 20 points off the bench, and scoring efficiently: 7-14 from the field, 2-3 from beyond the arc, 4-6 from the charity stripe. He also led the team with 5 assists, tied for the team lead with 2 steals, and committed just 2 turnovers. The all-around solid effort from Douby could earn him a roster spot come November.

Rookie DeMar DeRozan had a better effort in this game, scoring 15 points on 6-14 shooting. He also recorded his first assist as a Raptor. Perhaps most impressively, he led the team with 6 rebounds.

Brent Petway had an efficient offensive game, going 5-7 from the floor. He also added 4 boards in just under 20 minutes of action.

Roko Ukic had a mixed performance. He scored 12 points on 5-8 shooting, but the Raptors' coaching staff can't be happy with his 5 turnovers to just 3 assists. That's not a favorable ratio, especially for a guard.

Smush Parker, Carl English and Nathan Jawai all received DNPs for the game.

Summer League Weekend Wrap

There's a lot to get to after a full weekend of Summer League action in Las Vegas. First, I'll take a look at the Summer League squads of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, the two affiliates of the Erie BayHawks. Then, I'll also give an update on a couple of other former BayHawks and what they've done so far in Summer League play.

Cavs results
The Cavs lost their Summer League opener against the Lakers as well as their second game against the Bucks, but Summer League games are not really about wins and losses as much as player development. Also, check out John Krolik's quick thoughts on the Summer League over at Cavs: The Blog, including the important note that points scored is not really the stat to look at when viewing the Summer League box scores.

Five starter points of interest for Cleveland through two games:

• Second-round pick Danny Green is tied for the team lead with 27 points, but more importantly, the UNC alum has shot 5-10 from 3-point range and is a perfect 6-6 at the line. It looks more and more like he'll be a Cavalier and not a BayHawk during his rookie season.
• It's no surprise that Darnell Jackson leads the team in minutes played, but Jamont Gordon is right behind him, taking up a lot of the point guard minutes (and producing nine assists to six turnovers.)
• Maureece Rice has played just 25 minutes, shooting just 1-9 from the field. He does have five assists to his three turnovers though, a slightly better AST/TO ratio than Gordon, but the former BayHawk point guard will need to step it up over the next few games if he's going to make an NBA roster.
• Tarence Kinsey hasn't shot the ball well, but he leads the team with 11 rebounds.
• First-round pick Christian Eyenga had just one point in his debut against the Lakers, but he bounced back with 10 points on 4-6 shooting against Milwaukee.

Cavs remaining games
Tuesday vs. Washington
Thursday vs. Dallas
Friday vs. Detroit

Raptors results
Toronto also lost each of its first two games, falling to the Lakers and Pistons on consecutive nights.

Five starter points of interest for Toronto through two games:

• DeMar DeRozan is one of the most notable players partaking in the action in Vegas. While he's shown some scoring prowess, he's also shot 14-32 with 0 assists and 3 turnovers. On the flipside, it was good to hear that DeRozan is a bit of a gym rat, the first to arrive (via TrueHoop).
• Brent Petway showed off his athleticism with a highlight dunk and 3 blocks in limited minutes vs. the Lakers.
• One-time BayHawk Quincey Douby had a pretty efficient game two, netting 21 points on 13 shots, including 2-3 from downtown. He did have 2 turnovers to go with his three assists, however.
• Smush Parker has struggled with his shot, but he leads the team with 8 assists.
• Patrick O'Bryant was the only Raptor to pull down double-digit rebounds, grabbing 10 to go with his 10 points against the Pistons.

Raptors remaining games
Today vs. Portland
Wednesday vs. Phoenix
Thursday vs. Milwaukee

Other Erie BayHawks News to Note

• All D-League 1st-team selection Erik Daniels is on the Memphis Grizzlies Summer League roster. And in their first game yesterday he gets a DNP? I'm not sure what happened here, especially considering the final score of the game was 86-57 Grizzlies. For what it's worth, three other players did not play either, according to the box score.
• In other news, former BayHawk Darian Townes, who played in the Orlando Summer League with the host Orlando Magic, will be on the training camp roster for the Miami Heat.
  

Toronto Raptors Summer League Preview

The Toronto Raptors will field a 12-man squad at the 2009 Las Vegas Summer League, which begins this Friday and runs through July 17 at the Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

The Raptors, newly-named affiliates of the Erie BayHawks, will be participating in the Vegas Summer League for the third time since its inception in 2004.

Toronto Raptors 2009 Summer League Roster

DeMar DeRozan, 6'5", G/F, USC
DeRozan will be the main attraction for Raptors fans. The 9th overall pick of the draft gets his first opportunity to show what he can bring to the table. For a more in depth look at DeRozan, check out my "Better Know a Draft Pick" post on DeRozan from last week.

Roko Ukic, 6'5", PG, Croatia
As a rookie with the Raptors last season, Ukic averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 assists in 12.4 minutes per game. There's not a whole lot of information out there on Ukic, but you can check out this highlight montage on YouTube.

Quincy Douby, 6'3", G, Rutgers
The 19th pick of the 2006 NBA Draft by Sacramento, Douby had a short stint last year with the Erie BayHawks before being called up by the Raptors. He's a very capable scorer still looking to find his niche in the NBA. For more on Douby, check out my "Players in Review" post from May.

Nathan Jawai, 6'10", PF, Australia
As a rookie, Jawai played in just six games with Toronto last season. At 6'10" and 280 pounds and only 22 years old, he's an intriguing prospect. He was assigned to play with the Idaho Stampede, Toronto's 2008-09 affiliate, last February before being recalled by the Raptors. For more on Jawai's background, check out his DraftExpress profile, updated through February 2008.

Patrick O’Bryant, 7'0", C, Bradley
After leading Bradley to the Sweet 16 in 2006, O'Bryant capitalized on his high stock and entered the draft as a sophomore. He was selected by Golden State with the 9th overall selection, but has yet to find a home in the NBA, bouncing from Golden State to Boston to Toronto. If O'Bryant is going to defy the draft bust labels, he's going to have to start showing signs of improvement this summer.

Carl English, 6'5", G, Hawaii
The Canadian-born English has been a part of Canada Basketball since 2000, and was a key contributer on the national team as they tried to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. He's also had experience playing in the D-League during the 2003-04 season. For more on Carl English, check out this February 2009 interview with Hoops Addict.

Ekene Ibekwe, 6'9", PF, Maryland
According to NBADraft.net, the former Maryland Terrapin has played in Israel, France, and now in the TIBL in Turkey where he is in the top 10-in the league in both scoring and rebounding.

David Doublas
Information about Doublas is scarce, but he reportedly was a member of Spain’s 2001 Under-20 national team.

Brent Petway, 6'8", F, Michigan
As the winner of the 2008 D-League Slam Dunk Conest, there is no question that Brent Petway can throw it down with the best of them. He's nicknamed "Air Georgia" for a reason. But the former Michigan Wolverine is determined to prove that he's more than just an explosive dunker. Petway has played the past two seasons in the D-League with the Idaho Stampede, starting 48 games and averaging 10.2 points last year.

Paul Davis, 6'11", PF/C, Michigan State
The 2002 "Mr. Basketball" in the state of Michigan, Davis has played in 80 games over three years with the Los Angeles Clippers before they waived him in January. He's also known for getting dunked on by Dwayne Wade.

Smush Parker, 6'4", G, Fordham
Parker is probably best remembered as the starting point guard on the 2006 Lakers team that was one Tim Thomas 3-ball away from advancing to the second round of the playoffs. But after starting 162 games over two years with the Lakers, Parker played in just 28 games the next two years with Miami and the L.A. Clippers. He has since played in the D-League and the Chinese Basketball Association.

Demetris Nichols, 6'8", F, Syracuse
The former Syracuse Orange has played in a total of 18 NBA games over two seasons while also seeing time with the Iowa Energy of the D-League.

Toronto 2009 Summer League Schedule

Date	Opponent	Time (ET)
Friday, July 10	L.A. Lakers	8:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 11	Detroit	4:00 p.m.
Monday, July 13	Portland	8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15	Milwaukee	4:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 16	Phoenix	4:00 p.m.

Better Know a Draft Pick: DeMar DeRozan

As soon as I posted the first in the "Better Know a Draft Pick" series, featuring Jrue Holiday of the Philadelphia 76ers, it was announced that the Sixers were no longer an affiliate of the Erie BayHawks, replaced by the Toronto Raptors. So, in today's post I'll look at the Raptors lone selection, DeMar DeRozan.

The Good
DeRozan is one of the best athletes in the draft. He has the build of an NBA wing player and the athleticism to get to the rim. He's also a good fit for Toronto because they appear to be in rebuilding mode with Chris Bosh likely on his way out of town at the end of next season if not sooner. DeRozan gives them a solid building block for the future and a potential star.

The Bad
He's still young and raw as a talent. He averaged just 13.9 points and 1.5 assists per game in his one year at USC. He also needs to develop his outside game as he shot just 16.7 percent from 3-point range in college. He has an explosive first step, but defenders will back off him and dare him to shoot with such a poor outside shooting percentage.

The Unknown
Researching DeMar DeRozen, there's a lot of positive hype out there. Among the claims I saw, he was called the next Andre Iguodala, the next Vince Carter, and the next Paul Pierce. If he amounts to any of those or some combination of them, he'll be a a steal at the number nine pick. The question is, how will he develop, and will he develop quickly enough for the Raptors to reap the benefits of his potential before his rookie contract is up?

The chances he'll see playing time for the Erie BayHawks
33 1/3 percent: As the new affiliate of the BayHawks, there's no telling yet just how this relationship will work, but the proximity of Toronto to Erie should allow for more interaction than Erie saw last year from its partnership with Philadelphia. Plus, as young and unpolished as DeRozan is, he could really benefit from a few games honing his skills in the D-League.

Final Thoughts
While Brandon Jennings would have been another interesting selection, the choice of DeRozan made sense for the Raptors. His development will mean a lot in terms of the team's future, which means they should seriously investigate the option of including the D-League and the BayHawks in that process.

New Poll: Raptors or Sixers?

New D-League Affiliates

Just as I was introducing BayHawks fans to the affiliates' draft picks, the D-League has announced the new lineup of NBA affiliates for the 2009-10 season, which includes a change for the Erie BayHawks.

Gone is the BayHawks' connection with cross-state Philadelphia. Instead, Erie is going north of the border in affiliaton with the Toronto Raptors. The 76ers will be affiliated with the D-League expansion franchise in Springfield, Mass., along with the Knicks and Nets.

Geographically the move makes sense. Even though Erie shares Pennsylvania with Philadelphia, Erie is actually more than 200 miles closer to Toronto than Philly. Hopefully that proximity will mean the Raptors will take advantage of the opportunity the way the Cavaliers organization did with Cleveland last year.

For a complete look at the new affiliates around the league, check out the breakdown from the D-League's official site.