| An Exclusive Interview With Toronto GM Rob Babcock Authored by Peter DeWolf - November 6, 2005 - 10:31 pm
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PD: How do you feel the pre-season went overall?
Rob Babcock: The pre-season went well. We started off poorly (record-wise), but that can be expected with a young team. The coaches and players worked hard and we got better each week.
PD: Are you happy with the way the rookies have been progressing?
Rob Babcock: I am very pleased with our rookies. They have made good progress, they have strong character and potential to improve. They will have their ups and downs, but they are all going to be contributing players for us.
PD: People are talking about the chemistry that seems to be already present amongst the players. Have you noticed this? Do you feel that chemistry is underrated as far as its importance to winning?
Rob Babcock: We have players that work hard, want to learn, have team values and most importantly want to win. Those are all important things to have in building a team. Developing chemistry both on and off the court requires more than just having good guys. We need leaders and we need those good guys to mix properly. I think that chemistry is an important part of a good team and this team has the potential to have it. It will take time to see how it fits on the court.
PD: Not enough has been made about the financial flexibility you gained with the Carter trade. Was a big part of doing the deal keeping an eye to a certain point -- say summer 2007 -- to have ample cap room to make some bigger moves?
Rob Babcock: The financial flexibility from the Carter trade has already had a big impact on our team. Without the trade we would not be able to use our mid-level exception because it would have put us over the tax line. With the trade, we were able to use that exception and we used it to sign Jose Calderon and re-sign Matt Bonner. The trade will allow us that flexibility next year and the year after. In other words, we are talking about being able to use the mid-level each of those years (as opposed to not using it). It will also make it easier to re-sign our own free agents.
PD: You are currently carrying 14 players on the roster. Do you have any immediate plans to add another player? Looking at the roster, is there one position that you feel is most in need of some extra help?
Rob Babcock: The roster position depends mainly on the health of Alvin Williams. We are keeping that open until we get a final answer on Alvin.
PD: Do you foresee making use of the NBDL this season? Do you think the NBA would benefit from a full farm system, where each NBA team has a minor league affiliate for themselves?
Rob Babcock: There is no doubt that it would be beneficial for us to have a full-blown farm system. This new arrangement is a step in the right direction. We will evaluate our players in the early part of the season and then determine if there is anyone that would benefit playing in the NBDL.
PD: Do you feel an extra pressure to look at Canadian players?
Rob Babcock: I feel no pressure to look at any nationality player and I don't think you should ever select players with that in mind. We are looking for the best players and people to build this team with.
PD: This past Sunday marked the first broadcasting of this year's "Behind The Draft" special on Raptors NBA TV. Many fans noticed the lack of coverage from inside the "war room." Could you explain a little about the change in format this season?
Rob Babcock: For the draft, I don't like have extensive coverage in our draft room because we have confidential discussions taking place.
PD: What did you learn last season that will help you most this season and going forward?
Rob Babcock: The most important thing I learned was about our players (their strengths, weaknesses), and with those evaluations being able to put together a solid plan for the future.
Any comments or questions can be sent to Peter DeWolf at www.peterdewolf.com |
