Basketball Betting

Raptors unraveling as stars plan departure

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06/03/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A dreadful off-season continues to get worse for the Toronto Raptors, their fans and general manager Bryan Colangelo.

Just a few weeks after being scorned by Chris Bosh and his Twitter scandal, another humiliating issue has been brought to the forefront of a summer that is shaping up to be a public relations disaster.

After signing a five-year, $53 million dollar contract as a free agent only one year ago, Hedo Turkoglu has made it clear he does not want to return to the Raptors next season.

According to an interview he did in his native Turkey, he also stated his representatives had been in touch with Colangelo regarding the matter.

These shocking revelations are reflective of just how fractured Turkoglu's relationship with the Raptors has become.

A summer ago he was praising the organization and the city's welcoming atmosphere, while the fans raved of their prized new acquisition.

But as we have seen many times before, relationships in the sports world are tenuous, often ending as quickly as they begin.

Just ask Raptors fans about Vince Carter.

The Turkoglu soap opera began with an incident that occurred on March 28, 2010, when the forward was a healthy scratch for a game against the Miami Heat. The benching was handed out following reports he was spotted at a Toronto nightclub, immediately following a game he missed due to a stomach virus.

He was then fined an unspecified amount by the team, while Colangelo said they would handle matters internally. It was dealt with internally - as in, inside the confines of the Air Canada Centre.

In the coming days he was booed by fans at the ACC for his off-court antics and, according to Turkoglu, the experience cut him deeply.

The loss of support from his fan base and the organization's management of his alleged "night of partying" left a bad taste in his mouth, a taste that soured as he had time to digest his 2009-10 season.

When given the chance to speak about the incident with the Turkish media last week, Turkoglu clearly stated his intentions.

"When the circumstances turned against me, I lost my enthusiasm for this city. My lawyers have talked to the front office recently," he told NTV-MSNBC.

"Honestly, I do not want to go back to Toronto. My lawyers talked to Mr. Colangelo and I hope that they will come up with a solution soon."

By the sounds of it, one would have to believe the man isn't bluffing.

The warning shot to the bow of Colangelos sinking ship is a serious one, one that no doubt has him in meetings with Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment ownership's contractual lawyers, trying to find a solution.

Should Colangelo be searching for legal advice, a matrimonial attorney might be a more appropriate choice, because all signs are pointing to a nasty divorce.

Unfortunately the marriage had its issues from day one, as it was apparent the Raptors weren't going to get what they paid for when signing the big Turk.

When Turkoglu showed up at training camp exhausted, the Raptors gave him all of camp and most of the exhibition season to find his form. It was a decision that seemed reasonable given he had just come off a tough summer with the Turkish national team.

But as the season wore on, the 6'10" small forward struggled to find his place within head coach Jay Triano's offense, often blaming the system or the team for not getting him involved.

If that wasn't enough, his health began to suffer.

Hip and ankle pain surfaced throughout the campaign as word began to spread from sources around the team about Turkoglu's conditioning, or lack thereof.

Paired with his seemingly disinterested demeanor on the court, he would rarely show the finishing skills that made him an asset in Orlando.

He kept promising, or at least Colangelo did, that as the games became more important near the end of the season he would emerge as the leader they had brought him in to be.

It never happened.

Instead Turkoglu went on to have his worst season in six years, averaging just 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

The veteran, who was supposed to be a integral piece of the puzzle, was a huge disappointment as the Raptors failed to make the playoffs for the second season in a row.

In the end, a separation might be the best scenario for all parties involved, and something the general manager will need to execute swiftly.

When the Raptors brought Colangelo to Toronto, people praised his ability to be creative and imaginative in his managing style.

He's going to need to use those qualities to point the Raptors in the right direction because, at this point in time, the reputation of the organization is at serious risk.