FanHouse Jay Triano

Every Tuesday this offseason, two of our NBA experts will go at it with a Debate in the Paint. This week, the topic is the Toronto Raptors, and whether they are moving toward being contenders in the East.

The Raptors have been the summer's most active team, with Bryan Colangelo moving from high-profile moves like Jason Kapono-for-Reggie Evans to trade-Tourette's yawners like Marcus Banks-for-Matt Carroll. (That last one is still a rumor.) As of today, Toronto will begin 2009-10 with exactly three players who began last season on the roster (Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon).

But not all change is good change. Is this change good change? In my opinion, yes ... and it will vault Toronto toward the East's upper strata.

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LAS VEGAS -- Raptors coach Jay Triano already has thought a lot about how his team is going to play in 2009-10. He pretty much wants the Raptors to be the Orlando Magic of the North.

Triano has three versatile big men at his disposal – Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani and Hedo Turkoglu – and he plans to employ the same kind of system that was successful for the Magic this past season.

"Hedo is so good at handling the ball, and we're not afraid of letting our forwards do that," Triano said. "Bargnani stretches the defense with his ability to shoot and Bosh is good inside or facing up or rolling to the basket. I would think we'll do things similar to what Orlando did.

From the moment the Raptors selected Andrea Bargnani with the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, he's been second-guessed and labeled a bust. He showed the occasional flash of potential his first couple of years, but not nearly enough to justify being drafted over the likes of fellow top-10 picks Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge or Rudy Gay or late-round gems Rajon Rondo or Paul Millsap.

And then, things started to click: when Jermaine O'Neal went down late last month, Bargnani has picked up the slack and then some, averaging 22.1 points per game sidelined since New Year's Eve, Bargnani has flourished in the starting lineup, averaging a surprising 22.1 points and 7.3 rebounds in eight starts.

What's up?! I know.... It's been a while since I've written. A lot has happened, but I'll keep it brief.

As you all know, we recently had a coaching change. First of all I would to thank Sam Mitchell for everything that he gave to the organization. I wish him nothing but success as he moves on in the future.

Tonight is our first game under Jay Triano. I'm comfortable with Jay because he's been with the Raptors since I've been there. I think he is going to do a great job. As a team we have to make sure we bounce back and play the type of basketball I know we can play.

Other than basketball I've just been trying to cope with the freezing weather. It's hasn't really snowed really bad in Toronto so that's a plus for me.

I'm working on my next video too. Its getting tougher because I'm tryin to keep my ideas fresh and I always want it to be good. I'll be ok though. I think that pressure is always good for you.

Well, I'm off to shootaround. We finally have a game on ESPN! Hopefully we'll do really well and they'll pick us up for more games. Also, vote for me for the All-Star Game! It would be greatly appreciated.

Michael Grange of the Globe and Mail penned a solid profile of Raptors interim coach Jay Triano, illustrating just how excited folks in Canada are for one of their own to take over their country's lone NBA team.

It's a good piece, but what struck me was how even the recently deposed Sam Mitchell had good things to say about the man who replaced him. As Mitchell told Grange, though, he harbors no ill-will over Bryan Colangelo's decision:

"Fans, calls, e-mails, everyone's been great," he said. "I've enjoyed every minute working for the Toronto Raptors and I've enjoyed every minute of living in this city, I have no regrets and no complaints and everyone at MSLE, the owners, board of directors, Bryan, has treated me better than anyone deserves to be treated. You just have to move on."

I agree that the Raptors probably had to make a change, and while the timing seemed early, it's better than pulling the trigger too late. That said, I'd love to see Mitchell get another chance, or at least an invitation to move into the broadcast booth.

When discussing Sam Mitchell's firing yesterday, my colleague Tom Ziller cited Toronto's dismal defense as a likely contributing factor -- last year the Raptors' defense ranked slightly above average; this year, it's one of the worst in the league.

Such a decline put Mitchell in an awkward position, especially since his entire coaching philosophy of rebounding and defense was somewhat at odds with Bryan Colangelo's preference to run-and-gun -- if a defensive coach can't coach defense, what use is he?

Mitchell was already in place when Colangelo took the job, and after Mitchell led the team to their first division title and was named Coach of the Year two seasons ago, Colangelo faced pressure to sign him to an extension. After hearing his comments at yesterday's press conference, I'm convinced Colangelo has given interim head coach Jay Triano (pictured), who's coached Steve Nash for Canada's national team, a mandate to run. From the Toronto Star:

"As of last week, I believe, we were 29th in the league in fast-break points. That was concerning to all of us," said Colangelo last night. "There was talk about running, but it's something that I'm not sure we ever really thought about or practised or discussed to the extent it appeared on the floor with any kind of habit."

Fortunately, the tools are in place for the Raptors to become an up-tempo team. Jermaine O'Neal won't be winning any footraces, but he can trigger the fast-break with his rebounding, and his frontcourt mates Chris Bosh and Jamario Moon are both extremely athletic. Plus, no one in the league finds the open man (9.5 assists per game) while protecting the ball (4.9 A/TO) as well as Jose Calderon.